GETTING TO WORK.

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1919, Page 1

GETTING TO WORK.

A.X ERA OF ACTIVITY

CO.MJ.XG IX THE NORTH

As a forerunner of the Ooc. Roads Conference which was held in Auckland last night Mr V.trnon Reed, M.P., gave to the press v few interesting particulars of what scope thi» general movement has >n the Is'orth. He has confined his r*»inftfks to those matters which partici'arly affect hia own constituency.

Bay of Islands and Whangarba Loans. —The Bay of Inlands county was well served by railways, remark!ed 'Mr Reed, in proceeding to outline the Northern roading , programme, yet a scheme to metal 70 miles of roads at an expenditure of j'« many thou sands of pounds had ':een approved by a poll of ratepayers, and worn was due to commence at once. The programme, which v r ould take six years to complete, would include a metalled road from the freezing works' site near Kawakawa, extend ing through the rich lands of Pakaraka, Ohaeawai, Waimate, Okaihaii, Kaikohe, Mangakahia «vnd Waimatenui, and connecting , with the Kerikeri Plains on the east and Waiomio and Motatau on the south. The scheme would take the retailed road to the various county boundaries, and give, in conjunction with rail, river, and sea, exceptional trarsport facilities. The Whangaroa- county ratepayers, >Mr Reed stated, also approved of a loan of £IQ,OOO for tlje main rdad passing through that county, from the Bay of Islande. This would connect with the Bay of Tshnds county metal, and would give the Wha ngaroa county metallel road to the rail-head and the freezing! works. Mangonui and Hokiane'a Schemes. — Further north, said Vr Eeed. the western portion of the Mangxmiu county had recently sanctioned a road loan of £54,000 with which tj tar-seal some fifty m'les of road radiating from Kaitaia, and' connecting 'with the fertile districts of Vi)toria Valley, Fairburn, Kaiangarca, Waipapakauri, Awanui, Pnkepoto, and Herekino, This scheme., it was-- estimated, would take the county six

years to carry out. An arteriai road from Victoria Valley through Manganiuka and Ivangi.ihua to Oka - hau rail-head had undertaken jointly by the Mangonul and Hok'angia counties at an estimated cost of £18,000, to link up the metalled roads of the Mangonui, Hokiungai. and Bay of Islands counties. Iri the HoUianga county a former scheme involving'tlv-j expenditure of about £12,000. and connecting Kohukohu with Broadwood by Te Karae, on the north of the river, was nearing completion. On the south of the river, provision waj being made for the expenditure oi £40,000 to metal the road from Waimamakuy through Whlrinaki, Walme, and Taheke, to meet the Bay of Is lands county metalled road at Kaikohe.

Air Heed said he wcnild shortly meet settlers from the M&ngakahia riding of the Whangarei county to discuss a proposed expenditure of £36,000 to metal MangakahVi road from the Bay of Islands county boundary to Titoki, vvhere the metal from Whangarei would be reached

and which Ultimately would also connect "with the Hobson county metalled road system. On the east also the ©tonga riding , of the Whangarei county desired to disenss a proposed expenditure of £15,000 ro connect tire coast with Whnkapara.

Whangarei District -As before pointed out, Mr Reed has confined his reference to the .matter? affecting his own electorate, but it may be pointed out that with the otner ridings of Whangarei county the total application for loans for this body will aggregate £100,000 and over.

Each riding - is going carefully into the question of how will be required to put its roads in order ami rating arena will be formed to provide for the necessary loans. When this has been accomplished and the money expended the Whangarei county reading system will be well on a par with the importance of the North.

Land Settlement. —Thf-ve arc als > indications of a considerable move in land sales and it is expected that many large areas now locked up by Government will be made available for settlement. The oerupation of these waste spaces will make a wonderful difference in Ihe North and by the time the loan money has been spent the district from one end to another should present a very changed appearance. Hikurangi Swamp.--The proposed drainage of the Hikurangi swamp is also a work which desires more than passing , mention. The swamp at present covers about 33,000 acres of splendid land awaiting? use. Year after year the work of drainage ha 3 been delayed, but satisfactory progress is now assured. The boundaries of the rating area are defined and the engineers are at work. Therv fore •witih the completion of the roading- scheme this fine block should be added to the wealth, producing; power of the Jforth.

Deep Water.—The North will not be satisfied with roads a'oTie, however The Harbour Board ha-: initiated a scheme to borrow a considerable sum to improve the facilities of the hatbour. Direct shipping - js necessary to the proper expansiou of the district and the board proposes to give this. The first step wiu be to deepen the upper channel io the towa wharf and reclaim the existing mv! llats, thus serving- the dual purpose of improving - the harbour and making available valuable land. The period over which harbour improvement is likely to extend will depend upon the rate at''which the district develops. Railways.—lt is problematical whew the railway communication witli Auckland will be-established,-but* we may surely take it that.the time will not exceed the period suggested for the expenditure of roaring , and har-* bour loans. If such is the case the connection of Whanjfarei with Waipu, Dargaville, and Auckland should not lie beyond the dim and uncertain future. Given an acliye Governmenl many years shoulataot pass before the aim ie accomplished. With such a programme of development ahead it should not be hard »o imagine a bright future for the North. Those who have faith know-full well that, our resources will -fully, justify development. .