THE ROADING QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 441, 21 February 1912, Page 5

THE ROADING QUESTION.

ACCESS TO NATIVE LANDS

DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. An application from an Aria settler which came before the Waitomo County Council on Monday evening opens up a question of considerable importance to the whole district. The applicant is lessee of'a native owned block. There is no road access to his section though a road has been surveyed to it from the county The applicant is naturally desirous of getting timber on to his land in order to build hi 3 house, and has applied to the Council to provide the necessary access by making the road fit for wheal traffic. In referring to the application, the chairman (Mr A. Scholes said no doubt many sattlers were in a somewhat similar position. As far as he could 3ca the Council was unable to do anything in the matter. There had been no rates collected upon the property, and there was no money available for the work. In the case of Crown sections the Government formed tha road, and in addition there would be thirds available, from the rent paid to the Crown, for roacling purposes. Furthermore, it was probable that the road in question was not properly dedicated, and the Council would be exceeding its powerq in undertaking the work. Mr Scholes said there were many difficulties in roading this particular district in consequence of the mixture of tenures, but in most cases the difficulties would be overcome by taking advantage of the Government subsidies to loans. The possibility of the settlers raising a loan at oh to 3 J per cent., and getting assistance to the extent of £ for £ was a great boon to the district. It meant that the necessary money was being obtained at the rate of "I J to lj per cent., and only half the amount had to be paid back. As to the case under review, it was probably too small a work to warrant raising a loan and it was a problem as to hoiv the man could be assisted. Other Councillors concurred with the chairman's view of the matter.