WAIROA’S PROGRESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2057, 18 April 1907, Page 4

WAIROA’S PROGRESS.

Tiro Guardian states: “Some idea of the trade opening up in tho hack country may he gauged hy the number of teams on the county roads. For instance two great waggons loads of flour, etc., went out to the new Rilakituri settlement the other day and did not contain a week’s supply of provisions. The stuff cannot be got out fast enough, and enough teams cannot be got to carry out the produce required. It is therefore of vital importance that the county roads should be kept in a state to provide for tho constantly increasing traffic. It is a matter of vital importance also to the port and the community at large that every facility should be given to the plucky settlers in the back-blocks, they take up a wilderness from Ivhich they can expect no appreciable return for a season or two, they pay vastly increased prices for ivory tiling they get, the carriage rfton doubling the rate on goods as purchased hy the settlers in more rccessible parts. AVairoa should therefore endeavor to encourage and retain this trade. Not only does it mean the import of necessaries, but, a far more important consideration, that the exports will come this way. At present in the remote settlements of the new Rnakituri, tho Mangapoiki valley, Oponiti, etci, it is yet a question whether the settlers will throw in their lot with the Gisborne or AVairoa side. One fact that is strongly in our favor at present is the lower charges from our port. A load of stuff can he taken in from AVa iroa about thirty, shillings cheaper than from Gisborne. This is a great consideration in our favor. The only trouble is that there may be delay on this side which would more than counter-balance the advantage gained by the settlers in not importing their goods from Gisborne. AVitli good roads and an open port there is a vast area of hack country opening up that AVairoa will tap. The partitioning of the AA’aikaremoana native lands and their opening up to productive use will add another large area of country which must conduce to the prosperity of the whole district. The Afohaka district bears the same relation to us. It behoves our public men to relinquish selfish ideas in regard to pet roads, and make every endeavor to ensure the main arterial roads of the district being first put in a condition to cope with the constantly increasin’ traffic. Local requirements are expanding in a way which our local bodies cannot cope with on the <ld basis. The Harbor will have to at least double its wharfage accommodation in the near future. The Town Board recognises that it will have to launch into systems of lighting and drainage to bring the town up to modern requirement c, and the County Council constantly finds its road mileage increasing, and more roads, and metal for them, demanded. The district is entering on an era of progress and prosperity which requires the davoted attention of our public men. Our present state is one of development, and to provide for its re quires able and cautious conduct i t the men who are guiding our public affairs.”