BACKBLOCK TELEPHONES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 460, 27 April 1912, Page 6

BACKBLOCK TELEPHONES.

KAWHIA-TE KUITI CONNECTION Telephonic communication in the back blocks continues to extend. In the Marokopa district the work of erecting the Government line to Moeatoa has been commenced and when completed will be "the means of at least assisting to minimise the isolation experienced by settlers. The aim of settlers in that part is to have the line erected through to Mairoa and thus connect with Te Kuiti. When settlers first guaranteed the line it was with that purpose, as they considered that their community of interests was in the direction of the Main Trunk line. The line as proposed at present will entail considerable inconvenience though not being direct, although settlers will be in telegraph communication. The route to Te Kuiti, which is the headquarters of all their stock sales, will be a cumbersome one as all messages will have to go via Kawhia and Hamilton. Settlers, however, intend to persist with their agitation in order to establish telephone communication with Te Kuiti. The Te Anga telephone line has been extended—a private one—to the Marokopa heads, thus establishing direct communication with Kinohaku. An off-shoot of this line from Kairimu has just been completed to Pomerangi. The gap between Moeatoa and Manga-o-hae is the only drawback to the completion of a good circuit in those districts with the Main Trunk. Surely, if settlers are willing to erect lines for themselves in the hope of reasonable communication it is incumbent on the Government to assist them. When the district is almost roadless and settlers anxious to have communication, and in their attempt to procure it by wire it is a distress ing state of affairs to think that they are neglected in such a disgraceful manner. The position is one that requires attention.