Progressive New Zealand.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 298, 22 February 1907, Page 2

Progressive New Zealand.

EXPERIENCES OF A KAWHIA SETTLER. [From The Übskbv r.] I Tbe back-block Mettler iu Goi’« Own Country bun certainly iw r--e»ort to view tbe Christchurch Zxhibiuoa with any vast amount of cutbc»ta«ni. The idea of being butchered to make a Christchurch holiday does not *eem to appeal to him. As a general rule, he baa a strange aud perverse habic of preferring necessaries when he. can get them to luxuries. Therefore, at ’be present time, more than one settler is a*.king himself bow it cornea abuut that a Government which caouut afford to provide roads for the backb’ocka can find, and has found any am >uut of money to finance an exhibition. Roads are a valuable asset to the colony; the Exhibition cannot, with conaisteoce, be termed an ai-set, for, aa things stand at present, it bids fair to become a large Lability. In any case, whether tbe Exhibition is ultimately a aaoeaas or not, the indisputable fact remains that a vast sum of money has been sunk by the Government in that speculation, whioh coaid have been laid oat to mach greater advantage ia opening up, by means of roads, the backblocks districts. The subject is not a new one, and to city dwellers m=»y appear to“ be of little' public interest, but certain facts which have come to light concerning the late experiences of a Kawhia settler should serve to show that a matter of this kind is of interest to the general community, if only from the standpoint of common humanity. The settler in question, with his wife and family, took up land in tbe bush district situated several miles from Kawhia. Even to this remote part of the country tbe influenza epidemic made its way, and the unfortunate settler’s whole family was stricken down with it. In the case of the mother and one of tbe children, this developed into puenmouia. Doctors are not plentiful in the backblocks, and even if a doctor is procarable, bis visits are necessarily few and far between, owing to tbe roadless condition of the majority of the backblocks dis trie . Ail *the circumstances miiitat d againat the recovery of mother and child, and they ultimately died.

Then tbe bereaved husband and father found that, owing to the difficulties of tho country it would be impossible to convey the bodies to Kawbia for burial. Finally, be did the only thing poosib’e under ths cireumstances. He interred his wife and child in the vicinity of the house, after reading tbe burial service over tbe remains. It is hard to believe that such a state of affairs could exist in a country whioh claims to be so up-to-date. From tbe point of view of the tourists, no doubt, New Zealand is up-to-date. But then the tourist does not, as a general rule, stray out of the beaten path. He goes to Rotorua, and looks with admiration on tbe bathhouse which is casting something like £30,000 to build. He goes to Welling, and expresses approval of the magnificent public buildings. He admires the palatial new railway station at Dunedin, and stands in awe before the Christchurch Exhibition. Then he goes to the Government Bureau and expresses, through the medium of visitor’s book, his valuable opinion on the progressiveness of the colony. Also, be returns Home and tells his friends all about it.

But in spite of our ornate public buildings, and in spite of the glories of th ) Christcbureh Exhibition, the fact remains that the case of the Kawbia settler quoted above actually occurred and eimiliar oases may have occurred before, although they may not have been publicly recorded. Even undec the best of conditions, the life of a backblocks settler ia not exactly a luxurious one. And when we remember that these same settlers form a considerable part of the backbone of tbe country, it is very evident that they desevere consideration and encouragement. Necessities should take precedence of luxuries. If there were no other pressing calls on tbe public puree, then the expenditure on Exhibition might be justifiable, but, under existing circumststoces, it wou’d appear that the city dwellers are to be pandered to at the expense of the hwkbkeks settlers.