BACK-BLOCK ROADS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1938, Page 9

BACK-BLOCK ROADS

MINISTER ON PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENTS

REPLY TO FEATHERSTON

DEPUTATION.

PROGRESS UNDER FIVE YEAR

(“Times-Age” Special.)

“With only half of the season gone wc have metalled, reformed and graded 1,500 miles of back-block roads,” observed the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, at yesterday’s meeting of the Featherston County Council. “If we continue at that rate,” he added, “we will complete our five-year plan for providing improved access for back-country settlers within three and a half years.”

The council asked the Minister to grant financial assistance towards providing better road access to the Tuturumuri Settlement. The present road runs through a river bed and after rain settlers and school children are unable to get out. It is proposed to avoid the river by constructing a deviation at an estimated cost of £2,600.

Mr Semple: “This is a back-block road?” The chairman, Mr A. B. Martin: “Yes.”

Mr Semple: “Then put it in order of preference on the five-year plan and we will do the job. There are 13,500 settlers stuck in the mud, some of them for the past 40 years. We could not do all the jobs at once, so we prepared a five-year plan and, are carrying out the improvements in order of urgency. There are 6000 miles of roads to be constructed at an estimated cost of five millions. Put your job on the top of the list and it will be tackled.”

Councillor Q. Donald: “How much will the council have to contribute?”

Mr Semple: “That depends on the financial position of the council. We will not see settlers stuck in the mud because county councils are impoverished. In some cases we have given free grants and in others we have gone as high as £9 for £l. One county turned down the £9 for £1 subsidy because they did not want the Government to get the credit for pulling the farmer out of the mud. We want you to pay the maximum, but we are not going to see the farmers stuck. If you put your job on the top of the schedule for next year it will be done next year. I might be out by then and someone else might be in, but I will have the job on the five-year plan (md will have committed them to that extent.”