MEETING AT RATUNUI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 226, 19 January 1910, Page 5

MEETING AT RATUNUI.

A large gathering of settlers from Ratanui and adjacent districts was held at Mr Jackson's whare on January 14th, to enquire into the delay in expending the moneys voted for the roads in the district, and what was to be done to have the work immediately put,in hand. On Mr H. Thoms, J.P., being voted to the chair, he complimented the settlers on such a good muster, considering such short notice had been given, and explained that it could not very well have been otherwise as the matter was very urgent. He pointed out how it was to the interest of all concerned to have the road grants expended as soon as possible after they were available, and that this present delay was causing great inconvenience to those who wanted better facilities 'to work their properties, as well as great hardship to who have taken up land with limited means and have looked forward to obtaining work on the road for a few months in the year in order to find cash to work their farms, til] such time as they will pay for themselves, and also as a means to provide them with the bare necessities of life. There is also another class of men who demanded consideration, namely those who had been here bushfelling during the winter months and have flow finished up with a bit of shearing. They are. or were, looking for a job on the roads, but a good number have had to go and look for work elsewhere as the prospect of work seemed too far off. Of course, the case of these men is not to be compared with those who are struggling settlers on the land with wives and families to support, and who have invested their last shilling in their farms, and who are painfully waiting for the day when those who are responsible, whoever they, may be, shall awake from their stupor and lethargy. (Hear, hear). No doubt some plausible excuse would be put forward, explaining why the best part of the summer months were going by and nothing being dope, ancj if matters yyere put off" any' |ppger not N timp to : hayp the mpneys expended before the end of thp financial ypar, when it would again have to be re-voted with the off-chance that some particular road might he left Q'jt altogether. ThPg r e a t disadvantages which those who liye in the backblocks labour pnder, thrrough lack pf roads, pan neyer be too much brought in the public eye, and unless they (the public) have experienced it themselves cannot imagine what it is to have roads 1 (save the mark) and tracks which are to all intents and purposes' impassable during the eight months of the year. (Applause). Mr Thoms, before resuming his seat, invited discussion on the subject, and the outcome of which was that the following resolution be wired to the Minister for Public Works: —

"That this meeting views with disappointment and alarm the fact, that although votes of money have been placed on the Estimates for expenditure on the Arapae, Pungarehu, Mairea and Mahoenui-Kawhia roads, no indication of starting 4 r >.2 : "woi;k |[4a yet ijiek'n giyen/ 'i'hfs dejay is affecting settlers yy'h'o are entirely dependent on road work, and who have been holding their services in reserve to an(3 complete as tpp >vork as ppssifilp ip the already short t"?? available for 'the expenditure of sych V cites.'' It was father depidp{l tq UP 3 petition qb the psot to fee forwarded to Mr Jennings, M,f., which would em. body ail the settlers' disabilities in that respect. This was done,, and the petition was signed by all present. The next business was in relation to the telephone line connecting Marokopa with Mairoa via Ratanui, both the two former places being in connection with their nearest centres of civilisation. As the Government require a tee of. £6s for fpur yew?# it vfoijid' 'ljfe n'eees'sar'y to'fihd'out who would assist nnanc'iairy in ihe~scheme, and for that purpose it was proposed to put t^ e matter off for another ipeeting,' ti}l t&s iaSpjapaiifflj had been obtglnecj.-' ' 4 vpte of thanks to Mr Thoms con* eluded the meeting.