TOURING THE OHURA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 562, 26 April 1913, Page 5

TOURING THE OHURA.

RECEPTION AT MATIERE. The Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, accompanied by Mr (J. K. Wilson, member for the district, and two secretaries, arrived at Taumarunui by the morning express fivm Wellington. The party was met at the station by Mr Wackrow, Mayor, Messrs C J. Ryan and other councillors, and formally welcomed. After a short Btay the journey was resumed to Okahukara. At this place a deputation, headed by Mr White, waited on the Prime Minister with a request for a school, and Mr Massey promised that provision would be made as requested. There are thirteen children of school age at present at the junction, and as the railway progresses the population should increase rapidly. The party was then met at the junction by Messrs J. B. Lyon, C. L. Bicheno and Thompson, of Matiere, and proceeded by buggy over the service road to Matiere. Along the route of the railway are to be seen the tents of workmen engaged in the construction work. A heme like aspect is given to many of the habitations by the presence of women and chlidren and in the genial rays of the morning sun glinting through the bußh a pleasant impression of the surroundings was conveyed to the travellers. The road is well graded up to the point where the railway tunnel is to enter the hill, but from that point to the saddle a heavy climb has to be undertaken. Once the hill is surmounted the distance to tha junction of the Ongarue road is soon accounted for. The construction of the service road is a boon to the settlers. It shortens the journey by about six miles, and as it is being metalled throughout it will be a wonderful improvement on the old road. In one place on the road a fine deposit of shell rock has been opened up, and this material has been largely used for metal. In other places pumice and burnt papa have been utilised.

At 1 Mahirakau, where Messrs Phillips and Andrews' mill is situated, the party was met by a deputation, headed by Messrs White and Andrews. The deputation brought before Mr Massey tha necessity for a telephone and school at Mahirakau, and received an assurance that these requirements would be fulfilled as soon as arrangements could be made; Morning tea having been partaken of the party moved on to Matiere, arriving at the Arcadia boarding house at r.oon. A cordial welcome was extended to the Prime Minister and Mr Wilson by the residents, among who were Messrs Sandison, chairman of the Ohura County Council, Dr Lumaden, C. H. Mackinder, and others. The township was en fete for the occasion. Flags were flying on Arcadia house, and strung across the road between the boarding house and the building opposite was a line gaily decorated with bunting, the central flag proclaiming a welcome to the Prime Minister. Upon the arrival of the party the following address was presented to Mr Massey :

"Address to the Hon. W. F. Massay, Prime Minister of the Dominion of New Zealand, by the settlers of Matiere, Otangiwai and Niho Niho: "We the settlers and residents of Northern Ohura beg to tender you the heartiest congratulations on the occasion of your visit to this closely settled, but comparatively neglected district. We desire to expiess our great appreciation of the honour you have dune the community in coming to visit us when we know the many arid important claims on your time and attention. We trust that during the period of your sojourns amongst us you may be enabled to acquire mora knowledge of our requirements, and of the potentialities of the district-. The settlers you will meet in the course of your visit—the majority of whom are Crown tenants—have for years looked forward to some reward for their toil and hardships, but the lack of satisfactory outlets has hampered them considerably. We beg to put on record our apprecatiion of your desire to ameliorate the conditions under which the majority of us have existed since the inception of this settlement, and we look forward with sanguine hope to what may eventuate as the result of your visit to the Ohura Valley. We hope you will carry away with you pleasant recollections, and trust thi3 will not be the last occasion on which we may have the pleasure of entertaining you.

"We are, on behalf of the settlers and residents. Hon. Sir, your obedient servants ■ — C. L. Bicheno (hon. sec. Settlers' Association), Fred, W. Lumsdeti, E. Gilbert, J. H. Loyn, C. H. Mackinder, Geo. Jebb, B. Boult." A very inviting luncheon was provided by Host Phillips, °.nd after justice had been done to the good things the party set out for Otangiwai. SETTLERS' GREATEST MEED. The settlers drew Mr Massey's attention to the peculiar needs of Otangiwai, the chief of which is a better connection with the railway. Stores last winter cost £l2 a ton to bring in. They appealed to the Prime Minister to do his best to bring relief to the settlers by removing the limit of £SOOO set to local bodies' borrowing as the needs of a developing district j were quite exceptional. Mr Sowry, councillor of the riding, thanked the Prime Minister, on behalf of the settlers, for the boon of the freehold, which they keenly appreciated. The Prime Minister, in reply, said the Minister for Public Works had a soft spot in his heart for the pioneer settlers. He was glad to have seen the condition of the Otangiwai settlers personally and would undoubtedly assist Mr Wilson, their member, when he appealed to the Minister for Public Works for grants for roads. He explained that owing to

I the heavy commitment made by his predecessors, for which not one-tenth oft he money was available, the Government was unable to advance as libprally as it would like. Since in office his Government had been gradually reducing the commitments. Acknowledged backblock localities such as Otangiwai were far more deserving of expenditure for development work than were big boroughs and harbour boards. They would not expect him to mak9 rash promises, but they would find that what he had heard and seen would have its effect when the time came for allocating funds for the development of the country. Mr Massey thanked the settlers for the very kind welcome and the appreciation of what he had done in securing the freehold. MATIERE DEPUTATIONS.

Mr C. L. Bicheno welcomed the Prime Minister, and referred particularly to the benefits of the freehold tenure. In respect to the railway, the speaker referred to the extremely bad road between the railway and the settlement. The difficulties in this respect deprived settlers of at least a third of their legitimate income. The settlers had taken up the sections on the understanding that the railway would go through in a reasonable time.

Mr C. J. Lyon, in dealing with the road question, said probably Mr Massey had seen sufficient to show the necessity of metalling the road from Matiere to the service road. The service road Was rather narrow, but the metal would be a boon. The section from Matiere to the eleven-mile peg was the worst on the route, and it was necessary to have it metalled in the interests of the whole district. He thought the road had cost at least between £3OOO and £4OOO annually for upkeep, and the only way to obviate this was to do a good permanent job. Mr Rodgers advocated the metalling of the road from the twelve mile to Matiere as an extension of the service road, and suggested that burnt papa should be used. If the Prime Minister could meet the settlers in this matter he would have the everlasting gratitude of every settler in the district.

Mr C. K. Wilson, in suppn-ting the previous speakers, strongly urged the advantages to the settlers and the State. There was no more urgent Work in New Zealand to day than the main roads in these backblocks. The burden to the settlers Was insupportable, and he knew Mr Massey would sympathetically receive the representations.

Mr Massey thanked those present for the reception accorded him. Referring to the railway, he said £90,000 was appropriated last session, and £97,000 was spent. As far as the construction was concerned it waa intended to complete it as soon as possible. As the southern end approached completion the gorge the work at that end would be slackened, and the men would be placed on the Ohura end. They could look for a vigorous programme as it was recognised that the line was of foremost importance.

Concerning the road, he said the settlers must have a good road to the railway. He was glad to see the good work done on the service road, When he returned to Wellington he would urge on the Minister for Public Works to continue the service road to Matiere. Applause.— He had seen enough to know the urgent need of roads in the district. As far as was nosaible they could reßt assured the Government would do its utmost to place the settlers on a much better position than they were at present. Mr Mackinder brought before the notice of the Premier the necessity for a post office at Matiere. Mr Massey, in reply, said he agreed with what had been said regarding the Post office and would convey the representations to the Post master-General. Mr Lyon referred to the necessity of having a constable stationed at Matiere. —Mr Wilson said he had already brought the matter before the Commissioner and the Minister of Justice. He urged that the request of the deputation should be acceded to— Mr Massey said he would bring the matter before the Minister of Justice, and he had no doubt the request would be granted. Mr Lyon urged that suitable areas for workers' homes should be reserved on the unsold portion of the township. He also referred to the necessity of draining and roading the swamp which would also the road Uib cemetery.—Mr Massey said he could see a number of matters which should be attended to. He would get a report from the Com missioner of Crown Lands on the matters referred to when action would follow. Mr Wilson, on behalf of the deputations thanked Mr Massey for the hearing he had given the speakers and for the straightforward and satisfactory replies he had given them.