WAITAANGA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 485, 24 July 1912, Page 5

WAITAANGA.

Own Correspondent The settlers of Waitaunga, on the Tongaporutu, Mangaroa road, had rather a trying time on the 13th inst. They started from Mr E. G. Gandy's residence early in the morning, carrying a settler, Mr J. McLaughlin, who was seriously ill, on a stretcher, a distance of fifteen and u-half miles, to Mrs Rowlands' nursing home in Mangaroa, where .he is at present treated by Dr Latchmore. Although every settler on the road turned up, it was understood they could not have reached Mangaroa only for the kind assistance rendered by bushmen and others, who were working in the district. The so-called bridle track is in a terrible state just now, and it took six men at a time to carry him through knee-deep almost all the way. I wonder how these settlers like a change of Government? Anyhow, it can safely be said they deserve more consideration than they are getting. Waitaanga is settled nearly eight years, and most of the settlers brought in their faimlies after they got their first burn nearly seven years ago, and so far they must be content I to live in hopes of something better. The settlers have applied several times to the Auckland Education Board to have a school built. Finally they got a reply saying if they built a school themselves the board would make arrangements with the Taranaki Education Board to manage that district for them as it was too far out of their reach. 1 often wonder if the Government now in power will carry out their proimses in looking after the boys in the back blocks. If so, let 1 us hope they will first atteni to the most deserving. As Waitaanga is in the Te Kuiti road district, it is to be hoped our new engineer in charge will have a trip out this way before long, or at any rate in time to make representation for a substantial grant to be put on the Estimates for the Ton-gaporutu-Manaroa road. lam told that Mr C. K. Wilson is coming through that way from Okau at th« end of this month. Probably this is the only road in this district that he has not traversed, and we will be looking forward to the account he will give of it, if he gats back to Te Kuiti. «