THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1909 MR HOGG'S PROJECTED VISIT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 140, 18 March 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1909 MR HOGG'S PROJECTED VISIT.

The approaching visit of Mr Hogg, Minister for Roads and Bridges, to the district is weighted with more than ordinary significance, as far as the interests of oar settlers are concerned. Time was when the visits of Ministers to the King Country were as rare and unlooked for as metal on our roads. I With the increase of settlement, and the efforts of the settlers, supported by the consistent representations of Mr Jennings, the "powers that be" have at length come to realise that the King Country is worthy of attention. The recent visit of the Minister for Public Wiorks was of considerable importance, inasmuch as Mr McKenzie's opinion as to the railing of the district will affect a number of our settlers intimately in years to come. Of infinitely greater*importance, however, to every individual settler in the district is the of the Minister for Roads and Bridges. Mr McKenzie's first public remark in the Ohura was to the effect that Mr Hogg was the Minister, whose sympathies the settlers should capture, as he was of opinion the reading problem was of greater immediate importance to the district than any question of a railway. Whtaever opinion may be held concerning that remark there can be no difference regard ing the importance of the roading problem. In Mr Hogg, moreover, we have a Minister whose sympathies for the backblocks have stood the test of time, and it behoves settlers to place before the Minister their urgent needs in regard to roads. Ministerial visits must of necessity be more or less hurried, and setps should be taken to organise matters in connection with the visit. The interests of one are the interests of all, and ' k by combining town and country, and arriving at a definite unerstanding with regard to detail, the best interests of the whole district will be served. On one point there should be no hesitation. Our district is years behind settlement in the matter of roads, and it is further handicapped by" the Native Land Question. Our requirements should be urged to the utmost, and every effort made to secure an alleviation of conditions which have been created by Departmental shortsightedness in the past. We are at the dawn of a new era for the King Country—an era of progress and productivity, such as few districts in the Dominion have experienced. The chief factor in promoting progress is roads, roads, and better roads, and such an important fact should be impressed with force and distinctness upon the Minister in charge of Roads.