DEPUTATION TO PREMIER.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 256, 4 October 1928, Page 5

DEPUTATION TO PREMIER.

EFFICIENCY INQUIRY ASKED FOR.

Settlers and T.T.T. Company Combine.

FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION PROMISED.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs -F. G. Dalziel, chairman of the Taupo Totara Timber Company, J. Campbell, director Tokoroa Dairy Company, G. -G. Griffiths, chairman Putaruru' iTdwn Board, and M. E. Fitzgerald, engineer to Matamata County Council, Whited bn the Hon. J. G. Coates, 11 Prime Minister, in Wellington, on ■ -Thursd with reference to various matters affecting the welfare and efficiency of the Putaruru and Tokoroa districts.

Owing to urgent private business, Mr. J. W. Anderson, chairman of the Matamata County Council, was unable to make the trip, and Mr. Fitzgerald deputised for him. The members of the deputation had a busy time in Wellington, having several interviews with Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P. for Rotorua, the Hon. O. Hawken, Minister for Agriculture, as well as a conference with the representative of the Timber Company. It was evident from the start on -meeting the Prime Minister that Mr. ■Coates had a thorough grip of various matters affecting the district, and in characteristic manner he at -once got down to essentials by a series of questions addressed to the representative of Tokoroa. Mr. Campbell stated that the Tokoroa factory . commenced with 12 suppliers and that there were now 25. The factory sales had increased from £4387 in 1920 to £20,435 in 1928, the tonnage jumping from 149 in 192425 to 229 in 1927-28. To cope with the increase this season an extra vat had been installed. Between 3000 and 4000 fat sheep and 100 fat bullocks had been sent away in the season solely from Tokoroa. The settlers asked for through freights and Government rolling stock to the 19

mile peg. Mr. Coates enquired from Mr. Dalziel as to whether it would involve -costly alterations to permit of Govment rolling stock using the line. Mr. Dalziel: Yes; very costly. Mr. Coates: Well, I think the estimates are full up this year. Isn’t that so, Mr. Hockly ? . 1 *■*' A 50-50 Concession.

In reply to a question, Mr. Camp- - bell stated that any concession given by the Government would go to the settlers and not to the company; he was interested in. Mr. Coates: What about going 750-50 with the Government, Mr. Dalziel ? . Mr. Dalziel: Yes, we will go 50-50 with you. Mr. Coates: Well, I think the Government might favourably consider that. Mr. Fitzgerald apologised for the "unavoidable absence of Mr. Anderson, and stated that it was the unanimous view of the County Council that there was much road traffic which might be carried by the railway. An illustration of this was the freight of about 500 tons per annum for the factory alone. The excessive Use of the roads instead of railways was emphasised by the following figures showing the expenditure by the Matamata County Council for the last four years on all county roads: —

-1 Included in the above figures, but -for the sounthern end of the main ■highway and riding roads only, the .expenditure was:—

£. 1924- 1,630 1925- 3,790 "1926-27 16,460 1927-28 5,543 So far as the county was concerned, with transport costs reduced* settlers would be better able to pay their rates. Mr. Coates: I can’t understand why after all the assistance given to county councils they keep on bumping up rates. Nobody in New Zea-

land knows the problems of county councils better than I do. Mr. Coates then made some further remarks in regard to county matters, more or less, of a confidential nature. Road Traffic Heavy.

Mr. Fitzgerald replied that the Prime Minister knew that Matamata County Council was not actuated by parish pump motives, but tried to take a broad view. They were prepared to build roads to the standard necessary to carry proper road traffic, but they viewed with alarm the enormous amount of service car and motor lorry traffic which should be carried by the railways. No County Council thought that motor lorry interests were paying too much. In spite of present motor lorry taxation and consequent heavy contributions from Main Highways Board the net costs of road making and maintenance had gone up and was causing serious concern.

Mr. Coates: What do you think the difference in a through freight would mean ?

Mr. Campbell: Is or Is 6d as against 10s. Another Aspect.

Mr. Griffiths stated there was another aspect of the case he would like to bring forward. There was e stigma attaching to about one-fifth of the district through a lack of iron in the soil, and the other four-fifths of the area round about Putaruru had to bear the burden of this though it was free from sickness.

Mr. Hockly: Absolutely free. Continuing, Mr. Griffiths stated that on account of this unjustified stigma it was almost impossible to arrange loans, and to promote the efficiency of the district they requested assistance in getting through freights and standard rolling stock on the T.T.T. line with the Government bush as security. Perhaps financial institutions could not be blamted for their cautious attitude, but at the same time farmers and others were unjustly handicapped. In the early days the same trouble existed round Matamata and other parts, but the free use of manures had resulted in the trouble being eliminated, and if some arrangement could be made with the T.T.T. Company for through freights and cheap manures the efficiency of the district would be assisted in a wonderful manner at an early date. Enquiry Wanted.

Mr. Dalziel urged the importance of finance to the settlers, and suggested that something might be done for them through an extension of the Rural Credits scheme, his idea being approved by Departmental officers as workable. He also urged that with a view to promotipg the efficiency of the district something be done on the lines of the Sawmillers’ Efficiency Bill, which had been promoted following suggestions made by Mr. Coates. To this end he urged that an officer from the Department of Industries be appointed to visit the district and take evidence with a view to amalgamation of all the timber interests concerned, including the Government bush, with a view to the more economic use of the railway line.

Mr. Coates replied that it appeared to be a reasonable request, and he would give it every consideration.

Gross. Net. £. £. '•?, 1924-25., 32,079 26,285 1925-26 34,098 21,089 1926-27 - 82,569 51,316 1927-28. .45,960 26,176 Revenue expenditure apart from loans was:— i Gross. Net. £. £. " 1924-25 12,752 10,450 1925-26 12,189 9,271 1926-27 17,984 11,802 7L927-28 22,508 14,163