HIS FIRST VISIT. MINISTER OF LANDS ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 2

HIS FIRST VISIT. MINISTER OF LANDS ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS. NO SPECULATORS WANTED. OHAKUNE'S SENSIBLE REQUEST. [By Telegraph.] (From Out Special Reporter.) TAIHAPE, This Day. The Hon. R. M'Nab, Minister for Lands, reached Taihape last evening, after hiving como over the Main Trunk line for the first tims. 110 wr.s accompanied by Messrs. Jennings and Remington, M.P.'s, Mi 1 . Ritchie, Sccietaiy for Agriculture, and Mr. Black, private secretary. To a representative of The Post the Minister gave an interesting account of his trip. He was charmed uith the scenery, and holds a very high opinion of much of the land along the route. "After leaving Waerenga Experimental Faim on Tuesday," said the hon. gentleman, "I pushed on to Te Kuiti where deputations occupied my attention for a couple of hours, then our party wore hooked on_to tha goods train to Tauma/unui, landing there late in the evening. At Taumarunui a list of deputations was tho order of the day, chiefly dealing with the conditions which surrounded the native townships and, of course, tho perennial road question. There was also a deputation on the subject of rafting on the Wanganui River endeavouring to induce the Government to reduce the amount of tho bond £10,000 required to bo executed beforo rafting is allowed on tho river. Most of the matters dealt with on the Tuesday were outside- of my department. Wednesday morning an caily start was made at tho Government sawmill at Kakahi, which was inspected.'" LAND TO BE SET ASIDE. Along the lino several deputations met the Minister, chieliy from men employed at the sawmills and on ths railv ay construction works, asking that land should be set aside in the vicinity to enablo them, when the railv/Ry works were completed, to take up sections. The Minister stated that the Government was pledged to adopt this course, and the department was engaged in ascertaining suitable areas and in making other piovHon, and he hoped at an early date to intimate ths blocks selected and put (ho men in the way of getting land so that they would not be required to leave the district, for which they had taken a fancy, after working on tho line. ALONG THE ROADS. At the rail head Waimarino the coach from Kaetihi met the party, and drove, via Horopito, where a deputation of residents met the Minister, and brought under his notioo the want of telephone facilities and matters connected with the roading of villago sections about to be opened. The party left the main road and drove fiom Horopito to Raetihi, taking advantage of the few hours of daylight which remained. Fresh traps wero obtained, and a visit was paid to the Ohurn Valley, a distance of ten miles, tc en-iblc the Minister to ' realiso tho jlass of country in that locality. A number of the farmers were met, and were interrogated as to the carrying capacity of tho land and their prospo'cts generally. All tho roads except those which had been constructed by th© Public Works ■Department in connection with the railway works were found to n .jk* fairly gr>od summer roads, and showed every indication of being next door to impiussnblo in winter. ' In tho p\ f enin» deputations from the Town Board of Kaelihi and tho County Council brought' under th-a notice of the Minister road construction in tho locality, postal facilities, and the necessity for cutting up some of the native, lands in the vicinity. On Thursday morning horses were saddled, and a visit 'was paid to the Parapara-ioad, Ohutu block, on the stock road through to Wanganui, which the sottlsrs desired should be opened up. Tho Minister expressed to the settlers his opinion that until the railway was running and the permanent lines of traffic developed, tho full resources of the district should be directed rather to establishing iirst-clasy connection with the stations on tho railway line than openiug up tho tracks through, the back country which might afterwards prove to bs out of place. ( At midday the Minister and his* party wero the guests of the Ohakune Progressive As-ociation at a public luncheon.. After tho luncheon speeches acre delivered by the Minister and by Messrs. llcmington and Jennings. A very pleasant two-hours function preceded the departure of tho party to catch the Public \vorks train at Ohakune.