VISIT OF THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS TO WAIKATO. VISIT TO TE AWAMUTU. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2109, 14 January 1886, Page 2

VISIT OF THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS TO WAIKATO. VISIT TO TE AWAMUTU. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Tk Awvmutu, Wednesday. Thk Minister for Public Works, his private secretary Mr (iodden, Mr Mawvell, Genera! Manager of Riilways, Mr Hudvm, Traffic Manager, and Mr (Joom, Engineer, armed hcio about uud-day yesteid.iy, by special fiom Auckland, tho train going (•irvvaid and crossing the new Puuiu budge, md after inspecting it Mr Ricliard-on and Mr Goddon curie on here by a coach frent fiom Cainbndqe to take the paity tlieiß by way of Kangianlu-i and liotoi mjri. Having put up at Lewis' Hotel, the Mini • ter was interviewed by Mr Walton, chair man, and Mr Carley, member of the Te Awamutu Town Board, and Mr Furrell, chairman of the Kihikihi Town Board. Mr Walton pointed out the inconvenience of the present entrance to the railway g.ito from the Te Awannitu side, and requested that the gate might be set further back, so as to give a better turn-in for vehicles, ami also that a turnstile might be erected for foot passengers, so as to avoid any possible accident which might occur from entering by the ordinal y cart road. Mr Richardson promised that the alteration should be made. The next matter was the site for the public library, which had been promised by Mr Ballance, and which was to be in the Government paddock, adjoining the post office. Mr Walton asked that it should be vested in tho town board. Mr Richardson said all he could do was to make a note of it and call Mr Ballance;, attention to it. The next matter was the cutting up for sale of so much of the Government paddock as was not required for public purposes. Mr Wai ton asked that reserves for the post-office, coiut-house and police-station should be made, and that .the remainder should be cut into building sites and put up to auction and sold, as it was the very c»ntreof the town and it was in the interest of the town that business people should be able to acquire freeholds, a great part of the town being nuvv Church Mission land, which could only be obtained on lease. He also pointed out that in its present state the Government reserve, although fenced in, was only a nursery for noxious weeds and fur<se and briars. Mr Richardson said he did not think the application could be granted, as the Government were averse to part with such reserves, not being able to foresee the requirements of the future ; as, if land was hereafter required it would have to be repurchased nt many times its present value. The Minister was then asked whether tiie Punui railway bridge could not be made a tiaffic bridge, to which he replied in the negative, as the present practice was to make separate traffic bridges. Mr Walton said the public would be very well satisfied with such an arrangement. Mr Richardson said it could not be done, but it might have been had the House not cut down their Estimates so severely. The next request \vas one for the giving up by the Government of a portion of the laud in front of the Post Office, for the purpose of widening the road. A piece 10ft. wide had already been promised for that purpose by the Postmaster-General, but 10ft. was not sufficient for the purpose contemplated. After viewing the place and taking measurements, the Minister thought that 13ft. would answer the purnose, but as it was not in his Department he could make no promise, but would represent the matter in the proper quarter. Mr Farrell then asked if the Government would immediately make the approaches to the Puniu traffic bridge beyond Kihikihi, as it could not be used without them, and the public were likely to be greatly inconvenienced when the paddocks by which they had hitherto crossed the ford were closed for the purpose of being cropped. Mr Richardson baid the approaches would cost a very considerable sum, and, as he had before stated, the Estimates having been so largely reduced last session, there was no money available for the purpose; but having gone so far with the work it would have to be completed, and the House would no doubt appropriate money for the purpose next session. The Minister shortly afterwards left for Cambridge.

CAMBRIDGE DEPUTATIONS. The Hon. Mr Richardson arrived at Cambridgo from To Awanmtu on Tuesday evening, and put up Jit Gillett's National Hotel. Mr Maxwell, Mr Coom, and Mr Hudson were also of the party. Mr J. B. Whyte met the Minister at Cambridge.

Cambridge-Rotorua Road. Mchsra N. I. Hunt and George Hally waited on the Minister as a deputation fiom the Taotaoroa Road Board. Mr Hunt a&ked that the Government should take over the five miles of road between Cambridge and Gorton, being part of the Cambridge-Rotorua roid, and therefore a colonial road. Hitherto the road had been looked after by the County Council, but that body had now refused to do anything more to it. The traffic which passed over it was mostly through traffic. The road had fallen into a bad state of repair, and unless it was attended to immediately, it was quite possible that the next heavy rain would make it impassable for traffic. The road board had no authority to touch it, and the county had no funds. Some time ago when the council repaired the road they had a grant of money from the Government. Mr Richardson said that the Roads and Bridges Act having been repealed, the road would come under the Counties Act. It was quite clear that the local body was legally responsible, and would ba responsible (u case of an accident. He hid known cases where local bodies in the same position as this one had made the necessary repairs by way of protecting themselves. He would however, bring the matter under the notice of the deputation on his return to Wellington. Mr Hally : Is it our duty then to keep the road in repairs ? Mr Richardson : I think you will find it is. The deputation then retired. A deputation consisting of Messrs Wells, Hougjiton, Hewitt, Gillett, Russell, Lewis, and Thomson, waited on the Minister re the following matters : —

New Court-house. Mr Wells, who acted as spokesman, said that one of their greatest wants in Cambridge was a new Court-house. The Ministerlhad seen the present structure, and he would agree with them that it was altogether out of keeping with the standing and requirements of such an important town as Cambridge. It was altogether inadequate. To spend a day in it meant a bad cold, and even prisoners condemned to pass a few minutes within its walls complained bitterly of the killing draughts. On couit days when some big case was being heard the room was generally crowded to suffocation. Personally, he would rather give a pound than sit in it an hour. They had repeatedly brought tins matter before Government for the last four or five years, but nothing had ever been done in the matter. Again, new police quarters were badly required. The Court-house was in one place, the constable s residence somewhere else, and the lock-up was out of the world altogether. As to the old constabulary buildings adjoining the Court-house, they were simply untenantable, and could be thought of. Mr Richardson : I will see the Minister of Justice on my return to Wellington, and see what can be done in the matter. Mr Wells : For goodness' sake, don't give us another makeshift, but let us have something decent.

Allotments 578 and 579. Mr Wells said there were two allotments, Nos. 578 and 579, on the Thornton road reserved for railway purposes, but which could really never be of any use as such. The town board wanted them to run the road through. They applied to the Waste Lands Department, who could not do anything in the matter, but that Department was willing that they should go to the town, providing the Railway Department was willing. Mr Richardson: All I could do then would be to inform the Minister for Lands that the Railway Department does not require them. I will see that the matter is attended to.

Railway Tariff Classification. This matter was gone into at some length. Mr Wells asked if the classification could not be simplified in some manner. Mr Richardson replied that the matter was eternally under consideration. He did not know what particular item Mr Wells referred to. Mr Wells said ho referred to nil the goods that are glassed as general merchandise. He

thought they might be cl i^sificd as they wore on board a ship, to miUo cl.is-.es A \i C and I) one, for instanc 1 . Mr Richardson did not think such a thinp was possible. No one would stand it. Mr Wells said it would he seen by the tariff that poods identic il in weight were very often put under different clashes, and charged for differently. Ho thought this might be alteied. Mr Richardson replied tli.it such things ■is this only wanted p'>mtiiiß out t>> be icctiKed. People complained of the olas-,1 fic.itiou on New Zetland i.ulwi\s, but it was nothing compaied to th.it of the Ails ttali.ui railways, and tho dilleienr cla»sifi nations throughout Austi ah t and Xeu Zoa1 md weie not by any means eqn il to the classifications in England. Tho gioat bulk of the i>i c-surc brought np>n t'x; (lovoiiiment now Wiii to extend the classiucition lather tlian to confine it. Mr Wells said lie complained that a consignment of general tneiehandise should be cut up in different clashes, subject to different charges. Mr Wells then went into an explanatin of his views at some length. It was \eiy my»tifying to those who had dealings with the railway, and he would say it was difficult to the Depaitment to woik. He had met many men and tilUe.l with them on this subject, but lie li id never yet found ■i railway man who could gi\e him a good leason for it. Mr Richardson said th^e views about classification and such like looked very well in theory, and e\eu fiom a common sense point of view, Imt they weie different in practice. They would all give a gre.it deal to have the classification simplified, but it was found th.it instead of curtailing it, it was continually inci easing. Mr Wells said he understood that between Invercargill and the Bluff and other places in the colony the lailway was carrying goods irrespective of class. Mr Richardson thought Mr Wells would find that it was not so. Mr Lewis produced a number of receipts fioin the Railway Department, and pointed out a number of instances where goods almost of the same class were charged under different rates. Barbed wiie was charged 22s 6d and black wire 18s Gd. There was also a difference in galvanised iron loo«e and packed in cases, and galvanised iron when in cases had to bo taken out of the cases befoic it could be removed from the waggon because there were no pulleys. At this staero of the conversation, Mr Maxwell was called in. Mr Richardson said, respecting the necessity of a pulley, these matters had simply to be diawn attention to, and pulleys would soon be provided. He would see that both Cambridge and Hamilton were supplied. Mr Lewis also pointed out that turpentine was charged 34s Gd, wheieas kerosene had to pay 40s Gd. They were both dangerous goods, of the same weight, bulk, itc. Again there was nnothei charge for oil. He was unable to understand the way-bills, and though he had often asked to be enlightened, none of the officials could give him the necessary explanation. In fact he had been told he could not get it. Mr Maxwell replied that the documents which Mr Lewis had brought forward were perfectly simple and were understood, ho believed, by every man in the service. He would like to know of a case where an official refused to give an explanation. It was very essential that the public Rhould have every explanation they required. As to the classification he did not know of any other country in the world where it was so simple as it was in New Zealand. In America, the classiticatians were 45 times more numerous than in New Zealand. He thought Mr Wells's proposal to throw general merchandise into one classification would be objected to by the colony at huge. Classification was a thing that grew with the trade of a country. Everybody demanded a special rate for something or other. Mr Russell drew attention to the rates for farm produce. They were not sufficiently low to induce fanners to grow carrots, potatoes, and suchlike. If the freights were reasonable Waikato farmers would send large quantities of these products to Auckland, whereas with the present freight they know it is no use, He would aW> include fruit. W.ukato was a great apple producing country, but farmers complained that they were depri \ cd of agood market by the extravagant freight chaiged. Again, there was a number of cheese factories in Waikato, and tr> make these pay eveiy economy Avas required. They were a great help to farmers, and Government should encourage them in every manner possible. One way of doing this would be to reduce freight on cheese. A reduction had been made some time ago upon cheese for export. Waikato factoiies sent cheese to Auckland merchants, which though practically for export could not claim e\poit advantages. Mr Richardson thought that a great reduction for chee&e had been made some time ago. Mr Lewis remarked that the freight at present was £1 9s 9d. Mr Maxwell drew attention to the fact that milk was cairied to the factory at a very low rate. The deputation pointed out that none of the Waikato factories could take advantage of the railway for milk carrying. Mr Maxwell referred to the Edendale and Ashburton factories as being perfectly satisfied with the reduction. Mr Lewis thought if they could get their cheese down for, say, 22s Gd, they would be satisfied. Mr Maxwell remarked that as to carrots, they were carried for &> Gd a ton, the lowest rate they had got. Some one remarked that farmers would be able to make carrots pay if they could send them to Auckland at, v say, 4s Gd a ton. Mr Maxwell replied that the man who wanted that had better start a railway on his own account. Air Gillett pointed out that Canterbury people were able to undersell Waikato farmers in the Auckland market. This was strange. Mr Maxwell replied that Canterbury farmers had not only to pay for the shipping, but many of them had likewise to pay railway freight, too, and wharfage. It was strange, under these circumstances, if they could compete with Auckland farmers. Mr Hewitt said he had paid 2s 9d for one box of oGlbs of gooseberries in Auckland, and had only to pay 5s 9d for six boxes. He thought if people could send one, or even two boxes, at a piopoitionately low rate, the railway would do a bigger carrying business in the small th ngs. Mr Whyte remarked that to his mind the difference seemed too much. He also quoted an instance where two tons of produce had been carried the same distance over the same line for the same figure as one ton. Mr Russell : Can we hope for any reduction upon the cheese ? Mr Richardson : The other cheese factories are perfectly satisfied, and if we make this concession to you, we shall have to make it to them also. Mr Thomson pointed out that such a reduction was necessary to the success of the factory. Mr Richardson : Mr Maxwell has made a note of it, and will see to it.

Municipal Corporations Act. Mr Wells referred to the immediate necessity for haying the law altered that it might be possible for a town like Cambridge to raise a loan for water supply and such like. He pointed out that a 9 the law stood at present it was impossible for them to get the majority required to carry a poll. He was willing that it should be threetifths of the entire votes polled. They wanted to go ahead, but under the existing law it was impossible for them to go either one way or the other. Would Mr Richardson give them an assurance that the Government would do something in the matter next session ? Mr Richardson said the Government bill would, he felt sure, give every satisfaction. Of course it was haid to tell what would become of it in the House, but the Government would endearour to carry it through if they could. No doubt their member would look after their interests in the matter.

School of AgricultureMr Russell said lie had heard of a proposal to start a school of agriculture somewhere in Waikato. He would ask that the advantages which the Cambridge district afforded should not be overlooked. Cambridge was the centre of the farming industry in Waikato. All the good agricultural and pastoral country was about Cambridge. They were anxious that the Government should not pledge themselves to any distinct locality until the matter were fully considered. The domain board of Cambridge, possessed an excellent piece of land of 35 acres, and there were 12^ acres in the hands of the town board. The local bodies would be only too willing to put their sites at the disposal of the Government.

High School EndowmentsMr Russell said with reference to high Echool endowments they were very badly

off in W.uUto. All the W.ukato hi K h school-, ffit from tlio Kduuition il tru-t was some £i! 0 or 170 .1 u.ir. Thi'ic w^to no funds to enable tliein to carry on a really good hitfli <-ch(Kil. Then* weio 1011113 ro >d blocks 111 t'no vicinity which niijht ba sot asidi 1 .is iMHlinvnT'iU 1 -. Mi Kicliaidion : Iho bo>t thmpr you can dn would bo to d 1d 1 ny tli* attention of the Minister for Kducition to the matter, and I will „]mi brinj? it undiM his notico. Thi-j \\ i- .ill tlio Ijiiiitit ■>->, and the deputation letnud.

TIIK MINIS I'i:U \T TK AROHA. [in n v: .H\i'n — i>an (ohuk->i on'dknt. | Ti, Akdii \, Wednesday. The Mun-li'i f • ii I'ultlic Works, .icunn-pun.-.J I.v \ti .1 I. Wlivto, M II R , and Hosms Miwwll, } fiifl-.nn, .uid Coom, of the Rulu.iy I »i*p.n tmout, pud a hunied \i-it of iii-.pfcti" 1 tn tlii^ 1 lilw.iy ivorki hero t<- (1 iy- '•» f<'U i hi, ill'Ji utiira ho w.H w.utud upon by the (Icjinf iti >n fiom the Town Improvements (Joui'iutteo le tlio (iponinp: of the line. The Mnistcr assured the deput.ition tint "Vci vtlnii'r,' (tnssilile was bi'inp done to fjet it rcidy for ti.ithc, and th.it a-, soon as it is opened tho iuh.ihit.inLs would have the simo facihties for cheap travelling by (icr.iMoii.il exeutauiii ti.utis a-, wern afforded to otln'r plies. Tin) deputation .iNo wi^od up hi liitn the ;idua.ibdity of pu^lnnj,' on as quickly as possible the conhtiuctidti of th ■ c<< ic'i I'iid on tho lino of Thompson '•> track to Tim.in^.i, as tho work was ono of fji.ut nnp'iit.uicc to b'>tli pi ics. Some of tlii 1 iii'jinljei -» of tip- Domini Boird also w.nted upon th" Minister, and invited him to inspect the wmlc*. in proxies, .it the spiiiig-', but tune would not admit of his doing -o. He left .ii 120 o'clock, his brief stay lasting only an hour.