TAUPO-TOTARA RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17942, 18 November 1921, Page 4

TAUPO-TOTARA RAILWAY.

A report published to-day showß that the settlers along tho route of the Taupo-Totara Timber Company's railway are insistently pressing upon the Government their claim for the use of tho line at reasonable rates. The proposal that the Crown should acquire the railway may be regarded as disposed of by the negativo recommendation of the recent commission. There remains tho question whether the line is to bo utilised to assist in the development of tho district concerned or merely for the benefit of tho owners. Tho two interests are in conflict, and the Government is being pressed to intervene so that the district shall not suffer because tho lino is privately owned. Orders-in-Council have been issued which, if made effectivo, would satisfy all the demands of tho settlers, but the company holds that they aro merely permissive and that so long as the company does not exercise its rights under them it need not comply with their provisions as to rates and train services. Thus the contention is that tho lino can be run in the interests of the company and in no other interest. Further, it was put on record by the commission which sat last year that one case had been reported where a rate had been demanded in excess of tho Order-in-Council rate and another case in which the company had declined to carry timber at all for a mill which it considered was competing or might compete with its own mill. Thus the company is able to regulate, and apparently does regulate, the output of timber from the district, a power which gives to tho claims of the settlers a very wide interest, since the ultimate effect may be to decrease the supply and increase the price of timber. Tho agricultural development of the district is also at stake, for it cannot be supposed that much capital will bo risked there until transport facilities aro assured, and in the case of tho lands in question it is certain that no great development can bo hoped for until manures are carried at a reasonable tariff. It will bo at once conceded that the company cannot fairly be called upon to servo the district at unremunerative rates, but while it is running the railway it should bo required to meet the reasonable noeds of the settlers ahd of tho timber owners. The scale of charges may be a matter for adjustment, but if the company can establish its claim to divest itself of all the responsibilities of common carriers it says littlo for the care exercised in the public interest when tho franchises were granted. In any event, a very clear case has been established for tho Government to step in and endeavour to make an equitable arrangement on behalf of tho settlers and the public. In such a case it may be assumed with safety that the Taupo-Totara Timber Company is very well able to look after itself.