Our Member.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 223, 25 August 1905, Page 2

Our Member.

DOINGS AT WELLINGTON.

Daring a recent speech before the Houee, Mf Leng, M.H.R., dwelt on subjects of, local importance m follows : V. “ ThA Minister oKpubifo Works spoke abfeut work, not done in fine lbe cauHpj' districts, because that was the wben men were otherwise and they could not get labour. I said before, and I am terry to bMa repeat it, that at Kawhia a lot oa M who wanted work left the the summer to get work eteewh- al but if tbe Govern meat had pat i 1 work in hand in tbe rammer it woukA have been much batter for tbe men ind the district. Now, with referent* to tbe loading for roads, the Minister quoted so ma district! in which tbe loading had been overspent; but lam going to give the Minister an inetanea of non-expeaditure io my el*o.orat4 The land wus loaded to tbe amount ol £l5OO, and there was £406 third?, nuking a total of £1906, and out ot □hat only £6OO was expended, leaving a balance ot £1306 which wm not -pent, and this does not include rame placed on tbe estimates. There is no jetting away from that. Ths settle's <.tow the money bw not been spent| hey know that only £6OO ha? been -pent, and you cannot possibly manuc ictiire that into a case in tbe xpenditure has been anything likettfl lading on the land. It may haif g me to tbe Weil Coast of tbe 3 I laud, but cartiinly it has no: been spot for tbe benefit ot tho-<e wao iccupy the land. . . “ . . . One other matter I vi-h to deal with, and that is the cone acting of Ktwhia and Bagla • --ith the Main Trunk Line. A I brought ibis matter up in this 1 ini it will be in Hans, d of A-igiut llih, 1904, where 1 imn- ..-d >p >n the Government the neeessity el c mnecting these ports with the Main Trunk Line ; and I pointed nut that bsfore other railw .ys were token in hand tbe Government should make * tritl survey, with the view of finding out the best w?iy to omnect these two important ports with the Main Trank Line ; I am anxi >us to bring hie matter before the Government, becsauea the Bight Han. the Premier reali«a« what an important lias it is. During the last recess, wben that gentleman was in the Auckland district, be is reported by the Auckland Star to have used tha following words when sing tbe electors in Auckland City lt But there was a railway he had heard nothing about since he cams tc tbe Auckland district. To have tbeir railway system completed they mask have a railway from the North Island Trunk down to Kawhia. (Hear, hear). The settlers in that district were entitled to a railway, and he was surprised that their advisers had never told them of this before, bat that it was left for him to come to Auckland and tell them what they wanted. (Laughter and cheers).” Now, thia was stated by the Premier in March last, and I am glad to see that the rig Id honourable gentleman reoognises th* importance of this railway, and I can assure him that the people are wery ’anxious to see tbe trial carried out. I hope that tbe desire of the people will be given effect to, and that a trial survey will be made in order to determine which will be the beet way of connecting the harbour of Kawhia with the Main Trunk tins.**