I.—lo.

40

APPENDIX. EXHIBITS. List of Exhibits. 1. Report by Mr. John Coom as to condition of present line from Putaruru to Mokai (put in by Mr. Dalziell). 2. Order in Council consenting to construction of tramway (put in by Mr. Dalziell). 3. Telegram from chairman of meeting of Putaruru residents to Chairman of Committee (dated 28/9/1911). I. Telegram from chairman of Taupo District Railway League to Mr. W. D. S. Mat-Donald, M.P. (dated 28/9/1911). Petitions (two).

EXHIBIT No. 1. Report by Mr. John Coom. Sir,— Auckland, 10th March, 1911. Re the Taupo Totara Timber Company's Tramway. In accordance with your request, I have made an examination of your company's line, and for your information I forward the following report thereon. (ONSTRUCTION. As it may be of interest, and as it will enable a comparison to be made with the present condition (if the line, I have extracted the following from the orginal contract) and specification. The line is described as a tramway with sleepers and wooden rails extending from Liehfield to Tuaropaki Bush, a distance of forty-five miles. FORMATION. The grades outwards, from the bush, are stated to be of an average of 1 in 60 ; inwards, towards the bush, of an average of 1 in 50 ; in both cases flattened to suit the curves, and compensated to 1 in 45 and lin 35 respectively on the straight lines. This resolves itself to a ruling grade on straight lines of 1 in 45 outwards and 1 in 35 inwards. The minimum curves are limited to 100 ft. (about 1J chains) radius in steep sidling ground, and from 3to 15 chains radius on the easier formation of the line. All curves to be laid so as to permit of being straightened if found desirable to do so. Cuttings on straight line are to be not less than 8 ft. wide at formation-level, with side slopes as steep as they will stand ; on curves to be sufficiently wide to allow of 65 ft. lengths of timber to be canied on two bogie wagons without touching the sides. On sidling ground the formation to be not less than 8 ft. wide on the solid ground. Embankments in be not less than 10 ft. wide at formation-level, with side slopes of 1£ to I. BRIDGES AND CULVERTS. The timber shall consist entirely of heart totara. The bridge over the Waikato River to be of one or three spans, at the option of the contractors. All other bridges to be a succession of small spans of about 15 ft., or understrutted wider spans, at the option of the engineer. They shall be constructed to carry with the usual margin of safety a six-wheel coupled locomotive having 4 tons on a wheel, or a total weight of 24 tons on a length of 10 ft., to be followed by a train weighing half a ton per lineal foot. TRACK. Sleepers to be of .sawn timber, 7 ft. by 7 in. by 5 in., heart of totara, matai, or rimu, 2,200 per mile. Rails to be of timber, matai, totara, or rimu. Ballast to be of pumice or soil from the sides of the line. Sidings : Not less than four intermediate sidings or crossing-places to be built, also a eiding at each terminus. GENERAL. Generally, the line was to be constructed so as to be capable of being subsequently laid with steel rails, and to be worked by locomotives. It was to be a tramway, and not a railway up to the Government standard, and by reason of the character of the ballast, and desire to keep down cost of maintenance, the speed of locomotives was not to exceed ten to twelve miles an hour, while on sharp curves the speed must be still slower.