MOKAU NEEDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 273, 8 April 1911, Page 8

MOKAU NEEDS

DEPUTATIONS TO THE MINISTER. As mentioned in yesterday's issue, deputations waited upon the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture and Tourist Resorts, during his visit to the Mokau on Thursday relative to matters connected with the district, viz., advocating the necessity for the erection of a bridge over the river; the seeking of Government assistance towards the work of snagging and making the river more navigable; the desirability of not reserving the whole of the banks of the river for scenic purposes, as advocated in some quarters, but only those portions unfit for settlement; and providing better roading facilities. Mr. Jennings, M.P., introduced and acted as spokesman for the several deputations. In regard to bridging the Mokau, Mr. Jennings said he had been advocating the construction of the bridge for many years. The need of it no one realised more than himself. The traffic, especially of stock, was growing every year, and was now little short of enormous. Tlia present punt service was quite inadequate, and when the wind was off the sea, crossing by its means was at-1 tended with danger. The road was a main arterial one, and as the river was the boundary line of the two land districts—Auckland and Wellington—the construction of the bridge was a national work and a national obligation. . At iWaitara some years ago the late Mr. Seddon, recognising that the bridge was

an absolute and urgent necessity, promised that the work would be carried out] ■without delay. He had presented a petition containing the names of over a thousand settlers living between Te Kuiti and Waitara, praying that the work be gone on with. Mr. W. S. Nicholls, chairman of the Mokau River Trust, also pointed out the urgency of the work, saying that settlers would willingly pay toll when the bridge was erected. Mr. \\ alter Jones, one of the oldest settlers in the district, said the district was being opened up ami extended every year, and the traffic increasing corresponding!)'. 'Mr. Mackenzie said the matter, the importance of which he fully recognised, resolved itself into a question of ways and means. The resources at the disposal of the Government were limited. They had to consider all parts of the country in the allocation of money, and do the best they could do -with it. The Government were going on as well as their means would permit. The deputation had given him an idea of the exact position of .affairs, and he would be pleased to lay the matter before his colleagues, who would, like himself, no doubt look upon the matter with a friendly eye. The fact that a sum of money had already been voted cuuld be accepted as a commitment by the Government to the work.

The deputation, at a later stage, brought up other matter?. Mr. Jennings said the Harbor Board had done ■a lot of work in snagging and clearing the river, which was now navigable for twenty-two miles, to the eoal mines. They wanted to proceed with this work right to Totoro, eighteen miles further up, where there was a good deal of settlement going on. They had received but £6OO from the Government during eight years, wnereas liberal grants were jiuiile to the Wanganui River Board, who :i'.so possessed substantial endowments, ile also referred to the movement being made to conserve the whole of the land fronting the river for scenic purposes. This would be a mistake, for, as the Minister himself would notice, quite a lot of the river frontage was suitablt for settlement. Other members of the deputation spoke to a similar effect. The Minister said it was only right that the syndicate should contribute towards the cost of improving the river. Tn the case of a block of land in a borough being acquired by a syndicate for cutting up and selling, the'law required that it should be properly roaded, etc., before titles could be granted. This principle should obtain in connection with cutting up a block of rural land like that held by the Mokau syndicate/ The Government should not be asked to do everything. However, the matter was one for mutual arrangement. Mr. Jones said the syndicate contemplated roading the land. i Mr. Mackenzie said he would go into the matter thoroughly. He could sav,| however, that the Government were! quite prepared to do the fair thing. So far as preserving the land for scenery purposes was concerned, that also was a matter for arrangement. The greater part of the banks was unsuited for settlement. This could be reserved, whilst in the case of settlers taking up the other land, provision could be made for the setting apart of those features of scenic value facing the river. In the evening a deputation waited on the Minister respecting the Taumatanare hill, portion of the Awakino-Te Kniti road, asking that, instead of spending more money on it, a deviation be made up the Awakino river. To form and metal a new road, it was stated, would not only shorten the distance by three miles, but cost less than repairing the present piece of road. The new route would also give access to settlers takin» up sections in the block recently acquired by the syndicate. Mr. Mackenzie said other parts of the country suffered from roads being originally placed in wrong localities! fie mentioned cases in point in Otago. He would be going over the hill "in the morning, and would be pleased to refer tlie deputation's representations to the Minister for Public Works. Mr. J. Eraser, representing the Mofca» syndicate, said his people were prepared to meet the Government in a reasonable way in connection with the reservation of the banks of the river for scenic purposes. The company thought if they reserved the hills to the sky-line and the flats for a chain or two it would meet the case. He mentioned that the company would push on with the roading work, and that if an Awakino county were formed, the company would not be opposed to joining it and seeino the revenue devoted to the work of improving the river. Mr. Jennings said that there was a general wish in the district that a local liody should be set up. but no a«reement had so far been arrived at a"s to what shape it should take. Mr. Mackenzie said that if a confer-1 ence of parties interested could be set'

up in connection with the scenery preservation, a working agreement could no doubt be framed. They could rely on his assistance in this direction.