Edward Earle Vaile

Who was Edward Earle Vaile?

Edward Earle Vaile was a real estate agent, farmer, philanthropist, author, railway campaigner and a pioneer of the pumice country - Broadlands, North Island, New Zealand.

Vaile was a very strong advocate for the building of a government railway between Rotorua and Taupo via Waiotapu and Reporoa. From 1911 onwards he led campaigns and lobbied vigorously for many years to have a railway built between Rotorua and Taupo. He formed and led the Rotorua Taupo Railway League and the Reporoa Railway League, and in 1928 published a campaign pamphlet advocating the construction of a railway between Rotorua and Taupo. In 1929 published another campaign pamphlet titled "The truth about the Taupo railway - the story of a great crime" advocating the need for and the numerous benefits such a line would bring, in response to the government stopping the project in that year.