WAITARA NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 140, 22 September 1910, Page 2

WAITARA NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) i In an interview with a representative ■ of this paper, the deputation, consisting of His Worship the Mayor and the ' town clerk, stated that, on the whole, 5 their mission 'had been well worth the time spent. The only regret they had was the fact that the whole routine of the taking of a new poll for the borough I loans would have to be gone through, hut J so .soon as that is complied with the S money will be available. This' was the ': answer received from the superintendent * of. the Department. The next mission ! was to the Under-Secretary for Lands * in reference to several recreation re- : serves, including the large one on the 1 river bank known as "The Rec." The re; • cords of the old Town Board of 1882 ' showed conclusively that it was then I admitted by the Government of the day 5 that the Board were the trustees of the reserves, but it was not until two days r before the deputation left that the clerk 1 had unearned some records of transae--3 tions between the Waitara Racing Club 'and the .Board, which included a letter ' from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, f that indisputable evidence should be pro--1 duced to show that the Department Were " agreeable to permit the Board to lease, 5 dn conditions, to the Club, the "Rec." ! for racing purposes, and on this letter ! beingi produced to the Under-Secretary > he expressed the opinion that the Coun- ' cil's contentions were right, and he was 'prepared to advise that the reserves be ' vested in the Council, and he also ad'- ' vised that the deputation interview tke " Minister for Lands <and place the position • before him. When opportunity occurred i this was done, and Sir Joseph Ward » promised that the matter would receive ' 'bis early attention, and that probably a i reply would be sent during the week. A '■ long interview also took place between 'the' Hon. the Minister for Public Works! on several matters of interest not only ! to the borough but to the district genefi ally, inclusive of the Ohura and Mangai roa districts. With Mr. Jennings, the member for the district, who, by the way, was the es- , sence of kindness and thought all through the time the deputation were in Wellington, and accompanied them in all j their interviews, placed before the Minister the urgent necessity for the early j completion of the Tongaporutu-Manga-roa road, so as to permit of the develop- , ment of a. large tract of country awaiting roadimg. Settlers were being ham- ; pered by want of direct communication with a freezing works, and so soon as | the Department could open the road a large increase in the export trade would eventua'te. In reply, the Minister stated j t&ai £2263 had been placed on the estimates ih connection with the road, and •he was of the opinion that such would -give the access required. The deputation : asked that the work be proceeded with at an early date, as the matter was of gfeat moment to settlers. The reply was ?jftat. no more delay than possible would take place. The Kiwi road needs were also'ebne into, the deputation pointing out that the work was^not being done as Quickly as \JircumsWnces seemed to rwarrant, and as the district had been for a' very long time it seemed '. only right that the rpad 'should be completed without any further delay. The Minister promised to have a re- . port made on the matter. The deputation also asked that the Waitara bridge . subsidy should be retained on the esti- ,. mates, and this was promised without any question. The Mokau bridge was 1 another work that the deputation asked | might receive attention. They pointed 1 out that a very considerable portion of the meat exported from Waitara came 1 from the other side of the Mokau river, ' and that under existing circumstances 1 cattle and sheep were brought through at 1 a great risk and expense in crossing 1 over by ferry or swimming the river, and that those interested had already expressed their willingness to pay a toll on the bridge if the Government would l erect one.. The Minister pointed out that the Government were prepared to gave a ; l £ for £ subsidy, hut that if they were i to erect all the bridges asked for there l , would be little money for other works. It was pointed out that there-was no ' existing local body on the north of the ' river, and in view of the fact that the <■ finances ofthe Clifton County were, in parlous plight, so much so'. that council* I low had given a personal guarantee at ; the Bank to carry on the county's busii ncss; there did not seem very much hope < Minister said further steps would ■ be taken by the Government in regard to the payment of rates in such places, but . so far as the bridge 'was concerned he could not make any promise of the Government doing any more than tie £ for £ subsidy.

Whilst in Wellington Mr, Jennings did all possible to facilitate the business, and also to make the stay of the deputation as pleasant and profitable as possible, and he deserves the thanks of the' settlers and townspeople for his untirin» and successful efforts. °