THE ROADING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1814, 29 July 1913, Page 6

THE ROADING PROBLEM

. SETTLERS' DEMANDS. SUGGESTED NEW METHODS. MINISTERS INTERVIEWED. The difficulties under which the residents o£ tho back-blocks labour in regard to means of communication wero placed before the Prime Minister (tho Hon. W. F. Massey), the Minister for Native Affairs (tho Hon. W. H. Ilerries), and tho Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser) last evening by a deputation from the Back-blocks Association, which was represented by Major Lusk and Mr. G. H. Scholes. The association represents tho people of the counties of Waitomo, Clifton, ICawhia, Awakipo, Ohura, Kaitieke, Wkuigamomona, and portion of the counties of Raglan and West Taupo. Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P., introduced the deputation.

Major Lusk, in referring to the question of rending, said that there was a need of »a general scheme in this matter with greater powers for local bodies. The association was also of opinion that the Government should take over the maintenance of fit least one arterial road through each county. The main road between the Auckland and Taranaki provinces was an instance of the arterial roads for which the local bodies should not be responsible as it was a national highway. The position in regard to Native lands also presented a serious difficulty. The local bodies, as a rule, received no rates from Native lands; yet they were often being called upon to construct roads through large blocks of Native lands, the value of whicli was thereby enhanced. Something, he urged, should be uouo to make Native lands responsible for a fair share of tho cost of tho roading of such lands. He also urged that local bodies should have power to define special rating areas and to raise loans without taking a poll. Mr. Scholes, who is chairman of the Waitomo 'County Council and president of the Br.ck-blocks Association endorsed the remarks of Major Lusk as to the need for greater assistance to local bodies in regard to roading. He suggested that each county, in co-operation with tho Government, should formulate a general roading scheme. This would be better than doing tho work in a piecemeal fashion. The Government's .Policy. The Prime Minister in replying said that it was part of the policy of the Government to open'up the back-blocks and assist the settlers tlieTe, and it had been doing almost all that was possible, with the means at its "disposal, to carry out that policy. Last year under tho heading of roads alono the sum of .£103,168had been provided for the King Country, or, Toughly speaking, the Taumarunui electorate. This sum was not yet all expended, but every penny of it would-be expended. In many oases there had been a scarcity of labour, and in other cases the local bodies when asked to undertake the, woi'ks had been unable to do so. This, he believed, had happened in the case of tho Waitomo County Council. Mr. Scholes: In one oase. Mr. Massey,' continuing, said that l the roading of Native lands was a ' serious problem. He did not agree with the deputation, that people taking up Native lands should have the same claim to . consideration in regard to roading as those taking up Crown lands. He agreed that the Government should do all that was possible to assist those going on Native lands ■acquired from the owners,,but he thought that those going on Crown lands should have the preference. As to the rating of Native, lands, he anticipated that this difficulty would bo largely removed by a Bill which was now in course of preparation. In regard to the upkeep of the mo.in roads, Mr. Massey said that he agreed that roads such as those between. Taranaki and Auckland should bo taken over bythc Government, but some representatives of local bodies held a contrary opinion in Tegard to loans for roads. The stringency in. the money market had created a difficulty. There was, however; he pointed out, an existing provision for setting apaTt a special loan for the Toading of the badc-blocks at low rates of interest. A sum of <£50,000 had been so set apart not long ago, but so far it had not been touched. Ho was inclined to agreo with the suggestion that a special loan should ■be raised for roading the out districts, and he would place the matter beforo Cabinet. He wos not committing the Cabinet, but he believed that it would agree to it. He regarded the suggestion that local bodies should have power to raise loans without taking a poll t as a dangerous one, but he "would look into it. The Government, lie added, would be introducing a Bill 'in a day or two which would largely assist local bodies m tho raising of loans for development purposes.

Assisting the Back-blocks. ■Tho Hon. W. Fraser said that the Government was trying to do its best for th* back-blocks, and ample proof of this was to be found in the fact that the Taumaninni electorate lost year was granted one-fiftli 'of tho whole amount allocated for roading in the Dominion. From March, 1912, till June 1, 1913, there had been either spent or authorised in that district alone?, no less a sum than .£106,M0. He was quite convinced that this district required special assistance, and this was why it had been granted double the amount granted to any other district in the Dominion. Mr. Scholes: It is a new district. Mi. Fraser: I know that, but there are other districts, you know, which consider themselves back-blocks. He also pointed out that the sums which were placed on the Estimates in one year were not supposed to be all expended by March 31. but were intended to last until the following September or October. As to the question of the Trading of Native lauds, he agreed with Mr. Massey that the settlers taking up Crown lands should have preference. People acquiring lands from the Natives must expect to have difficulties until those who bought from the Crown had their roads made. As to a general scheme of reading lie said that until that was devised they must go on with the present system, although they might not altogether approve of it. They could not do everything at once.