TAHUNA BRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17964, 8 March 1930, Page 7

TAHUNA BRIDGE.

NEW CONNECTING LINK

OPENED BY MINISTER. TO-DAY’S CEREMONY. (Special to Times.) TAHUNA, Saturday. A new concrete bridge connecting the east and west sides of the Piako River at Tahuna, was officially opened by the Minister of Public Works, lion. E. A. Ransdm, this afternoon, in the presence of a gathering of local body representatives and (he general public. The bridge, which cost £2700, is situated in the heart of a wealthy dairying district, a large portion of tiie low-lying land of which has, however, been submerged by Government, drainage works. The' money for the bridge was found jointly by the Piako and Hauralci Plains County Councils in the proportion of one-quarter each, the Highways Board providing the balance. Mr W. R. Lowry, Piako County chairman, presided at this afternoon’s function.

Minister of Public Works.

After welcoming the Minister he referred to the fact that 15 years ago the whole of the Tahuna district was a dreary, roadless waste. To-day it was equal to the finest dairying country in New Zealand. The Minister could himself observe the excellent condition of the farms and the splendid condition of the pastures and fences. The improvements, he said, had been brought about chiefly by the White family. (Applause.) Mr Lowry gave some details of the bridge which he said was 130 ft long and composed of two spans of 35ft, and two of 30ft. The structure was erected on concrete piles driven to a solid foundation by a three-ton hammer. The joists were, of steel, and the decking of three-inch hardwood. The : contractor, Mr R. W. Mcllarrie, had made a splendid job of the work.

AN OFFIOIAL DINNER.

THE UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM,

COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S VIEW. ■ An official dinner was accorded Mr Ransom, as ,it was his first official visit to the Waikato electorate to-day. The function was held at the new Morrinsville Hotel, and was attended by representative public body men from all parts of the district, ■ The hosts were the Piako County Council. The dinner was presided over by the county chairman, Mr W. R. Lowry. In toasting Parliaihent, Mr Lowry referred to the land problem, and said he could select’ six men in the Auckland Province who would solve it. He did not think the unemployment policy right, and said the only one man who agreed with this was the man leaning on his shovel handle. The speaker •declared, the same old pioneering spirit still existed throughout the district, and he did not think there was a single elector in the country in favour of the Government’s present land policy except the man who was selling his land to the Government, Thousands of acres of undeveloped land in-the Auckland Province were lying idle, and it only required •the Government to frame a proper land policy to solve the present difficult problem. The solution of the land problem was closely interwoven with that of unemployment. If the present Government found a solution to both these its term of office would, he thought, without doubt be a prolonged one. (Applause.) The Minister’s Reply. Mr Ransom said apparently Mr Lowry did not appreciate the land policy. The properties handled by Lire present Government had to show really good value before a purchase was made. It was not the policy lo launch out on extensive purchase oi improved lands, but they did intend to undertake to place the settlers on large tracks of Crown lands at present unoccupied. (Applause). Provision was made at last session for £5,000,000 to be set aside for land development, and the Government intended to advance up to 95 per cent, of the purchase price to.settlers who showed a determination to make good. What had kept settlement back In the past had been that the settlers had been placed on the land requiring thousands of pounds to develop. They had spent all they had, and having exhausted their funds the properties had slipped back and been classed ns deteriorated. He was glad to not'd in North Auckland of thisf deteriorated land was now responding to top dressing, owing lo the policy of remitting 10 years’ rent, provided l lie money so remitted was placed into top-dressing. Speaking on unemployment, Mr Ransom said lie fore taking office his experience had been that on encountering a gang of relief workers they usually leaned on their shovels. When he took office lie determined that this should stop promptly. Relief workers were now given a fortnight to harden up their liands and were then put on cooperative contracts, under which they got what they earned. The speaker said they favoured relief work being of reproductive national character The Minister said he intended next session to sec that by some means or other a quarter of a million pounds would be set aside for improvement of baekAGoutinued lh ntxt column.

blocks roads. There were two proposals he had in mind —one that a | certain proportion ’ of tho petrol tax j should be set aside for back-blocks roads. If the opposition by motorists | was too great, and they insisted on j the whole tax being spent on highways then a greater proportion of the j responsibility for the maintenance of highways* must be accepted by the Highways Board, so that hack-blocks settlers would be relieved of some of their responsibility for highways upkeep, , • |