TAUPO TOTARA LINE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 886, 1 February 1930, Page 9

TAUPO TOTARA LINE

SELLERS DISCUSS TRANSPORT CONFERENCE SUGGESTED special to THE SUN PUTARURU, Friday. Methods of transport of goods and produce to and from the Tokoroa district, and the question of utilising the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s line from Putaruru to Mokai were discussed at a meeting at Putaruru last evening. Mr. G. G. Griffiths, chairman of the Putaruru Town Board, presided. He outlined the history of the movement, which he described at an attempt to organise the resources of the district for the benefit of the whole district and town. He said the present conference was called as a result of a letter from the Minister of Railways, Hon. W. B. Taverner, to the Tokoroa Progress League. Mr. Griffiths suggested a round-table conference. The letter from the Minister to the | league on December 21, 1*929, was to ! the effect that the Government did not contemplate taking over the Taupo-Totara Timber Company’s line between Putaruru and Mokai, but the • department was willing to consider any concrete proposals for the working of the traffic in conjunction with the Railway Department's line. The question would seem to be one primarily for the timber company and the settlers. Mr. F. G. Dalziell, of the TaupoTotara Timber Company, in a letter to the Tokoroa Progress League, said that his company would be prepared to run the Government trucks on its line if feasible and if indemnified by the Government against the risk involved. Expert opinion, however, was against the proposal unless the line was first improved at an estimated cost which was not justified by the traffic likely to be available. The letter suggested a conference of the bodies represented at the meeting. PROBLEM OF TRANSPORT In a further letter Mr. Dalziell said the question of the Tokoroa settlers’ transport is merely part of i the wider problem of the transport of ! the Putaruru-Taupo district served by | the company's railway. Seeing that ; the great bulk of the traffic was likely to be timber, the efficient working of the timber industry of the district materially affects the question of the : | assistance that may be given to the ! settlers in respect of Vneir traffic. 4 It would be a sound proposition to [

throw the cost of transport of th© district as much as possible on its indigenous timber, M’hich is its natural crop, thus relieving the settlers, whose operations will be of value to the whole district, including the timber trade. The suggestion is therefore made that if the company’s railway is to be used for the transport of all the in- ! digenous timber, the capital cost j should b© borne by this timber and that if the Government -will join its timber in th© district M'ith the private timbers so that the M’hole may be M’orked efficiently and profitably for all concerned, a great saving could be effected, which would justify substantial concessions to the settlers’ traffic and provide more efficient railway and motor transport. This Government timber is controlled by the Railv.-ay Department and if that department decided to transport its timber by the company’s line th© company M’ould regard the line as permanent. Mr. A. J. Ingle, chairman of the Progress League, said he hoped they ■would get a renewal of the through freights on manures for another two years. If they were able to get the Government railway rolling stock to the 19-mile peg, it -would be of great assistance. After further discussion, or, the motion of Mr. J. AY. Anderson, it was decided to ask Mr. C. H. Clinkard. M.P, t» arrange for a conference with the departmental heads.