WAIROA MAORIS OBJECT TO TIMBER GOING TO MANGATU

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 6

WAIROA MAORIS OBJECT TO TIMBER GOING TO MANGATU

PREMIER CRITICAL

(S.R.) WAIROA. June 19. Criticism was indulged in by Mr. Fraser last night when he received a Maori deputation complaining of the action of the East Coast Commissioner, Mr. J. S- Jcssep, taking timber from this district to erect a building in an area where other supplies could be obtained. . , The deputation had waited on Mr. Fraser for the purpose of requesting him to allow timber to be made available from a mill in Wairoa County for able in erecting homes in this area. Timber which was being milled here was being sent out of the district and to this the Local Maoris objected. "Let me tell you about this, said the Prime Minister. "When I was last lr } Wairoa the Commissioner promised that sufficient timber would be made available here and that has not been done. The position then was that the Commissioner had the idea that timber from the local mill should be used to build homes at Mangatu. which was a bit off the beam altogether. “There is timber at Mangatu so why send more there. "The Sensible Tiling” "I talked to men whilst in the Gisborne district who agreed that the sensible thing would be to get timber from Motu and leave the timber available in this district here for any building required. Timber from Mangatu should siipply Mangatu and that in Wairoa supoly Wairoa. “We don’t want this district’s timber being taken up there, particularly now that the Te Whaiti road on the route to Rotorua is closed and the only way you can get it from there is by air, which is impossible.” Mr- S. Carroll, leader of the deputation: Can we be assured that you. will prevent the East Coast Commissioner from taking our timber? Mr. Fraser: Yes. And we will get the timber commissioner to assist, and if that is not sufficient we will call in the sergeant of police. It is very wrong to send your timber out of Wairoa. Maneatu does not require it. The East Coast Commissioner knows my opinion, and even if there is not a sufficient supply at Mangatu it is not to go from here.