How the Backblock Roads are Managed.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 128, 4 February 1909, Page 5

How the Backblock Roads are Managed.

TO TfiK K PI TOR. Sir, - - It is probably not known to many of your readers. the way in which roads are managed (?) by the local power* that be. Only those who have to Buffer from want of decent access, can fully realise the unnecessary | hardships a backblocker has to put up with. I understand the sum of £250,000 has been voted for the backblock roads*. It is now fretting on towards winter, and I would like to ask any traveller who has had to undergo the agony of driving over the Main North Road, between Te Kuiti and j Awakino, whether he considers a fair , proportion of the above vote has been spent on this stretch, or is likely to bo i spent in improving the present rottm state of affairs? I have heard of several motorists, who have travelled over this road in the last few weeks, declare that i»ever again will they undergo the ordeal. Since Christmas, to my certain knowledge, several vehicles have met with accidents in the shape of broken springs, wheels and axles, and this, during the short sum- ; mer time that they are able to use the road at all. I understand there are two allocations act apart under our rn.i iir system: one being for earth ■.v-.rk, 1 the other for metalling. I . : 1 letter in the "Chronicle" v. hrr- • • plaint was made re the sp< r. i:: ' money in cutting off a corner i ' Kuiti, although that mrr< r hj:« Wen re-metal led la?*, winter. ' ' siderable cost. Th»- ■'•i:• >' ; v' '■ 1 was that the alloeatior. ■*•:»•« r • work and could rot ' ':»•••'. '" r ■ virvN". nr. »!•<«•« it i.Tr:, ' r- !:• •:'< •; f . ;rv .. ;,ry . •' -.'...rk -• h'": >! h:jv. ; .. ;r , r.-O r'.h v. i rk T.» - i:r..4tuniair'-, ra; - ir;:

I the road over the swamps between Te t Kuiti and Piopio, which at the pr<-?'-nt | time is only a foot or «o ;•.*.,•.• th<

swamp level, and therefore v.i -ar!y impassible in wet weati'.'-r. A'.thr.uf'h we know the Taumnlumaire Kond in

condemned id favour of the propo.-eci Awakino Valley deviation, it is at pre«entour only means of outlet to Taranaki, and it certainly behoves the Government to at least make it safe for vehicular traffic. Some few year? ago, notice was received that the late Minister, Mr Hall Jones, intended visiting the district, with the result that the main road was alive with men shaving off lumps and filling up holes, etc , in order to make the way easy for the intrepid explorer, and also one of the higher officials was taken off his usual work and sent on ahead from Mokau to Awakino to wave a white handkerchief to " shew the way," he said, but really as a flag of truce, not knowing the reception the Government's representative might be given by the inhabitants of the district it had so grossly neglected. If money can be spared for one such trip, why cannot it be possible to obtain some for those who use the road continually. Arc they not entitled to equal consideration '. So much for the main road, of which much more could be said. Now, «ir, I should like to draw your attention to a further injustice, viz., the manner in which the Government is breaking faith with their tenants, in reference to withholding their accrued thirds instead of authorising the Engineer to expend them as soon as possible after the rents have been paid. In our own case on the MahoenuiKawhia Road, we are entitled to have some £3OO odd spent, which would enable us to get a waggon up to the last settlers' homestead. Besides the thirds, a sum of £ISOO was voted for this road under the heading, Ngapaenga Junction to Mahoenui, as it is now calledl believe, and surely we are entitled to some of thfo? So far nothing has been done. I understand from the Engineer that the overseer had tnonev on his list for work on this road, and on questioning the latter he assured me he had nothing. I believe our newMinister is desirous of helping the "Waybacks." I therefore trust that we shall not be passed over as heretofore. Trusting you can find room for this.—l am, etc., GERALD H. H. CLARKE.