PUHA-WHATATUTU TRAMLINE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2097, 25 January 1908, Page 1

PUHA-WHATATUTU TRAMLINE.

MR. REES’S OFFER AVITHDRAAVN.

Mr. W. L. Rees lias forwarded the I'oi’.lowing letter to the Chairman and members of tho Cook Comity Council;—Gentlemen, I have to acknowledge the receipt of a letter dated tho 18th instant from Mr. John AVairen, clerk of your Council, stating that your Council will again consider ply. proposal on the 30th instant, and also stating that lily .proposal to carry the lino by way of Tutoko was not favorably received. Being anxious to ascertain the feeling ol member's of your Council I attended the whole meeting on the 16th instant, and I am convinced that my proposals will not bo agreed to by you. 1 don’t think I am warranted in taking up any more of the Council’s time in a futile endeavor to obtain its assistance in this public and useful work, and I certainty aim not prepared to press forward proposals which are certain to bo rejected, and I, therefore, with regret, withdraw all tho proposals which I have mado to you in regard to the construction of tramways and their maintenance, and shall endeavor to get private support for the carrying out of my works in .accordance with the permission granted to mo by your Council for the construction of a private tramway from the AVaikohu bridge along tho county road to the mill site at Tnpuihikitoa, 1 will cause plans to bo deposited in your office of tlie proposed woi'k, so that your Council may cause the necessary public notices to bo given for tho hearing of the objections, if any, to the granting of tho private tramway. Tho fallowing has been forwarded to tho Borough Council: —The Mayor and Councillors —Gentlemen, 1 have, this day notified the Cook County Council of tho withdrawal of all my proposals for tho construction of tramways by the public bodies and the reasons aro given in my communication to them. There is, however, one reason which I have not set out, which is to bo-found in tho announcement in tho morning papeij of the 23rd instant, that the harbor plans as reported on by Sir John Cooile and Coy. will bo bo in Gisborne in tho course of a few days, and this may possibly place tho prosecution of the tramway system on an enlarged and sound footing, and I have therefore to inform you that I withdraw tho proposals* made to you in common with the County Council regarding the construction ol tramways, but I shall probably fall back upon the permission given to run a private tramway .through one or more of the Borough streets. Seen by a reporter Mr. Rees stated that a tramway would bo constructed from Puha to AVhatatutu towards the Motu bridge to the timber lands in the Mangatu block. He was sick and tired of public bodies who: had adopted a masterly inactivity and wero literally doing nothing. AY hat would the position be in the winter? They wero utterly ...unlit for public business. Mr Rees proposed that a settlers’ Association be formed to assist in tlie bridge, and then across to the Mangatu block to the timber coutry, and where splendid motail was to be found, and this would bo tapped by tho tramway. ’ For three years lie had tried to get something done and nothing had been started. He had helped to get the Harbor Enabling Bill passed, but the other public bodies had done nothing, and on behalf of tho Natives lie had given authority for tho Council to get- AALiiliirere metal as a sample, and yet nothing had been done.