Matiere.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 285, 13 August 1910, Page 5

Matiere.

A mild epidemic of scarlatina and influenza has been visiting this locality, and the attendance at the school has been much reduced as a result. - Our roads are absolutely an infliction upon and the old penance of 3 in tneir shoes could not have be . en worse, to the old timers than the miry sludge channels are tq, the present generation. In spite of mud, however, a number oc mobs of sheep have come in, Messrs Smith, Phillips, Fauchelle and others having successfully negotiated our local substitute "broadway." Mr Wiari, a native living atToiToi, has shown considerable enterprise as he has purchased a three and_ a-half horsepower oil engine and tail shaft with screw for the purpose of navigating the Ohura river as far as Tokerimi and locality. His idea is to take goods by water and obviate the drudgery of packing the goods per horse. One cannot but applaud his enterprise and wish him every success with his oil launch and this venture if successful should lead to a more general use of the river as a waterway. It seems quite feasible that goods could be floated down stream with less effort than being carted by road beside the consideration of lighter traffic on the latter.

Lambing is fairly general now and the new comers appear a hardy lot. The weather, too, is mild and moist with' dry spells which conduces to a low mortality. Our additional son of vulcan has opened up and seems to be doing a fair amount of business. The butcher's shop adjoining is now nearly completed. Our local medico leaves at the end of September, and I learn the medical assiociation are making inquiries at Home with a view to importing a young doctor, a cable concerning the same is shortly expected. The new doctor's residence here is much admired and Messrs Burney and Reid have nearly completed the work, which has been carried out in a first-rate manner. The general scheme of architecture and decoration is not only tasteful, but conduces also to comfort and convenience. Messrs Dear and Chas. McKinder have both taken possession of their new homesteads and are busily employed in effecting necessary improvements.

It seems regrettable, however, that the Government is a poor seconder of the efforts of the ssttlers, as witness our roads. With many the refusal of the Minister to start the railway at Ongaruehas caused them to " 'bout front," and they are ardent "Masseyites," and generally "agin the Government" next election." The thing has been such a

'palpable fraud and breach of trust that, combined with the items of niisroad votes and cheap bluff it is little wonder if the "iron has entered their souls." I venture to submit that r.o large body of settlers has been so scandalously treated as those of the Ohura, and it surely betokens a decadent Liberalism when a Cabinet Minister uses his position to flout and brow-beat worthy settlers, who, as deputies, are only asking for rights which should have been given long ago.