IN PELORUS SOUND.

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

IN PELORUS SOUND.

SETTLERS AND THEIR PROBLEMS. ' A Pelorus Sound resident gives the following interesting account of conditions there, and tho difficulties with which settlers have to contend:— I.—No. Wo have no proper schools. Tho families are too scattered. We only have assisted schools wliero two or three families are near enough to one- another for ono of them to got a teacher on starvation wages, to teach, perhaps six to eight children. Theso aro principally young women and girls, who have.to help with tho house-work, and in some cases milk tlio cows to help pay for their board. 2.—No. The markets are so far away, and so expensive to get stock and produce' to, that the profit is greatly reduced. 3.—No. We havo no railway, or roads, only bridle tracks, AVe depend almost on water carriage by palling boat, launch,' or steamer, to Wellington and Christchurch. 4.—We have a fairly good postal service, but it' is not as good as it might be made for tho same cost.. The days of departure from Picton and Wellington are very badly arranged, so we do not get as much benefit as wo could havo at the same expense. Telephones aro fairly numerous, but not equally distributed and as a rule are in very bad order, and difficult to talk over, besides which there is no secrecy; there are too many on ono line, and most of them are fixed in tho common living room or kitchen, and open to all listeners. s—No. The cost and risk of getting stock to and from shows is so great that no one can compete, so we have no chance of seeing our stock, side by side with others, to compare them and hear what judges and others think of them. o—No. The only use it would be to us, is to get advice, in cases of sickness among stock, but it seems hopeless to try and get any really useful information or advice from the Veterinary Department. They either do not know, or do not caro to commit themselves in any way. As, for instance, about fern poisoning among cattle or scouring among lambs and hoggets, both of which have caused considerable loss about hero this year. 7.—There is no organisation of tlie sort here. We have a number of small branches of the Farmers' Union,' and meetings are held at intervals at different places, but it is very difficult, and often impossible, to attend these meetings unless one has a launch of his own.' Wo used to bo able to get a lift in a neighbour's launch occasionally, but of lato the launch regulations have made that eery difficult. Ono does not care to constants loaf on a neighbour, and we are not allowed to pay our fare in a private launch. If we did, and wero found out, our neighbour would be liablo to prosecution for plying for hire without a license, B.—No. As a general rule renters of farms are existing, but can hardly bo said to bo living. What with the fern, the cost and risk of getting stock awny, and unsatisfactory steam communication and time-tables there is room for very great improvements. As a general thing, there is enough labour for the work to be done, but much more work could be found, and many moro men employed, if it wero not so risky, and wages were more! reasonable. Casual workers get fls. to 10s. per day and found, This price, of course, will not admit of much employment for ordinary farm work or improvement, tho return will not warrant it, and, in addition, there is tho constant dread of an action for damages or for accidents, cither with the employees or tho insurance companies and also tho constant occurrences of strikes at critical times, such as tho slaughtermen's strike, when the lambs aTo ready to freeze, nnd must bo sold. So that even those who havo tho money aro afraid to spend it in improving their properties, and prefer to <lin wfo.t work

they can do themselves, and let the rest go. 10.—Yes. I think very much bo—judging by their independence. 11.—What wo seem to want most about hero is more wharf accommodation, to enable ng to ship our lambs and sheep more easily; also a tetter steam service to Wellington, both for passengers and for produce. Many settlers in the Pelorus Sound aro greatly troubled with the fern pest, and are turning their attention to pig rearing, in tlio hope of coping with the fern, and mailing a living as well. I think this should provo a big industry, especially if combined with dairying but the present steam arrangements prevent our sending dead pork to Wellington to suit the market days, and the risk of sending either pigs or poultry alivo is too great, and generally ends disastrously to the shipper. I have seen it stated in The Dominion that good table fowls could not be lyought in Wellington for les3 tlmn 9s. to 10s- per pair. I only wish your correspondent would send somo of his own over there. I think lie would tell a different story when he got his returns.