BACKBLOCKS NEEDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 656, 5 November 1909, Page 5

BACKBLOCKS NEEDS.

[ A PAHIATUA'DEPUTATION. ; , A deputation froni ' the'-Pahiatua Countt Council, introduced by ilr. A. l -"W. Hogg, M.P., waited .upon .the Minister,. for: Publio -Works (the Hon. E. M'Kenzie) yesterday, with a request for a grant of to defray ■ the cost of metalling. the Mangamaire. Eoad. :They pointed out that the local body was unable to spend money upon the road; for the simple reason that, it ran-through Maori-land, which paid, no rates.. ,The road/,further, was unformed, and was of considerable, importance to the settlers who had to traverse it to reach a creamery. This .could be managed in fine weather, bat in the : winter the'road became impassable. Tho Government's assistance was being asked only .because the local, body could not raise the required money. ■ Mr. Hogg "said that the Natives'were too poor, to pay .rates, oven if.their, land was not I exempted. . .» , It was stated that everyone'who wanted to get to the. express! had to use.this road. They had made no application to'the Government for assistance- since, the special-settlement wais formed 14.years ago., ~•;/,,, • ■; The Minister said, that' it "was 'not a. matter that appealed to him much. -, The Government ha'd. to'attend to the case of thousands, of settlers throughout the Dominion' who were in the same position-as these wero' when the' l settled ment was first formed, The.Pahiatua County was closely settled and fairly wealthy. (A member: Expensive, too.)' The more people used' the road, tho more necessary' it l was' for the county to put,it in a proper state. Everj the. Government was asked- ; to spend.on this road would.help settlers'in-a-much- worse plight., "" ... . . .;■ ■:. ' ■■.... ; ; It was pointed out that the Pahiatua' County Cdunoil last month had an overdraft , of .£5600. Th« Minister said ■ he thought tho. amount asked for-was so small that'it" was'not worth goine to the Governineut-for. He would, however, look into the matter. .