MINISTERS AT PAEROA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4634, 5 December 1923, Page 2

MINISTERS AT PAEROA.

SUOBT OFFICIAL VISIT. — ■ X . DEPUTATIONS HEARD. After a tour of the Hauraki Plains the Ministerial party, comprising the * Hon. W. Nosworthy, Acting-Minister . of Funds, the Hon. R. F. Bollard, Min- ’ ister of Internal Affairs, Mi; J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary for Lands and Survey, and Mr H. Poland, M.P., . paid a brief official visit to Paeroa. Deputations were received at - the Coronation Chambers, the dele- •; gates being introduced to the Ministers by Mr H. Poland. awalti DELEGATION. , Messrs H. E. Hill, J. B. Whisker, T. Considine, J. Wakeham, R- Adam, J, H. Bradshaw, and J. Crosbie waited on the Hon. W. Nosworthy and Mr J. B. Thompson and asked for relief by the metalling of 80 chains on Pakahu Road, 36 chains on Awaiti West Road, and 73 chains on the main NethertbnAwaiti roads as per provisions for such roads shown on the Auckland land district plan No. 126 L ,dated March 26, 1915, on which date the Awaiti land was balloted for. Mr Hill said that the Department had stated when Ohe sections were bal’oted for that the sections were high priced because the department was going to put down permanent roads to. them, but so far this had not been carried out. Mr Guthrie had stated when on a visit to Paeroa that if the Government had promised metalled roads in that locality, then i it would fulfil its promise. Mr Hill said that, so far little or no relief had " been given, and it had been imposi sible to use the roads in question’except at the risk of accident tp life and limb during last winter. The Minister said that he had no . money to spend, but if the House i would authorise a vote sufficient to ca’-ry out the work he would .‘gladly ! i support it, and if a grant l was authorised he would use his best endeavours to have the Work carried out as early as possible. He realised the needs of ; i the settlers, and would go. further into the matter, but he regretted that he could not promise anything in the meantime because there was no money available. PAEROA-PATETONGA ROAD. A deputation from the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce waited on the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of Lands, with reference to the linking up by road of Patetonga with Paeroa. The president of the chamber, Mr E. W. Pprritt, said that an assurance had been definitely given to. His Worship the Mayor of Paeroa (Mr W. - Marshall) by Mr J. B. Thompson, Un-der-Secretary for. Lands, when in Wellington a few months ago that the work would be carried out, but there were some drainage difficulties to overcome. The chamber wished to point out the urgency of having the work of forming the road carried. out. for with the completion of road the Patetonga settlers would not\ only be brpught within nine miles ofjy Paeroa, as against 23 miles to Morriosville, but would have reasonable access to their district. Paeroa was , the natural geographical centre -for the district, and the Patetonga settlers, realising this point, were very anxious to have the work carried out as feoon as possible. They were, very keen on having the road put through, and had gone to the expense of sending a deputation_to Wellington to interview the Government on the matter, If a road was put through as requested the settlers would have the opportunity of availing themselves of the facilities for secondary education for their children, and it would also bring them closer to doctors and hos- . * pital accommodation, • and enable ' them to transact’ their business in Paeroa and return the same day. On nohalf of the chamber he asked tha: . the work should be expedited, or at least an assurance that something definite would be done to give the Patetonga settlers relief before winter.

After, conferring with Mr J. B. , Thompson the Minister replied that the road asked for had been considered in the main scheme drainage on the Hauraki Plains. It was a matter bf consolidation when forming that road, as there wax approximately 15ft of peat, and that to reach the clay it would be necessary to go down 10ft below sea level. The cost, of making the road would be, approximately, £5OOO per mile. He quite recognised the importance of such a road to the settlers of Patetonga, and also the advantages that would accire to Paeroa generally, but at the present time the Government was. not ready to throw open the land Tor' closer settlement bn the route, and until such time was of the opinion that, such a fieavy expenditure on the road was not warranted. Innumer- ' able requests had been received by the Government for money for reading purposes, and it was impossible to meet them all, much as he would like to give relief to settlers and meet the chamber’s wishes. Mr Porritt said he understood that the proposed road would follow the route of a main drain for a considerable distance, and asked if it would not be possible to use the spoil from the drain to form a temporary road along the bank of the drain for use in the summer. The Hon. Mr Nosworthy slated that there would be very little spoil to come out of the drain, and it would not be possible to go below sea level, or the value of draining to a large extent would be useless; He was afraid that it was a question of waiting awhile longer. His officers had already gone into the matter, but the Government must necessarily hold up the work until money was more plentiful.