SETTLERS' NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22946, 26 January 1938, Page 14

SETTLERS' NEEDS

COEOMANDEL COUNTY ROAD ACCESS DIFFICULTIES \ « REQUESTS MADE TO MINISTER . [by telegraph—own corukspondent] "WHITIANGA, Tuesday The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. 11. Semple, continuing his tour of, the Coromandel Peninsula, left Coromandel to visit Colville, Port Charles and Port Jackson early this morning. Mr. A. Denize said that most of tho settlors at Port Charles had for 40 years brought their supplies from Auckland by launch and had suffered much hardship by the want of connection with the outside road. The matter of completing the present road to Carey's Bay and to Sandy Bay, with access to the school was mentioned by Mr. Denize. The estimated cost was £SOO. The road could bo soon from tho launch on which the Minister was to g<a to Port Jackson. Mention was made of tho Cape Road to serve two isolated settlers, £7OO having been spent on it.

Urgent Needs First Mr. Semple said that £SOO had been provided in next year's programme under tho five-year plan, but with the co-operation of the county, which knew more of tho needs than the Government, thev could have the work advanced. The Government was not anxious to be rigidly tied to schedule, and if the settlers thought they had priority they could endeavour to influence council members. In any case tho urgent needs would come first. Mr. Semple said he would order the completion of Carey's Road where the department's men were in the district. The other matters, particularly the road to the school, would have urgent consideration. Itinerary Altered The schedule mapped out for tho Minister's itinerary could not be adhered to owing to rain. The official cars which conveyed the party to Port Charles were to recross the peninsula and take tho western coast road to Port Jackson, which is near Cape Colville, where the Ministerial party was to land by launch. The rain caused Hooding at Ward's Creek, below the quarries, and the cars could not reach their destination. The Minister left Port Charles by launch and alter viewing Sandy Bay went round the Pinnacles to Fletcher's and then to Port Jackson, a distance of 15 miles pa.st rugged sea coast. Heavy rain squalls set in before reaching Port Jackson, but cleared. Isolated Settlers Mr. Balfour Dawson, a very isolated settler at the Pinnacles, asked the Minister' to give assistance to him and two other settlers who had no road access at all. They had to depend on water transport, but were on highlyproductive land capable of carrying two to two and a-lialf sheep to the acre when brought in. They had no means of taking their sick to the hospital except by boat, which it was impossible to use in heavy weather. The four to five miles of road asked for was really a continuation of the Col-ville-Port Jackson Road. There were eight fords necessary as well as two bridges. Tno Minister said the road would cost approximately £BOOO and was listed for commencement in two years. He advised the settlers to approach the county and ask for it to be made an urgent work. Programme for To-day The Minister then left by launch to connect with the cars at Ward's Creek, but on arrival there" two hours later found it ; impossible to land and a course was set for Otavitu, in Colville Bay. The party dined at Coromandel anil arrived at Mercury Bay to attend a function arranged by the Whitianga branch of the Labour' Party. Mr. Semple will inspect tho Hahei Road, just completed, to Whitianga Ferry, to-morrow. Ho will motor to Hare's Landing and then leave for Tairua and Hikuai, where several deputations will wait on him. It is expected that he will be able to go to Puketui to see the eastern end of the Tairua Road, From there he will go, to Whangameta and Wafhi, where he will spend tho night.