SEEING NEW COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 11

SEEING NEW COUNTRY.

MR. RANSOM IN KAIPARA. SETTLERS OFFERED HELP. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. En route to Auckland after a fortnight in the , Far North, the Minister of° Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, passed through Whangar.ei to-day. Travelling via Mangapai and Keay s deviation to, Mareretu,' Mr. Ransom saw thousands of acres of new country. At the county boundary a deputation, headed by the* Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, Mr. Rodney Coatee, chairman of the Otamatea County Council, and Mr. Stephen, representative of Mangapai riding on the Whangaiei bounty Council, waited upon the Minister, asking that • be given for metalling six miles of Keay's deviation road to give settlers access to the railway at Taipuha. The deputation especially emphasised that settlers had already helped themselves by raising a loan for metalling portion of the road and were facing heavy rates, although some who had been on their farms for 60 year severe virtually isolated during six months of the year. •• . .. • •• • ' The Minister expressed himself as impressed with the country he had seen. He sympathised with the settlers and offered them a £3 for £1 subsidy. He said he took into consideration the fact that they had already contributed to the improvement of their access road. When . Keay's deviation is finished the distanced to the main highway at Maungaturoto will be shortened by ten miles, as compared with the Waipa Cove route. The Minister travelled via Helensvillo to Auckland.