THE MINISTERIAL TOUR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5116, 20 April 1927, Page 4

THE MINISTERIAL TOUR.

PARTY ON THE PLAINS.

SETTLERS’ REQUIREMENTS.

On Wednesday morning the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Public Works arrived at Orongo and dealt with the soldier settlers’ problem. Waitakaruru .was reached shortly after midday, several roadside deputations being received on the way. After luncneon at Mrs Beaver’s an extended tour was made of the hill portion of the riding. Several deputations were received on the way to Ngatea, which was reached about 5.30 p.m. PIPIROA DRAINAGE. Complaints of inefficient drainage at Pipiroa were, made by Mr J- Knapp. The chi.ef drainage engineer, Mr ON. Campbell, pointed out that the district was in the process of passing from the control of the Lands Depaltment to a local drainage board and the Government was finding £1430 to assist that board. Complaints of inefficient drainage for portion of his land were also made by Mr Dalgety, senr, Mr Campbell explained the Lands Department’s proposals for dealing with the matter. Relief would be gained when the work now being undertaken was completed Mr E. Taylyor said that several settlers had intended approaching the Minister on the same subject. However, at his suggestion they had inspected the department’s present work and were now quite satisfied. PIPIROA ROADS. The metalling of the Pipiroa township roads was brought before The Minister of Lands by Mr J. Knapp, who alleged that the Lands Department was holding up the work. The county chairman, Mr E. L. Walton, at the. invitation of the Minister, said that the question of a subsidy was holding up the matter. The council intended discussing the matter Inter in the 'day. MAHUTU ROAD BRIDGE. The state of the Mahutu Road bridge was inspected by the Minister of Public Works. Cr. Harris, pointing out that it was only standing up by force of habit, asked for a special grant for its re-, building. The Minister promised to get a report on the matter. EXTENDING THE CANAL. Mr C. W. Harris brought forward the matter of widening, deepening, and extending the Waitakaruru Stream canal as a matter, of vital importance to a large area. Mr O. N. Campbell said that the tiepart, ment had evolved a scheme costing £7OOO which would make adequate provision for the affected area, part of which was In the Hauraki Plains district and part of which was Crown land. It was for the. Crown settlers to come to an agreement as to how they were to meet their proportion of the cost.

Cr. Harris asked if the outside area could be brought into the Hauraki Plains area, as the settlers desired and had petitioned.

In reply the Hon. A. D. McLeod eh id that the work required within the Hauraki Plains area was for the settlement account to bear, provide !the officers of the department decided that the work was essential. A report had already been made. The question of the land ? outside, the Hauraki Plains drainage area was difficult, as the department had no power to levy for capital expenditure. If a grant was necessary it would have; to come through the Public Works Department. but ihe could not say at present whether he would approach the Minister of Public Works on the matter.. If the freehold land was to have work done it would have to contribute. He would advise the settlers to get together and decide what proportion of the cost they were prepared to bear. The matter would rest until he heard from the settlers. COXHEAD’S FILLING.

A difficulty in taking advantage, of a free grant of £650 made for Coxhead’s filling by reason of the smallness of the automatic allocation of public money to the county was stressed by, Mr Harris, who asked that the grant be excluded from the amount automatically allocated.

Dealing generally with the system of automatic allocation of Gover.r.ment money, the Hon. K. S. Williams expressed the opinion that the method was a sound one, as under it each county got a fair share in proportion to the rest of the Dominion. However, the system was capable of amendment in the direction of giving backblock counties more assistance. He would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister, who had evolved the system. HOPAI DRAINAGE.

At Hopai Messrs C. H. Waite and L. M. Murray approached the Minister in connection with a drainage matter. On account of an overflow from the Pouarua Road drains the low-lyjng land about the Ngatea-Pipiroa road was flooded. Additional flood-gate accommodation was required. Mr E'. Taylor, lands drainage engineer, explained that the Lands Department would shortly be, handing over control to a local drainage board. To this board the Minister had been recommended to make a grant of £l4 30 for the provision of facilities, including the two flood-gates asked for. The Minister said that the Government desired to get out of the area. He would promise to place on the estimates a sum of money for giving relief provided the officers of the department recommended it. Some definite promises would be made as soon as the steps were taken to have the drainage board formed. THURSDAY’S BUSINESS.

KAIHERE AND PATETONGA.

The Ministerial party continued the tour of the Hauraki Plains on Thursday, visiting the Kaihere ,and Patetonga districts and hearing many deputations. After the Ministers had inspected the. works at Kerepeehi, and lands on which representation liad been made tlie previous evening, Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P. for Thames, and Mr E.

L. Walton, county chairman, were picked up at Ngatea and the party proceeded to the Kaihere landing, wnere the site of the suggested bridge over the Piako River to the Kerep'eehi block was pointed out and the. work of widening the river and forming the stop-bank and to,ad was inspected. While passing along the Torehape and Pouarua roads the Minister desider the various experiments in flaxgrowing on the deep peat to be pointed out to him. A brief stop was made at Mr G. Smerle’s flaxmill, where the Minister apologised for being unable to make a thorough inspection of Mr Smerle’s work and experiments. • A statement of the cost of planting flax was presented to the Minister by Mr Smerle. also a sack made of tow and other waste products of the mills on his loom, and a pair of gloves knitted with wool and flax fibre. FLAX AREAS, Questions were asked by the Minister of Lands concerning the suitability for flax growing of portion of the land on the southern side of the Ngarua canal which it was intended to open up for selection in the near future for flax-growing. Mr Smerle expressed the opinion that if the area was cut up into hun-dred-acre blocks it would meet witn a keen demand from me.n desiring to grow flax. Half of his mill workers, including two Hindoos, would be glad of an opportunity to secure land for the purpose. DETERIORATED LAND. After spending about two hours with the settlers on the deep peat sections the party moved on, but after ti avelling a short distance were stopped by a settler, who desired that the valuation of his land be reduced by about 50 per cent.

The Minister of Lands explained that three years after taking up a section and within six years O.R.P. lands could be revalued, but to secure this concession at any time he proposed next session to introduce legislation setting up a permanent revaluation board. Until that was done there .was no means of getting a revaluation for the deputationist’s land, except possibly by the extreme step of bringing the area under the provisions of tile Deteriorated Lands Act. KAIHERE DRAINAGE. At the Kaihere Hall about 20 settlers were present, and their spokesman, Mr. E. Cowdrey, .approached the Minister of Lands on the subject of the inadequate size of the drains which took the water from the many hill -streams. These streams rose very quickly during rain and overflowed on to farm lands, causing much loss, and i.t was therefore desirable that they should be kept efficient waterways by means of annual widening and deepening. The chief drainage engineer, Mr. O. N. Campbell, pointed out that with the small amount of money available a certain amount of widening and deepening was done each year. The Minister pointed out the advisability of assuming local control by way of a drainage board, as the Lands Department was spending in annual maintenance work over, the whole district much more than it was collecting, and this could not go on for ever. Mr Cowdrey stated that on account of tlie deepness of the peat it would .be a long time before the district was in a fit state for handing over to a drainage board. ROAD DEVIATION. The old proposal to deviate the Patetonga-Ngatea road from its route along the foothills to a straight route from the lower Patetonga Road corner to about the flaxmill on the Kaihere road was mentioned while consideration was being given to a request by Messrs A. Whiteman, H. Taylor, and J. B. Woodyard for improved drainage facilities. Mr Campbell informed the Minister of Lands that the Patetonga Commission had recommended that a deviation be made between sections 17 and 18, and that for the protection of the road certain drains would be necessary. These drains would be a satisfactory outlet for the sections of the deputation. However, the road route had not been investigated, and it .appeared to him to be impracticable on account of the depth of peat. A better route could probably be found nearer the foothills. PATETONGA ROADING.

Although .they had been kept waiting for several hours there were almost 40 settlers at the Patetonga Hall to meet the Ministerial party.

Mr Wallace, who presided, spoke at very great length on aspects of tne roading problem as dealt with by the recent commission.

Cr. J. F. Mayn stated that there appeared to be a misunderstanding as to the terms of the commission’s recommendation. As he understood, the position, there were two alternative schemes. He would support the separate proposals rather than the riding scheme. The speaker pointed out that gravel could be procured at a cost oi £1 AOs a chain, and if a subsidy of £2 for £1 was granted the settlers could go ahead with the proposition. He also mentioned a section of 47 chains of road for which metal could be obtained from the Tahlina quarry at 18s a yard. If a subsidy was granted this link with the metalled roads in the Tahuna riding could be undertaken.

The Minister of Public Works said that at present he could not state what amount of subsidy could be made available for Pate.tonga. He desired further time to consider the matter, and did not think objections would be raised by his department to subsidising shingle, in place of broken metal.

The Hon. A. D. McLeod said that in face of the recent commission and of his knowledge of the conditions he knew the recommendations could only be carried put by leaning on the Public Works Department’s funds. Before deciding on what amount should be voted for the district he had decided to visit it together with the Minister of Public Works. The Hon. K. S- Williams asked that definite proposals be submitted to his department, together with a statement as to the order of urgency of the various works. Mr Wallace stated that this would be done. PIAKO RIVER WORKS. Mr P. J. Mayn spoke of the works of the department on the Pi'ako River

and stated that the “ponding area” was being extended. The settlers desired that the recommendations of the. recent commission be not followed, but that the matter be inquired into by officers of the Lands Drainage Department.

The Minister of Lands stated that the commission had recommended an expenditure of £150,000'. The. general community could carry a burden, but there was a limit. If the expenditure would release thousands of acres from flooding it would be warranted, but if only some hundreds of acres would be freed the. proposition was economically unsound. He intended to have the matter fully investigated by competent engineers before making a decision. ABANDONED FARMS. The recommendation of the comtaUssion that the land which had been abandoned by settlers should be cut up into large blocks and offered for selection was not favoured by the settlers. and Mr. Wallace spoke of the.ir desire, to see the area cut into blocks of smaller size and made available to local settlers.

The Minister of Lands promised consideration of the matter.