MINISTERIAL TOUR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19365, 1 July 1937, Page 4

MINISTERIAL TOUR

WAIROA DEPUTATIONS MR. SULLIVAN WELCOMED WAIKOKOPU INSPECTION (Special to the Herald.) WAIROA, this day. Arriving in Wairoa rather later than had been expected, the Minister ol' Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, yesterday compressed into a few hours a programme which had been planned for a whole afternoon. He carried out an inspection of the port of Waikokopu’ during the late afternoon, and heard the views of members of the Wairoa Harbour Board concerning the development There of a deep water port for the whole East Coast; and in the evening heard a number of deputations on minor matters connected with the departments under his control. He also agreed to take up with other Ministers certain subjects on which deputations touched.

Accompanied by the chairman and members of the Wairoa Harbour Board, Mr. Sullivan made a rapid but complete survey of Waikokopu harbour from the points of view of existing facilities and of future development. The chairman outlined, the arguments offered by the harbour authority on the possibilities of Waikokopu/ and received an attentive hearing from Mr. Sullivan. The Minister assured the board members that the Government had an open mind on the question of harbour development, but he felt that from the point of view of the railways the carriage of produce to one port for each district probably would be most economical. Technical problems in connection with harbour construction, however; were not his concern, he added. Freight Rates on Line During the evening, at the Borough Council chambers, the district member, Mr. D. W. Coleman, introduced various deputations to the Minister. The first comprised Messrs. A. T. Carroil and T. L. Powdrell. who asked the Minister to provide early informafion on the question of freight on manures, wool, and other products, and the methods his department proposed to adopt for collecting and delivering farmers’ products and necessities, during the coming season. The Minister replied that Mr. G. H. Maekley, general manager of the New Zealand Railways, would visit the district well before the date on which the department would institute its full service, and would consult with the settlers concerning the most convenient schedule. The department’s aim would be to work to the convenience of the settlers, and to give a complete service.’ Messrs. J. McDonald and A. J. Steed, on behalf of the associated stock auctioneers and agents, asked that arrangements might be made for the carriage of fat stock between Wairoa and Napier even prior to the taking-over of the line by the Railways Department from the Public Works Department. The Minister promised to take up this matter with the Minister of Public Works. Waikaremoana Road Paddocks Messrs. P. J.’ O’Kane and H. L. Harker dealt with the provision ol stock paddocks between Wairoa and Rotorua, on the Waikaremoana route. Twenty or more paddocks were required for this road, the deputation urged, and in addition it was desirable that there should be huts or other accommodation for drovers. This subject the Minister undertook to take up with the Hon. F. Langstone. Minister of Lands, who it . was understood had already taken some steps to secure the necessary paddocking area, though the clearing and fencing of the paddocks would be necessary.

The difficulties of married Maori men, who had been ordered to take up winter work in the back country, were put before the Minister by Mr. E. Mitchell, who stated that the Maoris had been allocated to native development schemes at some distance from their homes, and that they could not make a living for their families under those conditions. The pakeha unemployed were dealt with by provision of work near their homes, he staled, and the Maoris asked that some such provision should be made for married men among their number.

No Discrimination Practised

The Minister gave an assurance that there was no discrimination against the Maori or in favour of the pakeha. It was necessary to take men off sustenance and put them into useful employment, and the employment offered the Maoris was the best available, he understood.

This matter was ventilated again later by Mr. J. S. Jessep, East Coast Commissioner, Mr. Coleman, the district employment officer, and Mr. H. L. Harker, Mayor of Wairoa, and an endeavour is to be made to find work for the small number of married Maori unemployed involved somewhere nearer their homes.

Other minor matters were referred to the Minister, and later the district local bodies entertained Mr. Sullivan and the members of his party. The proceedings were informal, but the opportunity was taken by the Minister and also by Mr. Mackley to give a great deal of information to the gathering on the general problem of providing a first-class railway service, and the intentions of the department with regard to the Napier-Gisborne line. ,

The Hon. D. G. Sullivan and his party left Wairoa this morning for Gisborne, intending to lunch in Gisborne and then proceed by special train to Matawai, en route to Opotiki. Mr. Sullivan’s plans include an overnight visit to Waimana, where he has relatives, and he will return to Matawai to-morrow afternoon to hear deputations from the hill-country settlers on matters affecting his departments. Subsequently he will meet the Waikohu County Council members at Te Karaka, and to-morrow evening he will be in Gisborne, where a joint civic reception will be tendered to him and to the Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture.