Polling Notheland Club of the

Northland Age, Volume 28, Issue 24, 9 March 1928, Page 7

Polling Notheland Club of the

Coi'iinuim, ; s Lur of rr id inmv A*ioaei A'len Bell, M.P., i the Parapara Road. Mr E. M. Cave on behalf of the settlers of Parapara, expressed the pleasure that they felt in..seeing the formation on part of their road put in hand. However, they were concerned about the culverting, about ten of x hich would be required, and they asked that there be put in at the earlies*: opportunity. Three European -ettlers and six Maoris : ad produced u,OOO lbs of cream 1 st season, and this over portion o the season they had had to convey five miles on a sledge. Replying, Colonel Bell said t u it it was settlers situated in the brcV blocks like those of Parap ira that he had during the past fi' years Made a special effort to assist and happily with good results. Their request for culiting was a reason*olebne and would commend it to the I lin.s'er. » Te Ahua Block. A number of Maoris met Col. l ell at Parapara and requested that the consolidation of the - . ativc lands in this district be f*ut in hand at an early date as trenaiives were desirous of extending their present dairying operations. They also asked t.iat the Parapara road be extended into «he Te Ahua block which they were desirous of trassing and opening up for dairying. Replying, Colonel Bell said »’ ’! he v is delighted with the uupport being given lo the native 1 ,nd consolidation scheme by the natives of the northern counties The question of expenditure de- i ;> nded almost entirely on the r über of officers employed on the consolidation staff, and he h id already written to the Native ,Iviinistcr requesting that ne augment the staff by three or four odicers. With regard to the road extension he would examine the position and advise them of his - conclusions. He assured them that it wasalways his pleasure to \ „<rk with their member Mr Tau JUnare.for the improvement of the conditions of the native race. Fern Flat Road. Messrs F. Rhodes, Jones and F nc : s, on behalf of the*settlers o) Fern Flat, complained of the <Hay in starting the metalling "%om the settlement to Peria. They considered that this portion of t he road should have been c mpleted before carrying on the extension to Wh.ngaroa and Mangamuka. Mr Rhodes said that he had lived in the district for forty-two years and for thirty years he bad been waiting for a metalled road. R plying,Colonel Bell said that * hen he had last visited them s <me four years ago he had promised that he was going to push on ’he construction of the road to Wliangaroa a- d Mrngamuka, | and 1 d also promised to have a b erected at the dangerous c .ss'ng at the Waikainga creek. T ese promises had been carried c r; to the Utter, Over.£Scoo had t en spent on the road in that short space of time, the formt’ enhud been practically com Y.'eted, three of the largest i budget, erected, and most of the I t .iber to complete the whole of' the bridges had now been cut, and'a start would be made with ti Jr ejection in about three months’ time. With regard to the a large stone c: ushing plant would be erected l,r next season and the work curried on with expedition. He urged that this was a businesslike proposal that should appeal to the settlers. He wished them torealise that he hud every symp thy with men whohadliye.d in a district for over forty years without metal, and h* wished them to realise that he was dev. ting the whole of his energies, and had done for years, to the work of pulliDg them out of the mud. Tbe then urged that

to, -y - tv ■ fiy •o ibe north *'d -W Wa kai iga bt.d.je b ullec! ’t once. Ihisportii *. . altno t ‘mpxcsable durin the rainy season. Reviving, Colonel Bell said shat as a result of the representations made to him recently by the women of Fern Flat he had examined the portion of road referred to. The request was an entirely reasonable one under the conditions and would not involve loss. The metal was on the spot and could be knapped and put on the road for 10s per >r less. He would have pleasure in commending this request to the Minister and could again assure the settlors that the ranjor scheme for metalling would be put in hand next season. Tha disability under which the Ferr Flat settlers hH suffered for over forty ye- re would then be removed.