C—lB

2

COMMISSION.

Jellicoe, Governor-General. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Horatio John Hooper Blow, Esq., 1.5.0.; Frederick William Furkert, Esq., A.M.1.C.E., A.M.1.M.E., Engineer-in-Chief and Under-Secretary, Public Works Department; Herbert Buxton, Esq., Chief Traffic Manager, New Zealand Eailways; and Gordon Hurrell Morland McClure, Esq., Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for the Wellington Land District; all of Wellington. Whereas it is desired to ascertain whether the tramway and timber rights of the Tanpo Totara Timber Company (Limited) should be acquired by the Crown, or what action (if any) should be taken with respect thereto : Now, therefore, I, John Rushworth, Viscount Jellicoe, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Horatio John Hooper Blow, Frederick William Furkert, Herbert Buxton, and Gordon Hurrell Morland McClure, to be a Commission for the purpose of inquiring by all lawful means into all matters connected with the Taupo Totara Timber Company's estate, rights, and interests, and in particular to report,— (1.) Whether the acquisition by the Crown of the tramway (or railway) constructed by the said company from Putaruru to Mokai would be in the best interests of the State : if so, at what price, and on what terms and conditions. (ti.) If the purchase of the whole of the tramway (or railway) is not recommended, is the purchase of part thereof deemed advisable, and, if so, what part ? (3.) If the purchase of the whole or part of the tramway (or railway) is recommended, what is the estimated cost of bringing it into such a condition as would render it suitable for incorporation into the general railway system of New Zealand ? (4.) If purchase of the tramway (or railway) is not deemed desirable, whether the Crown should continue to regulate the scale of charges thereover, and whether it should make any arrangement with the company as to the future control of the tramway, and, if so, on what basis. (5.) Whether any advantage to the State would be gained by extending such tramway (or railway) beyond the present terminus at Mokai. (6.) Whether it would be in the public interests for the existing timber rights of the said company to be acquired by the Crown and worked by one or more of the State Departments. (7.) Whether any further timber rights or lands in the vicinity of the company's timber rights or tramway should be acquired by the Crown, and, if so, what particular areas or forests.