King Country Chronicle Wednesday, March 25th, 1914 MAROKOPA MAIN ROADS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 654, 25 March 1914, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Wednesday, March 25th, 1914 MAROKOPA MAIN ROADS.

That a great amount of reading has been accomplished in this district during the last few years must be apparent to all who have any conception of the manner in which settlement has progressed. The amount of roading necessary to provide for the urgent re quirements of settlement in the various localities has also had the effect of leaving undonj certain works which have since become matters of extreme urgency in the interests of the whole district. It may be generally conceded that the roading of the western portion of the district from the railway to the coast was planned on a comprehensive scale. However, in carrying out the work certain por tions of roads were left uncompleted and these unfinished stretches now act as barriers between the settlerß at Marokopa and the railway. The matter has frequently been referred to in these col imns, and in advocating the opening up of the roads necessary to provide perfect communication between the railway and the coast we are but emphasising the policy which evidently actuated the authorities in planning the road system which appears on the map. It is hardly to the credit of the powers that be that the Bystem planned and begun more than a decade ago should still be incomplete, and that settlers who were doubtless induced to take up backblock sections in the hope of a speedy completion of the roads should still be agitating for a decent outlet to the railway. The Mangakokopu which will link up the district known as Mangaohae wi h tbe Marokopa requires only a few mile of formation to provide vehicular communication with Te Kuiti. From this centre there is already metal laid for a distance of over twenty miles through the Mairoa district, and the metal will before long be extended to the county boundary. When this road is properly opened up, it will constitute a tourist route offering special attractions, in addition to providing, access to the railway for settlers who have performed a valuable work for the State in bringing to production the back country lands. Very similar arguments can be applied in respect to the opening up of the Mangapohue road which provides an outlet to the railway at Hangatiki, and traverses 4he Waitomo district. The country along* the route of the road is well settled and the completion of the road is urgemly required. A metalling schemo by the Waitomo settlers has provided a permanent road for a distance of twelve miles from Hangatiki, and in the natural order of events the metalling will be carried further to serve the settlers at the back. Little imagination is required to emphasise the immense benefit these connections will be to the Marokopa settlers, and it is to be hoped both town and country will co-operate in seeking to have such a necessary work accomplished. At present tbe settlers are ttemondously handicapped through having inefficient means of transit, and the town 1b suffering in

like manner. The policy which places settler on backblock land and fails to provide them with the facilities necessary 10 carry on,under reasonable condition?,the great work of settlement is difficult to understand. Admitting that the rapid expansion of the district necessitated a distribution of the roading work there has been ample time for the completion of such important arteries of communication as those referred to. By concentrating their efforts in an agitation for the prompt pushing through of these connections both town and country residents will be doing much to advance the opening up of a fine district by which the State and district will benefit largely.