Pahiatua – Palmerston Road.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 1, Issue 34, 1 October 1886, Page 3

Pahiatua - Palmerston Road.

A deputation of Palmerston gentlemen w aited upon the Hon. Mr Radiance, linistorof Land-, on Wednesday momilg, with regard to the above road, and fias tlse Munawatu Times we take tho tic f dluwing report of the interview : I >• Mayor introduced the deputation i| a few remarks, in which he stated tat they had waited upon Mr liallancu 1 urge the necessity for constructing |ic l'aluatua Palmerston road. It jas a work of public as well as groat leal importance, and it was hoped the (overument would see tlieir way to do Lmctliiug in the matter. He called {pon Mr S nelson, as a member of the f anawatua Road Hoard, to state the jucsliou at issue. Mr Snelson remarked that settlers frere wry sorry to see that there was po appropriation last session for the formaUou of a road through what was known as the four mile reserve, between Pahiatua and Palmerston. So (ur as in knew it is connected as far as goe reserve. From what the Hoard's [surveyor slates there are now only four miles uncompleted. Tins was a most urgent work, as it would be a h< iieht to Palmerston, and the PahiaIna settlers were ulco very anxious for the road. The engineer states that the expense will only he something like A 4 do to £501) and the benefits would lw very large for llm sum. The Hun Mr Hallanoc »aid lie was quite aware of tho position of affairs, having gone up to Paimtlua by the road ou the oilier side. With regard to tho reserve itself, reserves <aunot h. UtlliMsi for settlement purjHises and it is a forest reserve, while the vote the (.iownnueul had taken was for (he purpose of opening up Crown Lands. Mr Snelson rvinarkad that this was one of the chief arguments in favour of tlie road That it would o|mn up (lie district to scUleiueiit. The Hull Mr Hallanco sniff lie quite agreed that it is ff, Arable to have tho road, bat tlio quiniion was whether it should bn done by (iovtirainenl or if so by a hat Veto, ur by Umi local bodies, and if so which local body. A lout the desirahidty ho nad no uoubl whatever in ht.i own in, ml. Mr Hudson pointed onf tho road Uvmd . mioodi the (oxc-'t reserve

Vre was money in the lianas oi sifter of the J*cal bodies by which th> f«.'umiii<-ai-on cun lx made. I Ml lon Mr Ballance in repl/ to tlii stood tii»t tiie forest reserve is pncijmlly, st any rate during tlio prt.’iit tune used for climatic purposes anciot for timber, though in course of me it mav be available for the l»t*. The question really was what b’cabodv should undertake the work. 1 hflote he hail was to open up Crown land for sale, that i 9 for the settleniemf tlie country, and he was not sure iat ho would be justified in divertg it to a purpose of this kind ; as he &s not clear that it would tend to sett people on the land. It may indirety but not directly. Mr IPI3OII drew the attention of the Milter to the fact that there is at prest, no means of communication from llulistrict with the block except round bthe Gorge, and there is a district tning up beyond Wuodvillo also on Cun lands, and he might be pardoneaor saying that this road would ul greatly to open that country tm this district. Ho remarked th the whole amount of the vote wouli,. very small. The Ift Mr Kallanco said he understoodio position of the deputation but he ought they did not quite understand j* position. Ho had i.'6.»,000 for t purpose of opening up Crown landior sale, and it is not really enoughs they could do with £200,000, andiond it beneficially in placing peoplon the laud. This would yield oiiinmediate result to the Colony, thigh the thousands of people from th large cities of the Colony going on the lend. Mr Snelson p,ted out that this supported the w. 0!i Q f t ) 10 deputation. W hen tl Wellington and Manawatu Compaig line is opened, if this road were alable, the land would only be ltniles from Palmerston, and peopU)ul(] C omo from Wellington, visit tlumd, and return in one day. By way Mastorton tins would l>o impossible. The Hon. Mr Bailee said that it seemed the easiest wiij get to Paliiatua at present by wt,f Mastorton. People who want to go to bush land do not rush through n onu ,]aV- " bile agreeing witli thv3. sini hility of this road, however, he g afraid' he could not see his way tOiidertake it out of his vote. Mr Snelson remark* that the Manawatu Hoad Board \v»agroeaLle to lind £IOO if the would give them some assist at j u the balance. The Minister suggested ia t the County Council should do„ W ork, but on being informed that tc'ounty Council is inoperative, he at] w ],y the lioad Board should not bt )W the money do do it. Under tlia.ct of last session it was possible tO, r row money on most advauugoou3 nu . ; for 5 per cent. Mr .Snelson said the difficuLwag ♦n int tVia liAful Unft.nl anil rata

— * * nnanimous. The Puhjatua . lri i would be perfectly satisfied us a l n | to give some assistance on their eIf tlie Government would assist tl, however, it would save them the ratepayers, or taking a ballot 4 borrowing the money. It was a sir. sum, and the advantages were vt great to both districts and to t Government, and they have still mut land to sell in that district. The Minister said he was afraid h must throw the responsibility on tb local bodioa in the first instance t

con tribute a just share of the money, 9 and in fact he did not see where ho had tho money to do it. Mr Ferguson enquired if the Minister could hold out any hope that, in the event of tho local bodies interested in tho matter raising say one half of the amount, the Government would contribute the other half. If there was something definite to go upon, an effort might be made in that direction. The Hon. Mr Hallanco replied that if a proposul of that kind was made he would consider tho matter from that point of view. That was really the only way be coulff look at it. If a proposal was made, stating tlio proportion that would ho raised, he should give the matter very careful consideration and see what can lie done. Mr Ferguson stated that the matter would he gone into, and after he hail thanked the Minister for his courteous reception of the deputation, they withdrew.