THE VICTORIA ROAD AND THE TAUWHARE BLOCK.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1781, 4 December 1883, Page 2

THE VICTORIA ROAD AND THE TAUWHARE BLOCK.

. • Duking the stay of the Native Minister in Hamilton, Mr ,T. B. Whyte, M.H.R., had an inter \iew witli him in ieg«ird to the much-vexed question of the drainage of the Victoria Road, and surrounding country, through the Tauwhare Block. Mr Whyte urged upon the Minister the desirableness of c mstructing the drain, as much on account of the effect it would have in enhancing the \alue of the Government land through which the drain would run, as the benefit to tho public which would rosiiltf roni the draining of the Victoi in Road, which is the main line of communication between Cambridge and Te Aioha. In reply, Mr Bryce said that the Tauwhare Block had passed out of the hands of the Native Depaitment, and was now waste lands of the Oiown, but that when he handed it over to the Waste Lands Depaitment, he stioiigly recommended that the drainage should be can ied out previous to its being offered for sale. He was, howevei, under the impression that it was the intention of the Minister of Lands to offer it for bale in its present condition. In view of this, it is, we understand, the intention of Captains Steele and Runciman, who, it will be remembered, were appointed by the Waikato County Council a committee to deal with this subject, to endeavour to induce Mr Holies ton to insert a clause in the conditions of sale providing for the constitution of a main drain through the block. Such a clause seems to us to be most necensaiy in the inteiesto of the public, as without some such clause the whole burden of draining the Victoria road, and so making it passable for ordinary traffic, might devolve on the local bodies, whose funds are altogether inadequate, and ought not to be devoted to the purpose of draining what would then have become prh ate property. It is to be regretted that the proposal which was, at the request of several of the settlers, laid before the Government by Mr Whyte, namely, that the propertyowners, jointly with the local body, should contribute one-half of the cost, and the Government the other half, did not meet with more hearty support. We believe it was favourably received by the Minister of Lands last session, but was allowed to lapse, owing to the t indifference manifested by some of those interested.