WELCOME TO RAGLAN.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17983, 31 March 1930, Page 9

WELCOME TO RAGLAN.

MINISTER OF WORKS. OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG MEN NEVER SUCH BEFORE. (Special Reporter.) RAGLAN, Saturday.

After a three days’ tour of portion of the Raglan electorate Die Minister of Public Works'; Hon. E. A. Ransom, •spent last night at Raglan towmship, where he was accorded a dinner at the R-oyal Hotel and later was the guest of honour at a social at the local hall. The chairman of the Town Board, Mr T. Parker, presided, and present on the platform were Messrs W. Lee Martin, M.P., Campbell Johnstone (county •chairman), F. S. Dyson (Auckland district engineer), - llall-Jones (Public Works engineer, Hamilton), Hutchens (private secretary to the Minister), and K. Wright (county engineer). In extending a welcome to Mr Ransom Mr Parker .said Raglan was originlaly intended as a big seaport, but it had noit made the progress it should have done owing to its bar harbour. Still, it bad by no means remained stationary, and if the Minister would grant them the few requirements they would put befotre him that night they would progress even further. (Applause.) The speaker .said he was very pleased with the common sense and generous manner in which the Minister had met the requirements of the settlers in the Raglan County wherever he had been and was glad to find that he was actually carrying out his declared policy of assisting the man out back and not merely talking about it. (Applause.) In reply the Minister referred to Mr Parker as a man who apparently was not content to allow his township to stand still. The speaker was always glad to meet men who had confidence in their own district. Raglan was a beautiful spot and he was convinced that the district, which already had progressed wonderfully, was still capable of considerable further development. Its requirements had been very ably represented by Mr Lee Martin, who had not allowed him to forget that there was a Raglan electorate and who had impressed upon him for months the necessity for paying it a visit. (Applause.) The Minister referred briefly to the fact that the Government was carrying out much relief work that would be of ultimate great benefit to the country, and said that while the Government might not be able fo engage relief workers on immediately productive work, the work they were doing would ultimately lead to further production. They had formed roads and opened up country which was capable of closer settlement, and the Government hoped by sound legislation to enable thousands more settlers to go on the land. (Applause.) He referred to what the Government had already done in this direction and said no previous Ministry had made possible the same opportunities to young men with a determination to make good, to acquire land of their own and establish homes for themselves. (Applause.) VISIT TO WAIPA. MORE REQUESTS MADE. PARAWERA SCHOOL ROAD. Various parts of the Waipa County were visited on Saturday afternoon by the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works. The Minister was accomponied by Mr W. Lee Martin, M.P. for Raglan, Mrs Lee Martin, Mr Hall-Jones (of the Public Works Department), Mr S. C. Macky (chairman of the Waipa County Council), and Mr J. W. Civil (county engineer). At Ohaupo the Minister was met by Mr F. Jary and a party of settlers living down Jary’s road. The proposal was for the County Council' to grant £4OO from riding funds and the settlers to be rated to the extent of £6OO, while the Government would subsidise to £IOOO. Mr Jary said this amount was considered excessive, and a larger grant from the Government was required. Mr Civil explained the difficulties of creating a special rating area, and said that the area was governed by road hoards up to about five years ago. It was pointed out to the Minister that the road was conected with Kaipaki by another road which would eventually have to be metalled. People were using Jary’s road who would not contribute to its upkeep. The Minister, after listening to the arguments of the deputation for some time, said he had visited districts where the.settlers were in far more serious straits, and he could not promise that the assistance asked for would he given. However, he agreed to have the matter further investigated. ‘The County Council officials pointed out to the Minister the land served by the Parawera School road, on which there was an unmetalled gap of 'B7 chains which it was desired should ’he formed and culverted, >v!tli the addition of a small bridge. The total cost was estimated at £6OO. As the 'district was occupied chiefly by Maoris who did not pay rates the county could not take a hand in the proposed work. The Minister said' he could offer a pound for pound sugsidv if the council cared to accept it, but could not assist to any greater extent because the area was in the centre of a closely-settled district, and he could not he expected to offer money for roading what appeared to be purely native lands from which no rates were obtained. In connection with a request to metal and form 1 mile 45 chains of Monckton’s road, which joins up with the liihikihi-Arapuni road, the Minister, after hearing representations, said it seemed to be a question not of providing an outlet for a number of settlers, but of providing a convenience for a few. He was prepared to offer a pound for pound subsidy, hut would have to he assured that it was an urgent work before he would go further. The ministerial party was to havs visited Te Awamutu during the afternoon and to have inspected bridges at Tuhikaramea and Pirongia, but there was insufficient time, and Hamilton was readied at 6 p.m.