PATUTAHI TRAMWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2490, 1 May 1909, Page 5

PATUTAHI TRAMWAY.

MEETING AT MANGAPAPA

The first meeting of ratepayers within the County to consider the proposal <?f the Cook County Cm’--] to borrow £30;0Q9 to lay down a tramway from Patutahi- to Gisborne, with a branch line to To Aral, was held in the Man-o-apapa School last evening. - Mr. Malcolm McLeod occunied the chair, “and there Wa.<L.a fair -attendance dr' ratepayers. Crs. A. F. Matthews and H. White were also present. Cr. Matthews said he regretted that the bad state of the roads and the heavy rai.f had caused such a small attendance, hut, if the Council had had a tramway the district would 'have had roads fit for traffic. One had only to walk along the Whafaupoko-Ormond road to know what good metal meant. At the nresent time children had to trudge to school through mud and sit in school all 8-- with wet feet, because the Countv Council, with the present ■tate of its finances, could not put metal on the roads. The Council wished to borrow £30,000 to construct the tramway from Patutahi to bring in road metal at a reduced! price. Ihe Straker waggon was good enough to carry metal short distances, but would not pay to carry loads any great distances. The Strakers were only for distributing purposes. Half the time the Borough Straker waggon was m the repair shop, and the, trader kept it company, in the blacksmith’s shop. Ihe only hope of getting good metal in from a distance was by a tramway. I lie Patutahi metal was limest-ond* and eminently suitable for treatment witli tar in road-making on the asphaltum principle. The Government had a measure enabling local bodies to borrow and the Government to pay a half per cent sinking fund. If the loan was carried, the Council would only borrow when monev could he got at a reasonable rate of interest ,not to exceed 5 per cent, and half the sinking fund would be paid by the-. Government. The earning power of the tramway would be so great that Mr. Fraser, County .ngir.eer. had estimated that-the only money required would be £3OO. The trams would carry passengers, and the expense of running it would be very small. YVool and produce would be carried direct to the wharf for loading on to the lighters ready for shipment, and handling charges would be reduced. Yet- these advantages had been ignored bv the opponents of the scheme. He was sorry to say there was °PP OSItl °“ to tlie scheme, and Me was told on attempt would be made to go. the Borough Council to cancel the agreement to take 8000 yards of metal a year, despite the fact that all the estimates of the revenue had been made with that contract in view. The tramway would be- of inestimable value to the borough in getting cheap metal. Ihe carting of the borough metal now cut up .the Patutahi road, and the money spent in repairs could be put to other parts of the county. Then, again, go roads increased the value of propertj, as well as added to the comfort of walking and driving. Mr. Matthews quoted from an Australian publication to show that the cost of roads m that country was over £76 a chain, where labor was much cheaper ; yet people refused to pay that price m New Zealand. The same authority quoted stated that the cost of maintenance was always going on in Australia as in other countries even with good roads Ihe county and borough must haie good roads; the Straker waggon had been a failure, and tho only way to get, met a was by tramway. The ivaitaiatau shin Me. Mr. Matthews said, would not make roads, but mud and slusn, because [T W ould not stand traffic Ho would admit that some of the Yv would make fair roads foi light Hattie, 4-1 i{V metal was nt)t ot even and the cost to pick the metal woulu be so "v.eat that it would be hardly worth quarrying. The Couoty Counci - lors were desirous to do the best m the Interests of thc_ ratepayers, but the ratepayers had to give the final verdict aa to whether the tram hue wild be ill down. It was quite possible the trams could be got without striking a rate but even if a small rate uas needed the ratepayers should think o the value that would be added to their nropVSs He moved that a poll of Ihe ratepayers be taken on the questlMr. Smith seconded the motion. T.,- rcr ,ly to questions Mi. Mattncws „i*d the trams could be constructed in from 12 to 14 months. The difference n the cost of metal at Mangapapa would bo that between 6s tnd 15s- u hen the' trams were running. It -would bnecessary to get a steam roller to led the metal into the roads. The Chairman said the ratepayers had a safe investment m voting for tin, loan 'to construe 4 the trams, and he hoped the proposal would be earned at motion on being put was carried unanimously. , Mr. Matthews thanked the ratepayers for attending, and the meeting closed.