METALLING CLAY ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5118, 27 April 1927, Page 1

METALLING CLAY ROADS.

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTERS

SATISFACTORY INDICATIONS

The most important matter brought before the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Public Works during theii visit to the Hauraki Plains, as it concerned the greater part of tiie whole county, was a request made b\ tiie County Council for assistance towards the metalling of the clay roads. The case was very ably stated by the county chairman, Cr. E. L. Walton, who, after dealing with the changed attitude of the district to the Minister of Lands and to tiie Government, and th,e desire to efGwt a reconciliation, stated that it vaS an opportunity for the Minister to prove his sincerity. Mr Walton pointed out the peculiar features of the district as a claim for extraordinary treatment by the State, and made a request that £2 out of every £3 of the cost of metalling the clay roads bo found bv the Government. He pointed out that this was a very reasonable request, that it was a sham which the land could bear and that tiie granting of it would meet with general approval by the settlers. However, there was a factor to be considered, as the granting of the. subsrdv could not be made if the system of automatic allocation of Government money was adhered to. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands in reply said that he cordially appreciated what Mr Walton had said. Specially did he wish to refer, to wnat had happened about 12 months ago, when he had first met Mr Walton on his appointment as county chairman, and had said that he would endeavour to bring about a better understanding between the settlers and the Lands Department. Mr Walton had done a verv good and a very useful work, and it was up to him (the Minister) to meet the hand of friendship and do what was possible for what was admittedly a very difficult county. 1 c all money came through the Public Works Department, he was of opinion that the treatment of the Hauraki Plains drainage district was a mattei more for the Lands Department alone. The Lands Department’s funds had been expended long ago, and it had no power to secure more, except through the Public Works Department. So far, the works had cost so much more than the receipts that a - r eat deal of the capital cost would have to be written off. However, he fully realised that the reading proposition was a very difficult one, requiring different treatment to what was usual, and although any additional votes would break down the system of automatic allocation some means of overcoming the difficulty would have to be. found. Mr McLeod outlined a scheme which was under consideration by b 111 and the Minister of Public Works, and he asked that the Press refrain from publishing the details until the matter bad been finalised, when a statement would be made from Wellington. incidentally, he mentioned that it was hoped that the operations of the Lands Drainage Department on the Hauraki. Plains would be completed and the drainage district wound up within six years. The Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, also thanked Mr Walton for his kindly welcome to the district which he was particular!.' anxious’ to visit together with the Minister of Lands. Dealing with the system of automatic -allocation of Government money, he mentioned that the method had been brought in by tiie previous Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Gu Coates, who was not satisfied that the method was altogether fair and had therefore, asked the speaker to take paiticular note of its operation, with a view to making amendments to the end that backbloek counties might be given extra consideration. He fully recognised the difficulties of the Hauraki Plains County, and recognised that it was an area for special treatment. The scheme outlined by the Minister of Lands would probably be a means of overcoming the difficulty without affecting the automatic allocation system. The matter would be given very careful consider.ati.on, anel the Minister of Lands and himself hoped to arrive at a conclusion the application of which, when applied to the Hauraki Plains, would fully meet the wishes of the people.

Mr Walton said ihe appreciated the difficulty of the Ministers, and that he felt sure that he would be on safe ground if he told the settlers that the State would bear a two-thirds share of the cost of their roads. Mr. Williams said he would prefer that Mr Walton told the people that he (the Minister) was unable to state what amount of assistance he would be able to give until such time as a decision had been reached on the matter mentioned. He hoped to be in a position very shortly to make a statement.