ROTORUA-EAST COAST RAILWAY

Te Puke Times, 17 June 1921, Page 2

ROTORUA-EAST COAST RAILWAY

CONFERENCE AT TE PUKE

The conference held in the Alliance Hall, Te Puke, on Thursday to discuss the proposed railway connection between Rotorua and the East Coast, via Pongakawa, was well attended, those present being Messrs A. Montgomery*, L. Harris, and H. 0. Cooney (Te Puke Town Board) ; J. N. McLean (Rotorua Chamber of Commerce). C. Turner (Rotorua County Council) ; W. Reid (Whakatane County Council), H. G. Rand (Whakatane Chamber of Commerce ; Dive (Tauranga Borough Council) , McMillan and Col. Ward (Tauranga Chamber of Commerce) ; Mann (Tauranga Tradesmen’s Association) ; R. “King, D. Grant, and Green (Tauranga Harbour Board) ; Southev and I Vercoe (County Council) ; C. Lally (Te Puke Road Board) ; J. Persey (Te Puke Chamber of Commerce) ; H. A. Vercoe (Kaituna River Board) ; F. T. Danvers (Farmers’ Union, Papamoa); J. S. Black (Farmers’ Union. Paengaroa) ; W. E. Wickham (Ponsrakawa Farmers’ Union). Several settlers were also in attendance.

Mr Montgomery presided, and, after welcoming the delegates, asked Mr McLean, who had taken a prominent part in connection with a former movement to establish railway communication, to address the meeting. Mr McLean explained that the previous efforts had been aban j doned because the people in the eastern portion of the district which it was proposed to include lacked enthusiasm and were not in unison. Unity was a first essential in a movement 8 of this hature. So far as the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce and he personally was concerned they regarded the cessation as only temporary, but it was necesary to puli' together and sink minor differences or their efforts would come to nothing. ; Previously the Whakatane County Council and Borough could not see their way to support the scheme, white* Opotiki replied to the effect that available for railway construction were limited*- and that new works would make the situation more acute, and probably deplete the East Coast railway Vorks. Under the circum nances "the Rotorua Chamber of Com merce thought it better to let the matter drop until the people realised that if they wanted com munication with the main trunk line the matter, rested in their Own .hands. If the. proposal was carried out they would get con nection eight years sooner than' they would by the Waihijoute. They had never abandoned the scheme. It was simply held over until locat differences disappeared. . v Mr J. D. Holmes, engineer for the Bay of Plenty Timber Co., said that the freights from that company and from the Rotoiti Timber Co., which at present pun ted its timber would be very considerable. The Pongakawa Timber Company was quite willing to hand over their line if the Board was formed. It was not looking to make a profit, but wished to be saved the trouble of construction. He had drawn out a rough estimate of the returns if a connection was made as follows : £ Passengers, 90 per day 5220 Goods, 12000 tons 6000 Sheep, 20,000 750 Cattle, 6000 900 Timber, 5 million feet 5000 Road metal 8000 Mails, [parcels, etc., 8000 Total 39,000 There was no 'reason why the Board should not charge at least 50 per cent on the prices quoted, whilst he had not added the carriage of Government timber, which poald probably bring in £2,500. Against this would be- £ Cost of working line 16,500 Interest and sinking fund 26,000 Contingencies 15,000

In reply to Mr I. Vercoe, who said the distance via Paengaroa was only 28 miles as against 33, Mr Holmes said the Paengaroa route had only been surveyed to the Ohau Channel. Mr Block said the five miles added: to the four miles between Paengaroa and Pongakawa meant a considerable difference in raft s. Mr Grant said that the fleet that they would take over at/out 13 miles of line was a, good proposition, as it meant that they would get a revenue almost at once instead of waking for years.

.Mr McLean pointed out that it would bje for the Railway Board, When appointed, to have a survey rfiade and decide on the route. Replying to Mr McLean, Mr Holmes said he thought the Timber Co would; be willing to sell their ling at cost price. X Mr Southey, referring to Mr Holmes' estimates, said the only real asspt was the land and its development. The metal would soon disappear, and the bush soon be cut out. There were also such things as bush fires Mr King agreed with Mr McLean as to the futility of a battle of routes. Mr Southev had drawn a dismal picture of the proposed

scheme, and if alf men viewed conditions in the same light very few railway lines would be constructed. In addition to the bush r now ready to cut there were vast forests growing in the vicinity of Rotorua. Mr Southey should realise that it was only by linking up with the interior that the greatest amount of business could be - brought to the Tauranga Harbour. Rotorua was also the wonderland of the Southern Hemisphere, and there would be a large passenger traffic on the new line, besides a great increase in settlement in the > country it passed through. Mr Southey said he realised the line would be an asset in regard to the development of the harbour, but be did not wish to see it bolstered up by fictitious estimates. He referred _to his experiences with bush fires. Mr Lally maintained that if the line were made to-morrow it would be taken over by the Government, and although the bush might disappear the land would not.

Mr Reid said that he was present to obtain information con- _ cerning the proposed line. previous proposal was turnnd down at Whakatane people thought the rating would be heavier than the benefits to be derived. He recognised, however/ that the line would be of benefit to them for the carriage of mails, manures, stock, etc. There was no doubt that the Tauranga Har- ; hour was the natural outlet for the qountry as far as Taupo. Until such time, however, as the settlers knew what they would be called on to pay they could not come to a decision on the matter. Mr McMillan said they had been sent to the meeting to gain information. They must be unanimous if they were to carry the scheme through. When the question of rating c£me up they might be turned doiyn. In Tauranga there were 600 or 700 ratepayers, and unless the promoters were satisfied that they would get the bulk ■> of their support they might as well cut them out. A petition in favourof the Mamaku line had been signed by more than 25 per cent of <the ratepayers in. Tauranga, and they were not likely to favour the Pongakawa scheme if they' had to paj afullrate. Tauranga Borough would not get the great benefit that other por* tions of the district would-receive, and its support depended on the conditions.

Mr Turner Said the rate was ' pnly problematical. He did not think thejse % would be any rate after operations had commenced*. The Rotorua County would not recognise the Mamaku line as an outlet. '■ ’% Colonel Ward said he had al- . ways adulated a line from Rotorua to connect with the East|£. Coast 1 .He was Opotikr" was not interested in the scheme. Differential rating wnuld have to be adopted. He was not scared of the proposal for he had more faith in the Bay of Plenty than he ever had. He alluded to the fact that the population had increased by 36 per cent, in five years, and said be was certain that whilst a rate might have to be struck for one or two years after that it would die out. Tauranga had another railway scheme and the people were concerned as to being rated in two areas. The Mamaku line, however, would be little more than a bush tramline, and not one of Government standard such as was proposed between Rotorua and the East Coast. 'He hoped they would not think, therefore, that the Mamaku route was a rival route, He did not worry about timber disappearing, for the country would be opened up. He felt the railway to the eastward had to come before the Bay of Plenty came into its own.

Mr Southey said that the people in the Waimapu Riding had signed largely in favour of the Mamaku scheme, and if they tried to rope them in to the scheme before the meeting it would be an error.

In reply to Mr Danvers, Mr McMillan said that although Tauranga might pay a greater rate for the Matnaku scheme they would derive the whole benr% He was prepared to support Pongakawa proposal, provided Tauranga was not called onto pay a full rate. Mr McLean said the rate would m be more in the nature of security for the loan. After the line was opened for traffic the ratepayers would not have to Ipay a penny. They could, however, leave the question of rating out, for that was a matter bevond the power ' of the meeting. Rotorua was absolutely out for connection with the East Coast. If Tauranga was prepared to support a bush line more power to them, but this would not meet the requirements of Rotorua or the surrounding country, or of the State forests. He moved, “That this Confer- < ence is of opinion that the immediate interests of the Bay of Plenty and its hinterland would be best served by the construe* tion of a line from Rotorua to the East Coast under the provisions " of the Local Railways Act** ; Mr Turner seconded the motion. ’ s : In reply to Mr Grant, Mr Holmes said he had based his estimates on |the present price of labour and steel / .. . TV

In reply to Mr Hawthorn, Mr Holmes Baid the. estimate of £400,000 for the line incladed the whole distance of 33 miles. Mr Hawthorn said he was not antagonistic to the proposal, but pointed out that the previous estimate, via Paengaroa, was £350000. ' . Mr Mann' enquired as to the land to be opened up by the proposed route. Mr Turner, replying, said it was some of the finest grass land in New Zealand, and after the timber had been cut out it would be yerv valuable for dairy farms. ' _ Mr Dive asked how the cost per mile compared with Government lines. •' Mr Holmes said the question of cost depended on the methods adopted, and the class of country. He thought the line could be constructed cheaper than by the Government His, estimate included rolling stock. • In answer to Mr McLean, ,Mr Holmes said he thought it would be better to get Government rolling stock for the line than to have it built. Traffic from the mill would give them revenue that would help to pay interest on cost of construction. The njotion was then put and carried unanimously. Oh the motion of Mr King the following Executive Committee was appointed :-The Mayors and County Chairmen <of Tauranga, Opotiki, and Whakatane; Messrs McLean and Turner, of Rotorua ; Messrs A. Montgomery (Chairman Te Puke Town Board). and R. King (Chairman of Tauranga Harbour Board). Mr King was appointed secretary, pro. tem. It was decided thht any member of the executive unable to attend a meeting should have power to appoint a deputy. A vote of thanks to the visiting delegates and chairman concluded the proceedings.