ROADS AND SETTLERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 388, 23 June 1928, Page 11

ROADS AND SETTLERS

MINISTER HEARS COMPLAINTS DEPUTATiONS AT RAETIHI (From Our Oxen Correspondent) RAETIHI, Friday. Roading needs were brought before the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, who, accompanied by Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P.. and Mr. H. Ball, Public Works engineer, and Mr. P. Kellar, district engineer for the Public Works Department arrived at Raetihi yesterday and received deputations in the County Council Chambers. Speaking on behalf of settlers of Waipapa Valley and Murumuru, Mr. O’Neill said that there were not sufficient rates coming from the district to keep their main road in repair, and the county council was unable to alford the assistance that was required. Their request was that the Government could give them great assistance if it would take the road over. Tho Public Works have done good work on the road, but since its staff had gone the road had got into a bad state, and was going from bad to worse.

Mr. Harris said that there had been a grant of £753 in connection with a bridge on Valley Road over the Orautoha Stream. Shortly afterwards the Government closed down on finance. To be of service the bridge would have to be rebuilt, as the present was almost impossible for motor traffic. Another matter he wished to bring forward was that as settlers were trying to help themselves in connection with metalling their roads, they are supplying the labour and the council materials, etc. He requested that consideration should be given these settlers by way of subsidy. Messrs. K. C. Guthrie and H. Littlewood, speaking on behalf of the Middle Road and Motete Road settlers, said that the Middle Road Bridge, erected about 20 years ago, was now rotten and a danger to traffic. Mr. Williams congratulated the spokesman of the deputation on the way they stated their cause. He realised that the district required extra assistance. The bridge would be allowed for on the estimates and would be dealt with right away, lie would go into the matter of a subsidy in connection with the metalling.