A LIGHT RAILWAY FOR GISBORNE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 17

A LIGHT RAILWAY FOR GISBORNE.

Gisborne, April 30.

A large and representative meeting of town and country settlers was held this afternoon to consider the Hon. Mr Carroll's memorandum to the Premier on the question of connectibg this district with Auckland by means of a light railway. There was a very strong feeling that the matter should bs pressed forward with all vigour. .It was pointed out that this district had -iong remained in an isolated and backward state, receiving no fair return for money paid. ■ ' into the public treasury ; that as a matter of urgency settlers should have an outlet to a market for their stock ; that the construction oE a line to Rotorua should be a matter of no great difficulty, a light railway being cheaper than a. road, and estimated to cost not more than £1000 per mile ; that such railway would open vast areas of fine country which must remain in a state of nature until some means of access are given to it and of which the Crown already holds the title to close on 200,000 acres ; that the line would draw a large tourist traffic to the magnificent scenery of Waikaremoana Lake ; that as tbe kauri forests in the north are being worked out this line would open up a huge area of fine timber country, and generally that it would be greatly to the ad' vancement and welfare of the North Island. It was unanimously decided to form a Railway League, and a strong committee was appointed to gather information and promote the object in view.