MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4633, 3 December 1923, Page 2

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

tour of the plains. MANY DEPUTATIONS HEARD. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture and Acting-Minister of Lunds, and the Hon. R. F. Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, accompanied by Mr H. Poland!, member for Ohinemuri, Mr T. W. Rhodes, member for Thames, Mr J. B. Thompson, the Under-Secretary for Lands, and Mr O. N. Campbell, the Chief Drainage Engineer, - visited the Hauraki Plains on Saturday last and received numerous deputations. Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Engineer, and the chairman and members of the Plains County Council accompanied the party. The Ministerial party left Morrinsville at 9 o’clock in the morning and received deputations at Springdale, Tahuna, Patetonga, Torehape, Waitakaruru, and Ngatea. Lunch was provided by the Ratepayers’ and Settlors’ Association at Patetonga, and afternoon tea was provided at Waitakaruru. AT PATETONGA. The party arrived at Patetonga at noon, and was met at the hall by the president and members of the Settlers’ and Ratepayers’ Association. Mr D. J. Rogers welcomed the Hon. Ministers, and said that the association had many matters it desired to lay before them, and for which it solicited favourable consideration. The first request was : That as the combined rates levied by the County Council and the Lands Drainage Department constituted a burden on the settlers, they desired assistance in their efforts to obtain some real and speedy measure of relief. The settlers expected a decrease in the drainage rate when the area was taken over by the Lands Department. The total rates was now 4.76 d in the £, and the district was not able t=> bear it. The district had npt received the treatment it should have received during the past ten years. It was also requested that the Lands Department should again resume control of those roads in the Hauraki Plains drainage area in the Patetonga rining until such time as they were efficiently clayed and metalled. Mr E. T. Wilkins said that when th? lands were first opened up it was understood that the Government would not hand over the roads until they were completed. When the county was formed it was understood that the county council would not take over the roads from the Government until they were metalled. The work promised to be a very serious one owing to the nature of the country. As land consolidated, timber came up, and in winter time the roads were inundated as the water could not get away. The Department was at present metalling roads in parts of the Plains that have been opened for some time. The County Council would never be able to do the work, as the were not able to pay for it. Many of the roads passe 1 through soldier settlements,, from which rates were not collected. Mr Wilkins referred to the anomalous position of the Waitakaruru-M'prrins-ville road, and also stated that the Crown was drawing the rent from the sections fronting this road, and yet the council was not able to collect the thirds.

The third request was for a general reduction of the unimproved valuation for rating purposes of the riding. Mr H. Taylor pointed out that the first land settled was easily opened, and,- consequently, was sold very cheaply. The land opened later was poorer, and having cost more to open up was sold for considerably more. The good land had a low valuation and the poor land had a high valuation. Many farms at Patetonga were not producing more than rent and rates, though settled for over ten years. There were many other factors against the Patetonga settlers. They had poor river and road communication, and the cost of freight on produce and manures was very high.

The Minister said that these matters would have to be considered in Wellington. He had noted the remarks of the various speakers, but could not give a reply at present. ROAD DRAINAGE. The next matter brought up concerned the drainage of the area on Patetonga Road near Whiteman’s corner. Mr H. Taylor said that the lands were law-lying and the road was inundated after rain for three-quarters of a mile. About 150 acres of land near by was in the same position. The water could not get away except by soakage, and a direct outlet to the river was urgently required. Mr J. F. Mayn also spoke on the matter, and urged that a drain be put in to take the water to the river. The Minister for Lands said that Mr J. B. Thompson and the Chief Drainage Engineer would visit the district, and go into the whole matter. CLASSIFICATION. The next request of the association was that land classed A for the purpose of collecting drainage rates should receive class A attention from the Department. . Mr Whiteman sail that as there were so many cases in this class the association desired that the Chief Drainage Engineer should be asked to view the position. The Minister said that the matter would be looked into. FLOODING. ■‘That the association views with alarm the activities of drainage boards in the upper reaches of the Piako watershed at a time when the river at this end cannot cope with the ordinary volume of water in a wet season,” was the text of the next matter brought up. Speaking to this Mr F. J. Mayn said that this was a very .serious matter for Patetonga. Tn times gone by storm water from the Waitoa took six days to reach Patetonga, but now the activities of the Department and of drainage boards peimitted the water, to arrive in three days. The works of the Department below Patetonga had not been carried on fast enough to permit local water to get away before the up-riyer water

arrived. The result was a very seri- ! ous matter for many settlers, and it was hoped that the work up the river would be curtailed. The Minister said that the matter would be considered. NOXIOUS WEEDS. The next request concerned the enforcement of the Noxious Weeds Act. Voicing the views of the association, Mr F. W. Pearson urged that in regard to blackberry the Act should be enforced, and that the Department’s attention be drawn to the rapid spread of this weed on unoccupied Crown lands. He said that on thousands of acres of Crown land blackberries were allowed to grow and were spreading rapidly. Many fa-ms had been, overrun with the pest k and at that very moment many of the settlers of Mangawhero were fighting a Are that had started in this weed. Mr Nosworthy said he recognised the danger of blackberries and realised the power that the Government had in the Noxious Weeds Act, but he felt that settlers should not be pushed too much. He was out tc see that Crown lands were cleared of the pest, 1 but was not responsible for the position that had arisen in the last eight years. He realised the urgency, and was giving the matter his attention. Mr D. J. Rogers said that it would ' be advisable to enforce the Act now, as- all the time the blackberry was be--1 coming harder to eradicate. MANGAWHERO ROAD. Mr E. F. Patoky brought up the ( matter of the urgent need of further . formation of the Patetonga (northern) end of the Mangawhero rpad. He j said that the Public Works Depart- , ment had made a 6ft track, but now this Was impassable even for packt horses. > The Minister said that he would [ look into the matter and see what > could be done. ! DISTRICT NURSE. s Mr E. T. Wilkins said that the dis- . trict had made representations to the s' Thames Hospital Board to have a dis- > trict nurse stationed at Pateonga, and ■ the request had been agreed to pro- - vided the district paid for the accom- ; modation and board of the nurse. He 5 asked the Ministers if they would • confer with the Minister of Health i and endeavour to get a subsidy for i the money collected for this purpose. ! The Minister said that he would be pleased to confer with his colleague. • . ‘ TOREHAPE REQUESTS. ' At Torehape the party was met by a group of settlers and several small ' requests were laid before the Minis--1 tere. A RECREATION RESERVE. , Mr S. Pateman asked if it was pos- '■ sible to obtain from the Lands De- ’ partiment one acre of its spoil reserve . under such a tenure as would permit , of the building of a tennis court. The Under-Secretary for Lands, Mr - J. B. Thompson, said that the Lands i Department had bought the land for ( a =poil area. The Department had no , objection to the granting of sufficient , land for a tennis court so long as it , was put in such a place as would not ] interfere with the Department’s tramj lines. The Minister said that the tenure . could be arranged until such time as . required. i CREAM CARTAGE. j Mr E. W. Harris asked whether an t arrangement could be made for sett tiers to use the Torehape-Puhanga road tramline, when completed, for 1 the cartage of cream. The present - route was very long, and the roads . were bad, and, consequently, the cost 3 of cartage was very high. , Mr J. B. Thompson said that it r would be no trouble to put on a trails er, as was used at Patetonga. i The Minister said that if the set- . tiers would fall in with the Departi mont it would do all it could to help - them. The settlers must remember 3 that it was a departmental tram, and 1 that they must not complain if it was i not run to time-table. DRAINAGE.’ Mr S. H. Anderson asked that a ' certain drain should be deepened, as 1 at present it was useless owing to the • unequal subsidence of the ground. Mr j. B. Thompson said that when I the dams in the Maukoro canal werv- ‘ removed all the country would sink. II He would ask Mr Campbell a|nd Mr Tavlor to look into the matter. i AT WAITAKARURU. The Ministerial parky arrived at 3 Waitakaruru at about 4 p.m. and was taken to Mr T. "W. Elliott’s Boarding--5 house for afternoon tea and to re--1 ceive denotations. ’ , MANGATARATA BRIDGES. ’ „ in asking that the Lands Depar,tm°nt grant a £ for £ subsidy towards , tho cost of rebuilding several bridges [ in and around Mangatarata Mr C. WHarris said that the roads had-been I- m Untained by the Department until f they were handed over to the County , Council. He was sure that the Department. could not have been conversant with the state of the bridges when they were handed, over. The 1 estimated cost of rebuilding them was ‘ £6OO, and the County Council was pre--5 pared to dp this if a £ for £ subsidy 1 was granted. • The Minister said that as he came 1 along he noticed the state of the I roads and bridges, and had noted khat the best roads were those laid down • by the Lands Department. The .bridges did require renewal, but this was not a matter for the Lands Department to subsidise. It was for the i C ninty Council to apply to the Public ; Works Department in the usual way i for a subsidy. He would whisper a 3 kindly word to the Minister of Public i Works. i CANAL BANK ROAD. : Mr C. W. Harris pointed out that s .the land fronting the canal was openi ed in the third ballot. The seti tiers were Crown tenants, and had s been there for eight years. The De- ■ partment was now grading the road, 3 and the deputation asked that it be 5 metalled. It was pointed cut that in ; winter time the road was impassable !; for vehicular traffic and that settlers 1 had to use sledges to transport their • cream. : The Minister said that as soon as

possible the Department would push - on with this and other roads. SHIPPING FACILITIES. Mr C. W. Harris asked when the bridge across the Maukoro canal would be raised to pert ll it launches to pass underneath. He pointed out that this would be of. great benefit both to the Lands Department and to the settlers. The Minister said that this jvould be done. He could not say when, as the Department desired to get its dredges out of the canal before a permanent bridge was erected, but the matter would be considered in due course. AT NGATEA. Owing to-the lateness of the hour, and the little time remaining -n which to catch the ferry at Orongo, the party split in two on arriving at Ngatea. The Hon. Mr Bollard went with Mr Hallyburton Johnstone to inspect a drain bn his property, and the . Hnn. Mr Nosworthy received deputations at the County office. PIPIROA DRAINAGE. Mr C. W. Parfitt asked that the Lands Department widen and deepen the Waitakaruru-Pipiroa roadside drain. The Minister said that the Department proposed to give as much- relief as possible before next winter. If it was not possible to deepen the drain it was for the engineer to decide if widening only would be advisable in th“ meantime. PIPIROA ROADS. Mr C. W. Parfitt asked that the Department . metal Mpehau Street and the road from the Pipiroa wharf Marshall’s. The .Premier had prom-* ised that this would be done. The Under-Secretary of Lands said that the policy of the Department was to metal the main roads only. Every penny that he could possibly obtain had been spent on metal for roads. The Minister said that he would look into the matter when in Wellington. RIVERSIDE ROAD. Mr T. McLoughlin asked th’at theroad from Paul’s wharf to Rawerawc should be metalled. Mr J. B. Thompson said that the County Council should do this,. Mr McLoughlin said that the settlers could not afford to do it. They had .been led to believe that the Government would metal this road. Mr Thompson said that it was impossible for the Department to sell l,and at from 30s to £4 an acre and to metal the roads. Mr McLoughlin asked that a special grant be made. The road was only , about 30 chains long. Mr T. W. Rhodes, said that it was announced at the time of the first b,allot that the roads would be completed. The Minister asked what a completed road was. Mr McLoughlin said that the Crown Law Office had stated that , a complet- f ed road was a properly fermed, and installed one. The Minister asked to whom this , ruling had been given. The Crown law office was to advise tLe Government—not the public. Mr McLoughlin said he was not at liberty to disclose this. Mr Rhodes said that he had searched diligently for a copy of the docu-. mont, but without result. The Minister said that he would , look into the question; He could not promise a special grant, as that was a matter for Parliament Mr Massey was Minister of Finance, and ho would lay the matter before him and recommend it. The trouble would bo the establishment of a precedent. However, he would look into the conditions of the first ballot and point them out to the Prime Minister.