MINISTER CONGRATULATED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19337, 29 May 1937, Page 6

MINISTER CONGRATULATED

ROAD SAFETY PLANS NO POLITICAL PETS WELCOME AT TE KARAKA (Herald Special Reporter.) TE KARAKA, this day. Congratulations on his road safety policy were extended to tho Minister of Transport,, the Hon. It. Semple, when he mot. the Waikobti County Council, Te Karaka Town Board, and residents of the township in the council chambers today. There was a large gathering). The county chairman, Mr. A. A. Feasor, regretted that, the Minister might, not stay longer in the county for the council would like hint to see* the condition of the roads during rain, lie congratulated Mr. Semple on his efforts to make the roads safe and took the opportunity of thanking the Public Works Department's officers, including! the district engineer. Mr. O. G. Thornton, for their help and co-operation. Mr. C. Mills, chairman of Te Karaka Town Board, also welcomed the Minister, and Mr. A. G. ETnltquist, M.P., spoke, too. The Minister, in his reply, said that on his tour round the Coast lie'had met witTf nothing hut, hospitality, which one appreciated all the more when one was a little bit tired, and he confessed ho was not working a 40 hour week, but long hours in order to try and solve some of the country's difficulties. The county councils also had their dtdies in this respect. "It, is easy to criticise," the Minister continued, when referring to complaints made about roading engineers.

"We all make mistakes," Mr. Semplo said, "and .1 have made mistakes, too, and I would like to see the 'bird' who never made one. No man is infallible and I would like to see the man who would not make some small blunders and big ones, too.'' Work to be Done Where Most Needed It was his intention that the work of his department must be done where it was most needed. That was the reason for the five-year plan, provided the necessary data, to do this work properly was available. "I will not guess and I have never guessed, even on the racecourse," added Mr. Semple. Continuing, lie said the work of the department would be done without any political pull from any person or section of people: "I will have no political pets," he declared, "and if they want to pull me here and there I just won't go. Tho expenditure of £8,000,009 on railways when stopped .was due to .haphazard methods, people pulling here ami others pulling there, instead of getting down to the ethics of the job." If the people were not satisefid they would have their remedy at the election, and whether he was in looking out, or out looking in. the information gained from the live-year plan would be there for whoever was in office. "Governments may come and Governments may go," Mr. Semple said, "but the progress of this Dominion must go on." Motu Front Road A deputation asked for more men to be placed on the Motu Front road, via Whakakarau, but Mr. Semple. after inspecting the tive-year plan schedule prepared by the Waikohu County Council, said that the settlers had nothing to worry about. The road was placed second on the schedule and would he done this year and he would jay nothing more than that.

Mi'-. Semple, in reply lo a request regarding ragwort, said'that if the weed was not taken seriously it would be a disaster for the farming community. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, had helped in other places, and he might do so here, but (lie county that would not help itself would have lo be compelled by law to do il, because while they were "talking the weed was growing and the county was an incubator for spreading the pest. Several deputations also waited upon the Minister, who was afterwards the guest of the Waikohu County pound) and the To Karaka Town, hoard at luncheon at the Rangatira Hotel. Subsequently Mr. Semple' was met by members of the Te Karaka branch' of the Labour Par!v.