PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4237, 7 October 1892, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

TIIE WERAITE I10AD~" HIE FAMILY lIEETIIAM." During the debato on tlio Public Works Statement in the small hours of this morning, Mr Hollonton condemned (be 9U|>iiicnpss of tlio Government with regard to the taking of roads through lands acquired from natives, with special reference to the Wernite road, us to which lie held that the Minister for Lands had neglected bis duty, and Mr Hogg had failed in his duty to his constituents, Nothing but political influence bad prevented this road beiii',' taken, Tlio Minister for Lands contended tlwt lie Had protected the colony against" the family of Bcothaui and tlio momber for Wairnrapa," in refusing to have anything to do with the taking of' this Weraiie-road, which the Liw Officers told him lie could not :nke j without becoming involved in a lawsuit. The member for Wnimrapa had (logged his footsteps for days to bring pressure to bear on him to open up this road, He lmtl offered to issuo a proclamation if the Road Board would guarantee the Colony against loss, and he had received a petition from the ratepayers asking him not to do this until n poll of the rate* payers had been taken. He would not issue the warrant until he bad tlio colony indemnified. Mr Buchanan said tho Minister had been offered that day aporsoiidl indemnity from Mr Beetham, the Chairman of the Board, but ho had put it off. It was necessary, in the in'eivsts of the Colony, that this road should be taken, and it was only political considerations which prevented it, for the officers of tho Lands Department were repeatedly taking roads under similar circumstances, It was his duty to his constituents to prevent tho Minister letting the time pass in which this roid could be taken. Tho roid did not lead to his property, and if it did, he would still have the right of any ratepayer to protest against injustice. As to the Beethams, of whom the Minister spoke so offensively, they were people respected by all who know tliem, and who had been most liberal in the matter ol roads, and when a local body wished for a road through their properties, simply said " Go and take it," and never even mentioned compensation. If the member for Masterton had any sense of decency or fairness, he would endorse their action. The Minister, in explanation, said that where tho Department had, by warrant, taken roads similarly situated to the one in question, they did it where tho toads were essential in the interests of the Ualouy, and took the responsibility, He considered this road was not needed in tho interests of the Colony, The matter then dropped,—Post,