Visit of Minister of Public Works

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 31, 4 May 1934, Page 1

Visit of Minister of Public Works

County Council makes Many Requests

A full table of County Councillors and a large number of settlers, the largest gathering that had met the Minister since he commenced his tour of the North, so he said, waited on the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Bitchener, at the Council Chambers, Kaitaia, last Monday evening. The Member for the district, Mr. H. M. Rushworth, who was accompanying the Minister on his tour of the electorate, was also preseut, as were Departmental officers. In welcoming the Minister to the County, the Chairman, Cr. W. Vickers said that be hoped that the visit would prove of benefit to the ratepayers and to the Minister himself, as it enabled him to gain a first-hand knowledge of the wants of the North. As good weather had attended the Minister’s tour, Cr. Vickers hoped that the trip had been a pleasant one and so the Minister would be in a good humour to receive the Council’s requests. The first request was for £4,000 to complete the metalling of the TakahueHerekino Road. Last year it had bean proposed that the P.W.D. undertake t: is work and the County had agreed to contribute £IOO per year for five years, towards the cost, but owing to the state of the County finances this could not now be done. The majority of the farmers on this road were dairying and an all weather route was most necessary. The Council was finding it difficult to maintain existing roads without undertaking capital expenditure, and unless the Government materially assisted the County Council by way of grants, then the roads must suffer, and as this district was largely a dairying one difficulty maybe experienced in getting the cream to the factory. Cr. Thompson supported the Chairman in his request for a grant lor the Takaliue-Herekino road.

The next- road was that to Whangape, the Chairman stating that the Government had completed to within a mile of the ferry, and he asked that the road be finished to that point. The Chairman also asked for a grant to give access to Messrs Reid’s and Lunjevich’s sections on the Awaroa River. At present the only access was by river and to get stock out the men concerned had to trespass on neighbours’ property. The present road line was impracticable and a deviation was required. The set - lars concerned were prepared to assist to some extent.

Cr, W. Steed asked for a grant of £SOOO for the main road from Waipapakaui northwards. This was one of the few roads that lent itself to winter work, and as there would be a large number of unemployed in that area during the winter, these men could be employed on the work. The P.W.D. were at present doing good work on the road but the money available would soon be expended.

£2,200 was wanted to make the Wes t Coast Road an all weather route, said C). Steed. This road was extensively used by tourists and others as an access to the Ninety Mile Beach, and now that the beach was being used as a starting-point for trans-Tasman flights the need for repairs was more urgent. The Council's request had the support of the Automobile Association. “How much will they contribute to the cost?” interrupted the Minister.

“Settlers have been living on the Unalii Road for over 25 years and they deserve every consideration,” said Or. Steed when requesting £4OO to complete the metalling of this road. The need for continuing Cave’s access road to join with Duncan’s Road, was stressed by Cr. Matthews. If this were carried out then the distance that cream and goods from the port to the farm had to be oarted, would be greatly reduced. £5,000 was applied for by Cr. Matthews for work on the Awanui-Mangonui Road. This was a most important road but the Highways Board would not take over until it was metalled, and this work was quite beyond the Council as the estimata of the work was £20,000. When this road was metalled it would relieve traffic on the other main road. The Chairman and Cr. Garton supported Cr. Matthews’ request for a grant for this road as it was an important cream route.

Cr. F. Holder asked for a grant for metalling Price’s Road in the Kaita . Swamp Area. At present the road was almost impassable. This road would probably form part of the roading system for the Crown Lands in the Swamp Area, A grant for Fryer’s Road was also asked for by Cr. Holder, and in supporting this request Mr. D. Archibald senr. representing the settlers on the road, said that for five months of the year the settlers were blocked by mud. Some of the

residents on the road had been on their farms for nearly 25 years. Regarding the £54,000 loan and the Highways Board taking over this charge Cr. Holder said the money had been spent on highways before the Board came into operation and so it was only just that the Board take over the liability for repayment. The need for the de-rat-ing of farm lands was also stressed by Cr. Holder. Although men are desirous of settling under the Small Farm Scheme in this district, they are unable to get sections, said Cr. Holder. Another point raised by the speaker was that the Lands Department were nut doing all possible to assist returned men on the land but were in some oases putting them off their holdings. Cr. Thompson asked for a subsidy on tbe expenditure required to clear the Fairburn River of willows and debris. This request was supported by the Chairman, who said that tbe work was too big for the settlers to undertake without assistance. Good flats were being spoiled by continual flooding. The need for the metalling of Fisher’s Road was brought forward by Cr. Thompson and supported by Mr. O. Fisher, representing the settlers on the road. The land had been settled for over 20 years and the road formed but not maintained and metal was needed. The cream cart was using the road. Except for a grant of £IOO last year, the road had not received Government assistance. Mr. Biggwither endorsed the previous speaker’s remarks.

Snelgar’s Road, on which settlers had been about 30 years, also needed metalling, said Cr. Thompson, and Duncan's Road, on which a lot of Government money had been spent, needed tbe metal from each end linking up. In supporting these requests Mr. T. J. Coulter said that lying between tbe Fairburn Road and the Kaingaroa Road was about 40,000 to 50,000 acres of good land that was not through roaaed. Roads had been partly completed but needed linking up to allow cream lorries to go right through and not have to double back. This- applied to Duncan’s Road and to connecting links as Par ami i and Parapara. The Chairmen of Directors of the Dairy Companies operating in the area, Messrs C. B. Michie (Kaitaia) and J. W. Hoskin (Oruru) supported tbe request that these roads be completed, the latter stating that miles of formation and metalling would halve the length of one cream run. Mr. E. M. Cave, on behalf of the settlers on Cave’s access, Parapara Road, said that the completing of these connecting roads would save the settlers about 4/- per ton on cartage and about 15 miles on cream carting. Children that are not now able to go to school could do so. Mr. A. Snelgar, the oldest settler on Snelgar’s Road, having been settled for 31 years said that about 130 chains of tbe road needed metalling. This road bad received very little Government assistance. Cr, Garton said that he was in tbe unique position of not asking the Minister for money. Speaking in support of tbe de rating of farm lands, Cr. Garton said that if this measure was brought in then the difficulty of native rate collection would disappear. Another matter touched on by the speaker was the need for small camps of unemployed for the carrying out of roadworks. A grant for the widening of the OruruTaipa Road was asked for by Cr. Barriball, who said that this road was very narrow and dangerous for traffic. The need for a coat of metal over the few inches that were put down on the Fern Flat Road, was also stressed by Cr. Barribail, who supported the request that the Paranui Road be linked up with Duncan’s Road.

In reply to the various matters placed before him the Minister said that he was pleased with the large number of settlers that were present to meet him and in his whole tour of New Zealand the Mangonui County could claim the record for the numberof grants that had been requested. He would not promise anything, except that they would get a fair spin, and he suggested that the county councillors and their Engineer collaborate with the P.W.D. Engineer and place their requests in order of preference, as it was probable that no more, if as much, money would be available this year for road grants as last year. Regarding the West Coast Road, the Minister stated that he was concerned with giving settlers metalled road access, not with improving a road for tourists or for people to see a plane hop off, and so that road would not receive consideration from him. Regarding various matters raised that were outside his jurisdiction, the Minister said that he would place them before the proper authorities. In conclusion the County Chairman thanked the Hon. Bitchener for his patient hearing of their requests, which may appear big but it was to be remembered that their requirements were big.