CORRESPONDENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 75, 27 March 1908, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Any stranger entering the Ohura Valley is naturally surprised at the state of the main road leading to the settlements beyond, and his amazement is not lessened when told that this arterial road is under the supervision of very many—too many, in fact—Government officers. From Ongarue one is particularly struck with the appearance of the . road, which is without a camber in the centre, and in many places the watertables are level with the road itself, with storm water running along the road and across it. Pig'waliows have been left which would capsize a dray, and even during the phenomenally dry spell we have had, no attempt has been made to dress the road, and in the fillings the road has been untouched, and the water will again lodge in early winter to make the usual quagmire. Fascines, too, are left in such a position that they are a danger to horse and man, and many of the ditches at the present time are full of stagnant water, due to the blockage of drains and culverts. Surely, if some person in authority came at all, if only infrequently, he would not, for the credit of his department, allow this state of things to continue. I would suggest to such that, if the much-boomed surplus has taken the needful funds, by which matters might be improved, they should strip their coats and earn their money at the end of a shovel themselves. It is to be hoped, too, that the working of bullock teams upon the roads should cease at the stated time, and that no man, by any pretext, be allowed to over-ride the law and render the road unfit for horse teams, of which there are ample in the district to perform all carriage of goods. It is high time, Sir, that settlers should cease to be crippled by the ineptitude of any Government Department, and the sooner the Minister for I Public Works takes some action, the better for many long suffering and victimised settlers. —I am, etc., ALPHA.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As I have not noticed anything of late from the pen of your esteemed correspondent, " W. 8.", of Te Kuiti, might I beg your permission to ask him what he thinks of this suggestion, viz.: "As there are a vast number of handles imported yearly for all sorts of tools and implements, and as we; undoubtedly, possess in New Zealand a great variety of timbers splendidly suited for the local manufacture of such handles (I need only specify Maire, Titoki, Manuka, and Rata), and as the Maoris are certainly adepts at wood-working, would not a factory for the purpose of making handles for axes, sledge hammers, picks, slashers, shovels, hoes, forks, rakes, etc., run by Natrtfes, be a success ? " It is hardly creditable to our enterprise to continue dependant on foreign markets for our supply of such, and I, for one, would be very pleased to use the local manufacture whenever it is procurable. —I am, etc., A.M.T.