King Country Chronicle Wednesday, June 24th, 1914 GENERAL ROADING SCHEME.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 680, 24 June 1914, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Wednesday, June 24th, 1914 GENERAL ROADING SCHEME.

V The importance of a comprehensive roading scheme is evidently beginning ' to be recognised by the authorities. . : The Prime Minister, in replying on - Thursday to a deputation from th) Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, clearly indicated his knowledge of the sub- . ject and expressed sypmathy with the policy. A comprehensive roading scheme is a somewhat vague term, and may mean different things to different districts In this locality > where new country ib being soqtinug ally opened up for settlement, and where Crown and native-owned lands exist side by Bide, roading is attended with difficulties whieh do not obtain in other districts.* It i? f therefore, extremely likely that a general roading scheme suitable to many ~ localities would not embbdy the provisions njcessary to Folve the local ' ( roading problem unleqg 'special attention was directed to the difficulties consequent, upon the mixture of land tenures. The suggestion made that a Commission be appointed to investigate and report on the subject of a general scheme for the King • Country is worthy of every consider- . atio.n, and it is <to be hoped action in the direction indicated will be taken. Without going deeply into detail it ijs sufficient to mention that native lands have been taken up throughout the district without any provision having been made for reading. In view of the fact that the Government has-hitherto declined -to take the initiative in promoting the reading of these lands it has been left for the individual Bettlerß to take action through the local authority. Ir such cases vexatious delays are common, .and in addition it is tu be questioned if the policy of. individual action ' iB V the best the interests of the district and of the Dominion. It iB probable that in many instances ; roads Will be taken will not be in conformity with the general scheme of roading for : the district, and these ' are likely to become an undue burden . on the local body. By having a comfprehensiva scheme planned and placed on the map the needs of the district M would be determined apart from any question as to ownership, and eettlers would be relieved of thereBponsibility of taking the • initial Bteps to procure a] road. Any othernecessary detailß in connection with placing the burden of roading eguit- , ab'y upon those who would . receive benefit, or any manner in which'the powers of the local govc rningbodies required to be enlarged to empower' them to carry out the scheme could readily be determined by a commiHsion. Everything considered, the suggestion is so common sense and eo emphatically in the interests of the Dominion that a special effort should' be made to impress it upon the authorities. . Nothing that could be undertaken by the Government would be better calculated to achieve tie declared object of the Prime Minister of assisting to the utmost the people . who are engaged in the wurk of developing the c ount'ry.