MINISTER IN TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1929, Page 11

MINISTER IN TARANAKI

VISIT TO EGMONT DISTRICT

MANY DEPUTATIONS RECEIVED.

COMPENSATION FOR ROAD WORK.

CONTROL OF NOXIOUS WEEDS.

The Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, spent a busy day touring in the Egmont • electorate yesterday. He was conducted by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., and was accompanied by Mrs. Wilkinson, Miss M. Eyes (stenographer), Mr. W. A. Mulligan secretary) and Mr. W. D. Armit (Commissioner of Crown Lands). Leaving Eltham in the morning, warm welcomes were extended to the ' Minister at Normanby, Manaia, Kaponga, Opunake and Rahotu. He reached New Plymouth early in the evening and after dinner was accorded a civic reception at which the Mayor (Mr. H. V. 8. Griffiths) presided. Deputations were later received. Normanby was the first stop. There Mr. D. J. Hughes waited on the Minister to urge the sub-division of a large block of land in the vicinity of I,he township. A visit was paid to the area in question, tod then the party continued to Manaia. At Manaia, Mr. H. Mead, chairman of the Town Board, presided over an official welcome in the town hall at-

tended by a fair number of citizens and settlers. In the absence of Mr. E. Long (chairman of the Waimate West County Council), Mr. A. Gamlin welcomed the Minister on .behalf of the 'county settlers and expressed the hope that the visit, although a flying one, would prove both enjoyable and instructive. Mr. Gamlin mentioned what he described as “the burning question in the county,” and a matter of the greatest importance to ratepayers. This was the question of compensation to counties,

such as the Waimate A Vest County, that had expended large sums in laying down good tar-sealed roads prior to the advent of the Main Highways Board. The county, he said, felt it was justly entitled to compensation on the loan moneys it had expended in this direction. Waimate West had spent £53,000, including the bridge loans, and had failed, despite persistent representations, to get any compensation. Repeatedly, Ministers of the previous Government had expressed their sympathy, but the claims had not been recognised. Now that a new Government had come into power they hoped for justice;. more especially as their county had not drawn revenue -from the toll gates once owned by adjoining counties, or participated in any compensation attending their abolition.

The claims of the county were seconded by Mr. Wilkinson, who drew attention to the fact that thousands of pounds were spent on roads throughout Taranaki before the Main Highways Board was formed, and now other local authorities were receiving from £2 to £3 in the £1 subsidy for doing the same class of work. The board’s reply to the claim for compensation was that

the early Taranaki roads when built had not been classified and did not conform to the standard adopted by the board. This, he thought, was not a very serious excuse. Mr. Wilkinson w’ent on to refer to the discussion on the matter at the last conference of the Taranaki Local Bodies’

.Association, when delegates had been unanimous that the claims for compensation should be recognised. Arising from the debate, Mr. Wilkinson was sure a request would shortly be made through the various member's of Parliament to set up a commission to in-

quire fully into the matter. “I have no doubt, on the face of it, that the Waimate West County and others in similar positions have reasonable claims,” the Minister replied. “They are still paying interest and sinking fund on special loans and I am of the opinion their claims should be investigated.” Ho mentioned that the board was now in a much stronger financial position than it had been when the question of compensation was first dealt with and thought the matter should be capable of adjustment. “I think you have a very good case for inquiry,” he added.

During the welcome, the question of private sub-divisions had cropped up and he -wished to say that this was a matter deserving of encouragement, because of its important relation to the ultimate prosperity of the country, “If all districts were as intensely cultivated as the lands around Kaponga, I am afraid there would be little work for a Minister of Lands,” said Mr. B. Law, deputy chairman of the Kaponga Town Board, in extending his welcome. Mr. Law apologised for the unavoidable absence of the chairman (Mr. A. Bates) and went on to review the relationship of men on the land to men living in towns. “Things are progressing towards the state where we will soon have insufficient families working our land to support the crowded cities,” he said. He hoped Mr. Forbes would make an unqualified success of his important position, and later ■would find time to re-

visit Kaponga with more time to spare to pee its attractions.

TARANAKI AN OBJECT LESSON.

Speaking in reply, Mr. Forbes explained that Mr.. Wilkinson, in whose hands he was for the time being, had mapped out a fairly arduous day, but he was very pleased to receive such a cordial reception from the people of Kaponga. "Without doubt Taranaki provided an object lesson to the rest of New Zealand in the matter of production and closer settlement, and the volume of producefrom the district has helped' the Dominoin as a whole,” said the Minister. He ■could see that one of the chief avenues for future extension lay in the development of the dairy industry and was pleased , to be able to state that the production figures to date were substantially ahead of any previous season. The future looked bright, but the greater the amount produced from the S H would be f or the whole of New Zealand. "Visitors already ire amazed at what we can produce and i hope within a few years they will be m °P aeton ’ s ked,” eaid Mr. Forbes. Wittiout a reservation, we have a grand jountry.” b

Dealing with the.remarks of Mr. Law Mie Minister said 36 years ago he took up land on the first estate opened up by the old Liberal Government—the Cheviot estate. From what he had observed there he was satisfied about the value of closer settlement and agreed that more intensive cultivation would have

to be attempted on the better class land throughout the Dominion. There were no deputaions to meet the Minister at Kaponga, but in reply to Mr. J. Hessell Mr. Forbes said the Rural Credits branch of the State Advances Department was just about up to date in dealing with applications for loans, while the State Advances Department itself was not much behind. If advice as to the fate of applications was not received with reasonable promptness he advised prospective borrowers to communicate at once with the member for their districts, who would forward the complaint to the proper quarter.' The rate of interest was the same as heretofore.

Mr. W. C. Green, chairman of the Egmont County Council, presided at the official welcome at Opunake, and congratulated the Minister upon his elevation to Cabinet rank. Mr. Green went on to refer to the spread of noxious weeds within the county, particularly on the Parihaka block, and urged that more drastic measures should be taken to combat the menace.

“VERY PLAIN REMARKS.” “To my mind, and I am going to be very plain in my remarks, the Governent is doing nothing to remedy the position,” said' M’r. Green. “In fact, it is encouraging the spread of noxious weeds. I believe it is the duty of the Government even to go to the length of putting unemployed labour on the job of cutting weeds. Such a procedure w r ould at least be more beneficial than attending to road grades or altering corners.” Mr. J. S. Tosland, a member of the

Egmont County Council, made a strong appeal for something to be done to com-

bat the weed menace. Prom his own experience he knew weeds were spreading quickly. “If I were a capitalist, I would” not invest one penny on back country land, because I am certain that in a few years the land will be infested,” he said. “I am sure you would stand aghast if you saw some of the native lands near Opunake.” Mr. Tosland argued that it was for the Minister to take the matter in hand and to devote serious consideration to the problem. Mr. Tosland was certain that blackbirds were responsible for the spreading of 90 per cent, of blackberries, and he urged the systematic destruction of these birds. “The spread of weeds is really serious, not only to production, but to land and county values,” he pursued. “I can tell you I have no words to describe the seriousness of this menace.”

Mr. G. Gibson supported Mr. Toslam

in his general observations but frankly confessed he could see no remedy at present because, if drastic measures were adopted many settlers would be forced off their holdings. “I think in the past the Agricultural Department has not given sufficient attention to this problem,” he said. Mr. Wilkinson: “This matter of noxious weeds has been presented to the Minister in many ways, and last night wo had a real field day in thrashing out the question.” He referred t.o his suggestion that a local organisation such as a noxious weeds board should take charge of the matter, for he was of opinion that the local bodies themselves would have to assume control sooner or later. It had been said that nobooy would seek a seat upon such a board, but there was a stern duty to be done and no doubt able men would be forth-' coming to see it through. Mr. Wilkinson. referred to the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association as really a provincial parliament and suggested that this body, or a committee set up from it, might take on the duties he had outlined. After thanking members for the welcome, Mr. Forbes said the control of

noxious weeds was a burning matter, not only in Taranaki but in other districts as well. In the past the matter had been left to the Government, but the efforts of inspectors were not improving the position, and it was time for far-seeing men to tackle the question and work in co-operation with the Government. He would be pleased to know if the various local bodies would hold a

conference on the subject, and he assured the deputation that any recommendations made to the Government f r local control would receive very careful attention. To do the work efficiently and properly it would be necessary for settlers themselves to get together and cooperate or supplement the efforts of the department. Ho would welcome any such action.

The Minister recalled how the control of the rabbit pest had failed to make progress under the old system of inspection, and how that sinjee rabbit boards had been formed the nuisance had greatly abated. Something along the same lines was indicated to cope with the control of noxious weeds. From Opunake, a short run took the Ministerial party to Rahotu, where a number of private deputations and a couple of public ones were received. The Minister then paid a visit to a portion of the Parihaka settlement block to observe the spread of ragwort.