MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1429, 13 April 1905, Page 3

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

DEPUTATION FROM LOCAL BODIES.

By the Navua yesterday the Hon W. Hall Jones, Minister for Public Works,and the Hon J. Carroll, Native Minister,arrived to take part in the ceremonies attached to the opening of the railway to To Karaka. They were accorded a hearty welcome by the President of tbo Bailway Xjsague'(Mr J. Tdwnley) and others, and at half past ten received a number of deputations. The first of these represented tho chief local bodies of the district.

His Worship the Mayor presided, and in I introducing the deputation said it was the I desire of settlers to open up the country, and it was with this idea solely that the Ministers had been invited here. The district was a rich one and would well repay any expenditure on the part of the Government. The land was the best in New Zealand and there were large and valuable areas of timber awaiting development. Capt. Tucker, County Chairman, expressed pleasure at seeing Ministers present. He was sure that settlers would soon convince Ministers that any expenditure on their requirements would be remunerative. He was sure the exension of the railway to To Karaka would prove so, and he hoped to see a further section of the line shortly put in hand. Tho County Council asked Government to give them aid iu opening up the back country by road extension, and also in regard to maintenance of bridges. Mr C. A. DeLautour thought that Mr Hall Jones hardly needed conversion as to the resources of the district, or the justice of their claim in asking for a speedy extension of the line. Ministers had said themselves that to get consideration a district required to be assertive, and to aßsißt their member jthe people were doing their best in urging their requirements. Without being Impudent he might say that the settlors intended to see mat they got their share of the colony’s funds, and so got rapid extension of the line. They asked for a 'substantial vote to give them a quick development of the district’s resources A debt of gratitude was due to Mr HallJones for the manner in which he bad supported Mr Carroll in advancing the railway to its present Btage. He hoped the Minister would be satisfied by what he saw. during the week as to the justice of his action, and be ready to support a further extension of a line that would ultimately be one of the leading lines of the colony. (Applause.) Mr W. 1 1. Bees was the next speaker. He expressed his confidence that the line would be found one of the best payable in the colony, as great revenue could be expected from the timber resources. At Motu there were immense supplies of timber, which would be exported all over the world if railway facilities were obtained. At present 1150,000 was sont out of the district for timber, and besides coal vessels from New South Wales had to go back in ballast. If they could get return cargoes of.timber tho cost of coal and gas would be reduced 15 to 20 per cent. If the Government could be got to promise to lay the rails rapidly theiy would reoeive ready assistance from the people of the district. They looked to great results from the visit of Ministers.

Mr J. W. Bright, in the course of an excellent speech, pointed out that the Bemi-isolation of the district would keep Ministers here until they had an opportunity of inspecting the district. Tho speaker spoke of the difficulties of settlers in the back blocks in getting their stores in—difficulties that town dwellers never dreamed of. Ministers would be shown fertile country with stock that bore testimony to the richness of the land, and which would show that the progress of the past was small as compared with what would come in the future. He felt sure that the visitors would receive a favorable impression of the immense capabilities of the district, and be convinced that the railway would be a great paying one. (Applause.) Mr J. W. Whinray referred to the vast

timbor resources at the Motu, and expressed pleasure that Ministers wore about to visit thot district. Ho hoped they would iospect it thoroughly and be satisfied of the need for an extension of the lino.

Mr A. H. Wallis, representing the Waiapu County Council, expressed regret that tbero was no opportunity to got the Ministers to the pastoral district of Waiapu. The trouble was that road facilities were bad, but with the assistance oi tho Railway League it was hoped that better communication would bo established with Gisborne and Cook County. Ho was suro Waiapu settlors would give the Minister or Public Works a hearty welcome. Mr Hall-Joues was accorded a most en-

thusiastic welcome. Tho prosent was his second visit to Gisborne, and the improvement in tho appearance of the town sinco his last visit, five years ago, was very marked. Ho noted among the people a hopefulness for the future, which was cheering. Captain Tncker had spoken of the ratepayers not being able to pay their taxes, but taking their exports and imports. the increase iu their population, what an enormous change for tho better there had been. People here had every reason for. cheerfulness and hopefulness. Settlers should do all in their power to push the district ahead, and instead ‘of simply asking for tboir share of the colony’s funds they should press tho importance of the district and tho necessity for its requirements being attended to. That the people had not gone furtbor ahead was not due . to the Government, but was owing to the apathy of the people, their isolation and the fact that the district had been sparsely settled. In opening up a colony like this every part of it had to he considered. He quite

agreed with the previous Bpekers that the line would be a paying one. Ho euppOßed he had had 30 or 40 deputation for now linesj and he had been assured by everyone that the line would pay. Some went furthor, and guaranteed that if the construction represented a oost of 3£ per cent, and the line only paid two or even one per cent they would guarantee to pay the difference. In ODe ease he had an offer coming along from a district in Otogo wbioh had offered to find the money for the cost of construction. Thi’ showed that peopio hod faith in what they advooatedi and the speaker had faith that what had been said that morning was founded on fact. He knew of the greet difficulty that wap felt when timber had to be burnt instead of utilising it, but this was not the only distriot in the colony. Within half a day’s railage from one of their large cities they had fine timber that had to bo burnt, because they had not facilities for getting it to a market. He had often hoped tbat some scheme could be found of getting to the land and taking off this timber. People would get the benefit and obtain their timber at a cheaper rate. The light railway had been suggested, and he had gone into it carefully, but ho found that that distriot was going to progress so quiokly tbat in the course of 10 or 16 years the line would have to be converted into a 3ft 6in gauge. He realised there was valuable timber at Motu, and in other parts of tbo colony the same thing existed. In regard to tbo Gisborne railway, his friend, Mr Carroll, did not forget to remind him of its olaims, end when he had told the member for the distriot that the grant for the line had been expended, Mr Carroll had urged that the line must go on until it was finished. Ministers endeavoured to do the best they could under the ciroumstanoes. He knew Gisborne pooplo had been looking forward to the line reaching Karaka. They had got thero, and Mr Hall-Jones said he did not intend to let it stay there. There would be a split in the Cabinet if he said the line would stop at Te Karaka, and he oould say that it would not stop there. He thought the present would be a good opportunity to bo present at tho Karaka opening and go on to Motu. In Mr Townley, who occupied tho position of perpetual Mayor of Gisborne, they had a man who never missed a chance of letting Ministers know of anything that wanted doing. He thought there was a most enterprising lot of peopio in Gisborne, who recognised that they had got one of the best parts of New Zealand, where 15 years ago he was nearly coming himself, and that was to the Motu. The district had a great future before it. Although they might not recognise it, they were doing very well in rogard to their county works. The monßy market had been disarranged, but this district bad got its share. Both in rogard to railway and roads they had obtained their fair share. He had thought it was a ease where the Government coulcl put themselves out of their way to da a little more than usual. He was pleased to see the line opened to Te Karaka, and he hoped it would not be long before he made another visit. (Applause.) The Hon, Mr Carroll also shortly replied, expressing appreciation of the good services of his colloagues, who hod over been ready and willing to help the distriot forward. It was important that they should secure the early proclamation of tho extension of tho line beyond Karaka, as well as a substantial vote on the next estimates for its construction. Ho was sure Mr Hall-Jones would bo satisfied with his visit to the Motu. Tho railway was a colonial work. When in tho Bay of Plenty the people there had deputationised him and urged that the connection be hurried on. They were particularly warm on the subject, foeling that a railway would bring them into touch with the East Coast. They would even be satisfied with a road to enable them to send their stock to the freezing works hero. From all ho could hear there were no engineering difficulties in getting the railway to Motu, only a low saddle having 1,0 bo crossed. Coming through the Motu the other day, he had tremendously astonished to see the settlement that was going on. It was a revelation to him that such improvements could take place within a short time, Mr Hall Jones would wonder what facilities the early pioneers had to enable them to break in such country. It was no mean or easy task. That had been duo to the character of settlers we had been fortunate to have in this district. We had had a really fine class of men—men full of determination and heart to work. He was certain of this. Thoy wero a class of men who, if the Government would only give that assistance to tho district in helping [ them to carry out their, necessary works, no class of men would appreciate it more. He suggested that tbat day should be utilised to confer with tho Minister regarding local wants. Ho would like his colleague to see as much of tho town as he could ; to see some of the large commercial establishments that had sprung up ; and to visit tho historic spot where he had turned tho first sod, where a village had sprung up, and there was a large and commodious station. He should also got a bird’s-eye view of Whataupoko and Koiti, and would thus see what possibilr ties there were for future development. (Applause).

BAST COAST BEQUIREMENTS,

1 A deputation from tho Waiapu County Council, consisting of Messrs DeLautour and Wallis, waited upon the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones in regard to East Coast roads and the bridging of tho Waiapu river. Mr Wallis said that tho Waiapu Council had been agitating for the survey of an inland road, which was laid off at present in an impracticable place. The road mentioned was in the Cook County, and was only four miles in length. It would not benefit the Cook County to a great extent, but would be of great service to the settlers in the uppor port of the coast. Mr Wallis at some length urged the need of a bridge pver the Waiapu river, and asked for a substantial grant towards tho same. It was not fair to' ask tho settlers to rate themselves for the work, as there were over 100,000 acres of native land which would not contribute, Mr DeLautour also urged upon tho Minister the claims of the Coa6t. ' Mr Hall-Jonos promised to do his utmost in regard to both matters. The question of cemetery sites in tho coastal townships was mentioned by Mr Wallis, who stated that everv time a grave was dug at the native cemeteries at Waipiro and Tokomaru human bones were dug up. The Minister promised to have the matter attended to. In the afternoon Mr Hall-Jones was taken by the Mayor for a drive in the country. By the Eealandia from Auckland the Hon. J, McGowan, Messrs A. L. D. Eraser and Herries, M.H.R.’s, and Mr M. D. Clark (representing the Auckland Chamber of Commerce) arrived, and were welcomed by Captain Tnckor and Messrs Bees and Gaudin, the visitors being afterwards driven to the Masonic Hotel. Last evening the visitors and a number of local citizens wore entertained at dinner by bis Worship the Mayor. . • I "