COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5027, 15 September 1926, Page 3

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

ROARING AND DRAINAGE,

FIRST DAY’S SITTING.

VERY INTERESTING EVIDENCE.

The Commission appointed on the representations of Mt A. M. Samuel, M.P., to the Minister of Lands: to investigate certain matters, at Patetonga and Nga,tea commenced its sitting at Patetonga on Tuesday. Members of the Commission are: Messrs G. T. Murray, late of the Public Works Department (chairman); F. W. Walters, farmer, of Waitoa; and A. Sutherland, farmer, of Whaka.tane. The order of reference P as follows : (1) To advise as to the efficiency or otherwise, of the existing reading and drainage facilities and of the maintenance thereof.

(2) To investigate settlers’ grievances in connection with the subsidence and flooding .that has taken pla.ee in the peat.areas, and to advise as to what further action, if any; the department should take to meet the situatioln. (3) To advise as to the possibilities of .the successful settlement of the unoccupied peat lands, and, generally ,as to what better facilities, if any, should be provided for the bet-, ter disposal of these areas,.

On Friday 7 next the Commission will hear evidence at Ngatea, as it is required to report on .the alleged flooding of settlers’ holdings, on the eastern side of the Piako River between Ngatea and Kerepeehi in 1925, and to advise whether the department had done all that could be reasonably expected of it in connection with the stop-banking of the Piako River. If not, ,wlha.t recommendation had it to make.

The report is to' be submitted not later than September 30.

In opening the investigation Mr Murray detailed, the scope of the inquiry and suggested the form it should take.

Mr W. Wallace, president df the Ratepayers’ Association, was the first witness. He stated that he was a farmer who had been in .the district since 1913. The Ratepayers’ Association represented the settlers olf the district, and it desired to tfring before the Commission, first the question of roads. The matter had been discussed wth Cabinet Mnisters on many occasions, but the results had been fruitless. The roads wer,e of peat or clay, and the question df metalling was the trouble. Years ago the settlers had thought that it would be advisable to be included in the a,rea to be controlled by the proposed county council. The area had expected that it wduld continue to be treated py the Lands Drainage Department in the same manner as the lands in the lowe? parte of the Plains, jvhich had been thoroughly roaded and drajned. On the assumption that this policy would continue the land round Patetonga was taken up by setfilers. The County Council, said witness, was adverse to taking over the Patetonga area until the roads were completed, but the roads were forced upon the council. It was the general opinion that the council had not put up a hard enough fight. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., had said in the House that the council was trapped into taking over the roads, and with this, the settlers agreed.- Advice had been received from the Crown Law Office that a completed road was a metalled roa'.d. In the lower reaches of the Plains, where the land had been sold by the Government at a quarter off the price of Pat&tonga land, there were 50 miles df road metalled free, and good drainage had been provided. «

The Patetonga. settlers, continued witness, could only be expected to remain on .their holdings if the| riding was' given- an equitable amount of metalling and adjustments made iP the price of the land and rating. The Patetonga land was not so good as that in the lower reaches, yet the upset prices charged were four or five times higher. , The County Council was not a,ble to do anything unless the settlers saddled themselves with such a loan as would drive them off their land. Some settlers had been trying for 13 years to ibring in their deep p,eat farms, and it was probable that they would still be trying for another 13 years. Soldier settlers in such a position had been shifted other districts by the department. The Mahga.whero and Patetonga roads, he said, were liable to flooding every winter, thus blocking access to the wharves. DRAINAGE. Dealing with the question of drain-, age, witness said that the Mangawhe.ro district could probably be relieved by the provision of another drain. As a whole the riding had been adversely affected by being declared a ponding ar«|a. The water from the V/aitoa River poured oil M the area, it being the aim of the department to drain the Waitoa district and impound the flood\±o protect the lower reaches o'f the Plains. There were 13,0001 acres in the ponding area, but only a small area 1 was settled. Mr Walters stated the Commission would have to examine the ponding area. Continuing, Mr Wallace pointed out that since the ponding area had been declared drainage work round Patetonga had practically ceased, with l the ‘result that the land was hot able to IrcAld grass. This hia.d not been taken into consideration when striking i the drainage rates. The settlers Weie of opinion that the Waitakaruru-Mau-koro Canal should be expedited, a.nd in the meantime relief should be given by improving the existing drains to the river. * RATING. Dealing with the question of the remission of rates, Mr Wallace said that the position was not fair. It was desirous to know whether the amount remitted was paid out of the Consolidated Fund or spread on the rest of the ratepayers. LEASING ABANDONED FARMS. Mr Wallace said that in reference to the third item on the oh’der of reference, the settlers were df opinion

that if the unoccupied peat l lands were leased to local settlers the noxious weeds would be kept down. The rental would have to be low, as much work would have to be done. These farms were not much of an asset, and little impiovement could be effected. There were 16 sections, varying in area from 70 to 160 acres, which had been abandoned and were becoming a. menace to' the community by reason of the growth of blackberries. In his opinion the local settlers would lease the sections and would cotitlrol the blackberries better than outsiders. , WHARVES. It was the wish of the settlers that the Lands Department should retain control of the Patetonga and Mangawhero wharves, said witness, as they could not ajfford any extra dues.

In concluding Mr Wallace expressed pleasure at the personnel of the Commission, and exprsesed the hope that it would inspect the land in the district.

In reply to) the chairman Mr Wallace said that he was personally only indirectly affected by the lack of drainage.

To Mr E. Taylor, La,nds Drainage Engineer, Mr Wallace said that the land of which the upset price was £24 per acre had been revalued and a 75 per cent, reduction made. Mr Taylor asked if the Commission was to understand that the County Council was prepared to relinquish the Patetonga riding to the Lands Department. Mr Wallace said he did not think that was the position now, as the council collected general rates and did practically nothing in return. In reply to the chairman Mr Taylor said tha.t the ponding area was a natural flood expansion area, and it was. the intention to retain it as such. Mr Wallace said that the settlers had taken up land On the assumption tha.t the whole of the Plains wOuld be drained. Had they known the position no settler would have taken up land liable to be flooded.

Mr Wallace spoke at length on what he teamed the unjust discrimination in the treatnjent df the upper and lower reaches of the Plains. The settlers of tile lower land received 50 miles of metajled roads, which were maintained for many years, and also were not yet rated for the first eight years. The upper area was not melt ailed, and only five years’ exemption had been granted.

Mi' Alters asked if it wduld not be a better proposition for the Government to grant liberal subsidies than to utilise the same money 'for metalling roads,.

■Mr Wallace said that the settlers could not afford special road rates, and all .the roads did not require ■metalling.

In reply to the-chairman Mr Wallace admitted that what roading and drainage had beOh done had been paid for by the Government and the cost loaded on to l the but the metalling had been done by free grants. To Mr Taylor witness said that the Ngarua road was oihe of the outlets for Patetonga, but until other roads were metalled it was of no usq. The community of interest was to Mbrrihsville.

This concluded Mr Wallace’s evidence.

Further evidence will be contained in our next issue.