A WAIRARAPA ROAD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9584, 2 September 1909, Page 6

A WAIRARAPA ROAD.

AND A GOVERNMENT VOTE, A deputation from the Featherston County Council, introduced by Mr W. C. Buchanan, M.P., waited on the Minister of Roads (Hon. R. M'Kenzie) yesterday, to urge that the Government should expend the vote of £1,600 passed in 1908 for the construction of tne road from Stony West to White Rocks. The deputation also included several residents of the district and the owners of the land, Mr Barton, through whose property the Road would run. A previuus deputation to the then Minister (Hon. A. W. Hogg) was told the work would not be gone on with, as it was considered that there was no urgent necessity for it. It was pointed out that the old road had been closed, on the understanding that the new road would be gone on with, and it would be a great expense to the county council to reproclaim the old road. It was stated that the council was prepared to assist in the woru to the extent of £2OO. . Replying to a question by the Minister, Mr Buchanan said that when a similar request was made to Mr Hogg he replied that it was not the policy of the department to open up roads through large estates which later on the Government might have to buy. Tha Minister, in replying to the deputation, said he thought a very fair case had been made out for the county council by its offer of £2OO towards the cost of the work. The deputation's trouble, and his trouble, was that his pi*edecessor in office had put it on record that the road was not required. Mr Hogg had always been anxious to get roads for settlers, and he found it on record that "this road is nut required." The deputation would have to wait until he (Mr McKenzie) was satisfied on the subject one way or the other. He would make full enquiry into the matter.