THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 357, 17 April 1908, Page 2

THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE.

(TO THE EDlTOtt.) Sih,—lf Mr P. C. Rose will call n meeting of those interested in ih«> ab 've lino, I will be pleased to attend aud discuss the matter in the fullest possible manner. As I feel sure this course would be more satisfactory to all concerned, than discussing it through the paper. I would suggest that the meeting bo held at the Marokopa bridge ou some date to be fixed.— Yours, etc.

WILLIAM J. SHAW. (TO THE EDITOR.) Bib,—Mr Ross of Kiritehere has put his version of delay in erection of above iine before the public, and puts all the blame on to the Chairman of the Kawhia County Council. The delay has beeu on his part., as I will show in the course of this letter. At a meeting of settlers at bridge site, Marokopa, in August last, it was decided to accept the offer of the Chairmah of the Kawhia County Council to guarantee to the Government up to £46 a.year for five years, for deficiency on this line and settlers of Marokopa and Kiritebere to give personal guarantees up to £B6 per annum, which was necessary to secure the County Council, as most of settlers benefited were outside (he Kawhia County, the Kawhia County Council standing security for the remaining £lO. Now, to collect these guarantees and moneys, Mr P. Rise and myself were appointed by this meeting to canvass for guarantees and money, Mr P. Rose to take from Mr Haylock’s to sea coast, myself to take from Mr Haybck’s up both sides of the Marokopa river. It was agreed by the Kiritehere settlers that it I could collect sufficient guarantees from my end, they would make up any deficiency, it being recognised that the nearer I canvassed towards Kinohaku telephone office, the harder it would be to get guarantees. Well, Mr Editor, it is hard to believe but nevertheless true, that out ol eight settlers in the Awakino County, that would benefit most by this line, only two guarantees were signed, (Ross and Po”ook and 8. H. Carr); others made repeated promises .but never fu’filled them. Now, out of nine settlers, I canvassed in Kawhia County a 1! signed and payed, but one, although sime were within five and six m’’es of Kinohaku telephone office, and, being in. de Kawhia County have to bear their share in the £lO guaranteed by Kawhia County Council. Through these Awakino settlers not giving guarantees, it left the estimated amount 1 was to collect £6 short, so I went down to Marokopa and saw some settlers there,who said they would make i the balance up, but as Mr Rose was , not there I told them I would go over to Kiritehere and see what be bad to ! say in the matter. I saw Mr Rose and he said there mould be no need for those who had given guarantees to increase them, as he had some more to come in. He mentioned Mr Williamson as having promised £B. He was sure he would have no trouble to collect from him. He also mentioned one or two more whose guarantees when io w iuld fill up the deficiency, and said he would send them on to Kawhia as soon as he received them, and get the thing- moving. Did Mr Rose do so ? No, for when I went down throe or four months later he had not done so, yet he throws the blame of delay on to the Chairman of the Kawhia County Council. Now, the position at that time was this : had Mr Rose not said there would be no need for those who bad given guarantees to increase them, there were at Kiritehere at that time settlers who were not only willing but anxious to make up the deficiency, and get the line underway, but from the time I went to see Mr Rose until three months later, I never heard a word till it leaked out that there had been a meeting at Marokopa Heids in which it is supposed to have been stated by some that the cause of the delay was through the Chairman and J. Shaw, who had “gone sour” about the line and were hanging it up. I have never been able to get the rights of this meeting, though the outcome of it seems to have bean a requisition authorising Mr P. Rose to act for all guarantors to the telephone line and signed by four guarantors. Now, we settlers here were never congalted about this paper authorising Mr Rose to act for all guarantors, and never knew of its existence until is was forwarded to Kawbia County Council. This is keenly resented by myself and all guarantors here. Surely we had a right to be consulted in the matter. What is the matter with Mr Rose ? Doe? he wish to kill the whole project ? This appears to me to be the case.—Yours, etc., JOHN SHAW.