H.—4

192-2. NEW ZEALAND.

ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY (REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION UPON A REQUEST FOR CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

COMMISSION. CONSTRUCTION OF A RAILWAY BETWEEN ROTORUA AND TAUPO. Jellicoe, Governor-General. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Herbert Buxton, Esquire, of Wellington ; George Thomas Murray, Esquire, of Wellington ; Leon Macintosh Ellis, Esquire, of Wellington; John Douglas Ritchie, Esquire, of Wellington ; and to I lugh Munro, Esquire, of Auckland : Greeting. Whereas request has been made to the Government that a Government railway should be constructed and worked between Rotorua and Taupo (or the vicinity thereof) connecting with the present Government railway at Rotorua : And whereas the Government is desirous of obtaining the fullest available information on the matters hereinafter mentioned, the better to enable it to consider and decide regarding such request : Now, therefore, I, John Rushworth, Viscount Jellicoe, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Herbert Buxton, George Thomas Murray, Leon MacTntosh Ellis, John Douglas Ritchie, and Hugh Munro, to be a Commission to inquire into and report upon the following matters : — (1.) The extent of the traffic which may reasonably be expected to be conveyed over a railway between Rotorua and Taupo or the vicinity thereof (connecting with the present Government railway at Rotorua) if such first-mentioned railway be constructed. (2.) The probability of such railway (if constructed) returning sufficient revenue from the working thereof to meet the expenditure incurred in and by such working, together with interest on the cost of the construction of such railway, assuming such interest to be charged on such cost at the rate of four per centum per annum. (3.) The extent of the country which would be served by such a railway (if constructed), and the suitability of such, country for purposes of settlement. (4.) The route (generally) which should be adopted for the construction of such a railway (if such construction should be decided upon). (5.) Generally upon such matters as are in your opinion relevant to the question as to whether it is desirable and warranted in and by the public interest that a railway should be constructed between Rotorua and Taupo as aforesaid. And, with the like advice and consent, I do further appoint you, the said Herbert Buxton, to be the Chairman of the said Commission.