GISBORNE-MOTU RAILWAY

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4005, 11 August 1915, Page 4

GISBORNE-MOTU RAILWAY

PETITION 3 0 MINISTER

Tne following is a text of a petition that is to be forwarded to the Minister of Public "Works, urging that the railway bo completed to Motu:“Wo the undersigned residents ot Gisborne, Motu, arid adjacent districts respectfully urge'your iavorable consideration of the following:That the construction o! GisbonwMotu line was authorised m 1904. ' 'pjuit Motu in this ease means Motu village, which was surveyed and sold as a Government, township. That construction work has now reached a point aeout 21 miles from Motu’ arid wo would respectfully urge 'you to pla'-o a sufficient sum cm t-nc coining estimates to carry out the original intention. . , That the incomplcteu two and a-half miles' is of easy construction, and would not entail a heavy expenditure. That completion of the line to Motu will bring the railhead to a natural centre, where ail the district main roaxl& iunciiou. , T That a suitable route boyond Motu i rw not vet been defined, and the difficulties facing further construction between Motu and Opotiki will ot ne’< ’ : <,jtv make Motu the distributing ami collecting centre of a large district-, which badly needs railway faculties to assist development. That the development oi largo a.en.y of Grown and Native lands vih be adverselv affected by stopping construction. “when the one reaches Kowfaai That the Minister or Lands refuses u> deal with certain Grown lands served for milling purposes, until. tiny can be disposed or to the bpt aevani.©M v-'hon extension or tee one from Kowimi Hoad puts inercavm value upon the milling t-inm.-r a.-.o enables it to be. successiuoy o--:. V 'That in addition to the foregoing lands, there are large areas oi Or own Native and privately owned, lands m.vond Motu in course ot o-evmormim.t. These lands are heavily timbered, an-* only await railway iaciuties tor a;"Sul working. It is an undisputed fact that for many years to timber freights would provide a Mkr revenue, and the expenditure for is small in proportion to tne results it would yieia. . ... That the establishing or nor. i-y/- : n g works between Gisborne and .uo-.u is giving increased impetus to the raising of lat stock in .and beyond me Motu district, tor wiuen sa.cL-tra jng facilities should he provided at Motu. . -, 1 That Motu as a tourist and ter, ----- Hrable health resort is yearly becoming more popular, and luture passenger Traffic alone will give a good return on ' Die small outlay required to ' the dine from Kownat Road to Mo-.*.