HINTERLAND HANDICAPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1919, Page 6

HINTERLAND HANDICAPS.

DIFFICULTIES OF BACKBLOCKERS. EVIDENCE BEFORE INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

A large amount of evidence was placed before the members of the Parliamentary Industries Commission, at their sitting at New Plymouth yesterday, in relation to the hardships inflicted on settlers in the backblocks by the lack of facilities for marketing their produce.

NORTH TARANAKI NEEDS. The North Taranaki needs were stressed by strong representations by members of the Waitara Chamber of Commerce and .the Clifton County Council. Mr. T. Buchanan (Waitara) urged the development of the Mokau coal fields and their utilisation for the purpose of generating cheap electric power by means of the establishment of plants at the pits' mouth. He pointed out the large area of coal fields that were lying waste at present, and which could be easily worked, and, as the ■Government hydroelectric schemo was likely to be a long time maturing, he thought the scheme suggested by him to the Waitara Chamber of Commerce, and which they had asked to present to the committee, should be considered. They would like the matter investigated by experts. They thought the coal would be of greater value if put to the use suggested than to any other use. Some members pointed out that one of the principal reasons for urging the ; speedy development of . electric power was for the purpose of conserving coal supplies. Continuing, Mr. Buchanan stressed the need for the completion of the Strat-for-Okahukura railway, in order to help the meat freezing and dairying industries.

In the matter of shipping facilities for Waitara, he strongly protested against the monopolistic interests which practically—-after cutting out the port from their own service—dictated to other companies as to whether they should trade to Waitara or not. The fact was that the monopoly had sealed up their channels of export, and Baid they must get goods by their own boats or through New Plymouth. Mr. Buchanan went as far as to say, though he thought there would be difficulty in proving it, that the shipping monopoly had men on the wharves -in the big centres overlooking the freight bills of the ships of outside companies, for what purpose one could only come to one's own opinion. In reply to the chairma, Mr. Buchanan said the actual facilities in the river were not the real hindrance to shipping to Waitara. There was nearly 12 feet of water on the bar at low water. He Btated that an offer of practically a full cargo had once teen offered to the Baden Powell while she was at New Plymouth, and yet she would not come to Waitara. He thought some redress from such conditions should be afforded.

Mr. W. Nosworthy (Waitara) dealt with the need for cheaper lime for farmers' use. At present all the lime used in North Taranaki came from Hastings, and, on account of the high cost, the amount used was very limited compared with what would be used if better facilities 1 were afforded. He stressed the advantage to be gained from mixing lime with the local ironsand, thereby producing a basic slag of great use to farmers. The committee was asked to report on the means of obtaining lime or of subsidising shipping freights on lime. There were big deposits at Awakino and Mokau, but transit difficulties made it hard to get at. Dr. Newman remarked that the idea of mixing lime and ironsand opened up a big question, which be thought should be pursued.

Mr. Nosworthy asked for more rapid progress in the opening up of Native landß for settlement. Large areas of Buch land paid no rates at all, and, in consequence, local bodies labored under heavy handicaps. The chairman remarked that, though the matter was outside the scope of the committee, they were glad to have the information placed before them. Mr R. H. Pigott, chairman of the Clifton County Council, said, the development of the primary industries required a good roading policy. For the want of this the settlers were hampered in getting their wool to the markets, and also in getting stock to the freezing I works.

The chairman asked if the council and settlers had considered the question of the construction of light railways to take some of the traffic off the roads.

Mr. Pigott replied that they had, but had not received much support The advisability was all right, but the burden was too much to put upon the settlers. t then referred to the handicap under which his council was placed in having such large areas of native land from which they could gr', no rates They wanted the land brought under the same law as that of the Europeans.

To Mr. Hudson: The Natives were liable for the rates, but the position was that it was impossible to recover from them.

Mr. C. Musker, a member of the County Council, supported Mr. Pfgott, contending that a statesmanlike land policy, with a good roading policy, were the best and surest means of developing production and stimulating industries. Mr. A. H. Johstone, New Plymouth, also emphasised \the urgent need of metalling the main road north from New' Plymouth and of bridging the Mokau River. He stated that 32 miles from New Plymouth the main road was unmetalled, and for 45 miles there was nothing but a clay track, which was impassable for nine months of the year. This was the road over which the whole of the traffic from the north had to come, and he thought, after the years of agitation on the part of the settlers mm their strenuous labors in developing their holdings, they were entitled to something better than the track they had. and it was up to the Government to metal the road. Members: Hear, hear! In regard to the Moknn River, Mr. Johnstine continued that all the cattle that came across from the non.h had to resort to the very primitive method of swimming. He pointed out in this connection the severe handicap to the settlers in times of sickness, and stated that during the epidemic he had occasion to go to Awakino, and it took almost the whole day to get there. The people there were practically isolated from medical assistance.

BACKBLOCKS SCHOOLS. Mr. W. T Jennings, M.P., stressed the hardships under which backblocks settlers suffered in the matter of facilities for the education of their children, lie instanced a case at Tahere, in the Auckland Province, under the control of the 'Aucklad Edftcation Board, though it wm ia hit «leoter»te, The school war

conducted in a building erected twenty years ago as a roadman's hut. It was 20ft by 10 ft, with a 7ft stud, and had to accommodate twenty-five children. The inspectors had reported adversely on the school building for years past, but nothing had been done. The result was, generally, in the backblocks that women with children would not stay in these places and men were left to carry on their holdings alone. He hesitated to state what would be the result of such separations, not only to the children, but to the parents themselves. The education boards told the settlers that the matter was one for the Department, and if the Minister was approached he stated that nothing could be done unless the "Board made an application for a school.

In reply to Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Jennings said he thought a system of centralisation would be advantageous, in whieli the children could be sent to a place where there were better teachers. He. was not reflecting on the teachers, but it could be easily understood that the best teachers could not be attracted to such districts.

In answer to Mr. Sidey on the question of the conveyance of children to schools, Mr. Jennings said a big difficulty was the impassable state of the roads for a great part of the year.

The half-time schools with an itinerant teacher were not very acceptable to the settlers. If there was no altera'„k.i in the district to which he specially referred he intended moving in the direction of having a new educational district formed for the King Country, as he was convinced that that end of the district was too remote from Auckland to get proper treatment. To Mr. Poland: The provision of good roads would solve the whole problem. Mr. Wilkinson pointed out that no school could be built by the boards without a subsidy from the Department, The board, however, had to furnish all the details of requirements before the Department would move. He went on to explain that when the Taranaki district was enlarged by taking in portions of the Audkland and Wanganui districts the board spent a week in visiting the schools taken over in order to personally acquaint themselves with the condition of the buildings. ■ Later in the sitting, Mr. S. G. Smith also gave evidence. He stated that he had intended dealing with the question of production from the point of view of education, but, on account of the shortness of time, confined himself to the disabilities of the backblocks settlers in regard to educational facilities. In the Taranaki Educational District there were seven Grade 0 schools. These were sclioolb with an attendance of from one to eight scholars, and the settlers had to make up the difference in the teacher's salary between the £9 per head per scholar per annum and the £l2O, which was the minimum salary allowed by the Department. He stressed the opinion expressed by the Taranaki Education Board that the salary of Grade 0 school teachers should be not less than £l2O and that the settlers should not be required to find any of that amount. He also hoped the committee would be able to do something in the direction of seeing that suitable residences were provided as an inducement to teachers to take up work in the back country districts. Another point made was the necessity for encouraging more irfen to entor the teaching profession. He stated that among all the teachers and probationers ;n the Taranaki district only 26 per cent. were men.