NEEDS OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 25

NEEDS OF OTAGO.

PLACED BEFORE LEGISLATORS SYMPATHETIC RECEPTION. The annual pro-sessional meeting organised by the Otago Expansion League with local members of Parliament took place in the Somerset Lounge on Friday evening. Mr S. B. MacDonald, president of the league, presided over a large attendance representative of the principal public bodies in the province. The members of Parliament present were the Hons. G. M. Thomson, D. T. Fleming, and M. Cohen, M.L.U.’*, the Hon. C. E. Stalh&m and Messrs T. K. Sidey, J. Horn, J. M. Dickson, 11, L. Tapley, and F. Waite, M.P.’a. Apologies were received from the Hon. R. Scott and Mr J. Bitehener, M.P. CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS. In the coarse of his opening remarks the Chairman said was only seemly when they had met to make requests for fresh services from their representatives in Parliament that they should review the past and give credit to the members for the work they had accomplished. One of the requests previously made was the support of the extension of the irrigation area to the Arrowtown-Frankton district, a work which Mr James Horn had so consistently advocated. The representations made were put forward to assist in pressing on this work .and their congratulations wore due to Mr Horn for the success attained Another proposal which the league had advocated for years—the extension of the Lawrence railway to Roxburgh—was nearing completion to the satisfaction of the settlers and, they trusted, to the improvement of the great fruit industry of the Teviot. That hardy annual, the new Post Office, was about to blossom into actual growth, as the Prime Minister recently gave a deputation fron ) the league and the Chamber of Commerce a definite promise that the ’work would be undertaken before the end of the present financial year. While they have no doubt that the Prime Minister would carry out his pledge they suggested that the local members might induce him to hasten the happy day The duplication and realignment of the railway on the harbour side had also been undertaken as the result of their combined labours, but this matter and others pertaining to suburban traffic would be brought before them again. Me regretted to report that the arrangement made with the Prime Minister and the Public Works Department regarding the Clutha County's share of the cost of the Balclutha-Clydevale road had not been carried out. He felt sure they would give the subject their united attention and urge the fulfilment of the bargain made last year between the deputation and the Government. Ihe recent close of the Exhibition made this a fitting time to express the thanks of the community to the State Departments most closely interested therein—railways, Post Office, and commerce and industries. The handling of the vast passenger traffic without accident or undue delay hail been greatly appreciated, as well as the work of Mr West (district traffic manager) and Mr Ben/one (district engineer). The work of the Postal Department, especially in the Exhibition, won universal praise, while the Commerce and Industries Department, under Mr Collins and Mr Johnston, was responsible for the magnificent departmental display. Their own instructor in agriculture, whose unsurpassed exhibit of fodder plants was the mecca of every visiting farmer, deserved the thanks of the whole community, and those who knew and appreciated Mr Tenuent’s services desired to record them. The vexed question of South Island tourist traffic had been forcibly brought 1.0 their notice by the agent recently appointed in Auckland to represent the South Island. Visitors arrived in the North with no knowlewge of the South Island whatever, and had no time to spare fqr an extended visit. The cure for this was that the traveller must be told at the oilier end. and the best method apparently would be to station an officer of the Tourist Department in the new office of the High Commissioner in London, an officer competent to advise and outline towns to suit the time and money which the traveller was willing to expend. Once fairly established a smilar officer should be stationed in other centres like New York. San Francisco. or wherever a New Zealand Government office was established. FRUIT EXPORT Mr 11. Turner said that there were three matters ha wanted to place before the Ctago mem bars. Firstly, he understood tfyat legislation was coming forward in regard to an Empowering Bill for the HarlWt Board for wharf extension. This had an important bearing on the fruit industry, efoecially in the cool storage and shipping <f frv.it. He asked the members to do all in their power to help this legislation through and so secure conditions something., like those at Wellington. The time would probably come when shipping companies would refine to take fruit unless they were pre-oooled. He understood also that part of that loan waa for deepening, and this would also do a great deal to assist their industry in supplying more waterfront accommodation. The second matter related to fruitshops. It was reported that legislation had been proposed to close fruit-shops at six o'clock. The industry, he contended, bad qsite enough handicaps without that additional one. If that suggestion were carried iijto effect it would be a disaster. Then there was the Fruit Control Act, for which they had much to thank the members. At present, however, 70 per cent, of exporters by vote could exclude their province from the operation of the Act. Ninety per cent. Otago people voted to exclude their province. Lie heard that there was a move to have tlm regulations so altered that a SO per cent, vote could bring them under the Act. That soemod to him to bo maniftttly unfair, and he would ask the memiSi that, if that were brought forward, to them by protecting their industries an this respect. SUBURBAN RAILWAY N IMPROVEMENTS. Mr Q. J. Krrington spoke on the subject of suburban railway improvements, fUul began by thanking member* of ParIjftuppnt for their efforts in this matter. was already going on as far AHvMrfchs, arid their eventual goal was

Port Chalmers. He thought the time was opportune for urging that more men should be put on the section from Ravensbourne to Burkes, liich would expedite the work cad help to absorb some of the unemployed. At present the people along the line were agitating for late trains every night. The I’epartraent took up the attitude that these trains did not pay, and it seemed to many of them that fresh methods would have to be introduced. He saw that new types of petrol car were being tried out elsewhere in the South Island, and he tiiought they should be tried on the Port Chalmers line. He thought a car to seat 60 would be sufficient to handle the quarter past 10 and quarter past 11 traffic. He thought members should try and get one of these cars N to cater for this late traffic. It was a big ritvance down the line that the trains they had before the war had not yet been reinstated. BALCLUTHA-CLYDEVALE ROAD. Mr J. Mosley (Clutha County Council) referred to *he question of the BalcluthaClydevale road. He stated that he represented a district comprising 25,000 acres of the best land in Otago carrying a population of only 300 people. It should carry three or four times the number. It was served t present by the Clutha River service, which was unsatisfactory owing to shoaling in the river. There was an authorisation for a railway, but the people on the two sides of the river fought against each other. Mr Coates suggested that if a road were accepted, a road instead of a railway, he would see what could be done, and the people agreed to that course. The people Itad taken steps to raise the money they had promised to raise, and they looked to the Prime Minister to redeem his promise. The railway would have cost £270,000. If the Government could give «ood roads at a smaller cost it was its duty to do so. The projected road could be built at a cost of some £33.000. If the road were made it was proposed to take it right into Balclutha, which would be protected against the inroads of the river. This road would add tremendously to the wellbeing of Balclutha, and would protect the public property there. The people of Balclutha were associated with them in raising the necessary money (£5000). At present they had no road except the difficult one from Clydevale to Waiwera, on which the grade was one in eight, and which took them further away from their market town (Balclutha) than when they started. The road advocated would be ot immense value to the fruitgrowers of Central Otago. Near the Blue Mountains there was the finest scenery in Otago, which was not taken advantage of as it should be. afforestation. In the course of some remarks on afforestation. Mr W. B. Steel said: It did not need any great prophetic vision to bo aide b> forecast the dearth of timber, especially soft timlier, in this country during the next generation. There was only one method by which that evil day might in some manner be warded off, and that was by a systematic and vigorous policy of tree-planting. The general public was already aware of the coming famine, and the readiness with which shares were being taken up in limited liability companies formed for the purpose of tree-planting and rearing was proof of that. But this was a task beyond the scope of the ordinary individual, as the period taken for trees to grow from seedlings into marketable timber was too long for the allotted span of human life, and anyone who invested either in companies or by private effort was building up only for his heirs and assigns. Afforestation was a State or a communal proposition, and it was as such that it was put forward. The State forestry service since its inauguration had done great service, and it could do even greater good with the support an I encouragement of Parliament. Already its fostering care was lieing clearly shown in the conservation of native bush areas and their method of timher selection whereby only mature trees were felled and the growth of others accelerated was showing how they could in the future both eat their cake and have it. They had also shown praiseworthy effort in tree-planting j in various places, and it was really with l the hope of increasing greatly the amount of such reafforestation that the league put forward the proposal which had received the sanction and approval of the recent conference of South Island leagues—viz., “That a policy of tree-planting on disused mining claims and other waste lands be inaugurated by the State Forestry Department or a system of subsidising local bodies prepared to undertake the work be arranged by the department.’' The speaker referred to the fine display made by the Dunedin City Corporation in the timber exhibit at the Otago Court. There were shown logs of sawn timber varying in age from 35 years downwards, with specimen of the uses to which such wood could readily and locally be put, and statistics to show that over 3,000,000 trees had lieen planted, while during the coming years a great forest reserve would l»e built up along the hill slopes above Lake Mahinerangi on the Waipori watershed. It was work like this that they wanted to see attempted by every local body with waste land in its territory, and few there were who have not such places—deserts of broom, gorse, scrub, and every noxious weed —a menace to the surrounding farms and n harbourage for vermin. Let these b*» utilised for this purpose, and their grand children will rise up and roll us blessed. Action must be immediate if it was to be effective. If they must leave to posterity a burden of debt to be liquidated let them also give them assets of such perennial value as would enable the.m to bear as though it were a feather-weight the load which public works and foreign wars had piled upon them. MOTORISTS’ REQUEST’S. Mr A. E. Ansel I, representing the Otago Motor Club, dealt with the subject of main highways and other matter of special concern to motorists. Generally speaking, motorists were pleased with tne progress now being made, but they thought there was still room for improvement. Thoy thought secondary roads might receive some assistance from the Highways Board. They understood it was a matter of finuice. Our roads', generally speaking, were improving, and he congratulated those county oouncils that* were doing their best to fall in with the demands of modern progress. They would like to see every assistance given to suoh councils, and, on the other hand, the county councils that refused to move should be compelled by the Government to <tis>

charge their responsibilities. '[’here was only a certain amount of sense in the statement that the users should pay for the road. Personally, he believed that the Highways Board was a success. If their members could _ get assistance for tho secondary roads it would be much appreciated by the Motor Associations. 'Jliey objected to the suggestions from the North Island that any other body than the Government should have anything to do with the levying of taxes. They aid not object to paying more, provided it was expended wisely and effectively. The motorists who contributed half the money spent on the main roads wanted their half, at all events, spent scientifically. He wished to refer also to the danger of railway crossings. They claimed that where it was at all reasonable motorists should have a clear view of the line. There were many crossings where that was not so. There were some motorists, of course, to whom this would not be of assistance. With such they had no sympathy. They suggested also, that railway alarm bells should he at a greater distance, say 30 or 40 feet, away from the crossing, where they would give longer warning. I’hey thought improvements could also be made in the distance at which engine whistles were sounded. Cyclists should be compelled to carry red reflectors on their machines. Some people would rather risk their lives than spend a |hilling. Even dimmed motor lights would pick up the red reflector and protect the motorist. lie thought it should be compulsory to use these, and he could not understand why the Government had not made it so before. The Dunedin City Council had recently adopted a rule making it imperative to give way to traffic coming in from the right. He congratulated the council on this progressive step, which was certainly a great improvement, and if it were made universal it would be a big factor in eliminating accidents. In the city a man had to be a fairly good driver to get a license, but in the country almost anyone could get one. He thought it was necessary to have a high test of. efficiency before a man was allowed on the highways. He thought that the licensing should be under the control of the police. Mr Coates had agreed that the police were the proper party to control it, but they wanied so much money for doing so that Mr Coates was going to turn it down. The matter of third party insurance had been engaging their attention. There had been cases in which a man responsible for a fatal accident had failed to contribute anything to the widow and orphans. The time had come when the Government should favourably consider making every driver carry an insurance cover up to £IOOO. STEAMSHIP COMM UNICATION. Mr H, C. Campbell, representing the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, dealt with the subject of steamship communication with Australia and the Islands. .‘ We have practically none,” he said. “We get a visit by the Manuka once every three weeks from Melbourne. There rs also a cargo service between Sydney and the South Island ports.” Mr Campbell pointed out that during the past 12 months the shortest time between steamers was 12 days, and the longest time 32 days. The war had caused the withdrawal of one steamer, but when hostilities had ceased a reinstatement was promised. Instead, conditions became worse. ‘‘l maintain that the mere fact of Dunedin and the South Island ports not even being mentioned in the Australian papers is very detrimental to our interests,” Mr Campbell said. “Mariners have told me that once you leave Puyseger Point you very often get much better weather than by the other route. The distance, too, is some five miles less.” The speaker went on to say that a scrutiny of the Government returns would 1 show that there were no island exportation figures for the South Island ports, as these figures had to be given for the port from which the vessels sailed. The South Island merchants got no credit for their exportations. lie thought their members should take that up and see that the Island got some communication with the outside world. Barring ihe Manuka, there was not a steamer that left for the South Island from any other part of the world. It had admittedly to‘mean a very great increase to the population of the North Island when all the overseas vessels called there and left from there. RAILWAY TO LUGGATE. The Chairman dealt with the extension of the Central Otago railway from Cromwell to Luggato. This matter had been the subject of deputations to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works. The possibilities of Central Otago were very great, and he was game to say that they were such that in 20 years Dunedin would be the largest city in New Zealand. The possibilities of irrigation were such that it could be applied to 365,000 acres. As a result of irrigation the railway was now carrying four times the traffic it carried formerly. Hawea Flat was one of the best barleygrowing districts in the Dominion,* and there was the advantage that the crops were amongst the earliest to ripen. Owing to the' distance that fat stock had to travel, the loss on fat lambs was from 21b to 51b per head, and that was a loss which the country could not afford. He believed that the \ railway could be constructed for about £300,000. The Minister of Agriculture had stressed the necessity for production, and he hoped the members of Parliament would assist in seeing that this district was developed so that it could be made productive to the fullest extent, but that could only be done by an extension of the present facilities. THE MILFORD TRACK.

Mr J. Inglis Wright, speaking of tourist affairs, said there were two matters he wished to deal with. There wu* a house at the head of Milford Souud that used to belong to the late Mr Sutherland. The Government took possession of it some years ago with a view to building a hostel there, but the hostel was still unbuilt. There was no reason on earth why a decent hostel should not be put there, except the infernr’ habit the Government had of delay. The attractions of the track were continuing to grow. The huts at Quintin and Pompalona wanted still further extension, but the main thing was to get this hostel erected as quickly os possible at Sutherlands. There was no reason why it should not be up in time for the tourist traffic next season. There was another matter requiring pressing attention. The only wav, as they knew, of reaobing the Mi nor d tack w. 90 by W Te Apau. An dtoolwte necessity was a now vessel

there. The present steamer was 30 yrars old. As a naval design she had never been in the first class, being too low in the freeboard and with very imperfect accommodation for rough weather. Her machinery was very defective, and it was an open question whether the inspector would pass her as fit for traffic for next season. During the past year three grave breakdowns of machinery occurred, and it was providential that they took place during calm spells. Had there been a gale of wind at the time there would have been a catastrophe of the first magnitude on the rock-hound shores of the lake. lie was credibly informed that the boiler was cracked, the tailshaft weakened, and the condenser pumps were broken down. To repair engines in a worn-out hull was false economy, and the time had come for an up-to-date Deisel-engined launch of. say, OOft over all, with suitable sheltered accommodation and a speed of 12 knots to be made the connecting link between the south end of the lake and Glade House The Government had put the road into good order, [he last lap being completed this year. It had constructed an improved hostel at Te Anau, and it only required a new vessel which would cost about £SOOO and the hostel at Milford to make this the premier attraction of the South Island. It was just possible that there might be no Milford Track open next year if matters were allowed to slide. HA AST PASS ROAD. Mr 11. M. Mnckay referred to the llaast Pass road. To get there, he said, it was a matter of days riding on horseback. There was no means of communication except by a bridle track, and there were several streams to cross. The district was gifted with wonderful scenic and pastoral potentialities. but the great difficulty was to get the cattle to market. It was too risky to drive cattle to Central Otago. lie hoped that the members would enlist the sympathy of the members of the north. They were very anxious that the Government should attend to the making of proper road accommodation and to build bridges over the rivers, for it was only by means of these improvements that the country could be exploited to the full. The timber that was being cut down to clear the land was absolutely going to waste through lack of means of transport. Mr P. R. Sargood al>o spoke with reference to the Haast Pa-s road. lie said they looked forward to the time when the province would expand as it should. The locality to which lie referred was one of the best from a sporting point of view. Thev had rainbow and brown trout, and quinnat salmon, and he understood that Mr Ayson was hatching out salmon ova for liberation there. There were immense quantities of timbpr. for which transport was essential. Tf they did not get transport they would have the same experience as Wanganui, where immense quantities of timber had been destroyed by fire simply because there was no outlet. The timber, which covered a considerable range, was of excellent cmalitv. and he hoped that something would be done to utilise it to the best advantage. PUBLIC WORKS XD UNEMPLOYMENT. Mr J E. MacManus spoke on the subject of extending public works to assi-t in relieving unemployment. He eaid that at the Town Hall there were the names of over 100 men in search of employment. This was partly a tribute to the keen inerest the Mayor and the Town Hall staff had taken in this matter. He disclaimed anv political motive whatever in speaking on this subject, and said he had no reason to believe that their representations would not receive a favourable hearing from the Government.' Ihe position in Otago at the nresent time was somewhat abnormal. We had recently an Exhibition, which had brought an abnormal amount of employment. The highway alone and the draining of Lake Logan had employed very large numbers beyond the normal. There were also a large number directly connected with t'»e Exhibition and at the same time the City Council was carrying out a policy of extension of works. Numbers of these men had no-.v been displaced, and the problem was to find employment for them. He knew the'r members of Parliament. had always listened sympathetically and had clone what they could. The opportunities for development outlined that night were an aditional reason whv they should find employment for these men. The Government was sending a hatch of them to Balclutha on Monday. The type of roading now coming into vogue could be laid down only in the summer, and that accentuated the unemployment position in the winter. DUXEDIX-PORT CHALMERS ROAD. The Mayor of Port Chalmers (Mr T. Anderson) dealt with the Dunedin-Port Chalmers road. He said there was dissatisfaction on the part of the users of the road, and the West Harbour Council, which had io foot the bill. The West Harbour Council had approached the Prime Minister with reference to the appointment, of a commission to apportion the cost of the upkeep of the road. A Government engineer would meet representatives of the City Council, the Port Chalmers Council, the West Harbour Council, and the Waikouaiti County Council at 11 a.m. on Monday, when statistics and other facts would be gone into with the object of arriving at an amicable settlement in regard to the cost of the upkeep of the road. In the meantime he did not wish to commit himself to any definite statement with regard to the matter. Mr G. W. C. Macdonald, representing the West Harbour Council, said that the Dunedin-Port Chalmers road went for the greater part of its length through the West Harbour borough. They had expected that it would be made a main highway, but unfortunately it was not so. The sum formerly voted for its upkeep was discontinued. with the result that last year the West Council was faced with an expenditure of £BOO. At one end of the road was Port Chalmers and at the other Dunedin. West Harbour was between the two stools, and so came to the ground. REPLIES BY MEMBERS. Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., said he felt sure that the task of members that evening had been rendered easy because there was hardly anything to which they could take exception. They could only promise hearty and whole-hearted support of the proposals put forward. The fruit question, it seemed to him, was the only one on which difference of opinion might arise. Mr Turner would recognise that the work of Otago members enabled his association to Moure exclusion as they wished from the

working of the Act. If a certain percentage was required to exclude them from the Act it was only reasonable that a similar percentage should he required to bring them in. If the local fruitgrowers were united there was no doubt about the local members backing them up. He remem* liered in time past, through an inadvertence, the fruit shops being included in a 6 o clock closing Art, but the provision was never enforced. It was found impracticable to introduce it, and he did not think it would be any more practicable to-day. lie presumed the railway to Luggate was already authorised, and also that there was no difference of opinion locally as to ihe route of the road to Clydevale. Some of ihe matters put before them would assist in providing extra work for the unemployed. The authorisation of tht* Hillside Workshops alterations involved an expenditure of £400,000, and would absorb a considerable amount of labour. The almost exclusive arrival and departure of overseas vessels at North Island ports must influence the population of the islands, and it placed a serious handicap on the i?outh Island. As senior member the duty had devolved on him of calling the local members together with a view to bringing these matters before Ministers and presenting a united front. Whatever political differences there might be between them there had never been any differences where the interests of Ctago were concerned.

The Hon. G. M. Thomson expressed appreciation of the activities of the league, which was so ably led by the chairman and Mr Steel. He had been working for Otago for the last half-cen-tury, and he would continue to do so. He thought the members were united in their efforts to advance Otago. He thought the Government had given them a very good hearing, and they should appreciate it. He went on to advocate a through communication with Westland, and the Luggate railway was only part of it. They must try to get a route through to the Coast, as there were great possibilities ahead. A more vigorous action on the part of the Minister of Tourist Resorts was essential. The tourist traffic in the South Island was going to be a big tiling, and they should do all they could to develop it. The steamer traffic was better before the war than it was now, but it appeared that steamer services could not be run unless the traffic warranted it, and he thought this was a matter for the mercantile community rather than for the Expansion League. The Hon. 1). T. Fleming agreed that most of the matters spoken of were of great importance, though he felt that if the members came back with 10 per cent, success it would be thought they had done very well. With regard to the BalcluthaClydevale road, he said that it seemed to him that something should be done to impress the Public Works Department with the needs of the residents n that district. He added that he would be pleased to co-operate with any representative citizens to advance the needs of Otago. The Hon. M. Cohen referred to tourist traffic and the need for developing the back country of the West Coast. He rejoiced to hear of what was ’ ing done to uevelop Stewart Island, one of the finest 1 tourist resorts in the world. He paid a * tribute to the splendid part Southland had played in the Exhibition. He urged • the necessity tor further developing the tourist traffic, and said that the Tourist ■ Department should be knocked on the head and worked in conjunction with the ♦ Railway Department, to which it properly belonged. The Exhibition had shown the ' advantages of this. It was annoying to know that great steamers came laden with tourists who were content to pass through the North Island and then go across to Australia. Mr Sidey had been a tower of strength in calling them together and enabling them to present a united front in all matters concerning ) Otago. It was bound to be a short session, and they must not expect too much, for they all knew that the Prime Minister > had to be in London early in September, so that there would not be much practical \ legislation this year. However, much good, useful spade work could be done. The Hon Mr Statham said he joined* with the others in expressing appreciation j of Mr Sidey’s work i n the House. When the interests of Otago were concerned the members were all of one party, and they all} pulled together for the welfare of the , province. He was impressed with the value of afforestation, which was of immense importance. The work done in this direc- > t*on was a standing monument to Mr Tannock. He thought they could rely on all the Otago members doing their best to support the requests put before them,' and they hoped that some cf them would be granted in the near futur?. Mr Dickson spoke of the railway communication to Port Chalmers, which ho said was of the greatest importance to his constituents. .After tracing the history of the duplication, he thanked the Expansion League for the assistance that had been given in this work. Mr Horn, speaking of the route from To Anau to Milford Sound, said he knew, it well. He agreed with what had been said about the steamer on Lake Te Anau*> He got the Hon. Mr Nosworthy as far as Te Anau, and they were going to Glade, House, but the steamer broke down opposite the southern arm and drifted side on. * That was as far as they o-ot. He had also, been able to show the Minister other parts of the country and enabled him to become \ acquainted to a considerable extent withj their problems. The survey of the railway from Cromwell to Luggate was now) completed to Tarras and would be com-) pleted altogether within a few weeks. He, was of opinion that they would have sum placed on the next estimates for the ? railway to Luggate. He believed by 4 ' November half the men on the Roxburgh railway would be released and would be' sent on to Cromwell to carry forward iho v v railway there. He had understood from Mr. Coates that he could not start both tha, roads up the Clutha River at once. He was! starting with the Greenfield side, where' the road was already in progress. Tho' road on the Clydevale side would be started! later on. Mr Tapley said he realised the import-, auco of tho Expansion League and the splendid work it was doing. He thought the members of Parliament interested in Otago were in accord with what was asked' for, and he would be glad to assist in, passing tho legislation required. They, were all out for tho prosperity of Dunedin 1 and Otago, and it was pleasing to know' that residents of the city realised the ini-) port a nee of the country districts. One of) Hie most important questions was that ofr~

the shipping service, and it was a pity that they could not get back to the times •when they had steamers calling here every *eek. The tourist traffic was very important, and there were beauty spots in the South Island that could not be excelled The South Island was entitled to the same privileges as the North Island, and he believed it would pay the Government to encourage the traffic by paying a mail subsidy. Ho believed a return to the prewar traffic would encourage traffic that would pay. He hoped they would be successful in the near future in getting some of the proposals put forward passed into law. Mr Waite remarked that Mr Tapley and ho were fortunate in having no political past, though they hoped they might have a political future. He was much interested In the Clydevale road, and anticipated that the difficulties were now being cleared away. He knew the country at the back ©f the Haast Pass and would do all in his power to have it opened up. He was much relieved to hear a good word being said lor the subsidiary roads which interested so many of his constituents. They in the country, however, did believe that the users ought to par for the roads.