ABANDONED PROJECT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16801, 14 November 1928, Page 5

ABANDONED PROJECT

A WAIKATO EAILWAY ACCOUNTS FINALLY SETTLED Tho proposal to construct a light railway from the Waikato to the west coast ereatod considerable interest a few years ago, but it remained a proposal".' The accounts arc liow finally settled and tli'e railway district dissolved.

The light railway was In run front. Fran Id oil to Knwtila. A permanent board was elected 'in October, 15)23, with ti mandate from tho ratepayers tlpit they did not want- (he railway proceeded with. The board at once look steps to discharge the legal liabilities thai had boon incurred by tho provisional hoard, and firing the nndertak'nnv to a final issue. It found liabilities lo the extent of £3OOO had been incurred by the provisional hoard, the greater portion being engineering charges and legal expenses/ The board has settled all liabilities. It was legally liable for £'201.0, and on three items alone the sum of £730 lias been saved to the ratepayer in the settlement. To enable this a rate had \,, be struck over the railway district. Tins amounted Iu £-11.'-, of which •E 3654 was over lands occupied by F.u----i-openiis. niul £l7* over native lauds. Of the Ihiropenu rate £3o ; l> was collected, and CI I:' written oil" as nom recoverable, ami of.the £47S Aur by uatives £lO was collected, and the. resl hod to be « riiteii off. Under the provision of the Local •Railway Amendment Act, l.>i!o,the stir- ,,,„; funds had io he handed to the {, mwni !U ,d a surplus of £730 has been dulv paid to the Government. Hip Minister of Public Works has, however undertaken to return, the amount to the various local bodies concerned !i n the railway district, ihe Knwhia, Waipa and Kaghm County Council