HON. J. G. COATES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18511, 23 March 1922, Page 8

HON. J. G. COATES

ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN. HIS SOUTH ISLAND TOUR. The Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) arrived in Dunedin last evening after a tour down the West Coast and throughout Central Otago extending over nearly three weeks. The Minister and his party have done some hard travelling in that time over much rough country, portions of the journey being done by train and motor oar and other portions on horseback and on fool. ’Hie party left Nelson on Sunday, March 5. for Takaka, going by way of the apple lands and through the well-known Tasman country. They also visited the Kairuru marble where the stone was obtained for the erection of the new Parliamentary Buildings in Wellington, On the following day the Golden Bay Cement Company’s works at Torakohi were inspected, and also (he new iron works at Onakaka, where it is expected that smelting operations will be started in about a fortnight. These worksii have been so designed as to reduce labour costs to an absolute minimum, and consequently the management is very sanguine of success. Pakawau and Collingwood were next visited, and a little beyond Bainbam horses were obtained for the long ride to the Heaphy River, 'he party carrying their own provisions with them. The track was very much overgrown, and owing to delays, during which some amateur navvying and bush work had to bo done to clear the way, it was 11 p.m. before the Heaphy huts were reached. In all. some 15 hours were si ten t in the saddle that day. and over the last stages of the journey the horses hud to be led through the bush by candle-light. The members r.f the party had then fo set about the task of preparing a belated meal for themselves. 'Tile next day they set out to walk to Kokaikai. and thence on to Karamea, w here a banquet wa,s hold. Westport was reached at dark next day. and the party then (ravelled on to Grcymouth by way of Barrytown, passing en route tiic remains of (he first tram services in New Zealand in the towns of Shilstom and Brighton, which aio now no more owing to the encroachment, of the sea. Moana. Brunner, Mitchell’s and Kumara were next visited on route to Hokitika, and from Hokitika the party set out by motor for .South Westland, Portion of the journey to the Waitaha was accomplished by means of Messrs Stewart and Chapman's private railway, hut (his river was too high to cross, and the party was marooned. Eventually Hariliari was reached, and the next day, after being towed across the Little Wanganui, a halt was made for the night at Waiho. They followed a six days’ ride through South Westland, where some remarkably fine cattle country was seen, and over the Ilaast Pass. During this, portion of (ho journey bad weather and flooded rivers were frequently encountered. A halt was made at Alakaroro, and thence the party came cn to Dunedin by way of Pembroke. Hawea. Cromwell, Alexandra, Roxburgh, and Lawrence. DEPUTATION AT ROXBURGH. At Roxburgh the Minister was wailed on by a deputation consisting of the Mayor (Mr J. L. Rooney) and Alessrs John Bennetts and J. 11. Waigth, jun., and a number of others. Mr Bennctta urged the Minister to push forward the construction of ‘he railway line from Beaumont, to Miller’s Flat, pointing out that it would ttien begin to pay, and that it would be a great boon to the fruitgrowers and the farmers generally in getting out their produce. Mr Waigth, speaking on behalf of the Teviot Power, Board, made a request, for Government assistance in the raising of a loan to curry out their works. What they wanted, he said, was a loan of £IO,OOO to carry out the first section of the lino, which would supply three parts of the people with power, and this loan, he added, if obtained from the Government, could 1 e spread over some 3£ years. The Minister, in replying to Mr Bennetts, pointed out that this line had been continued as a means of relieving unemployment when many other railway works had been stopped. Some people had said that the ’vote for unemployment was not large enough, but if the position bo- ■ came worse the Government would do some thing further. —(Applause.) He was just as anxious as they were that once a line was started it should be completed. They need not be afraid that the work would oe stopped. It was making very satisfactory progress, and ho hoped to be able to continue that progress. —(Applause.) In reply to Mr Waigth, the Minister explained the efforts which the Government was making to raise a combined loan for the Power Boards. At present the Prime Minister did not consider the time opportune to go on the money market, and they were endeavouring to carry on with money from the Public Trust and other sources to keep the Power Boards going. He would consider their request when he returned to Wellington. RAILWAY LINE INSPECTED. From Roxburgh the Minister proceeded to Miller’s Flat, and from this point onwards the party followed the route of the proposed railway line' over an execrable road, necessitating tho assistance of a horse to pull the oars through some of the worst places. It was found that good progress had been made with the work from the Beaumont end, and that up to the present four miles of thd track were practically in readiness for the laying of the rails. TUAPEKA COUNTY REQUESTS. At Beaumont, Or M'Lellan (chairman of the Tuapeka County Council) placed before the Minister the necessity for making a larger grant for the* upkeep of the main road from Roxburgh. The council felt aggrieved, he said. That a greater sum had not been put on the Estimates for this road, especially as they had not received very much from the Government for some years'past. There was exceptionally heavy traffic on the road owing largely to the fact that it was tho outlet for. the fruit and produce from Roxburgh. Cr M'Lellan also asked that the vote of £IOO which had been spent on the road from Raes Junction to Edievale before the final authority had been obtained should be paid -over by tile Government as soon as possible. He further asked that the £SOO remaining on the. Estimates for the Heath’s deviation road should lie made available so that this road, upon which the council had already spWit £I3OO, might be put in order before the winter. 1 Cr M'Donald, representing the Teviot Riding, asked the Minister to authorise as soon as possible the payment into the riding account of the £6OO which had been granted consequent upon the subdivision of the Teviot Estate. . Air Coates, in reply, said that on nis return to Wellington he would again go into the question of the road from Rox burgh. In the meantime he would obtain a report from his officers. As to the request concerning the money for the Raes Junction to Edievale road he would look at the matter in as reasonable a light as possible. In connection with Heath’s road from Dunrobin to Moa Flat he suggested that tenders should be called at once and a recommendation forwarded to the distret office. Ho would then look into the matter and see what could be done to meet the position at ihe earliest moment. BRUCE COUNTY WANTS. In the Manuka Creek Gorge the Alinister was met by Cr Sheat. representing the Alount Stuart Hiding of tho Bruce County, who asked fen- assistance in the upkeep of six small bridges which were getting into disrepair on account of the heavy motor lorry traffic. The toad was only a riding road, and the riding was unable to maintain it. , .. The Minister said these matters were all a question of finance. He would suggest, as one means of lessening the wear-and-tear on the bridges, the county should limit the' loads ■ on the lorries. He would ask hia officers for a report on the matter. At Milton, Air Potter (county clerk) informed the Alinister that litigation was pending respecting the upkeep of the road from Wangaloa to Kaitangata. For a ureal many years this road, ■which was a clay road, had met the needs of the settlers, but several companies were now using it for the cartage of coal, with the result that it was in a very bad state. Legal proceedings had been instituted to place the matter on a proper footing by ascertaining whether the companies ghoidd pay royalties or a lump sum for tho upkeep of the road, and the rose would be heard at Balclutha on Monday. Air Potter went on to a«k the Minister to have the grant for Thompson's bridge reinstated on the Estimates. It had been on the Estimates for about 10 years without being expended, and last year it had b cen taken off. The Alinister said be would note wha. Mr Potter hart said respecting the Wangaloa road. After inspecting Thompson s bridge, he said he would obtain a report and let them, know his decision later. The Ministerial party reached Dunedin about 8 p.m. ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN. During the evening the Mayor (Air J. S. Douglas) and Cr W. Begg called at Winn’s Hotel and welcomed Air Coates to Dunedin. In the conversation which followed, the Alayor stated that the Electric Power and Lighting Committee of the City Council had decided that afternoon to recommend an expenditure of £26,000 on extension* at

Waipori. An expenditure of £BOOO for a new pipe line had already been approved by the council. The Mayor continued that he noticed that the Prime Minister had arranged for a certain amount of money to be provided to. meet unemployment during the coming winter. Tie presumed that they would get their share in Otago. The Minister stated that Otago would get its share. He asked what works were proposed in the event of unemployment becoming acute. The Mayor replied that ihe council hoped to see some extensions carried out on fneir tramway system. The Mayor and Cr Begg then withdrew. RETURNED SOLDIERS, Dr Harrison and Mr A. C. Laing waited on the Minister as a deputation from the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Dr Harrison said that there were 92 unemployed returned: soldiers on the books of the association at the present time. Ho asked whether the Minister could give these men any promise o£ work. They expected the position to become more acute, and especially so bccauso of the fact that there was a large number of immigrants coming into the dominion 'The majority of the men were out of work simply because of the shortage of work and not through any fault of their own. Mr Laing said that a number of men. were unemployed through the general trade depression. The Minister said they could find employment for the men if they liked to go to Roxburgh. They should lot Mr Campbell, the district public works engineer, know, and he could inform the Labour Department. The men could keep their own gang together. Tlie deputation thou thanked iho Minister and withdrew.