A HASTINGS DEPUTATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 3

A HASTINGS DEPUTATION.

RAILWAYS AND LAND SETTLEMENT. ■' (IIX TEr.EUUAI'U— SI'KUKI. <-.>"'-"<l'|.\l>ES'T.! : Hastings, MajMß. The Hon. R. M'Kenzie, Minister lor rublie Works, accompanied by Messrs. A. Dillon, M.P., A. L. D. Fraser, and Matthews (privato_ secretary), drove by motor-car from Napier to Flaxmorc this-morning, via Omahu. En-route they, visited Mr. G. P. Donnelly at Otarafa, and whilst at Flaxmero tho party were entertained by Sir.Wm.. Russell. Tho Minister took a general view of tho property offered to tho Government, hut ho did not co over it. Ho subsequently visited the Frimley Canning Factory, and was shown over tno works by tho manager, Mr. E. Basil Jonos. ; At noon he received a combined deputation from tho Borough Council, Chamber of Commerce, and Farmers' Union, who made representations to him on tho questions of issuing workman's tickets hetwwn h»?tir.<:s and Napier, acquiring land in the district for closer settlement, tho prosecution of the East Const railway, thus connecting GisBorne and- Napierf tho accommodation at' the Hastings Railway Station, and tho making of a road between the Elsthorpo settlement aud Hastings. -■••./.'' Roferring to tho matter of issuing workmen's tickets the Minister stated, that it was_impossiblo to place the Hastings-Napier section on tho same footing as thoso sections in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland. In Wellington, for instance, largo numbers of /workmen availed themselves of the concessions, but hero the number was so small that it could not possibly pay. Ho could not understand why differences were mado in tho railway fares hero as compared with the.'charges made in.---otb.or parts' of tho Dominion, and ho would make representations' on tho subject./ ~ . With regard to closor-settlement, tho Government had purchased.a great deal of-land in Hawke's Bay, and they must 'remember that the Government' woro' bound by the amount (voted, them by Parliament. . The fruit of this district-had been alluded to, but he had seen in the Auckland province splendid orchards making handsome returns on land at 10s. per acre, and if a man could get .laud at 10s. or £1 per aero, and even at £5 per acre, ho would take that land in preference to tho expensive land in Hawke's Bay. Ho was in favour of acquiring land in Hawke's Bay : for dairying, and he would 'take' his share- of tho responsibility for, the purchase of land for this purpose. ." ; '..''".-. .-'-.'-

.• Regarding tho East Coast railway;, ho' recognised that an enormous tract.was lying waste between hero and ' Gisborno,.; but it. was not sound policy to make the railway now.because there were some other sections elsewhere uncompleted. They must remember that tho Government-' was bound dbwn to-a certain expenditure every year, and lie thought it '•' wrong ./to ' havo the country's money lying idle'in'these uncompleted railways. Ho- would not say .this railway was going to bo' started next year just for tho sake of pleasing them," but when other pressing work-was done tho "work would bo proceeded with in about three years. ' On tho subject of• tho Elsthorpo. Road, he said he would place' tho representations of tho deputation before the. Minister .for Roads. Ho had noticed nothing wrong with the railway station, and he alluded to tho unfortunate' spirit, of jealousy prevailing throughout the Dominion. When one town got an expensive railway station the lies* town wanted something .similar. He himself was. .against the building of'largo stations on tho. ground that tho money used should bo spent on pushing railways, into the interior. Residents in towns should remember all the advantages' tlicy possessed compared with tho/.back country ' settlers (who sometimes had to travel fifty miles over bad roads to a railway station), and should put up with a little inconvenience in'order to assist in getting railway communication ■through tho interior. : He noticed . that it was the same .here a-s in other towns,- the railway platform was overrun by tho public,' who had no concern there, to tho.impediment' of legitimate business. ,Ho /would , convoy their representations to the Minister. .. .The Minister left by, tho 3 p.m. train for. Danneyirk©. ,