MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 May 1927, Page 4

MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS

VISIT TO SOUTH TARANAKI.

DEPUTATIONS RECEIVED.

The Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, accompanied by Jus private secretary, Mr. N. H. Hutchings, arrived in Hawera lost evening, was in town to-day, and will leave tomorrow morning lor Taumarunui. The Minister yesterday visited the Wiaitotara Volley Lower- Road beyond the Piranui bridge. . The Waitotara county, representatives waited on him and made an application tor provision on the estimates tor metalling their portion of the road. The settlers on the northern end also requested a grant for the w-idemng .and metalling of the northern part ot the road beyond the Piranui bridge. In regard to the latter request, the Minister promised to favourably consider the representations made. -the question of the metalling also received) consideration, the Minister stating that the Public Works Estimates for this year were being reviewed. REQUEST BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE A deputation consisting of Dr. . M. Thomson and Mr. J. W. Harding (representing the Hawera School Committee) waited upon the Munster tins morning and stressed the urgency o the reinstatement of the Hawera "SS.H. G. Dickie, M.P., introduced the deputation. . , Dr. Thomson -requested the Minister to stress to the Minister of Education the necessity of -providing new school buildings, on the grounds of the unsuitability of the existing one and the bad attendance resulting upon illhealth. caused by the unsuitable buildings. He pointed out that although the matter was placed sixth on the * list of projected works of the Taranaki Education Board, it was recognised to be the most urgent. Mr. Harding emphasised the unhygienic nature of the building. He said that he understood there was a surplus of £BO,OOO from last years education grant, and expressed the hope that it would be found possible that some assistance might be given towards tlie Hawera school. He stated that to-morrow the fifty-second anniversary of the opening of the school would be celebrated, and over 10,000 children had gone through the school, and there was now a roll number of between 700 apd 800. A large sum of money had been spent on the grounds. The Minister promised that he would see the Minister of Education, and if it were possible to grant the request, he assured the deputation that his department would proceed as soon as possible with the work. He expressed a desire to see the buildings. SOUTH ROAD CROSSING.

Messrs E. A. Pacey (Mayor of Hawera), J. B. Murdoch and T. Walsh (Hawera County Council) waited upon the Minister with a request for the expedition of the work of the elimination of the South road level crossing. Mr Paoey stated that the Borough Council was anxious that the work should be .proceeded with, and urged the aspect of it providing relief for a certain amount of unemployment which existed 1 at present. Mr Murdoch said that the crossing was. acknowledged to be one of the most dangerous in the district. The elimination would prove an expensive matter, as the locality did not lend itself readily to the alteration. He pointed out that the council had a considerable amount of work to do in the county, and that it was not in a position to contribute towards the cost of the elimination.

Mr E. Long (Waimate West County Council) considered: that the fairest method would ,be for tlie Railway Department and. the Highways Board to combine to do the work, as this would mean that the whole population would be called upon to contribute. The Minister, who expressed a desire to see the crossing, stated that he would communicate the representations to the Railway Department.

COMPENSATION FOR HIGHWAYS.

Mr E. Long, supported by Mr J. F. Stevenson (representing the Waimate West County Council), asked for some compensation in. view of the fact that the council had constructed its roads up to the main highways standard before the latter body had been constituted.

Mr Long stated that 10 years ago the council obtained authority to raise £65,000, of which £45,000 was expended for the construction of roads. As a result of this the ratepayers were, and would be for some time to come, paying a special rate of fivesixteenths of a penny in the pound, (vhich was felt to be a considerable burden. Whereas other local bodies had received assistance from the board for the construction of main highways, the council had had its roads constructed before and was not eligible for assistance. If the council had waited before carrying out the work it could have obtained £30,000. He felt that the council was entitled to some compensation, and when the council had interviewed the Prime Minister the latter had stated that the council had a good case. The Minister promised to favourably consider the representations. SKEET ROAD. Representatives of the Hawera and Waimate West County Council waited upon the Minister with a request that the Skeet Road should be constituted as a main highway. It was pointed out that road provided a direct route through the Egmont Waimate West, Hawera and Eltham Counties and there was a considerable amount of traffic on it.

The Minister promised to visit the road.

BANK RATE OF INTEREST.

A deputation from the Chamber of Commerce, Messrs. E. Dixon, W. A. Hewitt, B. C. Bennett, J. B. Murdoch and W. G. Walkley, waited upon the Minister in connection with the recent increase in the rate of bank: interest, but the proceeding was not open to the Press.