MANGAOTAKI VALLEY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 328, 14 January 1911, Page 6

MANGAOTAKI VALLEY.

PROSPEROUS DISTRICT BLOCKED FOR WANT OF ROADS.

I Four miles from Pio Pio the Mangajotaki Valley is entered and is one of ! the finest sheep districts in the King Country. It is, however, badly handicapped on account of its roads. A dray road runs for four miles from Pio Pio to almost the entrance j cf the beautiful gorge, and is the j beginning of the Valley proper, which I is from eleven to twelve miles in ! length and is roaded by the Mangaotaki Valley road and part of the Kawhia-Mahocnui road. They are both six-foot tracks and totally incapable of meeting the requirements of settlers. Settlement commenced in the Valley about eight years ago, and although the tracks ware then very crude, the only improvement that has been made during such a number of years lias been the formation of a six-foot track. This, of course, was necessary, and settlers patiently awaited further developments in the form of roads fit for vehicular traffic. A couple of years ago they began to press their claims, and despite petitions and agitations not one penny has been voted for the Maneaotaki road for S the past two years, and the same i has been the case in connection with j that part of the Kawhia-Ivlahounui ! running through the top of the Valley. | It is unjust and unfair that men and women who have been back in the | wilderness carving out a destiny | should be treated in such a manner. ' Those settlers resident in the upper j part of the Valley are in the AwaKino i County, and those in the lower part |in the Waitomo County. Those in the ! former are in an in-operative County, ] and are exempt from rates and are | scarcely as badly off as their friends in i the Waitomo part because they can 'get available "thirds" for expenditure. The settlers who are i Waitomo have, really a bad time. | They cannot even secure their "thirds" for expenditure.

j The present cost of transit is encr- ' mous and should not be. Settlers like these, who are a great primary factor in building our towns, are having ; their vitality sapped out under such harassing conditions. The dray road : into the settlement has not advanced since settlers first went there and that is eight years ago. lam inclined to think there is something radically 1 wrong and something which deserves | inquiry. The present mode of conveyI ance is either by konaki or paek- | horse, with the result that the gilt i edge is taken off the price of wool and i that that profit which rightly belongs | to them who have worked for it, is denied them. The obtaining of supi plies is also a costly item and al- : though we are told in our cities and towns that living has gone up to an enormous extent, if 35 per cent, be auded to the present cost of town ' prices then one can imagine what it costs the settler and his family in the back-blocks to live. This enormous expenditure cun, of course, be greatly ! minimised if proper roads for transit ■ are to be had. The product of the farmer i 3 not one of local concern. It has to go and compete in in the ■ world's markets. Any profit or , money the man on the land can make he deserves, especially when settlers such as those that regide in the Mangaotaki are cut off from civilisation. The man on the land is not getting the treatment he deserves, especially in the back-blocks. The country which these settlers hold is good sheep country, and possibly has no equal in the Dominion. During last winter three breeding ewes were carried to the acre in a few instances, and two to two and a-half in many case 3. Country such ay this is in its early stages of development having such a splendid i carrying capacity, - should ijot be per- : nutted to be treated in such a manner. | The approximate area of the Valley I is IG.OOO acres plus Puketiti station, J which has an acreage of 7000 acres. | Up to the present 11,500 acres have ! been improved and are carrying ] 20,000 head oi sheep and 750 head of | big cattle. ! The production of the wool in the | Valley is steadily increasing and i settlers who only had a couple of I hale;! last year are into double figure;; ; this season, whilst others who had been going in for cattle only until last ; season have been addir.g their quota, and have, made a start. It is estimated that 30«> bales of wool have left the district this season, 120 bales of which were from the Puketiti station. The wool dip on the whoie

has been very fair right through t!]e Vailey, ant! with the exception of a little cotii-u wool the staple has been good. The I'emney-Lincoln sheep predominate, Cattle and horses are aiso looking well and healthy and piling on beef. On every hand stock looi;? well and contented. Grass is plentiful despite the heavy winter stocking and clean eatine out. The Colin try is good and has splendid soil and has every appearance that as it grows older it w;ll i-e c. first rate pastoral country. Uraaa has taken well and in many instances the soil is equally as good as a much older pasture. The country is well watered and is inclined to be steep at the lower end, but, neverthleess, good slue!) country, and rolling, easy country at the top end. Taking the Valley right through it is good and

will undoubtedly in the future be one of the best producing districts at the back of Te Kuiti. It has a splendid future. Roads are all that are wanted to encourage the settlers. They will have to be made some day, why not now, and not burden these settlers by increasing the cost of production and of obtaining of supplies. The matter is one which requires urgent attention, and should be immediately looked into. There is no excuse for delay. The settlers are there. They have progressed well for so far under harassing conditions. Give them the roads and they will progress better. They will become more valuable assets of the district and the country at large. They are men of the right stamp and have roughed it for eight years, and honestly deserve consideration.