TARANAKI'S NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 8

TARANAKI'S NEEDS

BAILWAY WORK URGED

A NEW COAL FIELD

PROGRESS LEAGUE MEETS MR. MASSEY Representatives of the Taranaki,Progress League interviewed the Prime Minister and tlio Minister of Public Works yesterday to ask for the speedy completion of the Stratford-Okahukura and the To Roti-Moturoa railway, the opening of the Egmont quarries, the bridging of tiro Moknu River, and the opening of tho Tangarakau coalfield. Tho deputation was introduced by Mr. Jennings, M.P. (Waitomo), and was accompanied by the Taranaki members, Messrs. Smith (Taranaki), Masters (Stratford), Hawken (Egmont), and Powdrell (Patea). It consisted of Messrs. Newton King (New Plymouth Harbour Board), R, H. Pigott (Chfton County Council), F. J. Stevenson (Waimate "West County Council), W. l\. Wright (Egmont County Council), K. J. Linn (Ilawora County Council), C. J. Belcher (Eltham County Council), K Dixon (Hawera Borough Council), W. L. Kennedy (Whangamomona County Council), T. Bridge (Kaupokunui Dairy Company), J. B. Richards (Stratford Cham-' K Commerce), J. S. Connctt (Taranaki County Council), A. Mortonttwtional Dairy Association), and U. r. Kirkwood (Stratford Railway League . Mr. Newton King read to the Minis-, ters some resolutions adopted at a meeting of tho Taranaki Progress League last mon h. The Taranaki people fe t that ho timo had arrived when they should get share of the moneyspeiu by tie Government on public works., Taranaki clamed to bo one of the best distdcte in New Zealand for production, ■ and ho works enumerated in the resolutions were required for the developmen nf the district and particu arly of the rcii s %r4e( rt iybytho ""V The Serf of the province had efforts and energy h " Jtabroads, thoyhad led tio w} > niM control, and tney weio t h e Stratford- <?* « ie d ltufred r nVbbto crying Tho factories were sufferc'l g0? d coal had been fond n the li, rakau district, m ?', been taken S^Su P a»SXIn rtheAnck\trMS:'l^r 8^t,,at - I-lbeiicvo that is w»; ~ TMa naki Mr Morton .^Examination people wished to secure ' . Hfi mm . ? tll6 '*WStS but;thero Somo seams had »?«". wter positions. mW,t i w . oth irS in reply/said that Tho Prime Ministw. mM , ru had a Whoped that it for the Mokaii bndKC no " P on would lie ?rt Se publioWo?kß Mlfor the bridge in th ° £ fi u ?}j„ ister 0 f Pubmates of this l«f *£ 0 f his lie Works would state , thfi Department very *>»»>• * n * I™ 1 Hlo pub-«raS^-i^tr S B ln< gS Auctions to the Mine. Sst c to exam nf "ho coal field, and sen £here development 'ought to begin. Mr. Mor an or some other would-£ sent as soon as Ihe ie «oo Ommake line was another very important to k. It had been undertaken by th* present Government and the who., o the line was now authorised. The Government understood the. importance of the work, and the line would proceed as soon as tho necessary arrangements could he mfde and the necessary laoour and material were forthcoming Mr Massoy said that he had never been able to understand, why arrangements had not been made long ago to supply Taranaki with road metal from the Egmont quarries; The Quality of the metal has been questioned, but there must bo plenty of good metal in the mountain. The carriage of rond metal from Wellington by rail to Taranaki w<i» not "ood business, and it would be the duty of the Minister of Public \\orka to look into this anomaly. Money was an essential factor in all these works. JJo was not going to plead poverty In his capacity of Minister of Finance. But he cou'rt not possiuiy provide all tho money that was being asked for. If was a fact that the requests that had been made to him by local bodies and other? represented' a .suggested expenditure of about ,£100,000,000 for tho current financial year.' Expenditure at that rate was out of the question. If he was able as Minister of Finance'to provide this year, i10,000,0M of which would bn required for the renewal of loans falling due ot the end of tho year, he would be \ ' doing well. Development was highly important, but it was a fact to bo romem. : bered that owing to the shortage of labour and the high cost of materials the Government and tho local bodies weio not getting full value for oil tho money " they were spending just now. "Woshould ; ■ think seriously of where we are get- ' ting to," said Mr.. Massoy, "We are pil- ' ing"up an enormous burden »! debt, and | ' wo >ve to look aheyd. Nobody is morn 1 anxious ~than I am to se* development. ' not morcTv in Taranaki, but in every part 1 of New Zealand. Jn many cases neither i the Lrovornmcnt nor ttio local bodies are spending the money, passing through | their lands to the best advantage. My ' own opinion is that the trouble will not • be remedied until we get a much .larger " population, with a much larger numbei ■ of men to undertake the work that is 1 waiting'in every part of the country." f Tho 'Prime Minister added that the Uov- ■ eminent would, do Its best to carry on : all necessary works. The.people of Tara--1 naki would get their full share of the i public expenditure.