THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1907. A QUESTION OF PROGRESS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 57, 22 November 1907, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1907. A QUESTION OF PROGRESS.

Probably no district in the Dominion occupies a like position to the King Country, with regard to matters intimately connected with progress. It is also reasonably certain that no other district possesses equal potentialities, and it is only a question of our residents adopting the right track, for progress to come in leaps and bounds. Every locality has its advantages combined with its own peculiar drawbacks, and in the matter of situation, soil productiveness, and other great natural advantages, the King Country may fairly claim to be endowed to a far greater extent than most. The advantages are now becoming widely known, and in the natural course of events, those desirous of making the best use of them lare faced with the problem of tackling and overcoming the disadvantages. There is no lack of inclination for the work in the main, and no desire to shirk reasonable responsibilities, but there appears to be a halting indecision both as to the manner in which the work has to be started, and the extent of responsibility that should reasonably be undertaken. An additional factor which probably should be numbered prominently with the drawbacks is the scarcity of population compared with the area affected. The generally accepted drawbacks, of which all are commonly cognisant, are the land tenure, including the Native Land Question, and the ever-present question of roads. Now that the matters affecting Native land are being dealt with by the legislature, and considering that the Native is, averagely, as desirous as the European of having the land made productive, it can be safely assumed that the bringing in of | all, or the greater portion of the land, |is a question of only a short time. Roading is a feature of settlement which is always of supreme importance both to outlying districts and to the town centres. The prosperity of the settler largely depends upon transit facilities, and upon the prosperous settler does the prosperity of the town depend. There are, of course, other contributing influences, but given the necessary initial advantages, the most prominent features arc those stated. The roading question is so intimately associated with the progress of the district that it is the obvious duty of all to "give the matter earnest and careful study. There is no doubt that the roading of the land thrown open for selection was, in the first place, insufficient, and with the land hunger rampant, the same Ishortsighted policy has been perpetuated, with the natural result of widespread discontent and general hardship. In addition, money which would have been sufficient for the maintenance of good roads, has annually been sunk in mudholes on bad roads, and the process promises to continue indefinitely. In reviewing the position it has to be remembered that the Government has to provide money for conducting the business of every department, and the Roads Department can only get its share. Apart altogether from the question of equity or justice involved, it is apparent that the said share cannot be sufficient for the making up of the arrears in time for the accomplishment to be of any use to the present settler. It, therefore, remains for those interested to decide the matter from a purely business standpoint, as to whether it is more profitable to calmly await the millenium, or to dip into their own pockets and provide for the most necessary works themselves. There are several aspects of the question, but from a business standpoint the matter must be decided personally by £he ii)cjiyiduals. The Government gpaiUS woqld §fi}l fje Required, and would doubtless Ijg forthcoming, aqd as a business proposition, the raising and expenditure of money by the settlers has everything to recommend it. There would still be discontent over having to pay more than should have been the case, but the soreness would be tempered by the knowledge that the expenditure meant the difference between prosperity and hardship. In any case prosperity never comes uninvited, and the best and most approved method of inviting it is to sfrijggle for it with labour and rtiOßCy,