RATANUI AFFAIRS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 238, 2 March 1910, Page 3

RATANUI AFFAIRS.

To the Editor. Sir, —Most people have heard of the Ratanui small settlement on the Pungarehu - Mahoenui - Kawhia road, and have seen more or less of its inhabitants. Situated three miles from Mangaohae, and about seven or eight miles from Mairoa, the settlement, consisting of a dozen or so of grimly sqatting settlers, appears, at present, to be forgotten altogether by the Government, whcih has left them with two miles of road in front of the township uncompleted and utterly impassable for traffic. A rough bush track, winding in and out through bush and clearing, both unfinished portions of the road, and this is the only roading these isolated and forgotten settlers have. Some little time ago the Government was petitioned to have the roadwork continued, but without result. The gorgeous sum of something like £2O remains to be spent on the local road, and the settlers, like "Oliver Twist," are waiting for more —and may wait indefinitely. This small settlement is well suited for dairying, being limestone country, undulating and well watered, and blessed by a fine climate. But until the roads are completed, the small "cocky's" dream of a dairy factory or creamery at Ratanui must remain a dream. The Ratanui township is one of the two routes through which the proposed telephone line will pass on its way from Mairoa to the Marokopa heads, Ratanui, Mangaohae, Poraorangi, Moeatoa, Kiritehere, and Marokopa being linked on in this order. By this means the proposed line will run right through to the coast and connect with the Kawhia end of the line at Marokopa township. Thus will coast and railway be linked into communication with each other, and with all the settlements along the route. The guarantee money of £69 has been raised, and there is no reason why the work of putting up the wire should not be pushed forward at once before winter sets in, so that part, at laast, of the service might bs at the convenience of the settlers before they become isolated again by reason of approaching winter and bad roads. — I am, etc., TAWA STUMP.