HON. P. FRASER’S VISIT

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 40, 3 June 1938, Page 2

HON. P. FRASER’S VISIT

ARRIVAL LAST NICHT DEPUTATIONS RECEIVED The Hon. P. Fraser, Deputy-Leader of the Government, and Minister of Education, arrived 'in Opotiki last night, shortly after 8 o’clock. Afteadinner, the Minister heard a number of deputations at the Opotiki Hotel. The Mayor (Mr. G. S. Moody) extended a very warm welcome to t-lxe Minister to’ the "Opotiki district. Mr W. A. Gault, county chairman, also extended a welcome to the Minister, and the member for the district, Mr A. G. Hultquist spoke briefiy, and said that Opotiki was the head of the Bay of Plenty electorate. The Minister in his reply thanked the speakers for their cordial welcome and said he had had- a very busy day, and had been unexpectedly delayed. He said that Mr Hultquist was a model member and looked after the interests of the district very ably: Overcrowding at School. /A deputation from the Opotiki District High School Committee, headed by the chairman, Mr A. E. Payne, then waited' on the Minister in connection with school matters. Mr Payne thanked the Minister for what had already been done on behalf of the schools. The .point he wished to bring forward was the question of overcrowding. Cabinet had made a grant some time ago for the purchase of a high school site. Instead of building two additional rooms the committee would suggest that the high school building be built as soon as possible. This would release 95 pupils from the present school. An invitation to the Minister to visit the school was then extended by Nil* Payne. Mr F raser said he would be pleased to accept the invitation. Mr Payne then asked the Minister if, during his visit to thq school, he would present swimming and life-sav-ing certificates to the children. He pointed out that about 85 per cent, of the school children were able to swim. /The Minister replied that he would be very pleased to make the presentations. The Rev. Hampton then thanked the Minister for what he had already done on behalf of the school. In his reply to the deputation, Mr Fraser said it was obvious that something had to be done. It. was a question of what was the most economic tiling to do. Consolidation Desired. Messrs O. Black and J. Roe (Otara School Committee) and A. Gordon and Campbell (Upper Otara Settlers’ Association), then approached the Minister in support of the request that the Otara school should come under the consolidation scheme. Mr Black said the Otara, school was five miles from the Opotiki school, and the valley extended for 13 miles. At present 20 children from the district went to, the Opotiki school. Only 15 children attended the Otara . school. Up the Otara- valley there were.nine children taking the correspondence course. The householders were practically unanimous for consolidation. Mr Roe said he spoke on behalf of the settlers at the head of the valley. One of the settlers had six children who had never attended school. They considered the children should have personal education. Mr Gordon appealed for better educational facilities for the back-block children.

The Minister in liis reply, said he was in favour of consolidation and referred to the benefits of the system. There was practically no saving hv the system financially, but educationally the children received great benefit. He would confer with his officers and hoped that, consolidation would result. They wore out to do the best for the children’s education. He congratulated Airs Campbell for her efforts. in reply to a question by the Alinister Air Campbell said bis children liad been taking the correspondence course for 10 years. The Government Thanked. Speaking on behalf of the Opotiki Bailway League, Air A. Davies thanked the*Alinister for the government’s decision to extend the railway to O-po-tiki. He also thanked Air Hultquist for his efforts on behalf of the district in assisting in the League’s efforts. He asked the Alinister to convey to the Prime Minister tlm League’s tliankas for keeping Ins promise to give rail connection. AH Fraser said he had always been

in support of the East Coast Railway. He had heard that day that Mr Savage had authorised an aerial survey to be made of the route. This would! reduce the time of the survey work to a great extent. A Question, of Representation. The question of representation in the control of the Opotiki wharf was placed before the Minister by an Opotiki County Council deputation, headed by the chairman, Mr \V. A. Gault. The chairman pointed o.utftrTwe' Minister that the Opotiki wharf had been administered for many years by the Opotiki Borough Council. A big proportion of the dues were paid by the county residents. They considered the county was entitled to some representation. The county people were not anxious to have a harbour board. One grievance was that the Opotiki Dairy Association, which now had an output of 3COO tons of butter was not provided with provision for proper storage of butter at the wharf. The butter was taken direct and placed on board the boat. Most of the loading was done at night in the cool of the day and this was very expensive. The Dairy Association had applied two years ago for provision for a. coolroom but the Borough Council had asked for a farthing additional wharfage per box to pay for the store. The ■County Council considered that proper provision should be made for handling the dairy output. Mr Fraser said he assumed that everyone in the district was out to provide the best facilities. Mr A. Martin informed the Minister that £2500 of the wharf funds had been diverted for unemployed purposes . There was now about £2OOO credit. He wanted to see this money spent in the best/'way possible. That was why they asked for representation.

Mr J. T. Merry, county clerk, then explained the position from the county’s point of view and said the Borough Council could build the eooi room from revenue. There was no necessity to impose qn extra charge on butter.

The Minister said it was the duty of those running the wharf to give the maximum of service.

The Mayor stated that extensions to the wharf would cost £2600 and money would have to be borrowed. The wharfage charges at Opotiki were about the lowest in New Zealand. He claimed that the administration of the wharf was very efficient. Mr Merry ,said there was no suggestion on the part of the county that the management had been inefficient. The Minister said he was of the opinion that a cool store was absolutely necessary. In regard to the representation, this matter was not quite so easy. He would see if provision could be made for the borough and county to administer the wharf.- That would require special legislation. 11 there was any controversy, there was no possible hope of such a local bill going through during‘the next session. There appeared to be no enthusiasm on the part of both councils to form a harbour board. He hoped that arrangements could be made for joint represenfaion. Trouble Over Trawlers. Messrs W. Walker, S. IT Webb and Abbot waited on the Minister in connection with the effect of trawling on tlie fish supply in Opotiki. Mr Walker asked, that a ranger be appointed. The deputation pointed out that the trawlers operated right inshore but that this was done at night. The Minister said it was risky to appoint a competitor as a ranger. He would see what could be done to protect the coast. He was sympathetic to the deputation’s representations. It was only recently that they had started to get some sort of control of the fishing industry.