ACCESS TO BACKBLOCKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 803, 25 October 1929, Page 13

ACCESS TO BACKBLOCKS

Government Encourages Settlement MORE MONEY FOR ROADS Public Works Policy Announced THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. BY increasing the annual allocation of money for backblocks roading, the Minister of Public Works, the lion. E. A. Ransom, hopes to encourage their improvement and also to stimulate the settlement of newly-roaded districts. The Minister, who presented his annual statement to Parliament this morning, expressed the opinion that the backbloeks districts had in the past received insufficient attention. The statement is to be discussed by the House next week.

“The backblock districts in parti-1 cular received my earnest attention,” j the Minister said, “and it is my con- j firmed opinion that considerably more ■ must be done than has been done in the past in regard to the provision of improved access to those areas. 1 have accordingly arranged that the vote on the Public Works Estimates for this year for access to outlying districts is to he materially increased. In this direction the Public Works Department and the Lands Department will operate conjointly, and increased } settlement of many of those areas of land at present unoccupied and reverting to second growth, may confidently be expected. “It is the Government’s desire, as far as possible, -to employ on the development of unsettled and unproductive lands under the provisions of the Land Laws Amendment Bill of this session many of the more experienced Public Works employees who, by their long and faithful service, have shown that they possess many of the necessary qualities that go to make successful settlers, and it is hoped that they will avail themselves of the opportunities of obtaining farms that are being offered under that legislation. By this means the way will be opened for employment on standard works of my department of more of the ordinary unemployed. QUICK PRODUCE TRANSPORT “During last recess available time would not permit of my visiting some of the more northern parts of the country, but it is my intention to devote as much time as possible to travelling in those localities as soon as can be conveniently arranged after the session.

VALUABLE HELP

WORK OF LIEUT. JUDSON, V.C.

Lieutenant K. S. Judson, V.C., who. lias been appointed adjutant to the First Battalion, Taranaki Itegiment, with headquarters in New Plymouth, has given valuable assistance to tho Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. His services were recorded at a meeting of the committee of the association last evening. It was stated that the association had leaned heavily on Lieutenant Judson’s services on Anzac Day, and in recognition of liis help lie was elected a life member.

[ “The ultimate goal to which I \ \ aspire is that of providing every land j | owner with such access as will enable j j him to transport his produce from the j I farm to the seaboard with celerity I and economy at all times in the year. The steady increase in the cost of roading which . has been manifest in the ten years prior to my taking office is still maintained. The ever-in-creasing number of motor-vehicles using the roads precludes the possibility of any decrease in roading expenditure if the present high standard is to be maintained.” i The Minister announced that be had j altered the system of allocation of grants on roads, by the elimination of what he terms “paper” roads—roads on county maps which would not be formed for many years, but which had been included in the mileage allocation. Some districts were being penalised and others -too liberally treated under the old method. He now took into consideration only those unformed roads of which development might be expected within a few years’ time. LOCAL BODY RATES The Main Highways system, which, . the Minister said, possessed the full confidence of local bodies, was extended to include 3,753 miles of secondary highway, while the general subsidy for the whole ; system, which now comprised 10,403 miles of main highway, was increased from £1 10s for £1 to £2 for £l. The board in its report showed that, : mainly in consequence of the increase in the rate of maintenance subsidy, local authorities were able to reduce the amount w-hieh they paid toward the cost of maintenance of the primary highways system. This reduction, however, did not approach the amount of the increase in local authority rates which had taken place during the last few years. Between 1924-25 and 192728 the rural rates increased by £178,000 a year, and a large percentage of this increase was accounted for by the additional expenditure which local authorities had to face in the maintenance of primary highways. . The 1928-29 rural rating figures were not yet available, but in view of tbe increased operations of the board if was reasonable to expect that the rise of rural rating had been arrested. NO RETROSPECTIVE SUBSIDIES The Minister declined to assist local . authorities who had sought subsidies for roads which had already been laid in permanent materials. The finances available were such as to meet present and future requirements only, and if retrospective subsidies in any form were to be paid, either as a direct payment to local authorities or as an annual grant toward the payment of interest and sinking fund charges, it would be necessary either to increase taxation or reduce the present rate of subsidies. He could not recommend the adoption of either of such courses.