POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 282, 1 May 1914, Page 3

POLITICAL.

THE PUBLIC WORKS .MINISTER,

By Telegraph—Press Association.

■ Pongoroa, Wednesday. The Hon. W. Eraser, Minister of Public Works, accompanied by Messrs. Sykes and Escott, M's.P., Mr. C. W. •Tones, President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. J. Mcintosh, Vice-president, arrived here to-night, via Eketahima. The Minister is making a tour of the backblocks, in accordance with his when he visited the district last year in connection with the railway to the East Coast. Coast.

[ Mr. Eraser had a hearty reception and was banquetted by the Masterton-Wai-puknrau 'Railway League. The Minister's great interest in the backblocks was eulogised by the speakers. Hon. Fraser referred to the necessity of good metalled roads from the backblocks to the railway. He indicated that he would make provision on the estimate for metalling the roads leading to Dannevirke, lEketahuna and Pahiatua. New Zealand securities, he said, were now in good request by investors. He contrasted this with the 'short-dated loans of the previous Government, which had been taken up by speculators. He commended the Prime Minister's proposal to raise a speeial loan for roading the backblocks, and thought it would be a good thing if the loan were raised.