PROMOTING THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2719, 26 January 1910, Page 2

PROMOTING THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

MR AAV L. REES’ PROJECTS

Speaking to a “Times” reporter yesterday, Mr. W, L. llees who has for several years been engaged in various projects to open 110 the timber industry m the Motu, Rakauroa and contiguous districts, corrected a paragraph published yesterday when it was stated that the tramway at present being constructed from Halkot's store at Rakauroa, .would not be, carried farther than McPliee’s bog. Mr Rees said: “The tramway will be continued from Rakauroa to the viaduct'at Otoko ancl I hope that it will roach the viaduct—as soon as the railway—that is, in the month of May next. The tramway touches the County road below McPhee’s bog, and in two or three other places between that and Otoko. I have obtained permission from Mr Danger to tap the road at various places at my convenience until the tramway is completed to Otoko. But 1 have no intention of stopping, short of the site of the viaduct itself. The tramway is constructed from Halkot’s store where it crosses the county read, to the mill, some three-quarters of a mile over Mr. Richard Beaufoy’s land and lor about a mile beyond the mill into the forest, and it is my intention 'to carry that line onward through timber forests belonging to various settlers, to Mr. T. Adair’s property on the Motu River, a distance of about six miles. This tramway when completed from Mr, Adair’s through Rakauroa and on to Otoko, a distance of 15 miles, will bring the Rakauroa and Matawai districts into unbroken communication by rail with Gisborne. Of the importance of this undertaking it is unnecessary to speak. It will render the settlers on the line of tramway within communicating distance of it independent of the roads, at least to a great extent. lam glad of this opportunity to make my plans public, because the paragraph referred to might mislead, and cause people to think that- I intended to stop the tramway six miles away from Otoko. My t"'o mills at Rakauroa are working the finest rimu bush in New Zealand, though not so heavily timbered as parts of Tahora and Motu. From Beaufoy’s bush to Adair’s on the Motu River there is an unbroken stretch of virgin forest for seven miles, through which the tramway will run. The properties on which these forests arc situated are owned by ten settlers, all of whom have entered into business arrangements with me for the cutting of their timber. lam now having a line of tramway prospected for and surveyed from Rakauroa to Adair's, and at a meeting held at Matawai last Tuesday evening the settlers promised to give me every assistance in the completion of this work, which of course is for our mutual benefit.