THE TAUPO RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 38, 29 September 1911, Page 6

THE TAUPO RAILWAY.

(Por Press Association.) Wellington, September 29. Before the Parliamentary Committee yesterday, Mr Myers asked Mr James Raw, president of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce; Would you as a business man prefer to see the land idle for many years, if told that this syndicate was prepared to agree that the Government should take over the lino at any time at cost price, that the charges were to be of a reasonable nature, that as the volume of business increased the return was not to exceed a certain limit, when the charges were to be decreased,, and that the syndicate was prepared to spend money to prove that pumice land was capable of being farmed satisfactorily, or would you consider the granting of the charter inimical in any way to the best interests of the Dominion? Mr Raw replied: Where a company is granted a charter for all time I think it is against the best interests of the State, even with all the provisos mentioned. In reply to Mr Dalziell, the chairman of the directors of the company, witness said that when he referred to monopolies he referred to tiro tourist traffic. He admitted that private ownership of lands was better than native proprietary. Some of the Rotorua holdings had increased in value considerably over 100 per cent. Mr Dalziell: Would it not be better for the community that some attention should be given to increasing the value of this great area of idle country rather than further increasing Rotorua values? Witness: I may agree with that, but not with the manner proposed. Mr Dalziell: Would it not benefit the State? Witness: Indirectly, yes. John Neil McLean, who also appeared on behalf of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, spoke against the petition.