A GROWING DISTRICT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4983, 4 June 1926, Page 3

A GROWING DISTRICT.

NEEDS OF WAITAWHETA DEPUTATION TO MR. SAMUEL, M.P. With closer settlement the Waitawheta district is rapidly* growing and the production of butter-fat is on the increase. To a,, large extent the settlers in that area are handicapped by the. lack of facilities that are common to many less important settlements. With a view of placing the needs of tire descents, Messrs C. Mason, H. M. Corbett, and W. F. Johnstone, members of the jOhinemuri County Council, arranged for a, visit df. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., to the settlement on Monday last. On his arrival at the public hall a large gathering had assembled to meet the member. In introducing Mr Samuel Mr Corbett said that up to two years, ago over 50,0001 b of: butterfa,t had been produced at Waitawheta, and during the past season there had been a considerable increase in production. The settlers were striving hard to make good, but were faced with considerable difficulties, chief of which was lack of proper road communication between the settlement and Waikino, which was tire nearest railway station. Owing to the deplorable state of the road it was costing .£1 a ton extra for the cartage of manure and farm necessities. If a metalled road could be provided the cost would be reduced by a,bout onehalf, and considerable time would be saved. Mr Samuel would be conferring a lasting benefit upon the community if he could obtain a Government grant sufficient to cojnplete the unmetalled portions of the. main Wai-tawheta-Waikino road. POSTAL FACILITIES. Mr McLean asked if there, was any possibility of obtaining a, telephone system for the settlement, so as direct means of communication would be would be available with the outside world. Mr Harris supported the request, and pointed out that there were 21 settlers in the area,, and the nearest post office and telegraph office was at Waikino, three and a hal'f miles distant.

Mr Corbett asked if it would not be possible to have a telephone exchange at Waikino, and from there a system of party lines, carried through to Waitawheta... He also suggested that a rural mail delivery from Waikino might be instituted. Replying to the various requests Mr Samuel said that when people elected to back into the country and put up with all kinds of privations and discomforts, they were deserving of every asistance and consideration. It wa.s vitally important that there should be reasonable mea,ns of ingress and egress for their holdings. He said that he would lose no time in placing the matte 1 ? before. the Minister and request that a grant should be made for the completion of metalling the main road. The request for postal facilities was reasonable, and he would ma,ke every endeavour to bring about the necessary and much-desired improvement as early as possible. In conclusion Mr Samuel congratulated the settlers on the. progress that was being made in the district.