ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1930, Page 8

ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

A PETITION. i LONG DISCUSSION IN THE • vl, -‘ ’HOUSE.

WELLINGTON, September 25. . The A to L Public Petitions Committee, reporting in the House of Representatives to-day on si petition praying' for immediate resumption ofwork on ' the Rotorua-Taupo railway line stated that it had no recommendation to make-, as a question of policy was involved. Mr Kyle (Riccarton) expressed the opinion that it had not been possible for. the committee to give the same consideration to this subject as had been given by the committee of last session. He believed that it was possible to open up large areas. of land in the thermal region to the economic advantage of the Dominion. Mr Hall (Hauraki) said there had been a very even division of opinion, among members of the committee which had considered this petition. Quite a large section believed that the possibilities of this line should be considered by the committee recently appointed to investigate all railway lines under construction. ’H© moved as an amendment that the report be referred back to tile committee for further consideration. LOSS NOT JUSTIFIED. 1 " ; ” " ' Mr Wilkinson (Egmont) and he hop ed the Government would stand by its decision not to go on with the line.. He did not think the annual loss to tlie country that it would involve lie justified. The area would be adequately served by a good road. Mr Eraser (Wellington Central) asked that the House should be given the benefit of a full report of the possibilities of the land in this area. Tin House should be in a position to judge what justification there was for an expensive railway or for an expensiv< road. He supported the view that tin line should be considered by the Railway Construction Committee. Sir Apirana Ngata said it. was possible to be an enthusiast about the settlement of pumice land and at the same time still‘be restrained conc-ex ning the construction of a railway line: The difficulty relating to settlement hi the area had been the eixistence bush sickness, and until that problem had been overcome work could not be pushed ahead. The Government wa experimenting with the country, and that stage had not yet been passed For many years afforestation companies had been operating in the area and a lot of land was already under trees. The Minister agreed that the question of development of the land should be fully investigated. Mr Jones (Mid-Canterbury) complained that the House had not been given the promised opportunity to discuss the report of the committee which considered the question last session. THE PUMICE BELT. The Acting-Prime Minister said that a. promise had been given that the Hofise^ would have an opportunity t<consider the report early in the session, but the business before the House, then consisted of measures to be disposed ofv so as -to enable Mr Forbes to leave for the Imperial Conference. Since the Prime Minister’s departure the Government had shown member* every consideration. He had been surprised that no member had considered the report of last- year’s committee o’. sufficient importance to raise .the question until the present juncture.. He contended that the railway was not essential to the development of the country. He had not lost his confidence in the development of the pumice belt; indeed lie believed the future possibilities of New Zealand to a large extent depended upon its development; The settlement of those portions of the country offered the best solution of the unemployment problem that could be seen. He considered further that the time was not far distant when much of the country regarded to-day as sheep and cattle sick would be brought into production. The Government was justified in the experiments it was conducting. EXHAUSTIVE! INVESTIGATION. Mr Lye (Waikato) said the report of the committee last year had recommended that the line should not he proceeded with. This recommendation had been reached after exhaustive investigation. It had further been recommended that ten thousand acres of the best land in this area should lie settled as an experiment. Mr J. A'. Nash (Palmerston) : How much has been settled ? Mr Lye: The Government has a scheme of settlement under way. As the honourable member knows it is impossible to settle ten thousand acres in one year. Mr Lye said that, as a practical farmer he did not think that results even twenty years hence would : ustifv the building of the railway. It was unlikely that it would he possible to get adequate water supplies in many large areas in the Taupo district.

MY Samuel (Thames) said that the report of the committee of last session had been brought down, on the casting vote of the chairman. He knew from his own personal observation that there were vast areas of land in the district that were capable of successful ■>.'ul highly profitable development. He was going to vote for the amendment, because while not wishing at the moment to state whether a railway Or roadj should be utilised ag a means of

cleylopment he was of opinion tlial the House should be given the .oppo-r----_unity for a full disession of the report of last year’s select committee. Air Clihkard (Rotorua) said that many of the members who had advo. cated the development of the district nad been taken there in the flush ol the season. If the land were as attractive throughout the year there would be no need for encouragement to bring about settlement. He believed any of the country suitable for development could be served satisfactorily by a good road, and lie certainly did not agree that the cost of a railway would he justified. ; • AMENDMENT REJECTED.

After a number of other members had spoken, 'Mr Macplierson, chairman of the committee, replying, said the question before the committee had been whether it was advisable now to go on with the railway or not. There was not the slightest doubt that if at ■ ome* future date it became, -apparent that the construction of d railway was warranted whatever Government was in power would then go on with the scheme. It ccrtainlyb Avas not warranted at (the present; time. He did not see that any good purpose could be gained "by referring the report back o the committee. ■ '■

Mr Hall’s amendment was rejected by 34 to 33.