PIONEERS’ PROGRESS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7851, 13 July 1911, Page 8

PIONEERS’ PROGRESS

BLAZED TRAIL TO RAILWAY fIUAT n' COSTS THE COUNTRY. THOU OUE SPECIAL EEPOETEE. KELSON. July 12. Dealing with the progress cf pioneer settlement from the point of view of demands upon the public works fund, the Hon. R. McKenzie (Minister of Public Works) told an audience at Wakefield tonight that the pioneers who blazed the trail usually got the worst of the bargraiii. After them came the pack track and sometimes the bullock track Unfortunately there wits thousands of highly-deserving pioneer settlors in New Zealand to-day who had not got the bullock track, and some hundreds of pioneer settlers who had not got the pack track. These were the men and women who Laid the foundations of civilisation in the bush backblocks. They were of the sturdy, independent type who were determined to make homes for ‘themselves , and provide for their declining years. They I were tho men and women the Liberal 'party had endeavoured, with the most uni qualified success, to place upon the land. I The most rabid of Tories could not deny this. (Applause.) The Government had not, however, related efforts. A great deal had been achieved, but a great deal more 1 required to bo accomplished, and the Govoi ament c ertainly intended to accomplish it and fulfil their mission in tho best ini torcsts of colonisation and the people of tho country. After the track came a narrow and very often crooked dray road, just good enough to permit of wheel traffic, invariably only during tho summer months As settlement progressed and thickened these roads were widened and the dangerous corners eased off ior safety. In the final stages of settlement they were converted into macadamised roads. Generally after tho pack came a post office, at first established la a country store or a settler's house. Then followed a school, at first very small, but requiring enlargement almost every year. Soon after tho school was well established a telegraph or a telephone office with an elaborate postal building and a local postmaster was urgently required ENTER. THE J.P. About this period a local constable and a few JJVs were considered an urgent necessity in that new settlement. Tnen a oonstaole’s residence and a lock-up wore required as soon as the constuhie got comsettled, and the J.F. commenced active operations in real .earnest, tdiey ; got dissatisfied, and there was a necessity lor a courthouse- After tho courthouse was erected the settlers began to realise that they were suffering from justices' justice. They required a magistrate and a clerk of the court, and ultimately a hospital and medical staff. FINALLY THE RAILWAY. In most of tires© settlements, about this period in their development, they . commenced to agitate for a railway, or if tuey were anywhere within a few miles of a fathom of salt water, tliey would certainly want a liar boar. Mr McKenzie said he wished, them to understand that a¥l these various matters he had mentioned were necessary adjuncts to prosperous and successful settlement, and that it was the duty ot cho Tub lie Works Department to provide most of them. He only mentioned them to recall to their memory the various requirements in settling a new country, between tho blazing of the' track and the completion of the railway, so that they might realise the vast sums of money required for the construction of necessary public works to provide reasonable facilities for developing the latent resources of a young country . -

ROAD CONSTRUCTION RECORD. Ho proposed to place before them what had been done during the last twenty years by the Liberal party towards opening up and developing the resources of New Zealand. On the construction of roads and . tracks, during that period there was spent £5,938,269, with, which was made dray roads 18338 miles), bridle tracks u 930), dray roads improved and metalled (8uS0), bridle tracks improved (2684), dray roads maintained 'yearly (2045), and bridle tracks maintained (1018). LAST YEAR'S PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE. The operations of tlie Public Works Department were certainly of an extensive and important' nature, covering, as they did, an expenditure of approximately £1,500,000 per annum. Last year the expenditure approximately was; Departmental £42,500. railway construction, £743,000 • roads etc., £335,000; water power and irrigation. £2600; public buildings, £200,000; light-house-3, harbours and harbour defence, £8500; Department of Goldfiekis, £10,8(jO :■ total. £1,400,000.