THE PATETONGA INQUIRY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5032, 27 September 1926, Page 3

THE PATETONGA INQUIRY

COA’CLUSIOiV Or HEARING. A SQUARE DEAL ASSURED. SETTLERS SATISFIED. The Commission appointed by the Minister of Lands to inquire into matters in the Patetonga district concluded its investigations on Friday and it can now be said without any doubt that the result will be. of very great benefit to the district. During the morning evidence of settlers in camera was, taken in the public Hall, and after luncheon, suppliied by the ladies of the. district, a public meeting was held at the suggest’on of the Commissioners. Settlers, were urged to ask questions and make suggestions on any subject. There were about 100 persons, including many ladies, present, and the proceedings we,re most happy.

In opening the meeting Mr W. Wallace, president of the. Ratepayers’ Association, thanked the Commissioners for the very thorough and kindly manner in which they had. carried out the investigation.

The chairman of the Commission, Mr G. T. Murray, thanked the people for the splendid hospitality shown the Commiissioners while in the district. Practically the whole off the area had been inspected, and members had obtained a large amount of information which would he,lp in finding a solution.

Mr F. W. Walters and Mr A. Sutherland spoke on similar lines, and urged settlers to be outspoken. The Commissioners realised the difficulties of the district and, were making an ’honest endeavour to segk a solution. They realised the great disabilities, of the district, and would assure the settlers tha.t their representations would be sympathetically considered. MAUKORO CANAL. Mr H. Taylor asked, what was the 1 proposal in regard to the Waitaka-ruru-MaukoTo Canal. He pointed out that since the district was first opened this canal had been spoken of as the solution of the drainage problem. He pointed out that the information given the prospective settlers had proved false, as'no definite information as to the depth of peat was then available. Had. the true facts been known no One, would have taken up the land. However, now that the. settlers were; in, it was necessary to evolve a. satisfactory drainage scheme to enable them to work their hoidifigs, and the solution appeared to be the; Waitakaruru-Maukoro canal. If it was not possible toi expedite the work from the Waitakaruru end the commencing at Ngarua or somewhere, else was suggested. The chairman replied tnat when the depth of pea,t had been ascertained the canal was laid .aside and energies! ' concentrated on improving the Piako River. Mr E. Taylor, Lands Drainage Engineer, said that the matter was very complicated and would take a long time to explain. He would suggest that the committee of settlers m'eet him and go l Into the matter thoroughly. Briefly, the facts were that the, land rose from sea level to 30ft above that level near Kaihere and then fell away to about sea level near Patetonga. Tn about 10 year's the ca,nal would be about as far as the Kaihere road, but it was doubtful if it vtoulcl be advisable to continue it further for a very long time., In reply to the chairman Mr Taylor said that to be of benefit to the Patetonga district the proposed canal would have to be very large. Mr J. W. Wilkin suggested making canals near the present roads, to the river. Mr F. W. Walters asked why advocate spending money on work which would be of little use. Had the department collected data before it commenced work much of the land would never have been opened for settlement. Some of the land would now have to be abandoned as useless. ROADING. Mr J. Wilkin asked , in view of the abandonment of some of the farms, if the question of ; the increased liability o4i the remaining settlers for reading had been realised by the Commissioners. He stressed the point that the settlers were induced to take up land on the assumption that the Government would continue the policy of metalling as followed on the other parts of the Plains. The chairman said that thq' reading was certainly one of the weak points of the settlement. There was noi denying that good roads were of inestimable benefit, but the matter was now one of cost. The roads mentioned last week by the Ratepayers’ Association would cost £58,000. The Commission would not recommend free grants, but would recommend good subsidies. The amount would receive very careful consideratiipn. There was little, doubt that some of the roads would shortly be declared part of the main highways. The Commission would be glad to know which outlet the settlers favoured. Mr Wilkin pointed out that a £2 for £1 subsidy up to £12,000 had been promised on one road but the settlers' could not afford to avail themselves of •the offer. Cr. J. F. Mayn urged that the Commissioners advocate a large subsidy on a comprehnesjve roading scheme. The by-roads should be given equal treatment wiith the main roads. The County Council had a scheme, but it was for the main road only. Hq -thought the subsidy should be £4 to £l. Mr W. Wallace traced the past history of the roa,ding of the district, and again pointed out the great contract in the conditions of the Patetonga district to that of the lower parts of the Plains. Mr Wallace said that at his recent visit to Patetonga the Minister of Lands was urged to give the settlers an opportunity of demonstrating their willingness to help themselves by granting a subsidy on the contributions. Though the settlers "Still maintained that they were entitled to an equitable proportion of free metal, they recognised that if this was done an injustice might be

inflicted if some roads, were metalled free without some colidition protecting the settlers on the by-roads from having to bear a special rate for their own roads. The county chairman, who prevodsly ha,d been clerk and treasurer, had expressed as his, considered opinion that the riding could not be,ar a greater county rate than 'sd in the £. The present rate was approximately 3%d, and the settlers were agreeable to paying a special roading rate to bring the, total up to 5d or 5%d. It was therefore suggested that a subsidy be given that would make the settlers’ contribution a. rate of in- the £. In the schedule, previously supplied there was about a mile of road in the Ngatea riding, but it was necessary to link this up with the metalled road. This should be charged to the Ngatea riding, and the Patetonga scheme taken only to the Ka,ihere post office, which was, the, riding boundary. The real outlet was the other way, to Morrinsville, and the road from the. riding boundary was metalled. The cost of the roading would be considerably reduced if shingle from the many hill streams was utilised. The settlers felt that the Commissioners were giving the disabilities' of the district thejr earnest consideration, a,nd that the. Commission’s recommendation would be satisfactory.

Mr Walters replied that the Commissioners recognised that improving the roading would be of benefit to everyone. Reductions in valuation would benefit the one settler alone, but roading would benefit all. He. was against free metal, and was of opinion that the bottom end of the Plains ha,d bee,n too well treated in the past. Free, metal would cause an injustice, and therefore would not be recommended by the Commission, which would, however, rqcommend generous subsidies. He thought the section to the Piako county boundary should be the first road treated, though he was of the opinion that the community of interest would eventually be northward. The position of the. side-road settlers would be safeguarded, and they would not be, put in the position of having to< bear their burden alone. ( Thq Minister was. a broad-minded man who recognised that the State had a duty to the. back-block settlers on the poorer lands. Mr Wallace thanked Mr Wai tel's for his assurances.

Mr Sutherland supported thq remarks of Mr Walters, and spoke th support of the comprehensive roading scheme. Great assistance was due to the district, though the,re was no doubt that huge, amounts of money had been spent in the past bn roading. In the' district there was some really first-class land, and also some land which he would, not likq to have to 1 descTibe. It would certainly never be able to bear the cost of roa.ding, for the cost was beyond the benefit. The Commission would recommend liberal subsidies.

The chairman aske.d if there was any chance of opening up a good metal pit in the district. Cr. Mayn . said there was, but thq cost of opening it was £lO,OOO. If a ■roading scheme was to be undertaken it was desirable ~. that the Lands Drainage Department undertake the .work. It always did a gobd conscientious job.

Mr Sutherland said that in going round he had formed a ve*ry high opinion of the capabilities of Mr B. Taylor, Drainage Engineer, and it must be admitted that it was a great compliment to- him to be asked by the settlers to undertake a work which should be- donO by the County Council.

Cr. Mayn stated that' the council would hand over its Mauko»ro quarry for the Lands Department to use, but it would be costly to open up, and therefore it would probably pay to utilise the Pia.ko County’s, quarry at Tahuna.

Mr F. W. Walters, who is a member of the Piako County Council said that Tahuna* metal would probably cost 18s 6d a yard landed in the Patetohga riding.

Mr Wilkins urged the use of the shingle from the hill streams. This, was supported by Cr. F. J. Mayn, and by the chairman, who pointed out that two-thirds of the roads, in the Dominion were shipgle roads. RATING FOR DRAINAGE. Mr F. J.. Mayn asked could the Lands Department force the settlers under the control of a drainage board. Mr Walters said that he did not think so, though possibly the rates may be so increased so that settlers would desire to assume local control. WHARVES. Mr H. Taylor urged that the Commission recommend that the Patetonga and Mangawhero wharves, be. retained under the control of the department. The position would be complicated with the wharves under the control of the county, and the roads under the control of the Lands Department. Mr H. Taylor asked would the Commission recommend that a limit be placed on the amount of Government Drainage, rate. The chairman said that the rates were entirely for maintenance, and at present did not meet the cost, thus there was little, chance of them being lowered. It was, for he Government to say whether they should be : j n " creased. It might be advisable to adopt a preferential rate. Mr Whiteman aske.d if subsidies, could be granted as in the Rangataiti. ’ Mr F. W. Walters said that hehad a section in that district without a metalled roa,d. The valuation was £l2 an acre, and the. county rate 6d in the £. The drainage rate had not yet been struck, but it was not likely to be less than -7d in the £, and possibly would be/9d, despite the Government taking 40 per e'ent. of the burden. ADMINISTRATION COSTS. Cr. Mayn asked: if the maintenance rates werei used to pay office expenses. Th Lands Drainage Engineer , said that he did not know, but it was significant that the rates were never sufficient to meet the cost of the maintenance work

CLASSIFICATION. Mr J. F. Mayn urged that the Commission give consideration to the classificaton of the hill lands. The, river and the access thereto were of vital importance, to the settlors of the district. The engineer explained that the wharves were now under offer to the County Council at a nominal figure. He pointed out that when the railway bridge crossed the river at Kerepeehi it would not be possible for steamers to proceed.beyond the,re. The steamer coukl now reach Patetonga, but the shipping company did not choose to send it beyond Kerepeehi. Cr. Mayn said that the County Council did not desire to take over the wharves, but would do so at the request of the settlers,. TRAM FREIGHTS. The matter of a reduction in the amount of freight charges on the Government-owned tramline to the wharf was brought up by Mr Boatswain, who compared the charges with those on the railways'. The chairman replied that a,n annual loss was sustained by the department on the working of the tramline. The charges could only be reduced by charging the cost to some other fund, and such an action would be unfair. CONCLUSION. Although there was ample, time available for further questions, none was forthcoming, and this fact was commented on'by the Commissioners, who expressed surprise at the smallness of the number. Mr W. Wallace said that all the settlers were satisfied that the Commissioners had given them a good run a,nd a square deal. They were also very well satisfied with the personnel of the Commission, and the Minister of Lands was to be . congratulated on his selection. Naturally th'e settlers would Hire to learn of the details of the report to the Minister, but it was unlikely that this would be available for a long time. The. evidence .taken in shorthand would fill over 500 pages of foolscap when typed, and it would therefore take some time to digestThe Commission had done its work faithfully and well, and it now only remained for the settlers to show their appreciation of the constitution of the Commission and,the thorough manner in which it had donq its duty. Prolonged applause followed. Mr Murray, in reply, said that all matters had been investigated to the best of the ability of the Commission, and thq same consideration would be given to the review of the evidence. Before leaving he would like to e,xpre.ss the thanks, of the. Conjjnission to 'the ladies of the district for the luncheons provided, and also thank the settlers, for the manner in which they had laid their matters before, the Commission.

Mr Walters, said that when the result became know the settlers would admit that they had been given a fair fair deal.