MINISTERIAL VISIT

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3208, 26 July 1932, Page 4

MINISTERIAL VISIT

ROADING PROBLEMS AT PIRONGIA WEST.

For some considerable time the settlers on the slopes of Pirongia have been making representations to the authorities with a view to being provided with better roading facilities. The area is under the jurisdiction of the Raglan County Council, and some progress has been made 'of recent weeks to solution of the difficulties. On Monday the Hon. J. A. Young, M.P., for Hamilton and Minister of Health, visited the district, with Mr D. Stewart Reid, M.P. for Raglan, at the invitation of the Pirongia West Ratepayers' Association, to hear the views of the settlers. Mr F. G. Harwood the spokesman for the settlers, said_tKe two roads most in need of metalling were Sainsbury's and Shea's, the former four miles in length, and the other about half-a-mile shorter. The roads were at times in an impassable condition, seriously hampering the progress of settlement. There are at present nine settlers on Salisbury's Road, besides 500 acres of the Te Awamutu Borough's water catchment area, 600 acres of forest reserve, and nearly 200 acres of domain lands, all with frontages to the road. The settlers found it impossible to provide the cost of metalling the road, and as the other land was non-rateable it was considered the Crown should provide an adequate subsidy to enable the road to be metalled. He suggested a subsidy of four-fifths, £4 for £l, and that it may be practicable to employ relief workers on the road v That course would lessen the cost. He could assure the Mnister that there were ample supplies of good quality metal available, close handy to the road, and not far distant aiso from Shea's Road. The Minister said he was pleased to be able to visit the district, and confer with the settlers, several of whom were old friends. He was glad to note the improvement to their lands, and realised they were operating under difficulties. Really, he added, the metalling question was one for tne Raglan County Council to deal with, and no doubt if it presented its case clearly to the Public Works Department, a substantial subsidy would be forthcoming. The Government was conserving finances to the utmost, but, it really should help settlers who are genuinely prepared to help'themselves. The Pirongia West district was hampered in its development by lack of metalled roads. He suggested that the association should place I the whole facts before the county council, and he and Mr Reid would both make representations to the Public Works Department. He added that it seemed there was more land on the mountain slopes that could possibly be made available for settlement. It seemed that it was not all needed for a water catchment area. He would suggest that the Association look into that matter, for additional settlement would assist to solve the roading d ; fficulty. Mr Harwood heartily thanked the Minister and Mr Reid for meeting the settlers, and assured them of every effort to promote settlement and to co-operate with the authorities in securing better roading access.