ROADING THE BACKBLOCKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 451, 9 March 1909, Page 7

ROADING THE BACKBLOCKS.

ACTIVITY OF Mil. HOGG'S DEPARTMENT. "Sly only regret," said the Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister" for Roads and Bridges, to a reporter yesterday, "is that 1 have not two or three times as much to it is an expenditure that brings hack an immediate return." Mr. Hogg also stated that the Roads and Bridges Department had never boon so busy as at present. It is employing 5231 men, and has absorbed most of the labour set free by the completion of the Main Trunk railway. Tho expenditure of the Department is now £60,000 a month. Tho main vote for roads ' this year was £283,000, and Mr. Hogg expects that most of it will be spent. There were iilso the special "backblocks" voto of £250,000, which will all ba spent, £30,000 under the loans to local bodies account, and £30,000 for tourist roads. The expenditure for the financial year, which ends with this month, will bo about £450,000, and for tho twelve months ending Julio 30, it is expected to reach a total of about £570,000. Most of the expenditure, is being bestowed upon the King Country, eastern Titranaki, and other backblock districts. The counties of Pnliiatua, Akitio, Poliniigina, Whakslano, Opotiki, and Tauranga, tho district between tile Wangamii River, it ml the Main Trunk lino, nro also benoh'ting, and other parts of the Dominion in lesser degree. In log'flrd to the South Island, a fair amount of money is being ppent by the Department in Nelson, Wcsllaml, ami Southland.