SUMMIT ROAD ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17127, 23 April 1921, Page 11

SUMMIT ROAD ASSOCIATION.

TO THE EDITOR OP "THB PUBBS." Sir,—The following letter has Jean received from the Prime Minister, in response to an enquiry as to whether the Government would be prewired to help with a substantial subsidy, provided the Summit Road Association agreed to shoulder the liabilities whioh have been recently disclosed in'' eon*' nexion with th 6 Kaituna and Sugars loaf Reserves, and other matters on the .Summit road, and make appeals to the public to help in discharging themt This reply is so important, especially in view of the fact that Mr George Bowron has increased his offer to the Association to the stint of £BOO. that I am going to ask the Association t« call a meeting of subscribers, past sup*' porters, and all the public who are interested, to discuss the matter fully, and, if possible, put the whole question'of the Summit road once and for' all upon a satisfactory and businesslike basis, so as to command, general confidence. A week or two will be necessary for the collection of all necesary data, before the-meeting can be held, and itf the meantime 1 bespeak the sympathetic consideration of all friends of the Summit road.—Yours, etc, WM. MACHIN, Chairman. April 22nd. jprime Minister's Office, Wellington, . •21st April, 1921. : Dear Sir,—ln further reply to your letter of the 18th March, in whioh you ask whether the Government will grant a subsidy of £1 for £1 on funds collected by your Association for the paying off of the liabilities of £/136ff on the Kaituna Eeserve, and £1640 on the Sugarloaf Reserve, I have to inform you that I have made enquiries itf. the matter, and am advised that the Government has, up to date, contributed the sum of £4816 by way of subsidies* and grants towards the acquisition and maintenance of the scenic reserves along the Summit road. It will, therefore, be seen that the Government has acted liberally in the matter, and Jbas met the requirements of the district as generously as possible. At t .the. present; time, however, the claims and requirements of the various' sections of the community will severely strain the financial resources of the , Government, and, as the Scenery Preservation. Vote is only a small one. my colleague, tiio Hon. Minister-in-Charge of ..Scenery. Preservation, does notiiseo. ,his. way:-,tQ divert any. considerable' portion of .that vote to the acquisition of additional areas along the Summit road,. unless the residents and local* bodied are pre-? pared to contribute £2 for every £1 provided by the Government. < It this is agreed to, a vote of. £fioo. will be' placed upon the Estimates for the our-* rent year, to.meet existing liabilities, and should the £IOOO bo raised by you and other persons effected, the Hon. Minister-in-Charge of Scenery Preser* vation will bo pleased to consider next year a further contribution on the same lines to defray the remaining JiabilU ties. Mr H. G. Ell' has also communicated with: me. on .tho' subject, and 1 have advised' him in somewhat similar terms.—Yours faithfully, (Signed)-. F. H. P. BELL, For the Prime Minister. • Wm. Maohin, Esq.,- . Chairman, Summit road- and Beserves Association, 170 Hereford street, Chratchuroh.