HAURAKI PLAINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 88, 14 April 1927, Page 15

HAURAKI PLAINS.

MANY URGENT NEEDS. MINISTERS HAVE BUSY DAY. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") NGATEA, this day. From breakfast till midnight the Minister of Public Works and the Minister of Lands were busy yesterday discussing problems connected with roads and drains on Hauraki Plains. Ratepayers of Waitakaruru entertained them at luncheon yesterday, and later took them on a tour of inspection of the district. When the party returned to the public hall Mr. C. F. Harris, riding representative on Hauraki Plains County Council, made representations for assistance in a number of local matter-. There was a representative gathering of settlers in the hall. Mr. E. Walton (chairman of the County Council) presiding.

Mr. Harris asked for deepening, widening, and extension of the Waitakaruru stream canal. It was, he said, essential to residents that the canal be deepened and widened to its original level. If that were done the area of land served would be second to none in the Dominion. The bridge at Mahuta Road was standing only through force of habit. Mr. Harris asked that an item be placed on the Estimates in respect of this structure.

Another request made was that the Paeroa-Pokeno main highway be metallf'l.- Mr. Harris said the Waitakaruru Hiding had paid £.->OO, and had done its share on the road by striking a halfpenny rate over three consecutive years. If the Miranda Road were metalled it would be a first class subsidiary road, B erving East Coast settlers travelling to Auckland. A rrrant for metalling a stretch of two miles was asked for. A rrant for the Domain in order to make it revenue producing was also asked. Mr. Harris said that the approaches to the bridge at Coxhead's filling were in a bad state. Everything could be P"t right if a sum of "£650 more than "snal was placed on the Estimates. _ Access for soldier settlers on a block in from the back of Miranda Boad was 'tressed as a necessity. Mr. Harris was r-mndly applauded when he told the Ministers that if money could be made a ,-« ilahle the < listr ' !ct "would have no difficulty in spending it. No definite promises were made by the Ministers, who said the various items mentioned would be carefully considered when the Estimates were' bein* framed. Mr. Williams said the request tor roads for hack country settlers was one which appealed 'to him most strongly, because places without anv had much stronger claim than 'Hose which were served bv an indifferent road.

J" the evening the settlers of Kerewu placed various requests before the .Ministers, the matters touched upon beI»ff of local nature onlv. To-day Ministers are visiting Pateton^a.