WAY-BACK HIGHWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 8

WAY-BACK HIGHWAYS.

p ',;; OUT EAST FROM STRATFORD. f ■.-'•"'" : .• Truly it's an ill wind that blows 110- [.;..-. body good," but frequently it's a good j. ■ . wind that -"blows lioDody ill, and . cer- >,- tainly it : is a rare rain which brings no t;. regrets.'' .-;..:'. !;• : < And while the'farmers in many-parts ■-.. : . of;.the. country have been, rejoicing be- ;■'..'■ j cause of tho.recent raius, others,have, i. , -!' been complaining, bitterly.' of the state .'. •;.' of ".the back-blocks roads—alleged roads. j- i ." V'ThoTecent rains have doneconsider--4 I able', harm-to. tlio .back'country roads, ;-.- i arid those 'who use -them report that r ■ -I.mud"is still* plentiful," • says the Stratf .. t) ford'''correspondent of. the •'■ Taranaki' !■'■■'.' '.'News.":- v:;■.:•'v. f-.'-.!'. Tolanyono w'ho' : knbws Taranaki well L . I. that small'paragraph-■ conveys whole ; ; -.'. I columns, of'-thought/- Stratford is about I'--. I the most fitting place in Taranaki for I ■■-', ; 'such' a",paragraph-to coine'from. It is '-,:>the centre/of a.irugo new- district, and ;; ■■' those- who' are in touch' with the f arm- ;■':.. ' east-of--Stratford are in touch i .'■' with men-who are struggling against i '■ great odds-to make livings, as farfners. !•' ■ These out-back men produce wool and :' * other-agricultural.products for which ! .they c heed; outlets. Many of; tho. men : who:have taken land some distance in '.. east .of. fun sheep.. . These j ■• farmers': have 'just finished shearing. Now it is plain what : the rain means to them.' Their alleged roads aTe little ;; .better:!than' impassable' quagmires in ':.: wet'w-eather. , If they get into that iy; . state now,"the delay in:gotting out the ;;:,-,-,.' wool- for' shipment" may be serious to i : some 'of "the.farmers.. '