ROAD AT OHOPE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 283, Issue 283, 14 March 1941, Page 4

ROAD AT OHOPE

strong men heYe for the next six months, as I had two ex-Public Works men here for three months last year. Now is the time for the Government to do something to make good the loss which farmers have to bear through their men being conscripted for three months or for the war period. I trust that you will be able to add a footnote give the desired information. Yours etc., RANGITAIKI; SETTLER. Schemes in operation at present ore the 4B and the Scheme whereby a Government subsidy is provided to assist a farmer where the man employed is not experienced in farm work. The 4B is the scheme referred to by you whan you mention P.W.D men being employed on farms with a 75 per cent subsidy. Unfortunately, although this is still available there are practically no men offering according to the local Place-* ment Officer, and the problem is not the means of employing men, but of finding the men to employ. —Editor, BEACON.

Sir, —There has been much discussion in your correspondence columns regarding that bit of road fronting "1 to 58" properties at Ohope. Fear is expressed on Mr Runnerstrum's behalf that if, and when, the road is taken over by the council and dedicated properly, that that body will ruthlessly and without any regard for beauty or anything else r cut right through Mr Runnerstrum's fine grounds (and probably other hedged and excellently laid out sections). I beg to submit that no local body in New Zealand would take such a ruthless course and I suggest that the occupied part of sections 1 to 58 would not be touched in any way. The extra width needed a P%t the present piece of road woiJtrttie taken from the staward side. Coulcl you, Mr Editor, ascertain if my assertion is correct. I feel sure it would dispel a lot of ridiculous fears and petty misunderstanding. Yours etc.,. UNBIASSED. At the last County meeting in reply to a question it was stated by the engineer and reported in the Beacon that to provide the road asked for it would entail taking a portion of the properties at the extreme end of the beach near the bluff. The contention of those who wish the road formed is that property owners have fenced and cultivated the portion which should have been left tc provide a ri; tghc-of-way. It would, however, he states probably not be necessary to take all the right of way alleged to be fenced, but only about half 3 chain. It is also stated by the engineer who is fully investigating thq position that the road could be laid out without removing the pohutukawa tree mentioned by another correspondent.—Editor BEACON. Sir,:—"Joan Citizen" wrote a good letter. But the lady missed making mention of the two giant five hundred year old pohutukawa trees that would have to be destroyed to make that road. It would be a thousand pities if Mr Runnerstrum's garden and those two lordly trees would have *o go to provide a road for just one man. If a road must be made to Mr Canning's piece of land,- over half a chain of the right-of-way Ivs openjilong Mr Runnerstrum's protective bank and the road could be made close to and along the bank. I think we can trust to the good sense of our councillors to avoid destruction in any shape or form. Yours etc., 'ONLOOKER.' P.S. As regards a petition I think Ohope would sign. to a man for the retention of Mr Runnerstrum's garden and the two pohutukawa trees.

MEN WANTED FOR FARMS Sir, —Can you please inform your farmer readers whether the Government, through its Labour Department (or other institution) has made any provision for supplying free or subsidised labour to farmers like myself who are to be shorthanded in April, May and June because our men are in territorial camps ? From time to time I see items in the papers about what the Placement Officer for the Bay of w Plenty has to say. Can you pass to him the question I have put to you? Last year the Government was eager to get the men it dismissed from Public Works set to work on farm development work, and would pay 75 per cent of the price of work by contract. Is that scheme to operate this year ? Or are there no unemployed in New Zealand novr that we have upwards of 100,000 men in uniform ? I have plenty- of drain digging, fencing, rush Clearing and scrub cutting on my place, besides 45 cows to milk single-hand-ed when my man goes to camp *i* April. 1 could put up a couple of I (Continued foot of previous column>