TIMBER AND TRAMWAY PROPOSALS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11515, 22 February 1909, Page 5

TIMBER AND TRAMWAY PROPOSALS.

MR REES AT WHAREKOPAE

Mr W. L. Rees held a meeting at Wha-rekopa© on Saturday evening, by invitation of the Settlers' Association, concerning timber and tramways. There was a good attendance. Mr .John Murphy presided, and called on Air Rees to' explain his proposals.

Mr Rees, m opening, said that Wharekopae wias a part of the Motu7 riding m the N new Waikohu County. The new county had no debts and nib funds, and had a difficult ■ task before it. .Three assets of great value belonged to the county, especially to. the Motu ridng'— timber, water power, and the certainty of railway -communication with Gisborne. The water powe_- was flexwing uselessly to the sea. The timber was going up m smoke; arid they required the means of connection with the railway m order to obtain its advantages'. The rates paid by the present YWaikohu County to the Cook County last year amounted *to £5750, or an equivalent to the. interest upon £100,000; They could. not make roads m that district which would be of any use m the whiter or of much use m the summer, but they could raise 'money 'to. put down tramways to connect them with the railway, ond thus utilise that timber and provide means of transit for themselves and their If this were done, the prooeeds of the timber would more than, pay' the interest and sinking, fund, as! well as the working expenses' of the tramway, and provide cheap communication with Gisborne.

At the chtee of the address Mr A. C.Steele asked Mr Rees if the Wh*Tekopaeand Tahora people could form'themselves'into'a special loan rating district irre-! of the other portions ' of the county or the Motu riding, adding that; it was the wish of the. people to' do &o : if possible. -••'.

Mr Rees stated that it was possible, to do so under the Act, t (End -.if ihoyi! d&sired it could be done br petition to; the. Waikohu Coimty Council. '.'■■'' Numerous other questions were, asked! by Messm Leggett, Murphy (cybai Anan),j Steele, Mitford, and, other gentlemen J Mr Mitford moA-ed, and it Avasoduly; seconded that the thanks of the meeting? be-gitfen to Mr' Bees for his address, and' that th© meeting had entire confidence? iri Mir Rees' proposals if properly'" car-} ried out, and that the meeting formj itself into a committee, "with..pqwer to; add to its number, to help .Mr- Refesr carry out his proposals *feo far as they related to; Wharekopae and Tahora. The motion,' was carried unanimously. ' The settlers generally desired Mr : Rees to give them his ad\nce and assistance" m the .^placing Of the matter' before the. Waikohu County Council. " > Mr Leggett, the secretary of .the As-f isociatlon, stated that the petition. 'toi' jrectify tlie boundary of the Counties of Cook and Waikohu, "so as to include m the latter !a number of Wharekopae- set-; tiers, had been forwarded o to the Cook County Council, and they had been os-i sured of success ; copies *qf the petition! to the Waikohu County Council would be forwarded m time for the firat meeting on March 3. , ( • Mr Rees states that the meeting- was nibst enthusiastic he has held ; it was large and representative,, and full enquires, Were made on any points regarding which those present desired information.. ; .