THE FLOODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13397, 28 January 1907, Page 8

THE FLOODS.

DAMAGE TO ROADS AND BRIDGES.

PREMIER PROMISES ASSISTANCE.

The question of Government assistance in the repairing of the damage caused to the roads and bridges in the recently flooded districts was brought under the notice of the Premier (Sir Joseph Ward) at Pukekohe on Saturday.

A deputation from the Pukekohe West Road Board headed by the chairman (Mr. E. West) approached the Premier on the matter, and pointed out the inability of the Board, out of its limited funds, to meet the necessary expenditure

Mr. W. F. Massey, M.H.R., who introduced the deputation, said he regretted that time would not permit of the Premier visiting some of the damaged areas. In many places the roads were completely destroyed and the bridges washed away.* It would take the whole of it year's rates to put the roads in repair, leaving the bridges out of the question. The people in the district were quite willing to do all that was possible to help themselves, and as an example he referred to a recent instance of 45 settlers forming a winking party for the purpose of rendering a damaged road passable Under the exceptional circumstances he thought that they were entitled to ask the Government for assistance.

Mr. Walter Johns said that in his district the settlers bad rated themselves to the extent of live farthings in the £1, in addition to special rates. Mr. A. Kidd, M.H.R., endorsed Mr. Massoy's remarks. It was impossible, he said, for the settlers to do anything out of the rates, which were already very high. The damage through the loss of grain in the Waiuku district amounted to a. considerable sum, in addition to the loss of the milk supply of many dairy herds for the season. The Premier expressed his sympathy with the unfortunate settlers, and said that the Government recognised that this was a case in which assistance should be given to those people who had suffered through damage to their means of communication. The Minister for Public Works already had the matter before him. and the necessary information was being obtained from the officers of that Department. In the course of a few days it -would be known what assistance would be required, and the Government would then contribute fairly towards the repairing of the roads and bridges. He would telegraph the Minister for Public Works further on the subject. Mr. Massey expressed pleasure at the Premier's statement. and said that the remarks just made applied not only to Pukekohe West, but to other districts, including Waiuku and the Raglan County. He had been informed by the Minister for Public Works that assistance would be given, and lie hoped it would be prompt. The Premier said there would be no unnecessary delay in the matter. A deputation from the Onewhero Road Board, headed by Mr. Baker, waited on the Premier with a similar request, and also asked that a previous promise of a subsidyoil a loan of £4000 should be carried out. It -was mentioned that the total rates on the district amounted to a fraction over 4{d iiy the £1. Sir Joseph stated that the nia.'*£ r would receive consideration. J

THE ' RAILWAY SEB^ The water is subsiding ~ ufc glow , m the Hooded area bet^ n Pokeno J . Uld Hunt y. and the filter of the rflil way line betweer thege bv * Q mls is still under wate r> -. The Railwav Department expect aWe to gefc - ins through to Mercer t: fQm th& Aucklanc s jde either to--fs'or to-morrow. The connecting steamer J&rvioe will then start from Mercer for the trip up the river and stop there on the way down. The trip will thus be accomplished in a much shorter time. Should the water recede sufficiently the Department also hope to be able to get through from Huntlv to Rangiriri to-day, leaving a total break of 13 miles. It is not yet certain as to when regular railway communication through to Frankton .and southern points will be resumed, but it is thought that it will be impossible to resume the service for at least a week, owing to the water going down so slowly.

The damage' to the Rototua-Auekland railway line by the recent heavy rains has necessitated: other means being resorted to of obtaining goods for Rotorua (says the Rotorua paper of Saturday, last) and this week teams have been, engaged bringing sugar and flour from Tauranga, So successfuf has this means proved that there is even- likelihood of the route being adopted in the future, and the Tauranga route becoming a. strong competitor with the railway. As a matter of fact, certain goods can be landed cheaper by means of cartage from Tauranga than by the railway direct from Auckland to Rotorua, and, some assert, with a greater certainty and more expeditiously. How is it done? Let the Minister for Railways reply. The flood water recently lying between Penrose and Ellerslie stations, and which caused so much inconvenience on the Great South Road, near Love's Hill, has subsided. ~ A meeting of the Raglan County Council was held at Ngaruawahia on Friday last to consider the question of damage by the recent floods. The engineer reported that the damage in the Onewhero Riding was £1650; Whangape Riding, £1350; and other portions of the county, £500. These sums only include absolutely necessary urgent works. It was decided that particulars be sent to the road engineers in accordance with the instructions from the Minister for Public Works, from whom assistance is expected. The strainin" the Council's finances to the utmost legal limit of the overdraft will only provide £1000. The clerk was instructed to sue for all outstanding rates, forthwith.