MR. REES’ TRAMWAY SCHEME.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2090, 16 January 1908, Page 2

MR. REES’ TRAMWAY SCHEME.

FURTHER PARTICULARS OF lAIPORTANT PROPOSALS.

nOW IT IS PROPOSED TO SOLVE THE METAL PROBLEAI, BRING MOTH TIMBER TO TOWN AND “MAKE” THE BACKBLOCKS.

Air W. L. Rees will bring tho following proposal before tho County Council to-day : —Following my previous offers regarding the eonstructruetion of a tramline to tho Patutnhi and AVailiorero nuurrics, I would lio willing to construct a temporary lino to connect Waihororo within six. months and Patutahi (including the bridge which will bo mado suitable for traffic as well us rail) within 9 mouths of 11 10 accoptanco of my offer. For the temporary lino I am to receive a payment of £IO,OOO, out of which £2,000 is to bo applied to the purchuso of rolling stock, payable as follows:—7s per cent, of the monthly certificates of tho County Council Engineer as tho work progresses, and tho balaneo of the £IO,OOO alter the expiration of tho timo limited by law for the protection of workmen, such work to include the suspension bridge montionod in the main proposal. I am then to complete tho permanent tramline in terms of my first offer in accordance with tho provisions of tho Tramlino Act. The temporary tramline is not intended to provide for any of tiio requirements of tho Harbor Board, but 1 would upon 6*months’ notice being given at any timo, re place the temporary .line with a permanent one having creooted sleepers 8 loot in length, and widen tho permanent line to Waihirero as may lie required by the Harbor Board ami your Council, for which work 65000 (part of £27,000) in addition to the £IO,OOO already paid is to be paid to mo, leaving a balance for ultimate completion of the whole in terms of tlio Tramways Act of £12,000, amounting in all to £27,000. That beforo tlio work is finally completed all timber used in tho building of any necessary bridges shall be iether creosoted white pine, niatai or Rimn as may lie directed by tho Council. That lam to complete Iho permanent tramline in terms of tho Tramways Act and my main offer, within 3 years from the acceptance of this offor or tho tender, when I am to bo paid the balance ol £l2,ooo.—Yours Faithfully. (Signed) W. L. REES.'

AVIIATATUTU AND PUIIA TRAMLINE. The following is a copy of tho Gruis and conditions concluded between Mr. W. L. Rees and Cr. V. D. L.venar for tho construction of a tnuniiiie from Puha railway station to \\ lia tatutu to moot the wishes of the ratepayers there. It is proposed to pay for the lino out of the Wliatatcutu and Alnngatu’s quota of the proposed £200,000 County loan. The signed copy of the arrangement will be banded over to the Council today : 1 hereby offer to enter into an understanding to tender for and if required by tho Council to erect a tramline from Pulia railway station to Whatatulu township, upon the following conditions; 1. The price is not to ineludo the cost of any laud required to be taken for tho purposes of the tramline. 2. price mpDu, .tirooYh’tOparo months’ from the acceptance of tho tender, a temporary tramline as aforesaid, including 2 suspension bridges complete, capablo of carrying 15 tons in ono load. 3. Within 3 yoar6 from the date of acceptance, I will substitute for tho temporary lino a properly constructed tramline, properly ballasted and constructed in a thorough workmanlike manner to the satisfaction of the County Council—sleepers to bo white pine, creosoted in the same manner as Government railway sleepers are tiealod; line to bo 2ft (3in gauge, and to be constructed so as to satisfy tho requirements of tho Tramways Act. 4. So soon as tho temporary lino is completed from Puha to the sawmill that is at present working belonging to the East Coast Timber and Trading Company, Ltd., I am to be paid the sum of £1750 on account of tho said tram line, and tho Council is to supply an engine and two ordinary goods waggons of a class and pattern to be approved of by the Council; and so soon as the temporary line is completed to AVliatatutu, and ready for the carriage of tlio AVhatututii traffic, a further payment of £1550 is to be mad© to me, and tlio Council shall then supply two passenger carriages and any further goods and sheep trucks that may bo required for tho traffic.

5. That beforo payment is made to me in terms of this arrangement, I am to find sureties to the satisfaction of tho Council that all the terms and conditions of this arrangement will be faithfully carried out until a lease is granted to mo by the Council after it has been sanctioned by a special vote of tho ratepayers under the Tramways Act, 1594, which vote is to be taken after tho comnletioii of tho lino in terms of tho Act. and which lease will be supported by a fresh guarantee to tho satislaction of tlio Council for the duo pci lennanco of all conditions of the lease.

6. Alter tho completion of the lino

:n terms of the tramways Act, I am to lie granted a leaso oi’ tho lino for 21 years, at a rental of 2J per cent on £19,000, and on all the other terms and conditions as are stipulated in niy proposal to your Council regarding the tramways to Patutahi and Waihirerc, with a similiar right in the Council to resume control of the same, and for maintenance, etc., with this additional proviso—that while I havo control of .the running il the line, I will carry all goods and passengers to and from AVliatatutu as aforesaid free of charge, and if stock trucks are provided by tlio ratepayers, to carry all their stock, wool, etc., as well.

7. The line of tramway shall bo selected by me and approved of by tbe County Engineer, but the County Council shall assist in every way in good iiiitil in tbe successful pei'formr(d this contract and agreement. 8. The terms “goods” in this arlangement shall include all goods ami produce ol; every description, but shall not include timber ior sale, but shall include timber required to be taken up to AVliatatutu for building purposes as well as posts required for fencing purposes. 9. It will be tho duty of tbe ratepayers or the Council to provide all accessary labor for loading and unoading the trucks, the privilege given to them free being purely that haulage. JO. The balance of £4,700 for the completion of the permanent line to \\ natatutu from Puha shall bo paid m three sums, viz:—two of £I,OOO each to he paid upon the certificate of the Engineer when lie considers sufficient permanent work -is being done to warrant sucli payments, and the balance of £2,500 to be paid 30 days alter final completion of tbe work to the satisfaction of the County Engineer.

11. The property in the lino and all rolling stock paid for by tlio Council to lie the property of the Council. ' 12. 'l'hat after the granting of the lease the lessee may at any time give two years’ notice in writing that lie desires to terminate the said lease, and at the expiration of such years the lease shall cease and determine, without releasing tlio lessee from iinv liability lie lias incurred fiv to such tominntion.—A'our Faithfully. (Signed) AY. L. REES.

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

IS THE SPEED DANGEROUS?

REMARKS BY T. M. AVILFORD

Special to Timea. "WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. Mr. AVilford, M.P. for Hull, lias returned from Auckland via the Main Trunk route. To a “I’ost” reporter lie said :—"I must outer an emphatic protest against the dangerous rato of speed at which the train travels. The track is a most dangerous one; it is laid with an entire,absonco of what are known an transition curves. On tlio descent of the lino to Taumarttnui, to show the class of country, let mo tell you that on one occasion nine acres of land slipped into tho river, and yet tho train travels down that slope at tho rato of 40 miles an hour; tho curves are awkward, and 1 do not exaggerate when I say that it wan impossible- with the tremendous jerks made at corners for anyone to- retain his foothold on tho carriage platforms. Passongers are humped about from side to side, and luggage is pitched about in tho guard’s van- in an alarming fashion. 1 beliovo representations have been made to tho Government by men who should know, against this rato of speed upon t his portion of the lino. One highly qualified man whom I questioned on tho subject admitted to me that the construction of this portion of tho lice, unless altered, would one day lie responsible for a vory serious accident. I intend to bring this matter up before Parliament, and try to get that engined river’s speed considerably reduced oil this portion of the line. Ido nob blame him, for ho is no <! >ubt acting on instructions. In any case I cannot imagine a inan, except under orders wilfully taking his life in his hands.