EAST COAST NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2196, 8 July 1914, Page 18

EAST COAST NEEDS

A PAHIATUA VIEW

THE DEVIATION. AND A PLEA FOR BETTER ROADS.

'Tho deviation of tl>o lino to avoid tlio high grades over tho mountain is imperatively necessary to assist in tho development of llu> Wairarapa and East Coast district," said Mr. J. J]. Eseott, member for Paliiatiia, in tbo course of an interview with a Pomimox reporter yesterday. "At present a groat deal ol tlio lieijjlit, and some of the pass«iiger tradio which should in the ordinary course &<> via Wairaraiia, is diverted on to ihe .Mamuvatu lino to avoid the expense of tho licavv haulage. Iho result is that now tho Mauawatu line is required to cany traffic almost up to its maximum capacity as a sin^lo me, and shortly the Government will be laced with the necessity either of duplicating the Manauatu lino or making a deviation of tliu Wairarapa line over a nioii' practicable route. I am strongly of opinion that the deviation would prove to he the less ospcnsivo undertaking ond tint it would ■serve, the district hotter than a duplication of the Mn.naivaiu line. The need tor an easier route via tlio Wairarapa will become morn urgent wlicii the cast coast hue is built through to Gislvirno, and tlio Government aro now pushing on the construction of this line niergetically. Iho selection of the route for the deviation must be left to tho engineers. In my opinion the route that will !>o eventually chosen will be tlio more northern route from Upper Hull to Woodisulo. However, the question of what route shall he followed is not now at issue. East Coast Lands. i "*i ," 1 1 ' n ' c ' too > that something more should bo done to open up the great stretch of fertile country lying to tho east of the Pulcotoi Himge, either by means of a line from .Mastcrtou to Waipukuraii, or some variation of that route, or by feeder lines from the existing main line. 'Jbo question of route, or of which scheme shall be adopted is again ,:i,e to bo settled by the Government engineers. "AH thai we desiro is that the country shall be opened up by the most practicable method. Kectntly the .Minister offered a grant of .LIo.UOO for the construction of a wharf at Akitio, conditional upon tho settlers subscribing sufficient capital to erect iioezing works there. 1 hope that tho settlers will be able to find tlu> necessary capital, as 1 teel Mire that the proiision of shipping facilities and the erection of freezing works will lead lo a great development in that district. It will ennt/lo seitlers to get their imports cheaply, and to engage in a branch of the farming industry which hitherto they have boon unable to carry on namely, the raising of fat lambs for tho export trade, the most prolilablo branch of tho frozen meat trade. This will assuredly lead to the practice of better and more, intense methods of farming. "Tho Akitio district is famed as being one of tlio most fertile pastoral districts in the Norh Island, having a mild winter climate, and piodueing an abundance of splendid pasturage. As n natural consequence, tlio stock in the district are of a high quality. Tho polled angus cattle raised thi'fe Are well known for their beef-producing qualities. The ttoul ami mutton from this area arc also well known as amongst tho best in the North Island. The clip of -100 bales from Mr. Herrick's "Taulano" property was spokrii of in London as one of'the best crossbred clips in the world. The j-beep from thu Akitio district are considcerd by the freezing companies to be amongst the heaviest that reach their works, and the price thai the wool brings is up to the highest realised in any part'of the Dominion. The best of the Akitio di|> of last year sold in liondon at the,excellent price of Kid. ]K~r pound, and several other big lots from the district realised this figure. Tho Bad Roads One of the most pressing needs of tho district is the improvement of the roads. At present the supply of good stone is limited, and owing to the leng- haulage necessary to get it on to the roads where it is most needed, it is most expensive to lay. The stone is, however, of good quality—hard rock, which has to he. crushed by machinery—and when placed on tlio roads it sets to form an excellent durable surface. Hut the expense at present taxes the ratepayers to their utmost capacity. I certainly think that, the settlers are deserving of considerable assistance from the Government. The rater, now, which prove absolutely inadequate, are up to the maximum amount that can be collected under the law."