TOUR IN TARANAKI

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 May 1928, Page 11

TOUR IN TARANAKI

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

ROADS AND DRAINAGE.

MATTERS DISCUSSED AT AIANAIA

(By Telegraph—From Our Own Reporter.) * .. MANAIA, May 23. The, .Minister of Lands, the Hon. A. 0. McLeod, accompanied by the Hon. J. ■). Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, and Mr H. G. Dickie, ALP., felt Hawera this morning on a tour of the district embracing lUanaia, Opunake, Rohoitu, Paribaka, Kaponga, and B.tham. A stop was made at the Riverdaie dairy factory, where the plant Avals int j.eoted, and the party then proceeded to Manaia, where it was met by Mr innes (chairman of the Town Board), .Mr It. Long (chairman of the Waima.te i\e*t County Council, and officers and members’ of beta bodies. MANAIA DRAINAGE LOAN. Air Lines welcomed the visitors, and soul that the town had no special grievances to bring forward, but ’he voaid like to aisle both Ministers of the Crown to assist them, in obtaining an advance of LoUtH) necessary ior the completion of the town sewerage scheme. The work done so far had been carried out well within the estimated cost-, .and its completion was a real neoetosiity. Air Hawken explained to Air AicLeod that lie had tried in all quarters in Wellington to- get this loan, but ha,d failed.

The Hon. Mr McLeod, replying, thanked the representatives of the local ■ bodies for their welcome, and added that the fact that they had no 'special grievances showed that .they had been well represented in Parliament by their member, Mr Ha when. The whole iquestion of loans had been, taken out

:;f the hands of the- GoA’ernment by the .setting up of the Loans Board. That had been done deliberate,'y by the Government, and he did not care Avluut Government came into, power in future, it Avould not dare to depart from that policy. It was a great pity that the board h.«d not been set up years ago. (Hear. hear). The finances of the country Avould have been in much better shape had that been done,. Air Haw'ken said' in explanation that it was not the Local Bodies’ Lean Board which ivas responsible' for the rejection of the loan, but the State -Advances Loan Board. Air McLeod said l that lie di d not know the grounds upon which- the application : for a loan had been turned down, but | he knew it was a policy of the State Advances Department to lend its money for housing the workers. The Government took the responsibility for (that in the belief that it won hi be in the inlteross of the Avorkers and of the Dominion to make housing a a’ail able on easy conditions. He Avould confer with his colleagues in respect to the Tmvn Board’s application and would do what he could to a-ssist the local body. COMPENSATION FOR/ ROADS. Air E, Long also welcomed the Alinisters on behalf of the county. He said he was not there aei a. deputation, but lie would like to take advantage of the opportunity to a.sk Air McLeod's consideration, of the county’s application for compensation for Avork done- .in tarsealing roads out of rates prior to the operation of the Highways Act. In conclusion lie thanked both Air Hawken and Air Dickie for the assistance; they had given the deputations from the county Avhich had visited Wellington in this connection. GOVERNMENT APPRECIATION. Afr McLeod: ‘‘l can definitely say this: The Government does recognise what you people here have- done, for yourselves in regard to roads, and! it knows Avhat you are now (suffering. Jcan say • definitely th at Air Bow-ken had in Ms hands the making or breaking of' highways legislation. He -and I were called on to assist Air Coates, ithon. Alinistor of Public Works, in framing the 'egtslation. and Air Hawken pointed out what had been done in Taranaki for the roads out of rates, but be decided to .waive his objections, as the legislation was in the interests 1 of the Dominion as a, whole, Avith the promise that he would bring Taranaki’s claims for recognition before Cabinet in the future. If he had stuck to his objections the legislation would have gone In 7 the board 1 , for perhaps five vears.” Air AlcLeod and Air Hawken dis-'•-•issed in an informal way several questions! with representatives of the local (bodies before leaving for Opunake.