County’s Evidence To Steep Commission

Northern Advocate, 13 March 1948, Page 6

County’s Evidence To Steep Commission

A request that the Whangarei County Council submit evidence on county roading to the Royal Commission investigating the sheep industry in Northland was made by the chairman of a committee appointed by the Whangarei Sub-Provincial Executive of Federated Farmers (Mr A. Briscoe Moore).

The committee was preparing evidence on local conditions for submission to the commission, Mr Moore wrote.

“Sheep farmers in remote areas are concerned at the inadequacy of resources at the county’s disposal for the maintenance of roads,” he went on.

“My committee thinks your council would be the appropriate body to give detailed evidence concerning the impossible position with which counties are faced.”

“It appears that in connection with roading matters it would be very dnficult to establish a case,” said the county chairman (Mr J. Morrison) yesterday. “Whether the present state of roads is causing extra cartage costs or not it is hard to say. Hill-country farming, however, will in time affect the county’s revenue. “County councils all over New Zealand have great trouble making roads through country which has insufficient revenue with which to maintain them. ROADING AND PROGRESS “We should elect a representative to give evidence to the commission, but I think we should have No. 1 Ward represented if we have time.” Cr H. E. Hewlett: Roading in the backblocks is the most important and difficult part of the council’s work, yet progress depends on the roads in these areas.

Mr Hewlett mentioned thousands of acres of easy-workable land which should be made more accessible. He suggested that other counties should also appoint representatives to meet the commission. The chairman: This is a very important question, because if wet have good roads we can reckon that people will want to buy land where the good roads are. Good roads in an area will prove one of the greatest factors towards raising production.

Cr Hewlett and the chairman were elected to represent the council and to give evidence to the commission.