King Country Roads.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 376, 21 August 1908, Page 2

King Country Roads.

In the course of a lengthy speech in the financial debate, Mr Greenslade, M.P., remarked:—We have found some members of tbe Opposition ft the courseof this debate, lamenting tbe increase in the public debt of this Dominion. I would a?k those honourable members what it is they are complaining about ? Will they point out to this House what they object to ? Do they object to the increase of £250,000 that is to be specially set aside this year for the reading tbe backblock-. If so then they, should have the courage of their convictions and let tbe country settlers know that so far as they are concerned they are against borrowing, even in order that the outback settlers may be assisted in carryout their difficult work of pioneering in the remote settlements. No ; they are captitioas and they criticise, but I do not think they will have the courage to say t hat they are opposed to tbe reading of our backblocks—backblocks such as exist at Kawhia, Kinohaku, Kiritehere, Marokopa and other portions of my electorate.

The Hun. Sir J. G. Ward: Te Kuiti road included. Mr Greenslade : The Prime Minister refers to the Te Kuiti road. I am very pleased, and so also were tbe residents, that the Prime Minister went over that road and saw f»r himself, as I wish every member of the House would do, the position and the fearful conditions under which settlement is being carried on in the more remote parts of tbe Dominion. Therefore I ask the members of the Opposition who have criticised the increase in tbe borrowing proposals of the Government to say whether they are opposed to the increased borrowing to the extent of £250,000 this year for the reading of the backblocks.