A TOURING MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1757, 23 May 1913, Page 6

A TOURING MINISTER.

LOANS AND RAILWAYS.

REQUESTS IN THE BACKBLOCKS. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Pongaroa, May 22. The Hon.' W. I'raser, Minister for Public Works, and his party of 20 strong, including half-a-dozen press men, set out tc-day from l'ahiatua for Pongaroa. The Minister travelled by motor-car, and the rest of tho parly in a coach and buggy. The way led through the Makuri Gorge. At Makuri Mr. CI. Sykes, M.P., introduced a deputation of settlers, which asked for tile completion of Moore's Road from tho Makuri Road to Mount Butters. Mr. W. Nathan, assistant road engineer, vim was present, stated that tho l'oad would provide a short-cut stock road from Makuri to Mastcrton. To complate the formation of tlie road would cost ,£3OO, and metalline: would cost' a;i additional .£SOO. The Minister promised to bear the request of tho deputation in mind when framing his estimates. . '

Visit to Pongaroa. The -Minister was welcomed on arrival at Pongaroa by Mr. R. 1!. Robertson, chairman of the Akitio County Council, and other members of that body. Mr. Robertson said that tho visit of the Minister would'mark a red-letter day in the history of the county, and they regretted that the.Prime Minister could not have accompanied his colleague. Mr. Robertson went on to advance a number of requests on Ixhalf of his council. It was understood, 'he said, that the Government had in contemplation some reform,of the local government system. Any legislation introduced should make due allowance for the difficulties faced by backbiock counties, in regard to subsidies and otherwise. Local districts likrs t!is Akitio County were heavily rated, and had to pay considerable sums towards the maintenance of. roads in Adjacent districts. Many of the settlers in the Akitio County wero Crown, tenants, and these people had taken up land on the understanding that tho Government should provide them witli access. Thev considered that contributions to ouitsido local bodies should be paid by the Government, and that tho Government sliould maintain arterial roads right through the count!'}' from the railways. In regard to the rate of interest on loans made to local bodies, thev considered that the rate of interest when the loan was just granted should bo the interest on the whole loan. On a loan of ,£20,000 the country had received -£7000 at the original rate, but'on an additional ,£7OOO they had been informed that they would have to pay an additional quarter per cic-nt. Now, the rate of interest had been further raised, and tho rate of one penny originally proposed would not be sufficient to cover the interest on the loan, and they had to thank the Government for tho arrangement under which it provided part of tho sinking fund. This was a very great cpncession.

The Minister said that the underlying nrineiple of the Act was that money should not be lent ot a lower rate than the Government had to pay in raising the money. Mv. Robertson said that it was unjust that any party to a contract should liavo power to alter the law and so vary the contract.

The Minister said that the amendment of the law had removed an iniustice. To another suggestion bv Mr. Robinson (lie Minister said that it was generally recognised that the existing method of granting subsidies was inequitable, but it could o'llv bo altered in r. Local Government Bill. _ ' In replying generally, the Minister returned thanks for the welcome accorded him. vand paid that lie had come with tho express purpose of hearing people on th* subject of tlHv various wants and requirements. If anyone had any. grievance now v;as tho time to brin? it forward. He would not oromise to givo them all that they asked for, because most local bodies asked for five times as nine"'. as thev exneeted to reecivc. He was very earnestly interested in the project of local government reform, and would givo his best attention to tho matter.

Pontjaroa Railway League. Mr. G. R.- Sykes, M.P., introduced a deputation representing the Pongaroa Railway League. Mr. J. M'Donald, chairman cf the league, said that the Master-ton-Waipukurau railway, if constructed, v.-ould open np a rich country which now ■was retarded for want of communication. The cost, of getting produce to a market was prohibitive. The projected railway would also reduce the cost of road metallilt!;, and encourage the spread of the dairy industry, which at present could not grow. He hoped the Minister would pay another vis-it in' the near future, and travel right through the district and see for himself.

Mr. A. C. Herbert said that settlers found it impossible to fend fat lambs to market owing to the depreciation they underwent in being driven to market. Lambs being driven out of the district lost five pounds in weight, and brought two to three shillings per lamb less than tlicv would in good condition. Mr. J. Barton said that this was the finest undeveloped country remaining in New Zealand. The times were hard at present', but 'they hoped tho Minister would send a capable man over the proposed route to obtain an estimate of the cost, and that he would place, the railway upon the authorisations as soon as possible. ;ur. CV Liverton said that beca_use\it wn= thirty miles from a railway it whs little more developed than it was some, years ago. Only a central railway would amend this coalition of affairs. In the Tinui district the holdings were lnrse, and a railway would lead to closer settlement.

Mr. .T, M'lnfiTe said that much of the land in the district, tlymeh not all of it. was fit for dairying. There were some small dairy farms in the district which were run successfully, but a number of practical dairymen had left the district in search of more favourable conditions. What they wanted was a line that would serve as much country as possible ami give the district access to its ports, Napier in the north, and Wellington in the south.

Mr. Holbrooke asked the Minister not to allow tho scheme to collapse owing to the scrambling of the towns for the terminus of the railway.

Mr. Eraser: "You need not be afraid of that."

Mr. A. E. Mabin, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said that the settlers of tho district had broken in its lands without means of communication at all. He was not going to commit himsolf definitely to any scheme, but the sooner means of communication were provided tho better. Mr. C. E. Daniell (Masterton) said that the agitation for the railway had been in progress for • fourteen years. He explained the different_ proposals, and suggested that the Ministry of the day, as hard-headed business men, would recognise- that this line was better able to produce revenue than many lines. Mr. P.iniell assured the settlers present that, they had no ■ heartier friend than the lion Mr. Eraser. They could .rely upon the Minister's sincere sympathy. He was confident that the present Ministry would do what it cotiid to help them in tlieso matters.

Something Must Be Done. Tlio Minister said that he had an earnest desire to help those who tried to help themselves; those who h«<l reclaimed this part of the country from the wilderness. Promoting closer settlement involved improved menus of communication. It was not necessary to lji'inp before him evidence as to the loss that people sustained who were at n considerable distance from a railway. "What lie wanted to know in the first place was wlmt was the best method of {riving this district the facilities it desired. That something would lmve in be done was ccriain from what lie had seen, but lie was not sure yet as to lv'int should be done. He intended to go over the northern part of the district. and after the ITouso rose he would go over the whole of I he district, and have .1 good, thorough look at if. Probably he would take the Enginecr-in-C'hiof with him, so that it might be ascertained whether there was a practicable site. He ivas not proposing to have the line authorised, but. he was doing something of a practical nature. . which he hoped would lead to practical results. They would have to be sati'-liod with what ho had told them, and he hoped that an opßortunito jrouid be given him

to solve this problem before ho left office. Mr. T. Cross, chairman of tho Weber County Council, interviewed tho Minister rcnrd'in" a loan of .£'12,000 under the Advances Act.

The Minister said that tho matter had better be held over until the Hon. Jas. Allen returned. At present there was a limit of it'oOGO on loans. He hoped that j,t would bo possibio before long to alter this limitation, and when Mr. Allen returned lie would consult with that Minister regarding the application of tho deputation. Until Mr. Allen came out he could not give his decision on the matter, but it would-be possible for a decision to bo given in Juno. Various other request? were preferred before the gathering of settlers dispersed. Further deputations were received later. Mr. Robertson put forward a request that a report should Ira obtained as to whether Akitio or the Aohanga Rivers should best pnvide harbourage for vessels trading to tin; coast. M:\ Smith urged that tho Government should ascertain what river 'would provido tho best place for shipping, and improve it. ' The Minister promised to mention the matter to tho Minister for Marine and sco what could be done.

Tlw chairman of the Akitio • County Council nut before the Minister a nuniUer of requests for grants for road works. Tho list was a long one, and the amounts asked for varied from -CIOO to .£IOOO.

Local Government Reform. Later in tho evening there was a feathering of about sixty settlers in tho Poncaroa l'nblic Hall, and tho Minister was asked to sneak. Mr. Fraser said that ho could almost fancy himself in his own electorate. This was the first gathering of it° kind he had addressed since Incoming a Minister. ' After alluding to tho amount of travelling he had done in order to make himself familiar with different parts of the country Mr. Eraser expressed regret at his inability to make immediately a more extended tour of tho district. What he had seen lmd convince! him that it would bo necessary for him to come back again. He was beginning dimlv to recognise what the possibilities of this district were. Those who asked what tho Government had done should remember that it had been only ten months in 'office, and also should remember what tho past Government had failed to do in ten years. Ho did not know yet what tho lino was which tho railwav should follow, but ho would not tako long to make up his mind, and when he did. he would let it bo known. Tho Minister wont on to enlarge upon tho advantago of motor wagons as an alternative to railways. He considered that the Government should get in a few motor wagons and see whether they could bo used upon jS'ow Zealand roads in different districts, lie (lid not propose that tho Government should run motor wagons. It they wcro to be run as a commercial ■success, it must bo done by private enterprise, but the Government should bear the cost of the preliminary expense. Those who said that tho Government had done nothing should remember that for long years its members had fought the battle of tho freehold in the House. He hoped that a better local government system would be evolved, that tho system of Parliamentary grants would bo abolished, and that moro power would be given to the local bodies. Thes3 bodies should bo classified according to their needs, and Parliament should set aside what it could for roads and bridges, and the amount placed should be divided amongst tho local bodies according to their" classification, subject to an assurablo chcck, and local bodies should bo left to work out their own salvation. Cabinet had not yet settled all tho details of the Local Government Hill, but he hoped that if it were not brought down next session it would bo introduced in tho session following. The Minister and his party were entertained at <linner by tho members ot the Akitio County Council. The toast following "Tlv> King" was that of Parliament." In proposing it, Mr. A H. Herbert remarked on the way in which tlio settlers of this magnificent district had been left for many years to struggle in the mud. , ~ . . Dr. A. K. Newman, who was tho first to speak in reply, said lio would help his colleagues, Messrs. Sykes and Escott. to open up this fine district. Messrs. Sykes and Fraser also spoke briefly. Tho toast of "Tho Ministry' was proposed by Mr. R. B. Robertson. Speaking in reply, Mr. Frawr said that every member of the present Ministry was actuated by a sincere And honest desire to dri tlio bast ho could for tho country. This being so, tho Government should bo given a reasonable opportunity of putting into effect the reforms which it proposed. He hoped that when the time came for the Ministry to retire, its members would retain tho respect of tho people of tho Dominion. Other toasts honoured wero "Chambers of Commerce" and "Local Bodies." ;