MOTU NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 933, 4 July 1903, Page 2

MOTU NOTES.

KARAKA RAILWAY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) A meeting that was largely attended was held in the Bakauroa school-house on Saturday, June 27th, to discuss the advisability of forwarding a petition to the Minister Public Works, urging the speedy construction of the Karaks-Motu railway. Mr Bedpath occupied th’e chair. Mr E. B. Thomson addressed the meeting, pointing out the necessity of taking the step suggested, and after an dble speech he proposed that a petition be prepared for presentation through the member, Hon. J. Carroll, for signatures of the Motu settlers for the proseoution of the survey or construction of the Gisborne-Opotiki via Motu railway; the petition to set forth fully the progress at present attained in the Motu district. Copies of the petitions are to be forwarded to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Gisborne Chamber of Commerce, Cook County Council, Gisborne Railway League, and Opotiki Railway League; seconded by Mr Abbotsford Smith, and carried unanimously. Mr Peddle proposed that a committee of five be appointed to draw up the petition and obtain signatures to the same; seconded by Mr Henderson. The following gentlemen were oppointed a committee: Messrs Burgess, Peddle, Redpath, A. Smith, and E. B. Thomson.

AREA OF LAND OCCUPIED. Mr Peddle presented to the meeting ■ some interesting figures, which I will endeavor to reiterate, so far as my memory will allow me: Area of land occupied in the Motu district, 85,000 acres; area of laqd improved in the same, 32,000; besides this there is at the present time some 60,000 acres open for selection, and thousands of acres not yet surveyed, all of which would tend to feed tho railway when it pleases the powers that be to carry the line here.

TIMBER INDUSTRY. Mr Kensington, the Government expert, sent a report on the milling timber of the district. He estimated it at nine hundred and seventy-six million feet. Besides this there arc thousands of acres that he had not time to inspect; so it would be difficult to arrive at the enormous quantity of timber that would lie available. -

Several mill-owners would put expensive plants on the ground,, and are only waiting facilities to market their timber.

DAIRYING INDUSTRY* Again, ninety per cent, of the improved land is fit for dairying purposes. One factory (Rakauroa) has turned out a large quantity of firstclass butter during the past season and Mr McGregor is about building a factory at tlie Motu and a creamery at Whakarau ; so the future of the Motu looks bright indeed. It only wants tlid railway to make the * Motu the most prosperous district in Poverty Bay.