RUAKIWI LANDING.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17981, 28 March 1930, Page 7

RUAKIWI LANDING.

UNMETALLED ROAD LINKS. STRAIGHT-OUT GRANT SOUGHT. MINISTER TO INVESTIGATE. (Special Reporter.) WAINGARO, Friday. Owing to two clay' stretches, one a little over three miles in length, and the other about one mile, the settlers of Ruakiwi are in winter time unable to gain access to the head of the Raglan Harbour and are compelled, therefore, to get in their supplies by road from Glen Afton, and are also forced to take a circuitous route to reach Ngaruawahia. When at Te Akau yesterday, the Minister of Public Works (lion. E. A. Ransom) was asked by a deputation of settlers to make a straight-out grant for metalling these two stretches. Mr W. Lee Martin, M.P., put the position before the Minister and pointed out to him the importance to these men, who were all of a good type, of getting in cheap supplies of fertilisers which they could do by water if the three miles near the Ruakiwi landing was metalled. He stated that the former Minister of Public Works, Hon. K. S. Williams, had promised a sum of £3OOO for the work, but the money had never became available, owing to the Government changing shortly afterwards. The importance of having the two pieces of road metalled was also emphasised by Mr Richardson, riding member. Mr J. Dyson (Auckland District Engineer) said there was £159 yet unexpended on the road which the council had not taken up. The late Minister had offered a'subsidy of £“I for £1 on the road. Statement by n/linister. The Minister said he would like a little more information on the subject before making any promises. He would iike to ascertain what his predecessor had promised, and would also like to know the position of the settlers. If the Government was going to make grants in well settled • districts, the areas further back where the settlers were suffering far greater hardships, would have to go short. He hardly regarded the district as a back one. In fact, it seemed rather prosperous. He would, however, be ready to honour any promise made by his predecessor. The usual subsidy granted for roads was on the basis of £i for £l. Where it got above that quota' the position required to be somewhat serious. A threepenny general rate was levied on the land in the Ruakiwi riding was not heavy, and the valuation was certainly not high. He referred to one case in the Otamatea County where it had been represented to him that the rate was over 7s in the £, and the land did not appear to be any belter than that he had passed through that afternoon. Mr Richardson said the settlers of the district had paid heavily for their improvements by way of special rates. Mr Lee Martin said it was not a question of the settlers not being prepared to help themselves so much as the fact that they were unable to carry any further burden. The land through which the piece of the road passed was not nearly of the same quality as that through which the Minister had travelled that afternoon. Appreciated the Difficulties. The Minister said he appreciated fully the difficulties that beset settlers who lived along clay roads, and he was always anxious to assist them. It was his desire, in fact, to make a greater sum available for expenditure on clay roads in the back blocks. Wherever possible he w‘as making free grants, and in others was giving increased subsidy where he found conditions warranted such. It would appear in the present case that this road, if metalled, would be used largely by settlers in different parts of the district for getting in their manures. Such being the case it was hardly fair to the riding concerned that it should have to hear more than its fair share of the costs. However, be would look into the position, and would give the case his very careful consideration. Mr Campbell Johnstone assured the Minister that the settlers were of an excellent class and had done much to help themselves.