PUHIPUHI FOREST TRAMWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9445, 16 August 1889, Page 5

PUHIPUHI FOREST TRAMWAY.

[BY TELTORAPH.—OWN' CORRESPONDENTS.] HiKtJKANGi, Thursday. A VERY large and enthusiastic meeting was held here last night, and the accompanying resolutions were unanimously passed. Mr. J. Rolleston, chairman:—l, "That this meeting expresses its indignation at the opposition shown to the Kumo-Puhipuhi tramway, and at tho untruthful statements made by interested parties, who are trying to monopolise the timber trade of the North, and propose a fallacious and misleading Hcheme for floating the timber from the Puhipuhi forest through miles of impassable swamps and over falls and rapids to the other side of the iuland." 2. "That this meeting respectfully urges upon the Government and members of Parliament great importance to this district, and tho colony as a whole, of at once proceeding to construct the proposed tramway from Kamo to the Puhipuhi forest, as the value of the dead timber alone would be sufficient to recoup the colony the cost of construction, besides leaving a considerable balance for other public purposes, and if the dead timber is not at once utilised it will be for ever lost by being burned or allowed to rot. The tramway would also pass through about 1000 acres of coal-bearing laud belonging to the Government. The coal has been proved to be of firsfc-claes quality, is easily worked, and ie at present worked on adjacent private lands, and secures a ready sale, but the want of a means of haulage prevents its proper development. Another fact, too, Ls that the proposed line will pass for nearly its entire length through .settled farm land." 3. " That Sir Geo. Grey be respectfully requested to support the KarnoPuhipuhi Tramway Bill, as it will be the means of saving public property from being wasted, and find employment for thousands of people." Kamo, Thursday. A well-attended meeting was held at Kamo to-day, when the following resolutions were carried :—l. " That this meeting urge upon the Government the necessity of extending the Kamo-Whangarei line to Puhipuhi, and in doing so would suggest that not only would it make the line a payable one, but would also be the means of opening up a large area of coal land, and of saving a valuable public estate, which is now being wasted, besides permanently employing and thereby finding a means of livelihood for a large number of settlers who have leased Government land. It would find a market for their produce, and without assistance of some kind this meeting cannot see how many of the said settlers can carry out the conditions of their leases. 2. That this meeting views with indignation the attempts made n>y interested persons to mislead the Government with regard to the necessity of extending the Kamo-Puhipuhi line, it being well-known to experts and practical men the impracticability of floating the timber from Puhipuhi over falls and rapids and through low-lying swamp lands some hundreds of miles to the Wairoa at anything like the cost stated. 3. That this meeting would respectfully remind the Hon. the Minister of Public Works of his promise given to his constituents at a meeting held at Kamo, viz., that he would use every endeavour to get fchis railway constructed ; and they trust he will now do so, nob only as promised to his constituents, but as his imperative duty to the colony."