VISIT TO CATLINS DISTRICT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 32

VISIT TO CATLINS DISTRICT.

The Hon. Mr M'Kenzie and party left Gore yesterday morning by the 7.30 train for Balclutha, which was reached soon; after 9 o'clock. A special train was then taken for Catlin's River, the party -being substantially increased at most of the. stopping places, until when it arrived at the camp, come four miles beyond Catlins station, the following was a pretty large one. The party at this time included the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P., and Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P

A RAILWAY ROAD

At Romahapa, Mr W. Hay (Clutha. County Council) waited upon the Minister and urged that a short length of road be formed from -the railway station to the main _ road io facilitate the carting of goods.

Tbß Minister advised Mr Hay to get th«r Minisier (Mr Millar), to look into th* matter v

OWAKA-PUREKEREKI ROAD. At Owaka a number of settlers had aft interview with. Mr M'Kenzie.

Mr F. Bradfield explained that the deputation had waited upon Mr M'Kenzie with regard to the £3000 loan for the" Owaka-Purekireki road, in which they 4 were to have received an additional £300Q from the Government. Those in the district were to have been rated to pay the interest on the loan, but the. Prime Minister had refused to' allow Crowni tenants to be taxed. He thought the* Crown tenants in Owaka would compare very favourably with any other Crown* tenants in New Zealand 1 . He thought that if they were told they could not pay, the tax they would be extremely indignant. The settlers asked that the Government 'Vote might be reinstated so aa to give them -a chaaice of carry ; ;ng out the work, and that the Crown" tenants be included in paying the iax. The Crown, tenants were quite willing to pay it. The' road was getting worse instead of better, and there was a great deal of traffic over it. Mr Smith explained at some length" what had happened with regard to the £3000 and the action of the Government in connection' with it. If there was anylegal difficulty in the way they asked the next session to remove it. They could rate up to 3d, but even* with a, 3d rate it would take 20 years to metal, the road. They were willing to borrow - the money, but apparently while the Crown tenants were in the district that was impossible. There were 75 ratepayers in the district, and -'of. these 66 had signed as being favourable to a Id rate .towards, paying interest ,on the £3000 if the Government would give the other £3000.

Mr Allen said he was a Crown tenant, and so fax as he knew all-£he Crown, tenants were willing to allow themselves to be rated for the loan.

Mr Gillespie said he had been 31 years in the district, and the roadi was getting worse and worse. He might say he had! a Crown 'section in Richardson Riding, and was taxed upon it, and a good many, others were taxed the same as himself. He did not see why he should be rated for Richardson Riding if those in Catlins were not rated. * - The Minister said it appeared to him

jthat the deputation had made out* a fairly good case, but he was not familiar with the circumstances at the present jfcime. As Mr Gilleepie had said, if he jwas rated for road-making in one riding |ie (Mr M'Kenzie) did not dee why the 'settlers at § Owaka should not be rated for the same purpose. He could understand that there might be a legal difficulty that the Cabinet could not get over jndtnout, the authority of Parliament. It Was easily understood that there might he some law in the way, and if there .was he was strongly of opinion tfcat the ilaw should be altered within reasonable limitations. If," however, Crown tenants ;were allowed to mortgage their property jthe property might become such that no .one would touch it. But they might be allowed to mortgage their improvements. He would place what had been represented to him before the Minister of Lands, and also before Cabinet, and ' .would be pleased to make an eitort. to get the law amended, if it was necessary, so that Crown tenants would be able to have their properties specially rated for road purposes. He would iiuiuire into the matter, and let Mr Malcolm know if ,the law required altering, and if it did he would assist in getting it altered. On the train stopping at the Catlin's River section Mr J. White and Mr J. ■Meet were introduced to, the Minister by Mr Malcolm.. Mr White said he wished to bring the condition of the road between the station and JRatanui under Mr M'Kenzie's notice. They asked for £150 with which lo repair the Toad for a distance of one mile, j and pointed out that the road was much cut up by timber being carted over it from the sawmills. The Minister : You should do the same as is done in other parts — put a wheel tax on the, waggons. .1 do not see how I can help you. In other parts the sawmiller has to pay a wheel tax for keeping up the road.. Mr Meek said there was a large amount j 'of Crown land reserved, and hung up from settlement, in the district. Many men were looking for land, and yet this land was hung up for the sake of the timber on it. « If opened- it would give room for settlement. He was alluding to 31pck XI. The Minister said the Government was very anxious to assist settlement, and if there was good, timber on the land of .course ' the Government wanted the timber off before there was settlement. It would only be waste to burn the timber off. Turning to Mr White he said " You get these sawmillers to lay a tramway, and your difficulty will be -done away with ; or make them pay for usingthe roads. At the camp, some- two miles beyond Houipapa station, a brief, halt was made, and the Minister, accompanied by several members of the party, rode. on three or •four miles towards the head of the Tvorks, arid after a look round' returned to the camp and went . by train to Balclutha. :The second . express took the Minister as far as Stirling, where he branched off for Kaitangata.