ROADING THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 65

ROADING THE BACK BLOCKS.

PROTESr AGAINST DELAYS. . (Feom Oub Owm Corsesposdent.) WELLINGTON, October 19. The administration by . the Public Works Department of the funds provided for back-blocks roads was severely criticised by M,r Jennings in the House of Representatives this, evening. He .declared that unnecessary delays continually occurred between applications for expenditure and the authorising of the work by the Department. He knew of many instances in which this departmental delay had extended over two or three months, with the result in many cases that the work had to be postponed because bad weather, prevented its accomplishment. There were settlers in his district who had had nothing better than a 6ft track for 15 vears. The Hon. R. M'Kenzie : There are settlers in my district who have had nothing better for 40 years. Mr Jennings : Well, then, you are not a proper representative of the people. I am determined that my district shall, not suffer such conditions for 40 years. He added that the state of the roads prel vented the construction of telephone lines, and fcuggested a return to the system oi the Provincial Government regime, in which each district was provided for by its land board.