PATETONGA’S WANTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4945, 1 March 1926, Page 3

PATETONGA’S WANTS.

EYPLAINED TO DISTRICT M.P. REQUEST FOR COMMISSION. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Ohinemuri, met the settlers of Patetonga on Thursday evening for .the purpose of gaining first-hand information of the disabilities’ of the district. Mr W. Wallace, president of. the Ratepayers’ Association, presided, and welcomed the new member, whose visit, he said, was very timely, in view of the decision of the Government that • its obligations in regard to the roads of the district would cease in August next. Mr Wallace paid a .tribute to the work of Mr H. Poland, ex-M.P., and 'To Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P. for Thames, and urged Mr Samuel to carry on with-the work on similar linesj. As a result of these efforts the Minister for Lands had visited the district, and when speaking 'in another part of. the Dominion had said that he was of opinion that a Commission of Inquiry was, necessary. The speaker urged Mr Samuel to make himself conversant wtih the district, and to use every effort to a commission. He pointed out the difference in the treatment of the Patetonga district by the Government in regard to the metalling of the roads and the provision <M drainage facilities, compared with-that of other districts, Mr Samuel, in reply, thanked the ■ chairman for his welcome. He isaid •he would keep, or make every effort; to keep, every promise he had made at election time. He was trying .to make himself, conversant with the wants of the electors. He knew of the difficulties under which the Pate- 1 tonga settlers had laboured,.and was amaze'd .that a much greater row had not been made. It was the duty of the meeting to pass; a/ resolution askPfe’the Hon. A. D. McLeod to set up, a commission, as he had stated ip the Wairarapa was necessary. Since, his election he 1 had made numerous representations to the heads of Government Departments and to Cabinet Ministers with satisfactory results in z cases where .the claims’ were just k ones. . In regard to reading ,he did not know of any district in New. Zealand where the roads were in a worse condition during winter. That this should . be so i-h.a Government settlement was appalling. Grants should be made from the Consolidated Fund. He would like the requests of the people of the district in the form of resolutions, thereby showing that they were the opinion of the whole of the people. He would give every matter careful attention, and do everything in his power to have the requests of the settlers' granted. For Mr Samuel’s benefit Mr-Wilkin, /Sr. -Mayn, and others explained the { terms under which the land had been V taken up, and, the differential treatment in ! regard to roading, valuation, •drainage, etc, as. compared with other parts of the Hauraki Plains.? Ota the motion of Mr D. J. Rogers it was. unanimously decided that the Hon. Minister for Lands be, asked, through Mr Samuel, to set up a commission of impartial practical men to inquire iqto the disabi.lities v of the Haiiraki Plains, as suggested by Mr A. D. McLeod in a speech at Lake .October 25, 1925. It was also decided that a protest be lodged against .the decision of the Minister for Lands ,to absolve the Lands Department from , further obligation in regard.to the roads of the riding -from August next. Details of the various, grounds for which a commission was desired wdre explained, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Samuel for attending. Returning thanks, Mr Samuel said r that he would do his best to carry out the wishes of the settlers, and he would tell the Minister for Lands that he had told the settlers that, Minisiters carried out their promises. y ■ .. “ ’ .\ .