Kaitaia District Needs Placed Before Mr. Semple

Northern Advocate, 1 March 1939, Page 3

Kaitaia District Needs Placed Before Mr. Semple

| Deputations were received by Mr ; Semple in the council chambers, Kaitaia, during his visit. The Mini ister was welcomed on behalf of the town board, by Mr T. S. Houston, who congratulated him on the use of machinery in road construction.

Mr C. J. Barriball, who presided, extended a welcome on behalf of the Mangonui county and commended the Minister on his safety first campaign. State Highway.

Mr F. Holder spoke for the first deputation and asked that the State highway from Rangiahua to Kaitaia bo improved. Mr Holder also brought before the Minister the need for preserving the Mangamuka bush, which, it was suggested, should be treated as a memorial to the old settlers. Herekino Gorge Road,

Mr W. Vickers, in urging the need for the reconstruction of the Herekino Gorge road, said the road was dangerous, and though there had been no bad accidents there had been many narrow escapes. Diggers’ Valley. MV J. W. Hoskin asked for the reconstruction of the Diggers’ ValleyHerekino road. The road served a settlement of returned soldiers and a total of 25 farmers. The road was metalled right through, but it had been a rush job and there were only three or four inches of metal. Takahue Saddle. The need for opening up the Takahue Saddle road was dealt with by Mr E. F. Bradley, who said the road directly connected Takahue with Broadwood, crossing a hill of 800 or 900 feet. It could, on appearances, be opened up for about £IOO, while £SOO would put it in fairly good shape.

Takahue-Herekino Road,

The need for the reconstruction of the Takahue-Herekino road was urged upon the Minister by Mr J. McCullough. The road was used to a largo extent by Broadwood people and directly served 16 families and 100 people, said the speaker. Last year 125,0001bs of butterfat were produced by the settlers and this year the production would be much higher. The road was only nine feet wide. By straightening it, the length could be reduced by half-a-mile. A bridge was necessary over one creek. The road was one of the worst in the Mangonui county. . ,

Minister’s Reply.

The Hon. R. Semple expressed his thanks for the warm welcome he had received. It was his duty to familiarise himself with the reading system from the Bluff to North Cape, and he had had some experience in the Far North since he came. Picturesque language mingled with adjectives would be necessary to describe some of the roads. Anyhow, he had had a “rattling” good ride on some of them.

He could not describe them as roads. In modest language they were abominations, and it was surprising that such roads should be in existence in this modern age. He was not a man who made wild promises, and he was not a timeserving politician. He wanted to keep faith with the people and before making any promises wanted to make sure he could carry them out.

There was a tremendous amount of work to be done in the district. Before the population could increase and the land could produce as it ought, they had to have as a first essential a good reading system. Without that, in these days of power-driven cars and lorries, the community must suffer, and it had to ..be recognised that when the community suffered from a lack of facilities the nation also suffered because it depended on the maximum production from year to year.

Production was the spending power of the people, and if it could be increased they would automatically increase the incomes of the people. There was a Government responsibility, but associated with that was a community responsibility and that of local bodies. If any failed to contribute their quota towai’ds progi’ess, they were not in their rightful place in the scheme of things. Replying to the deputations, the Minister said a survey had been made of the Rangiahua-Kaitaia State highway. and the matter of improving this highway was now befoi’e the Highways Board and would be undertaken as finances would permit. Rome was not built in a day, and ho only did what was possible with the money voted from year to year. Up-to-date reading was an integral part of a defence system.

Diggers’ Valley road was a county road. Some money had been offered for this, but the county council could not take it up. Some works depended on the county council doing its share. The road would be considered in the order in which it is placed when the estimates are dealt with.

There was no money for use on the roads at present.' With regard to the Takahue Saddle, he had always found that where two counties were involved there was a great deal of trouble. He would get a report and ascertain whether the difficulties could not be overcome.

Referring to the Takahue-Herekino road, Mr Semple said a survey was in hand and the matter would come up for consideration in the next estimates.

In answer to the request that the Mangamuka bush be preserved, he said this matter was already in hand.