Hon. R. McNab’s Tour.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43083, 18 April 1907, Page 2

Hon. R. McNab’s Tour.

PIAKO SWAMP DRAINAGE

A deputation representing tlm Wai-kato-Thames Reclamation Association, approached the Minister with a view to some of its members accompanying him. upon his inspection of the swamp on Saturday. . , , . Captain Bell stated th >t the Association was formed to promote the scheme which had been mooted for a number of years for drainage of the Piako swamp* The Association was a committee appointed by the Farmers’ Union, the Chambers of Commerce, and the settlers. There was some of the finest land in the North in the swamp. The Association also wished to lay before the Minister, when he visited Thames, the silting up of the Ohinemuri river, caused by the. deposit in the stream of tailings from • the mines. During the last flood thousands of acres of land had been destroyed by the deposits, and it would mean rploughing aud re grassing. The Minister promised to communicate with the deputation if he could make arrangements to accommodate a larger party on the trip. The deputation then asked Mr McNab’s help in securing from the Public Works Department plans and data in its possession relating to the Piako swamp. They had so f&r failed to secure this information, and thought that a wire from the Minister would be more effective.

Mr McNab replied that the Department was not under his control, and he never made the mistake of sending instructions to men who were not his officers. It was a general rule in the service that plans of public works, while open to the inspection of members of the House, were not available to the general public. T HE MATAMATA SETTLEMENT. The Minister visited the thriving settlement of Matamata on Saturday afternoon, leaving the express and driving ! from Matamata to Okoroire. Several matters were brought before him in the settlement. His attention was drawn to a block of native land which enters the settlement in a wedge shape, and the settlers expressed a hope that it could be secured by the Government, and converted into several farms. They also asked tliat a stationmaster be appointed to meet the increasing traffic On the railway, and that postal and telegraphic v facilities be also provided. An improve- , ment in railway communication with Hamilton was also asked for, so that settlers wishing to attend the Hamilton sales need not be obliged to spend three days iu doing so A passenger coach attached to one of the goods trains once a week, would, it Was said, obviate this in- _ convenience. The purchase of further estates, so as to make the. settlement < ’ larger, was urged, and the Minister’s--', permission to move the wool shed given's - by the Government as a public hall was requested, so that it could be utilised tor the building of a new hall and the remainder sold for the benefit of the fund. Nearly all these matters had already been placed before the notice of the various Departments, and the Minister promised that, where possible, ho would expedite them. lie would-lay before the various Ministers those questions which did not come within his Department. “ I had no idea of the magnitude of the settlement, and the excellent quality of the land, particularly the higher la,uds,” remarked the Minister, after his drive through Matamata. •'They were looking their finest at'the time-we passed, on the whole clear of weeds and all taken up. The settlors appear to be a fine class of men. an 1 there was a general air of prosperity. Those I spoke to .told me there was a fair good-will iu the place. Blight seemed pretty bad in some of the turnip fields, and thitis a matter which will h«ve to bo tackled. Trouble is also likely to arise from the difficulty of getting road metal. The traffic is fairly heavy and regular now, and thera is no metal handy for the roaks. If we possibly cau, no doubt we will increase the size of the settlement. Possibly we can get the native lauds.”—“ btnr.”