RAILWAY WANTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17429, 26 March 1920, Page 4

RAILWAY WANTED.

ROTORUA TO TAUPO. RESIDENTS TAKING ACTION. • A HELP FROM LANDOWNERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Thursday. A -attended meeting was held on Wednesday night to consider direct railway communication between Botorua and Taupo. «Mr. Hill, resident officer, presided. It was stated that the meeting had been convened by .the Waiotapu Settlers' Association. The most important advantage to be derived from the scheme was the giving of access to the soldiers'- settlement at Reporoa. Mr. E. E. Vaile, chairman of the Settlers' Association moved :—" That the landowners present at this meeting approve of the offer of a rate of an average of Is per acre in terms of a petition to Parliament, and pledge themselves by all means in their power to promote the success of the petition.'' The motion was seconded by Mr. Tai Mitchell, and carried unanimously. • Mr. McLean, president of the Chamber of Commerce, moved —" That this meeting of residents of Rotorua expresses appreciation of the offer of the landowners to pay a rate towards the cost of a Government railway from Rotorna to Taupo, and requests the Government to accept the offer and proceed with the immediate construction of the railway." Mr. Mcpherson, chairman of tha# Returned Soldiers' Association, seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The meeting decrded to form a RotoruaTanpo Railway League. Twenty members joined in the room. The speakers emphasised the importance of the proposed railway to soldier settlement, and argued that the Government could &ot expect trie soldiers to take up land at Reparoa until they had satisfactory means of communication.