MOTORS V. RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1801, 14 July 1913, Page 4

MOTORS V. RAILWAYS.

A CASTLEPOINT LETTER. . * This reply is-from a settler in tho Castlepoint district:— ; I—The schools seem to mo to bo doing fairly good work in thifi district. 2.—Yea; Teturns are satisfactory, considering the distance from the markets. 3.—There is no railway within 40 miles of Castlepoint, and, considering the district has beeii settled over 40 years, I do not think •the district is receiving tho service it is entitled to. It has been suggested that motor vohicle3 would be a .success in this district for heavy traffic such as wool carting, etc., but against that I should like to .point out that you must liavo good uiefcal before you can make ® road 'Suitablo for heavy motor traffic the whole year round, and thero is almost an absence of good road-making material in this district. Consequently motor-wagon traffic would be out of tho question during tha winter months, although it would bo nil right during the summer. Tho much talked of railway would bo a great boon to this district, and I liavo no doubt it would pay handsomely, as it would more than double the value of the product from this district. 4.—Although tho Government have done a lot in this direction, still I see no reason why they could not assist tho settlers in tins district »«till more, without any great extra expenditure. I v suggest that when a settler is prepared to bear tho cost of erection and. installing a lino from his homestead to tho nearest telephone ofllco the Government should allow him the use of the telephone on _ tho same terms as town residents, that is, I understand, at an annual subscription of .£5 per year. ' 5 and G.—Most certainly shows are of benefit, as is also the work of the Agricultural Department. .7—l do not know; of any such organisation in this district. B.—l am unable to say how the renters of 'farms are doing! !).—No; we are in a chronic state of want. Twice the amount of nil-round farm labour would be employed if it was available.. ■ 10.—As -far as I know conditions aro very satisfactory. , li.—ln this district one of tho chief re-, quirements is undoubtedly closer settlement, and consequently more social intercourse. I may mention there is ample room in this district, as about half the valuation, of this district is held in large areas in the shape of 'sheep-runs, owned-chiefly by absentee owners.