MINISTER ON TOUR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1756, 22 May 1913, Page 6

MINISTER ON TOUR.

RAILWAYS & WATER POWER. REPLIES TO DEPUTATIONS. (Tly Tolcgrnpli.—Spcclal Keporter.) Pahiatua, May 21. The Hon. W. Frasor, Minister for Public Works, travelled from Wellington to Pahiatua 10-day in commencing a tour of tho Wairarapn, during which he will inspect tho country which will be traversed by several proposed railway deviations. The Minister is accompanied by Mr. Neinmui, At.P., Mr. A. D. Mabin, president of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jas. Macintosh, Mr. 11. D. Yickerv, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. \V. Nathan, assistant road engineer. At Masterton tho party .was joined by Mr. G. Sykes; M.l\, Mr. C. ']•). Daniolls, and other Masterton citizens. The journey up was made in pleasant weather, and no deputations were interviewed by tho Minister on rout?. At Ekclahunn, however, he was introduced to a number of settlers, and at Pahiatua in the afternoon the Minister was driven lViund tho district l>v Mr. .I. Kscott, M.P. Later, Mr. Fraser received deputations, anil in the evening attended a social and danco under Iho auspices of the Pahiatua Branch of tho Parmer*' Union.

To-morrow, tho Minister and his partv will drive to Pongaroa, where they wiil spend the night. On .Friday, Mr. I'raser will proceed lo Eketahuna," where ho is to be entertained at luncheon, and later to Masterton, where he is to be tendered a banquet. Deputations will bo received all along the line of travel.

The Minister will return to "Wellington on Saturday evening.

Feeder Lines Asked For. Tho first of a series of deputations was introduced to tho Minister this evening by Mr. J. ! H. Escott, member ior Pahiatua, and made representations on the subject of light lateral feeder lines to extend eastward from 'tlio existing Wairarapa line. Mr. J. 0. Lilly said that tho agitation for a light lateral feeder line from Pahiatua to Pongaroa had been a matter of considerable importance to the district for some years. Surveys had been made, and some years ago a Dill was promoted to harness tho Makuri and provide electric transit over tho proposed line. Tho people of Pahiatua had reincarnated tho matter, and desired to bring it to a liead. They were not parochial on the question, and recognised that other light lateral feeder lines, north and south, were necessary, including tho line from Feathersfon to Marlinborough, which had been authorised. From a strategic point of view, Mr. Lilly contended that an inland lino with lateral feeders was preferable to a line of railway nearer the coast, which could be easily interrupted by an enemy. The line i'rom Paliiatua to Pongaroa would pass through rich country, which would duvelop rapidly if means of transport were provided. In some portions of the district aggregation had been going on, because the settlers, owing to tho state of communications, had been restricted in the main to sheep farming. The construction of the lino ■ would relieve the County Council of a heavy burden now incurred in maintaining the roads. These light lateral lines would serve an area of 1248 square miles of country. Light lines in this area, Mr. Lilly contended, would .pay handsomely. Mr., W. SVakenian said that tho first sections of tho two most important light lines, those from Paliiatua to Makuri. and from Damievirko to Weber, would give material relief to the heart of tho country, in whoso interest tho proposal to build the lino had teen propounded. The of the Dannevirke-Weber section had been estimated ten years ago at ,£350 (?) per mile. Metal was plentiful, an<l tho country was most easy and sound, anil not subject to slips. If the full Makuri scliemo could not be developed fully, it should bo developed enough to 'electrify both tty; sections ho had mentioned.

Developing Water Power. Mr. D. Crewe, Mayor of Pahiatua, strongly supported the proposal to provide 'electric motive power for tho light lines. What 'thev wanted to knotf was whether the Government, if it did not intend to proceed with tho development of hydroelectrical power at Makuri, would five tho local bodies power to proceed in the matter. He did not think there would be any' difficulty in raising the capital required to do so. Mr. Crewe read a copy of a letter which he sent to Sir Joseph Ward in 1910 detailing the first history of the agitation in favour of 'the Makuri scheme. Ho contended that tho scheme, besides providing power for railways, would serve to light the towns and provido power for the dairy factories and for general farming purposes. Ths lato Prime Minister - had said 'that Makuri would be harnessed to provide six thousand horse-power. In the timo of the lato Ministry, Mr. Parry, Government hydroelectrical engineer, had visited Makuri, and thev would ask that ho bo allowed to report, 'and that the report should be made public.

The Minister's Reply. Tlio Minister said that ho had come up to obtain information and see tho country, lie (lid not think they cxpected him to make rash promises. A deputationist: "We do not, sir." Tho Minister, continuing, said _ he favoured tho construction of light lines, because lie- recognised that settlement should only proceed in proportion to tlio facilities for transport provided. It was impossible to go on building branch lines to tho same standard as main lines, for tha cost had risen from ,£7OOO or .£BOOO a mile to JC15.000. Any light lines that would be mado would be an improved kind of tramway. No greater speed could be expected than nine or ten miles au hour at the outside. Curves would be sharper and grades steeper than ou standard linos. It was the cost of these things 'that mounted up in railway construction. There was a diversity of opinions in tho district as to the places iu which tho light lines should be built. Prominent men in Dannevirke had written to him asking him not to make a definite promise in tho meantime. This was unnecessary, as he had no idea of doing so. lie would talco tho advice of his experts in regard to these lines. Ho was in entire sympathy with any scheme that would facilitate settlers bringing produce to market, but as to what was the best course to take he was not in a position to state that night. Before tho House mot, he meant to go further north, in the direction of Wnipukurau and Dannevirke, and view the country up there. Mr. Fraser stated that he wanted to remind his hearers of what took placo when, a proposal to extend two or three millions iu hydro-electrical development was before the House. Tho whole thing then was, and still was, an experiment. Parliament decided to concentrate on one 6cliome and not to tako up any other until it had been decided whether that one should bo made a commercial success. The scheme selected was the Lake Coleridge one. There was not the slightest possibility of Farlinmenf sanctioning any other scnomo until it had keen decided whether the Lake Coleridge scheme could be made a commercial success or not.- He considered that they had no right to throw away thousands of pounds on what was, after all, an experiment. He was not deprecating the Makiiri scheme, but in any case it would be impossible to'get Parliament to sanction it unless six or eight other schemes were developed at tho same time. The first thing to do was to carry the Lake Coleridge scheme to a conclusion. Mr. Parry had assured him that the cost of tlio scliomo so far was within bis estimate, '111(1 110 one was belter pleased than himself that this was so. If the Lake Colevidge scheme lie made a success there would be no difficulty in harnessing other sources of water-power in tile country, but until this scheme had been completed no other scheme would be established. h

Local Bodies' Powers—A Hint. •\s to what Mr. Crcwo had said about giving local bodies power lo develop the Makuri scheme, the Minister said that lie did not mean to take up a dog-in-the-manger attitude. If the Government would not develop a scheme he considered that local bodies should bo Riven an opportunity of doing so. He tool; the same I attitude in regard to light lines. Speaking for himself, he thought it likely that some legislation would be brought down, not next session, but shortly, to give local bodies such powers ns ho had indicated. With regard to the lino of the proposed LrailWi bs JtWff moro about it

after ho hud seen ilio country. His object nil the timo was to assist settlement ami bring people into touch with markets. (Hear, hear.) As lo Mr. Parry's report, lie would look through it ami tee what was in it. Possibly U might lie intended as a confidential report to the Minister, 110 would let tliem know whether lie could give fiieni Iho report or portions of it.

The construction of a stock track from Ilukanui by way of the Waiwera Valley across tho Tnrnrua Kango to the Tokolnani Stream, and theneo lo Tokomaru township, was advocated by n deputation consisting of Messrs. lJaucke (president of the Pahiatua Progressive Sooietv) and G. P. lianby.

In support, it was stated that tlio track would open Crown bind along; its route which would realise ,£701)0 or .£BOOO. The •Minister declined lo make a definite promise, but said ho would get an engineer's report, when an engineer could be spared, which would not Ire for .some months. Ifo added thai Ihe finishing of roads in closesettlod districts had first claim. If such a work as tho construction of the proposed track wera undertaken it would lieim that less would bo availablo for other roads in tho district.

Another deputation asked for a grant in aid of tho construction of a bridge at Tylees ford, at the Makuri Itiver. The cost of the bridge would be, it was said, about .£7OO. The Minister promised consideration of (lie matter when he was framing his estimates.

Entertained by Farmers. In tho evening tho Minister and the members of the touring party were cnteriained at it social and dunce in tho Drill Hall, under tho auspices of tho local branch ol the Farmers' (inion. Tlio Mayor (Air. D. Crewe) and the Mayoress lorwardcd an apology ior absence. .Mr. A. lioss, president of Uie Pahialua branch of the Farmers' Union, in welcoming tho Minister, said that, from the point of view of the Hush liistrict iieopie, the Minister for Public Works fieid ihe most important portfolio in the Cabiiiel. Mr. Fraser said that the words he spoke must be lew. Tuore were other speakers to follow, and tho younger portion of tHe audience had come to enjoy themselves, and not to listen to stupid old speeches from any politicians. , Tnis was his first visit to Paliiatua. Ho was very much pleased with tho school and with tho District High School, and to tho patents who were present he wished to iiiy that ho had never seen a finer lot ot children in any part of tho country than he had addressed that afternoon. (J.angliter.) lie was very much impressed with what he had teen of the district. l[o considered that a Minister for Public Works should bo well acquainted with every part of the country, and that was why lie had been constantly travelling for Ihe last four and a half months. He was a stranger to nine-tenths ol' those present, but such of them as read the papers had no doubt read that he was a dangerous and useless sort of individual who had been entrusted with large sums of money which he had held up and not spent. Ho asked them not to judge him or any of his colleagues bv what they' saw in the papers alone, They had no light task to perform. Ho had been accused of being a pessimist, because he had had tlio courage lo (ell the people tho truth. lie had talc! them tho position of matters when he took office, and had refused to raise liabilities which he could not soo how ho was going lo meet. He had to see to it when ho authorised expenditure that tho money would be there whra rfcquired. Because he had done so ho had been called a pessimist and all the rest of it. In spite of this, his critics had said he had expended on roads and bridges during the year ended March 31 last the sum. of .£470,000, while tlio expenditure on railways during the same pericd totalled XCS4.GO!). The whole of the sums under his control expended during the year aggregated nearly two: millions. They would admit that this was not bad. He had been accused of being cautious and careful, but he had to. remember that the credit and honour of his country were to some extent in tho hands of himself and his colleagues. There had. been no parsimony. "So long as I hold the position I do," concluded tho Minister, "it will bo my earnest endeavour to further the interests of every district in tho country, and let me assuro you that Pahiatua will not be the last in my thoughts of these various districts. (Applause.) Dr. A. K. Newman, M.P., and Mr. A. E. Mabin also spoke.