Northern Taranaki

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 24 April 1914, Page 7

Northern Taranaki

MINISTERIAL VISIT TO AWAKINO.

AX INTERESTING TRIP.

The lion. W. Eraser, Minister of Puilie Works, paid his iirst visit to the Awakino district on Wednesday, and tho result should be beneficial to the settlers concerned, aa giving the Minister a first-hand idea of the disabilities tluit the settlers of Northern Taranaki and Southern Auckland labor under through the want of metalled roads to convey their produce to and from the market. The recent wet spell had caused the road in many places to become bad, though, of course, nothing to what it will be later on in the winter and .spring. Still, it was sufficient to impress on the Minister the urgent need for metalling. Some fortnight ago Messrs George and Johnston had deeided to abandon their through motor-car service to the Awakino for the winter months, but they determined, when approached by the Waitara Chamber of Commerce, Who were responsible for the visit of the Minister, to make this trip, if possible. The strength of their care—an cightseater Chalmers and a frve-scater Dreadnought Moline—and the skill of the drivers, Messrs C. Johnston and D. George, enabled'the journey to be made without any mishap, and not only was the set time-table kept, but the journey was completed ahead of time. The Ministerial party included the Hon. W. Eraser, Minister of Public Works; Messrs C. K. Wilson, M.P. for Taumarunui; McAllister, private secretary to the Minister; G. T. Murray, Resident Road Engineer; D. M. Bower (chairman), R. T. Hicks (member) and C. P. Dowsett (engineer), representing the Clifton County Council; J. Rennic, W. IT. Nosworthy and W. G. Marlowe (secretary), representing the Waitara Chamber of Commerce.

Stops were made at Urenui and Uruti, but no deputations were received at either place. The flat beyond the metal, before reaching Mt. Messenger, proved troublesome, but chains wore attached to the wheels, and, with a little coaxing here and forcing there, the quagmire was safely passed, and the mountain also, though very bad in places. The Minister, however, could plainly see that the road urgently required metalling before it could be classed as suitable for requirements. Okau was reached before midday, and iiere a large gathering of settlers interviewed the Minister on various matters. The first deputations were on

SOME LOCAL MATTERS. Messrs H. Knight, J. Smith, J. McGregor, \V. Greenwood and G. W. Stretton, settlers on the Mangatoro road, first asked, if under the Act recently passed they could not he formed into a special district and raise a loan to form the road for six miles, 'hypothecating their rents to pay the interesting and sinkingfund. Tliu area was 5506 acres, hold by eight settlers, and the rent would he £l7O jier annum. The low-level bridge on the road, too, was useless in time of Hood, and for as much as a week at a time was impassable. The deputation pointed out at length the disabilities under which the settlers labored. It would be far better to raise a loan to complete the work than to do it bit by bit out of the grants. The Minister pointed out that it would be impossible to hypothecate rents for a number of yours, as suggested. The Act provided; that a special district could be formed and the rents allocated for the purpose of giving access, and ;:s soon as the access was obtained the rents must revert to their ordinary purpose. This, however, was a matter for the Land* Department. But, with the X4SU appearing on the Estimates, the rents .(; IliO, and, say. another £SOO voted this year, that would give a failsum and enable considerable work to bo done. Mr. Murray staled that it would cost £2OOO to "build the bridge and .-CI(100 to form the road.

Tim Minister promised to place the position before Mr. Massey, who woukl 6cc what could bo done to give effect to the suggestion. Personally, he recognised that something must be done to give people in the backbloeks access, and aa far as they could the Government would supply their wants. He eould not promise to place £IOOO on the estimates this year, as this was only one instance out of hundredn where the same conditions existed. Funds, of course, were limited. They could not go to the London market for -as much as they would like, or they would frighten the lender, especially as they had to borrow £!)/!()(UR](> to pay oil' loans accruing in the past four or five years. Messrs ] : . 0! .roues ami A. V. .Schweiters asked Unit three miles of the OkanMangaroa road should be formed to the Clifton county boundary, and also thai three miles should also he formed on the Kotare-Maugapapa road, not necessarily all in one year.

The Minister pointed out that during t'-he three years £340,01)0 had been voted for expenditure in the Tauniarumii electorate, which was four or five times as much as in other electorates.

THE MAIN QUESTION. A deputation from Tongaporutu, eonsitting of Messrs Bavistock, Chapman, Thompson, (Scott, Sullivan, l'ybus, Taylor, Waters. O'Halioran and* J'ellshaw (Mr. J'.avislock acting as spokesman), asked that the main road over Mt. Messenger should he put into good repair anil metalled. Many of the deputation, he .-aid. were pioners in the district, and had to hear the brunt of the struggle. If was hard to sum up the loss that they had sulVered through the stati' of the road. Provisions were to them from 'l3 to 'til per cent, dearer, and they had nut been able to rear pigs, etc.. owing l to the cost of carting to market being more than the prollt flier would receive. The deputation also referred to the need for bridirimr the Mokau.

The Minister said Unit lie recognised that tin' iiiitin road wauled metalling very badly. Tliey could not, however, expect it all (o be (lone at once, as melallinu' cost a good deal of money, and the trouble \va- that nodal wa- hard lo obtain loyally. The grade, however, win. he thought, a good one. Regarding- the road, they had no need to worry.

iu he would push on with this as rapidly as funds would allow. There were hnr.-

(•dreds of oilier places which had important requirements al.-'o. IVgarding the Mohan bridge, he .-aid Unit the'river was now able to he crossed, and lie thought that the first consideration of the (lovernment should lie to give .ill settlers throughout the country access to their sections.

A visit was then paid to the Okau factory, and after a pleasant run Tongaporutu was reached about 1 p.m. and an excellent luncheon dispensed by Mrs, MeKoy quickly disposed of. The road between Tongaponitu and Mokau in (daces Have the cars trouble to negotiate. Mohan beo,g reached at li ~.mi. 'l'hc party was here met. bv Messrs L. daeob, \V '.Tones, .!. Terrill" and Car;-. Surprise was expre.-so;", at the early arrival, it being quite exported that the ears would lur.e b-d to be abandoned

i.nd traps adopted many miles brick. After a welcome to Mokau, and a briei stay, Awakino was reached well ahead of time.

TAUMATAMAIRE. After welcoming the Minister, Mr. C. I.ecch brougiit up the question of the Awakino Valley road, a deviation of the Main To Kuiti road which will shorten the journey by about a mile, and will also provide for a comparatively level road close handy to the metal, and obviate the necessity for the ten or twelvemile drag over the 1100 ft summit of Tamnatamaire, which is almost impassable in winter. It was pointed out that seven miles of the Awakino Valley road had been completed, and that seven miles remained to be done. The Minister was motored out to the Taumatamairc. and about a mile of thj hill was negotiated. The Minister expressed himself strongly in favor of the completion of the Awakino Valley road. THE BANQUET.

After a sumptuous dinner at the Awakino boardinghouse, an adjournment was made to the Awakino Hall, where there was a very enthusiastic gathering at a smoke concert, presided over by Mr. C. Leech, with the guest of the evening seated on his right. The toast of the King was duly honored. 4

Mr. W. Jones proposed, and Mr. W. M. Thompson responded to the toast of the Army and Navy in well-chosen terms.

"OUR GUEST."

In proposing the health of the Min-is-tor of Public Works, the chairman remarked that Ministerial visits were like angels' visits, few and far between, and they should make the visit one of pleasure and profit. The pleasure they were having that evening, and they hoped that the profit would accrue from something tangible they would get after the Minister had departed. To them in the hackblocks the Minister of Public Works was next in importance to the Premier, because it was to him that they looked for roads, which were ur gently needed. All were unanimous that the most important work required was the completion of the Main Trunk road from Waitara to Te Ivuiti. Thousands in the King Country looked to this as their outlet —some northwards, some southwards. And the by-roads opened on to it, and carried the traffic of a vast district. The road was absolutely necessary to the progress of the district. Every successive Minister of Public Works, as well as the late Mr. Seddon, had expressed the opinion that the road should be completed at all costs. The portion under Government control was in a lamentable state. A lot had heen done on it, but a lot more was required. He did not think that settlers on main arterial roads should he called upon to contribute too much towards them, but advocated that these should be part and parcel of the railway system, and made out of the same fund. Ho therefore asked the Minisfer to get justice metcil out to the district by getting a substantial grant for the road. Ho, Jul no advocate any particular portion, but asked that it should be pushed on without delay. lie also referred to the Act passed last session, providing that areas could be set aside by county councils into special road ditricts and the rents handed over to make roads for the district lip to a, term of fifteen years. This was a liberal policy, and if it had been adopted years ago there would have boon better roads. There was, however, a serious flaw in the Act. The rent from a special area might only amount to £IOO per .year., This annual expenditure would take an eternity to make, lie thought thai county councils should be given power to -hypothecate the rents for paying interest and sinking fund on a lonn which could be raised to complete the loan. He also referred to the delay in the issue of authorities for the expenditure of grants to local bodies. There wore only about four or five months in which it was possible to prosecute, road-making profitably, and when the authorities were issued late it meant that the work had to be held over until next year.

THE MINISTER'S RErLY. The Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, who was enthusiastically greeted, gave an interesting address. After returning thanks for his reception he stated that he looked upon the Te Kuiti-Awakino road as a distinct main road, leading from the middle of the Island to the const. It should be completed, and lie had done his best to push it on. He pointed out that the Hsti-. mates were allocated in electorates, not in counties. During the last three years Taumarunui had received about £ 100,000 per annum, up to five times as much as any other electorate in New Zealand, anil of this from £oo,ooo' to £70.000 hurt been expended each year. Tn Awakino countv last year £15,750 had been voted, and'up to March 31 £13,000 bad been expended, which showed that Awakino had been a fair share of what had been available. Large as tinsum was, it was nothing to what wis required. It was impossible that all unfinished roads in an electorate should be completed in one year, for there were mud and backblocks in other electorates, whose wants must be considered. A Minister who promised all was either ignorant or he intended to deceive, lie would not deceive them. He had made up his mind to do his duty as far as he could, but would not make promises thai he could not I'nllil. but he would fulfil any promises Unit lie made. They had had enough of promises during l ! ' 0. last twenty vears. The road between Waitara mid Awnkino ought to be met,'l-' led. and he would sec. a.- far as it lay in his power, tlr.it' it was finished. They must not ask, however, for sums of monev for unnumbered by-Toads, nor should they a-k for £15,000 or £20.000 for any particular work. lie hoped to have more moans at his disposal than before, and srive them a fair share. The Awakino Valley road, (he Minister continued, would lie continued unii! completed. lie agreed that the road over the hill should not have been made. Referring to the clause inserted in the Laud Bill regarding fecial rating districts, he had always been of the opinion that it was hardly fair to ask nnm who had no access lo their sections tn continue to pay rent, and that some means should lie devised whereby the rents should be devoted to road-making until access was secured. This clause was the result. The rent was intended to be in excess of (he ordinary grants, and not to relieve Parliament of any liability in the matter. He did not think it would be possible to impound the rents for Ilftcen years, as suggested, because once a man had access he was no longer entitled to have the rent credited in this way. It might be possible, however, to have the rent capitalised until access was "iven, and after that the settler could afford to pay the interest and sicking fund himself. This, of course, was within ~Slr. Massey's department, but .Mr. .Massey was interesting himself so as to give access not only'to settlers he had put on the land, but also to those settled previously. In (iie past, he slid, people had been encouraged to go on the land beyond the linaicdal ability of the Dominion to eomnklc the mndimf. D would fake en outlay of £2,000.000 a vear for live.

■-. ':&<> ' ■". voars to make up tho nrrearq ot roading. He was pleased that tin; i/nuie Minister had it in mind to ask for a special loan to help the backblocks settler, as that was the only way in which these arrears toiild be wiped out. Referring to the complaints as to Llie delays in ivuing authorities, he remarked that owing to circumstances over which they had no control they had hot been able to get the money from the London market until late in the year. He made a strong protest against short-dated loans, saying that money should be borrowed for -thirtyyear periods, and then when the roads and railways had been completed it would he a mere flea-bite for the country to provide money for the. redemption of the loans when due. The Minister reiterated his statement to a News man previously that much of the delay in issuing authorities was the fault of local bodies.

Reverting to finance, he said that Mr. Allen had placed the finances on a sound footing, and they need not fear going to the London market for money which was to be spent sensibly in increasing their assets. No one, he added, could make roads and bridges without borrowed money. In conclusion, he referred to Mr. Wilson's indefatigable efforts in furthering the interests of his district, a district which from his own experience he felt had a great future, and if the speaker could do anything to further its prosperity they could rest assured they would not call on him in vain.

"Local' Bodies" was proposed by Mr. W. M. Thompson, and replied to by Mr. J. Rennie, chairman of the Waitara Chamber of Commerce, who stated that the Chamber was out to assist the country. The town, he said, had to depend on the country for its existence, so when We Minister came to Waitara, they decided not to ask for a new post office or railway station, but to endeavor to assist in getting the Awakino and Otaraoa roads metalled.

Mr. Jones, of the Mokau Harbor Board, considered that in addition to seeing to the ingress and egress of the port, it was the duty of a harbor board to see that the people in the hackblocks had access to the wharves. He put in a powerful appeal on their behalf, objecting strongly to a system of administration that' expended £(500,000 per /innum on roads and bridges and .-eCCO,000 on buildings. Mr. Bowers (Clifton County Council) and Mr. K. Body (Awakino County Council) also spoke. I Other toasts were "The Member ; for the District, Mr. C. K. Wilson," proposed by Mr. Kellyi and suitably responded to; "Prosperity of the District." responded to by Mr. Tweedie; "The Visitors," proposed by Mr. L. Jacob and responded to by Messrs Marlowe and Nosworthy; "The Press," proposed by Mr. Ward; "The Ladies," proposed by Mr. D. Tweedie and responded to by Messrs W. H. Smith, E. A. Paynter, C. Johnsen, J. Rc'nnic and Curtis; and "The Chairman," proposed by Hon. W. Eraser. During the evening an excellent musical programme was discoursad by reI sidents of the district.