Mr Lang, M.H.R.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 203, 7 April 1905, Page 2

Mr Lang, M.H.R.

VISIT TO AWAROA, On Thursday, March 23rd, Mr F. W. Dang, M.H.R.. ,visited Awaroa, where a meeting of electors was held, all the settlers in the block being in attendance with the exception of two. Mr A. Babbage presided. The wants of the district were placed before Mr Lang, the question of road communication being fully discussed. It was pointed out that the land had been occupied 5 years last April, and since that time only five miles of road bad been male at a cost of £6OO. The land is loaded at 3s acre for reading, which totals £l5OO, whilst thirds to the amount of £406 have accrued since the ballot, a total of £1906, which amount is indepen dent of votes which have been placed on the Estimates from time to time. A sum of £3OO for road construction was placed on tbe Estimates last year, and on December 7th Mr Lang received the following letter from the Minister of Public Works : “ Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of tbe 80th ult., urging that the vote for the Awaroa-Mahce road be authorised for expenditure. In reply I beg to inform you that authority for tbe expenditure of the whole of the allocation for this read (£300) has now been issued »o the District Road Eogin-er at Te Kuiti, and work will be put in hand as early as possible.—Yours, esc., Wm. Hall-Jones.” On the 27th of December the following communication was received from the District Road Engineer, by Mr A. A. Babbage : 11 Sir, —Your letter of tbe 19th inst. is just to hand, and in reply I have to inform you that Mr Worthington has been instructed to carry out tbe work on above road as soon as possible.— T. Burd.” Since then, however, nothing has been done, excepting the cutting of some timber for the construction of the Kaimanga bridge. This timber, which cost £lOO to procure, has been on the ground six months, but for the want of the £l2 which the bridge will cost to erect, the settlers are still 41 as they were!” On the 7th of March, 1905, the Minifter for Public Work© wired that the work would be proceeded wifbat once, but as usual that is all that has been heard of the matter. Mr Lang sympathised with the settlers, and promised to do all in bis power to have the work gone on with. The meeting concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Lang for attending.