CORRESPONDENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 479, 3 July 1912, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor. Sir. Nearly everywhere in the backblock districts at th 6 present time you can hear the cry "We want metalled roads." And everyone acquainted with the condition of our roads at present will admit that we have guod cause for complaining. But th 6 question is how to improve matters in that direction as I think our roads are in a worse state now than they have been before. The cost of carting goods at present, and, in fact, all through the season, is double the amount that it was four or five years ago, and that extra cost is simply burying naoneyin the mud and water holes. Sir, during those four or five years I would not like to say how much money has been spent on metalling the main road Te Kuiti to PioPio, and I think the result is anything but satisfactory, and that being so, I do not think it would be a sound proposal for settlers to borrow a large sum of money and have it spent in a similar manner with equally bad results with but the one remaining fact that they were responsible for the repayment of the loan But let us suppose that the settlers borrowed a large sum of money and metalled the main road; now the next' question that will arise is: will the metal car-y the heavy traffic that must necessarily be increasing on that road for all time, 'unless there is . some other means of transit? I think, in answer to the above that the portion of the road, wtiich,has been metalled is proof positive, from the fact that the near future it will require re-metal-ling, starting from Te Kaiti. I think there is but one way out of the diffi" culty and that is a railway that will take the heavy traffic off -the road. There has been a trial survey of this line, and no engineering difficulty was met with. In fact, it is said;to be the best grade in the Dominion. There is also the fact of it being recognised by the Government as a line that is necessaryt The late Prifae Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, said on the occasion of turning the first sod of the Stratford-Main Trunk line northern end, that this was one of the proposed ralway lines through Waitewhena and Te KuitL In conclusion I, think the settlers would be wise to consider the question of> a railway before spending a lot of money on metal, that cannot possibly carry the traffic that- will be increasing on our main road for many years.-"—1 am, etc " D. FINNIGAN. Kaeaea, June 29th, 1912. .