THE MANGAOTAKI ROAD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 439, 14 February 1912, Page 5

THE MANGAOTAKI ROAD.

Nine years without a road! And some people wonder our back block settlers complain. It is a common human weakness to be thoroughly &lert to the disabilities of our own immediate surroundings, while the

drawbacks under which our neighbours suffer are not nearly so likely to rouse us to the heights of indignation. However, it should be fairly well known in the district that the settlers on the Mangaotaki road are in rather a worse position than the settlers of neighbouring districts. A road from Pio Pio was put through a certain ditance to the Mangaotaki about nine years ago, and a sis-foot track was carried on for about 10 or 12 miles to give access to sections which were being opened up. The same primitive track exists to-day, practically nothing having been done in the meantime except the filling :n of a hole here and there. The sections along the whole length of the so-called road are taken up, and many thousands of pounds worth of improvements have been placed on the land by the settlers. Some of the difficulties of the situation will be recognised when it is stated that the wool clip of the district, approximating 200 to 300 bales, has to be packed on horseback a distance of about ten miles. The cost of having goods taken out to the farms from Te Kuiti reaches to about £5 a ton, and the process is slow and difficult, as it is impossible to take a waggon with safety any further than was the case nine years ago. The consequence is that carriers do not care to cart goods to the district, and settlers frequently suffer disappointment. Under such conditions is it to be wondered at that settlers look round for someone to blame? The country is as good as any in the district; the settlers are of the right stamp, as can be shown by the way in which the farms have been improved, >BC.d the lack of a road stands as a menace to prosperity, and a very real bar to progress. Where rests the responsibility for the existing state of things? Undoubtedly the responsibility of putting through a proper'y formed road of a sufficient width to carry vehicular traffic rest 3 with the Government. The accomplishment of auch a work would be a considerable alleviation of the position, and that the same conditions exist at present

as were in force nine years ago is one of those facts which condemn the administration of the department concerned. The position of the settlers

is unfortunate in more than one respect. Portion of the district is in Waitomo County and portion in the inoperative county of Awakino. The settlers are thus prevented from taking concerted action to do any comprehensive work themselves and an alteration of conditions i 3 urgently necessary to afford the opportunity of co-operating for the general benefit. It is understood that the boundaries of the Waitomo County are to be extended as soon as possible in order to include the whole of the district within the Waitomo County. Such action is governed by statutory regulations and is possible only at one period of the year. It is to be hoped the settlers concerned will be fully alive to the importance of the occasion and allow nothing to stand in the way of taking the steps necessary to achieve such a desirable end. With thi3 Hotter successfully accomplished the settlers would be in a position to advocate their requirements and have every "assistance in claiming from the Government the fulfilment of the departmental responsibilities. They would also be in a position to promote a comprehensive scheme for metalling.