MINISTER OF MINES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5418, 1 May 1929, Page 2

MINISTER OF MINES.

VISIT TO PAEROA. SYMPATHETIC TO DEPUTATIONS The Minister of Mines, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, accompanied by Mr A. M. Samuel, M,P. for the district, and party, arrived in Paeroa yesterday during the course of a tour through part of the Thames electorate. On arrival at the Borough Chambers the Ministerial party was met by the Mayor, Mr W. Marshall, and members of the Borough Council, then proceeding to the council chamber, where Mr Samuel and Mr Marshall laid several matters before the Minister for his consideration.

Mr Marshall, in welcoming the Minister on the occasion of his first visit to the district in his official capacity, mentioned that lately Paeroa had been honoured by the visits of several Ministers, and he hoped that the present one, together’ with the others, might be productive of results. * After supporting Mr Marshall’s welcome Mr Samuel said that Mr Veitch was a man who placed country before party, and the people’s interests before personal ones. The present Government and its head were working along good lines, which he was fairly confident would work out all right in the end. Mr Samuel stated that he would always help the Minister of Mines and his colleagues to do the right thing. The Thames electorate was more closely concerned with Mr Veitch’s department than with any other, for although at present the future of mining did not seem bright, with the help of the Minister in question he could predict not quite a mining boom, but an assured future. Mining was one of the potential avenues towards New Zealand’s prosperity, and the speaker’ said he hoped the Minister would see his way clear to aid the industry, so that if he returned some years hence to the district he would find mining prosperous, and thereby realise what his visit had accomplished. The Hon. W. A. Veitch, in returning thanks for the welcome extended to him, expressed relief that Paeroa was not meeting him with extravagant requests. His first indiscretion on taking up Ministerial office was to visit the West Coast, where he was interviewed by no less than 260 deputations. As for the Ohinemuri district, it had a record in mining that could not be excelled in New Zealand. A man who said there was no more gold there was a pessimist of the first water. Personally, he was convinced there was gold in the district, and he maintained that there was a future in New Zealand as far as mining was concerned. Referring td Mi’ .Samuel’s remarks anent the Government, Ml’ Veitch said that it needed most nien to stand by when it went wrong. However, he was quite sure that the member for Thames was of such intelligence that he would not stay on the wrong side of politics. Continuing, the Minister said he would welcome what the deputation had to put before him. He sincerely believed that the district had a great future ahead of it, not only in mining, but in the great wealth above the surface of the ground. Mr Marshall, in introducing the matters he wished to place before the Minister, said that although 1 keenly interested in mining, as Karangahake was more or less in Paeroa’s district, that phase of the deputation’s request would be dealt with later on that evening at Waihi. The first subject he wished to raise was that of unemployment. Mr Marshall pointed out what Paeroa had done in past years, and asked how the Government was prepared to assist the problem this year, and on what conditions. Paeroa was a place of small people and of small capital value, which made it difficult to raise money unaided. The matter was urgent.

Next placing before the Minister the question of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway, Mr Marshall said although the matter was not quite in that Minister’s province he hoped for his recommendation to aid them when discussion arose in the House. It was a strange thing, remarked Mr Marshall, that during the ten years he had been on Paeroa’s council every Minister visiting the district had been approached on the subject and not one answer had ever been received. There was a “nigger in the wood pile” somewhere.

Placing a map in front of the Minister, the Mayor pointed out that at present the handling of traffic at Frankton was difficult. It had been proposed to duplicate the main line eventually as far as Pokeno, and a start had already been made. The Paeroa-Pokeno loop line would obviate the duplication with approximately the same distance of line and relieve the congestion at Frankton just as effectively, and at the same time reduce the distance from East Coast districts to Auckland by 44 miles. The line had been surveyed and authorised, and stations had been marked out. Some four or five years ago the commercial manager of the railways and Mr Fay had spent spme weeks in the territory, and their resulting report was highly favourable. The line would pass through valuable country with freights awaiting. Already the freights carried by the East Coast railway from Tauranga to Auckland had exceeded all expectations, although handicapped by 44 miles of extra haulage. No private company would leave matters in that condition. Since the new Government had taken office 30 or 40 men had been discharged from the local Public Works Department, and in the near future 50 more were booked to go. Here the Public Works Department had an assistant engineer, offices, engineering workshops, etc.—everything handy for commencement. Two years ago the department had purchased 20 acres and shifted the local station in view of the construction of the line. Land for 60 employees’ houses had been purchased and some 20 houses had already been built. He hoped the Minister would give his sympathetic consideration to the question and bring it to the notice of the Prime

Minister and the Minister of Railways. To many the Paeroa-Pokeno line was but a name, and it needed to be made known. Mr Veitch, in replying, dealt first with the question of unemployment, quoting the special Act which allowed a Government subsidy on the £ for £ basis and relief pay at 14s a day. He thought it was just for labour and not for material, but would go into the matter upon his return to Wellington and advise accordingly. In mentioning that the present Government had placed 2000 men in work the Minister said that unemployment was the most distressing economic evil among the people to-day, and they were constantly receiving requests to add to the number of men they had put on, and were paying out large sums to local authorities for, the purpose. He realised that the burden of money raised by local authorities fell on the ratepayer, who was generally a working man himself. The balance must therefore be struck somewhere, but it was difficult to; know where to stop. The Government was willing and anxious to help local bodies who were taking upon themselves steps to meet the temporary: evil.' However, he thought it would not be long before things would improve greatly, and statistics showedthat we were reaching a period of reasonable prosperity. The Paeroa-Pokeno Railway. Referring to the Paeroa-Pokeno line, Mr Veitch said it had certainly been more than a name since Mr Samuel had taken a seat in Parlia- . ment. Looking at the map before him; made his think the line should be constructed at once, but pictures put dif- - 1 ferent aspects on things. However, after listening to Mi* Marshall’s able speech he had to admit that there was something in it, and he would be pleased to place this point of view be-’ fore the Government. There was another point Mr Marshall had omitted, and that was, what would happen when the traffic was further increased by the construction of the line further south than Tauranga. The PaeroaPokeno line certainly had a strong case worthy of consideration and being brought to the notice of the Prime Minister. He believed the line would got cost much per mile, and as business was waiting the line would pay, in that manner differing from many railways constructed which were a loss and a burden. Awaiti-Tirohia Road. Mr H. E. Hill, of Awaiti, brought before the Minister a request that a road be constructed from Awaiti to Tirohia. He haid that when the Minister of Public Works visited the district (he matter had been placed before him, and Mr Ransom had asked , if its construction would help unem-. ployment. At the time Mr Hill said' he thought not, but since then he had gone carefully over the ground and had reached the conclusion that it < would. In his estimation the road would open up land for 25 new settlers, Crown and native land which ; was at present goiqg back and grow- : ing a menacing crop of noxious weeds, with the result that it was worth much less to-day than it was 20 years ago. He suggested the formation of a local committee, and requested Mr Veitch to bring the matter before the Minister of Lands. Mr Veitch replied that the Government realised that temporary work’ was no solution for unemployment—th real solution was land settlement. Mr Hill had said that the opening of the aren meant land for 25 new settlers, an inducement no Government could turn down unless something was very wrong. As for a local committee, he would recommend the forming of one, as the committee could prepare figures and facts which would be welcomed and would be of considerable service to the Minister in question. Mr Veitch said he would write to the Minister of Lands and later speak to him personally on the matter. Mr Samuel asked that the Minister of Lands should not be led into the impression that the road was needed purely for the use of 25 prospective settlers, as it had been asked for long ago as an outlet for those already there. In conclusion Mr Veitch thanked the deputations for the extreme moderation of their requests.