ABANDONED RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20228, 12 April 1929, Page 13

ABANDONED RAILWAY.

ROTORUA-TAUPO ROUTE.

pOTHER STRONG PROTEST.

f ACTION BY PROGRESS LEAGUE

CONSTRUCTION OF LINE URGED.

r B t TELEGRAPH.—pWN CORRESPONDENT. ] ROTORUA. Thursday, question of the stoppage of work cn the Rotorua-Taupo railway was introduced at t' le meeting of the RotoruaTaupo Progress League last evening by the president, Mr. J. N. McLean. He considered that Rotorua had had a very ra w deal. Thej/ had been asking for this railway for about 20 years, and had brought' evidence before two commissions showing the need for the railway and tho prospects of success. The lato Government, had at last " started the work and after some months' work had been done fhe new Government ordered the work to be stopped without giving any reason. Mr. McLean r6vie\ved events in connection with the Goverment's decision and said he thought the only way the matter could be dealt with satisfactorily would be to bring tho matter before Parliament by means of a petition. He had never heard a public man advance any sound reason against the construction of the railway. Ho then moved tho following resolution : / "That this league strongly protests ogainst the abandonment of work on the Rotorua-Taupo railway, and that immediate steps be taken to prepare a petition for signatures praying that construction of the line be proceeded with." This was seconded by Mr, W. G. Butcher. Mr. H. P. Ford, chairman of Rotorua County Council, said his council considered the great possibilities of the district from a farming point of view war-

ranted the construction of the railway. ' Cheaper transport was essential. The handling of stock, owing to the vast motor traffic, had become a serious problem. Mr. W. Steele, a member of the County Council and a timber miller, said that, in his opinion, the utility of the railway from a forestry point of view, had been much over-estimated. Mr. Smith moved as an amendment, which was seconded by Mr. Sloane, "that this league wishes to place on record our /'disappointment and regret that the Government had deemed it advisable to suspend work on the Rotorua-Taupo railway and respectfully requests that the question be reconsidered in the near future, and that in the meantime better roarhng facilities be provided to enable development to take place." On the amendment being put to the meeting only two voted for it. The motion was then carried unanimously. A small committee was set up to "prepare the petition.