LANDS MINISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 142, 18 June 1929, Page 5

LANDS MINISTER.

VISIT TO WHAKATANE.

SETTLEBS' BEQUEST,

TE TEKO-GALATEA ROAD.

(By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.)

WHAKATANE, this day. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, arrived in Whakatane last evening With him were Mr. T. Brooiy. valuer-general. Mr. K. Graham. Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. McMorrin, chief land drainage engineer, and Mr. Milligan, private secretary. The Mavor, Mr. W. Sullivan, presided at a welcoming function, and alter speeches Mr. Walter Reid, county chairman. made a number of requests on behalf of the County Council. _ He asked for further grants tor rc.iding at the three returned soldiers' settlements, and for further protection work at Watmana aeainst river erosion. Ke the Te lekoGalatea Road, on which £10.000 has been spent. Mr. Reid said only three-quarters of a mile remained to complete the road to Waiohau. This road would open up about 3000 acres near Waiohau and •2.3.000 acres at Galatea, where the settlers at present had to cart manures, etc.. 50 miles from Rotorua. When this road was completed the area would La within 25 miles of the railway at

Edgecumbe. • Messrs. Witthaus, Peebles, Radcaffe and Holland spoke in support of the requests. Mr. Peebles also urged a thorough inspection of the Lreueia and other tracks in this district, with a view to the settlement of unused lands. Mr. Forbes, in replying, said that his wish was to get as much land settled as possible. He considered tnat those who took this virgin land up should receive financial assistance, as in many cases thev exhausted their capital in providing buildings, etc. Mr. Schofield, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, also spoke on the land settlement question. Mr. L. Buddie requested the straightening of the Whakatane River at Kopeopeo. Mr. A. McLean dealt wi.'i the question of stop-banking the RangitaLs-i River. The Minister said he considered the stop-banking of the Rangitaiki necessary for completing the drainage scheme. However, he considered that when a district reached the stage when it was producing well local drainage- boards should take control with Government assistance. In conclusion, he said that he would go into all the representations made re the stop-banking or I'vers and the settlement of lands. The Mayor and Councillor Cutler requested a "readjustment of the borough valuations, and the Minister promised to look into the matter.