PELTING MONEY ABOUT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19337, 29 May 1937, Page 14

PELTING MONEY ABOUT

FEARS FOR SUCCESSORS MR. SEMPLE’S POLICY ‘ STATUTORY LIMITATION (Herald Special Reporter) TOLAGA BAY, this day. An intention not to seek authority to exceed present limitations for free money grants because he feared what some successor might do was expressed' by the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, when speaking in Tolaga Bay yesterday afternoon. “I have no authority to do it,” he said, ‘‘and I am not going to ask for it, because some dud might get my job and start pelting free money about, but I am prepared to help a poor county which cannot pay for its roads. I am prepared to consider increasing the subsidy to get the farmer out of the mud, but every case will be considered on its merits.” The Government had been accused of increasing the cost of government, and Mr. Semple quoted from the leading article in the day’s Poverty Bay Herald, which had arrived shortly before the meeting took place, referring to the same matter. “And people all over this Dominion,’ lie ,said, “are asking us .to spend tens of thousands more.” ' ■ He was being called upon to assist settlers out of their roading difficulties. Colossal Expenditure The cost of increasing motor traffic was colossal, continued Mr. Semple, and to only partly meet requirements would involve a great expenditure. In order to completely meet them the cost would be impossible for the purse of the country to stand. For 15 years some settlers on high country in the South Island had been asking for bridges. He said that 10 minutes after he had met them he had granted them bridges. He had also given 24 bridges on the ■ Coast uetween Te Araroa and Opotiki. Also, the commissioner for the Matakaoa County was-finding difficulty- in .financing the county.. “He’s broke,” Mr. Semple added. “Why, even the mice in the cupboards of his office have tears in their eyes the mice.” (Laughter). These remarks followed a deputation from the Uawa County Council pointing out the high cost of road metal in the county. The county chairman, Mr. J. McNeil, congratulated the Government on taking over the highways. This had relieved counties with high roading costs. The Uawa County ‘Council had raised a loan of £IOO,OOO and spent £75,u00 on the highways, for which the council was paying £SOOO a year as interest and principal. He suggested that now the Government had taken over the highways it should give the council an opportunity of spending more money on other roads' in the county by granting increased subsidies. It would take the County Council .all its time t'o maintain all the metalled roads, and he suggested that the Government should assist the council with increased subsidies. High Cost of Metal The cost of metal was excessive, Mr. McNeil said, the cost going up to 35s and 36s per cub. yard. He did not think gravel could be landed here for concrete work under 30s a cub. yard, and by the time it was carted out seven or eight miles the cost was up to about 38*. Mr. A. Gordon Hultquist, M.P., said he was astounded to hear the great cost of road metal to the Uawa County Council. Mr. 0. G. Thornton, district engineer, said the Public Works Defartment had metal costing up to £2 a yard on supplies brought from Auckland to some portions of the highway in -the county. Mr. A. G. Gelder asked for assistance for a draim, which was giving trouble with continual flooding. The Minister said that he would confer with the Lands Department, and if it would find the money the Public Works Department would do the job.