FIVE-YEAR PLAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19335, 27 May 1937, Page 4

FIVE-YEAR PLAN

ROADING DEVELOPMENTS BEPLY TO DEPUTATIONS MATAKAOA COUNTY ATTITUDE OF MINISTER (Herald Special Reporter.) TE ARAROA, this day. Several deputations met the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, .at Te Araroa yesterday. Mr. K. R. Kemp, the county chairman, hoped that Mr. Semple would continue the policy of helping the backblock settlers by assisting Matakaoa.

Dr. Wi Repa welcomed the Minister on behalf of the .Maoris 'because, he said, Mr. Semple was the rangatira of nil the bridges.

Me. Hnltquist said that Matakaoa had greater difficulties than others in the Dominion. It was the poorest county and was deserving of all the help it was possible to give. The Maori population was 1600 and the pakehas numbered 200. M>. Semple said he would first outline his policy and then no road deputations would be needed. lie had not been long as Minister before lie realised that more scientific and systematic methods for roads were essential. In the past groups of settlers pulled different ways regarding their requirements and expected the Minister to be the referee, whose decision, though given in good faith, might not be quite sound. There was a tendeiw to throw political sops willynilly. New Difficulties Modern transport brought new difficulties to solve. The old methods which had suited in the past did not suit to-day. He had decided to ask every county, along with county and district engineers, to prepare a fiveyear plan, taking all necessary works that could be done in five years in order of preference. The Government proposed to bridge Ihe streams on the State highway between Te Araroa and Opotiki, and was calling tenders for several at a total cost of £25,000. Groups would be let to responsible contractors. "We are not going to have any more 'dud' contractors," said Mr. Semple. The roading problems would be studied so that the Government would have a picture before it of all roads, what was the purpose and what land settlement they would serve. _ The counties would know their liabilities each year. He did not suggest that five years would complete the roads, 'but whatever Government was in power woull inaugurate another plan if it had any sense, instead of doing the job higgledy piggledy. It would also give the nation an idea as to how much money it would have to find according to that plan. The Minister would know months before the end of Ihe year what he would require to find ' for the next year. lie also would know what machines would be necessary; for this was a machine age. Aid to Poor Counties The Government proposed to separate the poor counties from the rich. He 'would propose to the Cabinet that the poor counties which were struggling desperately should be given more liberal treatment than those which could pay. He'was not going to tax the farmers off the land. He was determined to make the counties pay that could pay, not permitting them to amass surpluses which should be spent on the roads. It wiu a national responsibility which the present Government would not try to dodge.

"So, gentlemen, I do not think you can get any more by talking to me about your' reading problems," said Mr. Semple. "It seems as though we will have to carry the baby. 1 will make no promises Uo anybody. 1 want the people who know all about these roads, their value and disadvantages, to put in a schedule that will form a word picture of what is wanted.

"I am not going to favour any individual or individual group. 1 want lo do justice to everybody. 1 want to be free and unfettered from giving judgment on things I do not understand. I want the concentrated thoughts of those who know written in plain language. Finance Not Easy "Then I will perform the operation. L will hear representations and the searchlight will be put on all these works. They will be done according to the ability'to expend public, money. "It is not. easy to finance these jobs. It has to be-done by careful, prudent management.

"We will look after your roads all right, one by one, and we will do the lot of them.'"

At the end of the five years he would bow to the judgment of whatever Minister was in power.

"The information will be there and the plan will be there," said Mr. Semple. "The trail will be blazed for him to follow."

Mr. Hultquist: It' means then you will not give these deputations an answer to-night? The Minister: No, not if you keep mo here till midnight. The roads will be done in order of preference.

Mr. Hultquist said that the Minister was touring to obtain an idea of the geography of the country, and it would be no use settlers coming to him. (Mr. Hultquist) to ask the Minister to get any particular thing for any particular friends. The Minister: If you make any personal promises, you will get a rap over rhe knuckles. Finances Recovering Mr. B. Snxby said that the county finances were recovering after careful handling and rigid economy. Matakaoa did not benefit from the railway, which was 300 miles away, and hoped that the Minister would write off half of the debt from the wharf. Otherwise the county could not carry on successfully. He wished to deny that friction or bad feeling existed between the pakeha and the Maoris regarding rates, for there was the best of feeling. The Minister said ho was delighted to hoar that, because unless the two races worked together they would ge,t

nowhere. He had been told that the Maori would not work and that he was, a malingerer, but he had sacked only one Maori on public works. The Maori pulled his weight and received the same pay as the pakeha. The Minister was not prepared to say what he would do regarding the burden of rates, but if a load was too heavy on some folk it would have to be lightened. Mr. Kohere endorsed Mr. Saxby's remarks.

Mr. Bull said that the rate in the county was as heavy as the ratepayers could" be prepared to carry, and the county had only enough money as wages for seven surfacemen. There was work which could not wait, because the roads were being swept away by troublesome rivers. He proposed taking the earliest possible steps to remedy the Mood damage done recently.

Dr. Wi B'epa asked for an extension of the wharf. The .Minister said he would discuss the wharf with the Cabinet with a sympathetic mind. Mr. Kemp asked for assistance -with fertilisers.

Mr. Semple suggested that as limestone was in. the district the settlers should press for a State lime works and then discuss a subidy on fertilisers.

Mr. Kemp said that in the past the settlers paid £4 a ton for fertilisers and £2 12s (id for freight. Voices: It is more than that now.

Mr. Hultquist said that because of that problem he had asked the Minister of Agrieulturo to visit the district hero from June 28 to July 2.

"FARMERS IN THE MUD"

ALL AID POSSIBLE MR, SEMPLE'S PROMISE (Herald Special Reporter) TE ARAROA, this day. Describing themselves as among the worst situated in the Dominion. Lottin Point settlers yesterday asked the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, for a grant to build seven miles of road costing £SOOO.

The deputation said that the county settlers were unable to contribute, it would take six years for the settlers to return to the pre-slump conditions. They paid harbour rates, but the Hick's Bay wharf was no use to them and they were depending on a surf boat on the beach, where on one occasion the wool clip was washed away. They still depended on a bridle track lor road access for six settler's.'

An engineering survey had been authorised and Mr. Semple said that when this and the, taking of the land was completed for the road, he would see what be could do, for he wished to help the "farmers in the mud." The survey would be completed in two or three months.

The deputation consisted of Messrs. A. O. Wood. C. A. Hart, C. Walker, and G. Janelli.

The .Minister was aeompanied by Mrs. Semple, Mr. J. Wood, the engineer in chief of Public Works, Mr. A. G. Hultquist, M.P., and Mr. O. O. Thornton and Mr. C. H. Bull, the commissioner for the Matakaoa County.