Our Requirements

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 23 April 1914, Page 7

Our Requirements

INTERVIEW WITH. MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser) arrived in Waitara on Tuesday. He proceeded to Awakino yesterday and met deputations en route. Last night he was banquetted at Awakino, and to-day he will return to Waitara, where he will receive deputations, and this evening will attend a banquet at Urenui. On Friday he will visit New Plymouth.

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY. Seen by a News representative on Tuesday evening, the Minister stated he hoped to turn the first sod of the Opunake railway at Opunake towards the end of next month. He hoped the Prime Minister would be present on the occasion,though it would be difficult for him to fit in his arrangements to do so. The actual construction work would be put in hand as soon as the Department had completed the preliminary work, such as taking out the measurements and preparing the necessary plans. In all likelihood the work would be carried out under the small contract system. No time would be lost in completing the line, which, he remarked, was an easy one to build, presenting no engineering difficulties. Asked how long it would take to complete the line, Mr. Fraser was non-committal, but stated it should he done in less than four years. It all depended upon the amount of money that was available. The same applied to

THE .STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK.

This year's vote was the biggest that bad Tfeen devoted to this line, the national importance of which he fully recognised. The work of construction, however, was not very easy, especially on this side of the Tangarakau, where it waß costing about £15,000 a mile. He was satisfied it , could noi be done cheaper. Within the limitß of the vote the Government was pushing on to .the utmost with the work from thiß side. If they had more money available, of course they could make greater headway, but the Government, it had to be remembered, had many similar works of pressing importance on hand in other parts of the Dominion, Once through to the head of the Heao Valley, however, the work would be comparatively easy, as it would also be through the Oliura country. At the other end the contractors were making good headway •with the big tunnel and bridge. These would take about three yeare to finish. The rest of the country waß, he was assured —for he had not been over the country—fairly easy railing. Asked as to how long it would take at tihe present rate of progress' to link up, Mr. Fraser said it would be quite impossible to say. Later, perhaps, when money was easier and freer, they might be able to devote more money to the work and thereby accelerate its progress. At present the Government was doing as much as it could.

MOTUROA-OPUNAKE RAILWAY. The pressman mentioned that under the Railways Construction and Land Amendment Act of last session it was held by those in a position to say that the proposed Moturoa-Opunakc. railway could not be built by the local bodies concerned, as was desired. It required a separate Bill to deal with the special conditions of the district. Would the Government assist the district in this direction?

Mr. Fraser replied that he was unaware of any obstacle in the way of the district undertaking the work under the Act he had had specially amended last session. Nor did he know of the necessity for the passing of a special Bill to deal with the circumstances of the district. But he would say at or.ee that if the difficulty existed, and the district wanted special power, he would be prepared to meet it and assist in passing the necessary legislation. He believed in districts helping themselves, and was prepared to do what he could to help them. As far as he knew of the coastal roading difficulties it would pay the settlers to put down the line in preference to going on spending big slims ia re-making and maintaining the main road. THE NEW PLYMOUTH—TE KUITI ROAD.

The talk then drifted to the necessity for improving the arterial road from Uruti to Te Kuiti, a great deal of which ■.the Minister traversed to-day. The pressman specially referred to the state of the road over Mount Messenger, which for the greater part of the year was quite unnegotiable, and also to the necessity for bridging the Mokau. The Minister, of course, not having seen the country, could not say to what extent the Government would assist in the desired improvements. "It resolves itself into a question of ways and means," he said. "We have only got a certain amount of money available, and this has to he spent as judiciously as possible and where it is most needed. Your district is not the only district requiring or clamoring for Other districts are in the same necessitous condition and desiring help. But we can only do a certain amount with the funds at our disposal."

"But this road is the arterial road—the natural highway between Auckland and New Plymouth," persisted the scribe. "As such it should receive every consideration. Tt is a national, not a district. mutter."

The Minister replied that the bridging of the Mokau involved a heavy expenditure. lie recognised the importance of the work, but the Government could not do everything, much as it wou.d like to. x

"But could you liot do more than yon are doing to metal Mt. Messenger V" queried the interviewer. "The district could get along a little longer with the ferry over the river, but something more than is being done must be done to the Mt. Messenger road if the road is to be kept open."

LOCAL BODIES' NEGLECT. The. Minister was unable to commit Ihimself. But this lie would say, without of course particular reference', to this district: the local bodies did not always do their duty by the main roads. They frequently starved tJiem ami devoted more attention to the district roads. He instanced the case of a North Island local body which took over a road which the Public Works Department had spent thousands to construct. The local body paid no attention to the'Vater-tables nor to the regulation of traffic, the width of tyres on vehicles and the class of vehicles using the road. The result was that in a short time the road was a quagmire and the local body was appealing for help from the Government, this after entirely neglecting to maintain the road. The local bodies in the Ninth Island could with advantage take a leal out of the book of the South I si i ml local bodies. The latter looked alter their roads. They would not permit heavy traffic in winter. This' had to be done in the summer months. \'or

would tlhey allow the use oi narrow tyres. Heavy waggons and bullock drays were absolutely debarred from using the roads in winter. In the North Island, however, the local bodies seemed to take no care of or pains with their roads. The nature of the country on which the roads were laid in the North Island demanded more care than in the South, for the land here was mostly loose and friable, and metalled roads (Would not stand the heavy and Indiscriminate traffic in winter. This was a matter that demanded tie careful and immediate attention of local bodies If they wanted decent roads they must take care of them. At the present time they were supremely careless of what traffic they allowed; hence the constant appeals to the Government.

THE ISSUE OF GRANTS IN AID. Another matter. Many local bodies who had been granted votes for roads under their jurisdiction appeared to misunderstand the procedure necessary for obtaining the money, They expected the Minister to issue the authority on application. They should know tihat before any authority is signed they'must forward plans and estimates of the work to the Public Works District Engineer for approval. This given, as was the case in nine cases out of ten, the Minister signed the authority and the work could bo put in hand. It was no use complaining about their unexpended votes. They must act themselves first and see the votes were utilised. A Minister could not be expected to do the local bodies' work; he could only do his own share. And this he was at all times glad to do. WATER' CARRIAGE.

Reverting to the Mokau, the Minister could not understand why tho settlers did not use the sea carriage more than they did. They had a good river in the Mokau, and the run to Waitara or New Plymouth was not far. He had heard of wool being shipped from the Mokau to Waitara.

The pressman pointed out that such a servico was not always convenient. The bars of the Mokau and Waitara ■made a regular service difficult, whilst the cost was fairly stiff. For stock •purposes and through traffic,. the service was useless. The settlers wauted a road passable at all times of .the year It was almost an impossibility in winter at present to get through.

The Minister said that concerted action on tho part of settlers would surmount any difficulty in regard to heavy , charges. He did not understand lowil ) conditions, as to the bars, etc., but It) appeared to him that Nature had placed t a fine waterway at the disposal of the 1 settlers, who should take advantage of / it in the carriage of their merchandise I and produce. f CONTROL OF ARTERIAL ROADS. I

The conversation then turned to the Government taking over the control of the main arterial roads'. What was the' attitude of the Government on this matter? This was the question put uv tho Pressman.

"Personally, I am in favour of this being done, but Cabinet has not yet made up its mind on the subject,'' replied Mr. Fraser. "There are many things to think of and many details to work out first. It is by 110 means a simple matter." Mr. Eraser went on to say one difficulty was in defining what were arterial roads. Every district had its "arterial" roads. The district advocated these claims on this account wJien approaching the Government for assistance. Often they were district, not arterial roads. The main roads wore frequently neglected to the advantage of the district roads. Then, there was the question of money. Tho upkeep of the arterial roads would involve a heavy expenditure. Where the money was to be found was another of the difficulties to face.

''Could you not use the present rate subsidies for the purpose?" queried the Pressman.

"That I am not prepared to say. It is a big question the details of which have to be very carefully thought out before 1 could make any definite statement."