MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 17 March 1914, Page 4

MINISTERIAL VISIT.

HON. MR HERRIES IN HAWERA

THE WAINGONGORO BEACH.

.The Hon. Mr Hemes, Minister for Railways and Native Affairs, accompanied by his private secretary (Mr L Johnston) and Mr G. V. Pearce M P ' arrived in Hawera from Wellington by the express train on Monday evening. The Minister was met at the sta- \\ OU i y *he Mayor (Mr A.W .Gillies), Mr B. McCarthy, and Mr E. Barton (representing the Ohawe Domain Board)- . After the formal introduction the Minister was motored to the Wa'ingongoro beach, where Messrs J Livingston and J. Finlav (also members of the Domain Board) joined in the party. The Mayor then addressed the Minister, asking him to bring under the notice of the Government the advisableness of purchasing under the Act of last session a portion of the Native Reserve for the purpose of having it vested in a local authority as a health and recreation resort for the residents of Hawera and of the surrounding district. The Mayor pointed out that the \Vamgongoro beach was practically the only seaside resort available for this district, and that it was patronised by large numbers of people, and that on some days there were six hundred persons there. If a portion of the reserve was vested in a local authority, and the Ohawe Domain Board had agreed to accept the control of the beach, if given an opportunity, several important improvements could'be carried out, and the spot made attractive to visitors. If the Ohawe Domain Board were given power to control the locality its powers of usefulness could be enlarged and it would be able to receive revenue by leasing sections, which could be used in connection with the beach. Had the Board had that authority over the beach the Borough Council would this year have been prepared to give a subsidy towards keeping the beach in order.

Mr Hemes remarked that the beach did not look attractive for bathing The Mayor pointed out that it was quite suitable for bathing, and that there was a nice .sandy stretch. Mr Pearce said that between six and seven thousand people visited the beach every year. In a few years the beach would h& a valuable asset to the district, and he thought the Government could very well acquire a por tion of the native reserve, and that no harm would be done to the natives as a piece could be retained for them' Ihey would still be able to retain their fishing rights. The Minister pointed out that he could not purchase the land, as it was vested m the Public Trustee. Mr Pearce said that there would be no necessity to purchase the whole of the reserve, and he was of the opinion that it would not be right to acquire the whole of the land. Mr Barton supported the Mayor and showed thaEthe beach was the'holiday re!°, rt (or the people of the district. lhe Minister, in his reply, said he would do what he could in the matter and would look into the whole position and obtain a report from the Public Trustee. A QUESTION OF TARIFF. The Mayor, at the request of tht Hawera Borough Council, brought under the notice of the Minister an anomaly which existed in the railwa 5 tariff as applied to tar and tarvia, His Worship gave the Minister s written statement as follows: — Tarvia and railway freight- Previously charged as Class N., 17s 8d Pf r ton;.now charged as Class D., £] lbs lid per ton, Present consignmeni 148 tons 2cwt 2qrs: Freight at Class ?• jf.on2^ 8s $&i frei Sht at. Class N is £130 17s; difference, £142 lis 8d Tarvia has on previous occasions (two' been treated as tar. The tariff specr ally provided concession to local bodie« m respect of* road metal and tar, viz.: 'Road metal and tar for use of loca bodies: Road metal, scoria, boulders shingle, gravel, and. other materials foi road-making, consigned to and for the use of public bodies in lots of not less than ten tons, carried at the convenience of the Railway Department, wil be charged at half the classified rates /or Class Q; minimum charge Is 9c , per ton. Tar in five ton lots consignI ed to and for the use of local bodies will be charged Class N. ; minimum charge 2s 6d per ton." If tarvia had not been treated as tar it would, we assume, have come under a lowei tariff viz., Class Q as "other materials for roadrmaying." Fresh regulations have, we are informed, recently been made specially assessing tarvia as Class D. Tarvia is distilled tar, and exactly the same to handle as ordinary tar Unless tar is properly distilled, the lasting properties of asphalted roads suffer very materially. Distilled tar is not procurable in the Dominion and has to be imported. This Council is procuring a considerable quantity of tarvia lor loan works, this lot being the first consignment for such special works, and at the time loan arrange ments were made freight was 17s 8d per ton. Tarvia has so far been very little used in the Dominion, and Hawera is the only local body to employ same m road-making to any considerable extent, and being, distant 205 miles from Wellington/the increased tarift means a heavy and unlooked for mven,°-? tlle ratepayers and Council Ihe« Minister replied that the whole question of railway tariff was being reviewed by the General Manager of Railways with the obiect of having anomalies removed, and the request of the Borough Council would be carelully considered.

NATIVE RATES. Onn-£ ePr teti<? i fl-ora. .^e Hawera County Council, comprising Crs Goodiand (chairman), Murdoch, and the SK^ -A; Mu^ridge) waited upon the Minister with reference to the collection of native rates. * ihe Chairman stated that the county had been endeavoring for some time past to collect the native rates through the Public Trustee. He pointed out that under recent legislation it was generally understood that the Public Irustee would collect these rates for ■•TW°°" y ft° vu *cils > but the Pußlic Irustee practically repudiated liability. »no! Mlmster gave the deputation an assurance that the Act of last session ma de the Public Trustee liable tor the collection of the rates, and he suggested that unless there was a flaw m the Act, the Council should take proceedings against the Trustee as hST If-fT fee^^ct the* native land., If this could not be done, then he would have the law amended' so as to ensure the Council being able .to coUect the rates without any difficulty. Ihe deputation also referred to the Minister tho growth of gorse and noxious weeds ou the roads facing native lands, and asking that something be done to eradicate- these weeds the Mmister's reply was similar to that given in tho previous matter Ihe deputation aho approm-hod the Minister with regard to the Waingongoro beach, and ho promised to ' do i what he could for the wishes of tho people in tho matter. I

SHORTAGE OE TRUCKS. Mr G. V Pearce, M.l\, personally brought under the notice of the Minister the shortage of trucks and the inconvenience caused thereby.

aso-«f T.o ? there was a shortft^ft:Tft iftiy yvma}sthh PariliaK. afterwards visit office bvAlv - ,' c-lmvn Board Town Boa?cl) -§ r r,¥ ft,T °f.^ e man of the \v\iL}^f.^^PS. chairCouncil, and Crs T A nft can Scott -mrl n i v ,Br,dS e. DunWilk^ affV D'a„d^iS?^ Ur£ f