Call For Removal Of Road Fences

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30395, 20 March 1964, Page 3

Call For Removal Of Road Fences

LVeie Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 19.

“I have today advised Mr Kinsella, member for the district, that I consider the fences across the Ngatea to Mangatarata road should be removed,” the Minister of Works (Mr Allen) said today.

“I am appealing to the landowner concerned to clear away the obstruction without delay as a public spirited action,” he said. Mr Allen said Mr Foote apparently considered he had suffered an injustice at the hands of both local and central Government. “If so, this will be put right without delay. He is entitled to fair treatment and I am taking immediate steps to see that he gets it.” Mr Allen was commenting on the action of Mr L J. Foote, a Hauraki Plains farmer, who has erected fences across a public road which runs through his property, saying that they will remain until he is paid compensation or is told by a court of law they must come down. “The people who are suffering from Mr Foote’s action are not to blame in any way at all. I appeal to Mr Foote’s public-spiritedness and suggest he should cease the infliction of a needless inconvenience upon his fellow New Zealanders.” Mr Allen said that in return Mr Foote had his personal assurance that the problem was being tackled and that “we will try to get a settlement just as soon as is humanly possible." He added that a firm offer of compensation for land re-

quired for the road had already been posted to Mr Foote’s solicitor. The offer had been made without prejudice to Mr Foote’s right to establish his claims to more complex issues which required further discussion. Mr Foote had made claims in addition to that for compensation for the land actually used for railway embankment construction and subsequently required for reading.

These additional claims involved legal and technical questions requiring further investigation. Mr Allen said settlement of all claims under negotiation would be dealt with as quickly as possible and the Ministry of Works would get in touch with other owners along the route, whether or not formal claims had been made.