UREWERA COUNTY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11702, 14 December 1923, Page 5

UREWERA COUNTY

ROADINC AND RAILROADING NATIVE MINISTER’S TOUR OF INSPECTION. AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. In connection with his recent tour of the East Coast of the North Island, the Hon. J. G. Coates (Alinister for Railways, Public Works, and Native Affairs) paid a visit to the Urewera Country. Tho Alinister was accompanied by Alessrs K. S. Williams. AI.P.. R. W. AloVilly (General Alanager for Railways). .Tones (assistant-engineer of the Railway Department), and Furkert (Engineer-in-Ohief of tho Public Works Department). The object of the trip was to ascertain the possibilities with regard to railroading and roading the district. The Urewera Country was entered at the Poverty Bay end, and the party proceeded via Manngapohatu to Waimana, in the Bay of Plenty. Speaking to a “Times” representative yesterday as to his impressions of the district, the Alinister said it was a most enjoyable tour, and he could recommend it to anyone in need of a healthful holiday. Air Coates added that, to his mind, the long, easy valleys of the Urewera Country offered wood facilities for roading or railways. If it were possible to run a railway from Afotu to Opotiki, then it would be a relatively easy matter to push a line through the country they had just seen. EAST COAST RAILWAY. Asked if it was likelv that the East Coast Alain Trunk railway, which has got as far as Afotu on the Gisborne side, would be taken through the Urewera Counlrv. the Minister replied that that, depended entirely on the results of the investigation made. It was not intended, in any case, he said, to take the railwav past Gisborne without touching that port. Any route must include Gisborne, he took it. G_isbourne must look to the south for its find, connection with the main railway system, for it would be a lone time before the line came through from the north'. Touching uoon the questiou of the relative importance of road and railway communication in the district., the Minister emuhasieed his conviction that mads afforded access to the backblocks and alleviated the bad conditions under which the pioneers had been labouring for manv years, and were more necessarv than trunk lines. If they gave the bacl-hlookers access roads, development, wmdd be assured. TIMBER CONSERVATION. With reference to the possibilities of pastoral development of the Urewera Country, the Minister expressed himself as doubtful whether it could ever be made a success. He judged it to be far from first-class land, and that it would only prove successful in the hands of men of long experience in the bush and with some capital. He had noticed some very fine patches, but a man could not- force a living from the little flats end terraces. It was an open question whether it would not be more farsoeing to leave tho block in its virgin state, for the timber growing there would, one day have a big value — everv stick of it. He pointed out that in the Old World afforestation had been reduced to so certain a science that every 80 acres of forest was capable of supporting a family. The time would come when the timber supplies of New Zealand would bo so far reduced as to absolutely enforce the conservation cf such forests as the Urewera held. ROADING PROBLEMS. As to roading the Urewera, the Government had undertaken certain lesocnsibilitieo in connection with the Urewera consolidation agreement, including the formation of a road to Tawliana flat and the opening up of a. track further into the bush; and eventually no doubt the road would be carried right through to the East Coast. The surveyors were now at work investigating all likely outlets towards Poverty Bay and Hawke’s Bay. ATTITUDE OF RUA. He expressed his pleasure at the fact that Rua, from whom some difficulty might have been expected, had taken up a helpful attitude in regard to the consolidation, and development of the Urewera Country, and displayed a very keen appreciation of the value ol roading.