THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 369, 10 July 1908, Page 2

THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE

(to the editor.) Sis, —In iep!y to Mr Wouldei * letter : 1 would first draw hie attention to the first statement he has made in reference to my letter, “That the Awakino settlers would not thank Mr J. Shaw for hi* trouble in canvassing his district for guarantees,’’ I must ask Mr Wouldes to kindly read my letter again, and as I did not make such a statement clearly shows that Mr Wonldes is labouring under a misapprehension. Therefore this statement wade by Mr Wouldes is groundless and must fall. Nevertheless I am pleased to note that one person within the Awakino County has publicly thanked Mr J. Shaw. But Ido think it would have been much nicer if he had done so when Mr Laurence Armitage’s letter appeared, and not have delayed until his conscience was pricked by the tone of my letter—for Mr Wouldes must be aware of the fact that by being silent he publicly endorsed Mr L. Armitage’s aentimente. For instance I will quote one statement made by him : “But like a wise man did not sign the guarantee which is so unsatisfactory to we Awakino settlers," I would like to make it clear to the readers of the Kawhia Settles that Mr Stanley isan Awakino settler and not, as Mr Wouldes letter would Had one to believe, a settler within the Kawhia County. I would also ask Mr Wouldes to kiadly make elear who he is re'erring to when he warns the Te Anga settlers, etc., as in this matter the settlers are only known ai the Kawhia County and Awakino County settlers. I think it would be as well for Mr Wouldes to at once get rid of his impressions about the Kawhia County Council thanking Mr J. Shaw, as £do not think they will consider it their duty to do so, and I may state that 1 do uotithink 25 per cent, of the ratepayers favour the Council guaranteeing the amount that they have. It has been considered by many that the Awakino settlers have looked upon it as the duty of the Kawhia County Council to erect this line to the Southern boundary of the County, and the only conclusion anyone can come to after reading Mr Wouldes’ letter is that he has in every way endorsed same. Mr Wouldes seems to know just where the Government would place the telephone poles, as he hss the route off pat. Now, 1 would suggest he takes it down the southern side of the Marokopa river from Te Anga as that four miles is of ne use to us, or Getter take it via Mr Stanley’s, be would then undoubtedly sign a gaarautee. In regards to the office that will be required at Marokopa being within 150 yards of the Kawhia County boundary, 1 can assure Mr Wouldes that they will receive no opposition from the Kawhia County ratepayers. In reference to the remaining 11 milis, what chance within the next five years have we got of getting an office every five miles along the route as mentioned in Mr Wouldes’ letter —practically no chance whatever, Mr Wouldes states that the guarantees collected by Mr J. Shaw amount to £l6 or £lB. This statement is undoubtedly misleading. Mr J. Shaw only collected eight guarantees within the Kawhia County, and without any bother or grumbling, and that amount, and tha amount guaranteed by the counoil, has been in tho council’s hands for months, and I. take the liberty to state that not a guarantor or ratepayer made any exception until Mr P. Rose, on behalf cf the Awakino settlers interested in this matter, wrote a letter to the editor of the Kawhia Settler blaming the chairman of the Kawhia County Council for delaying the cans traction of the aforesaid line. Here again Mr Wouldep wishes to “impress on settlers the fact it is only a guarantee and it is not likely they will bs called on te pay another pound.” I wish to impress upon Mr Wouldes that 1 for one cannot be stuffed as easily as all that as I can hardly see how the line will earn the revenue required for some time yet. In reference to cooktails : I do not think there are any within the Kawhia County—bar thofe projecting from the hind end of the good old roosters—as those persons interested ia telephones, af .er endeavouring to get a private line erected to Marokopa and failing, and endeavouring to assist the Awakino settlers to get the Government line with the same results, are now erecting a private line throughout the Kawhia south side of the Kawhia County and will then enjoy all th* privileges and benefits mentioned in Mr Wouldes’ letter. In conclusion, sir, I would in my turn warn the Awakino settlers to at once get the required guarantees completed aud returned to the Kawhia County Counoil within one month as from the 18/5/08, as at a meeting held by the Council upon the above date they passed a resolution to the effect that if this is not done they will withdraw the guarantee aud return ail monoy, and I do not think they (the Awakino settlers) will get another chanoe to “advantageous.” Kinohaku, June Bth, 1901, (to the editor.

SIR, —Would you kindly publish the following extracts from Mr Wouldes’ impressive, but uncalled fer, reasons why the line should be erected. If those are his only extraordinary, but impressive views he might have hnd ths common decency to conjecture that although we are back block settlors, wo aro quite as enlightene 1 and in a position to understand, before be made himself so conspicuous They say “Charlie's Aunt” is enough to make a cat laugh, but these extracts are quite sufficient to make a cat explode. Why did ho much valuable space in the Kawhia Setteeß, by giving the only reasons for which a line is erected ? Neither can he substantiate his facte vix (1) “Having a telephone line with an office at five mile intervals, and would increase selling values”.—Has there been provision made for the construction of the line ? : —No. From a mercenary point of view is it wisdom to erect a line, te inordnOT Bailing values, when at -the present time every settler requires all his surplus cash to improve his section, and does not anticipate selling at au early period ? 1 am positively convinced that thia is not ihe case. (2) “Besides life may be saved iu case of accidents or sickness, and would be very handy in case of an urgent order." This is a fair break up; whatever else in a tek phone lino erected for, if not for those highly beneficial reasons. (3) As regards Kawhia’s advantages: “It would assist to keep the Kawhia-Marokopa steamer in the district.”—Readers should remember that the Marokopa port is the Marokopa and Kiritehere settlers commercial centre aud of little importanco to the ratepayer* within '

the Kawhia County. (4) “It would assist Kawhia tiadespeople by bringing them in closer contact with Marokopa and Kiritehere settlers.”—This being the case, I presume Mr P. Rose canvassed the aforesaid tradespeople for guarantees ; should they endorse Mr Wouldes contention, I feel aeaured they would readily respond. (5) ,‘ r lt would help to keep a doctor in the district?* Such absurdity, as you must be aware, a line can never keep a doctor in the district without first being attached to him. I would like to impress upon Mr Wouldes that we are at present keeping a doctor in the district, under difficulties—not as regards the Hue, but finance. I would advise j'ou Awakino «ottlere to join the Kawhi* Medical Club, as I am Informed, on good authority, th tt your rjunty ; snot reasonably re presented f (6) “The Kawhia people should do all in their power to form a centre at Kawhia and consolidate the district as far as possible by encouraging the erection of telephone lines and conetruc ion of roads.” I assume Mr Would* s must refer to the local body, as th ‘ Kawhia townspeople cannot possibly cope successfully with the aforementioned respcnsibilities. For Mr Wouldes especial benefit 1 would remind him £hat local bodies have areas set apart to raise revenue in. It should be reluctantly that the local body rfpend moneys for any purpose outeide 4;heir own sphere. I admit they occasionally do so, but should not without first obtaining the ratepayers’ consent. When diverting moneys t > other than their own spe ial in tereste, it should be carefully and wisely dispersed. Mr Wouldes apparently imagines that the Kawhia County should depart f: om the a? principles, therefore, greatly adding te their neighbours comforts and advantages, whilst they on their part do not contribute to the County’s revenue. (7) Marokopa and Kiritebere advantages—" Closer contact with civilisation ami consequent ad vantage-derived therefrom-’’—Mr Wouldes assuredly is acquainted of the fact that had the above mentioned a. tilers embraced the opportunity, wksn we were advocating the private line twixt Marokopa and Kinohaku, they would have been enjoying these advan Cages long ere this. Motto—Delays are dangerous. (8) ‘-Kiritebere, Marokopa an 1 Awakino subscribed through Mr Row £26, distance 6 miles, a little ever £5 per mile guarantee, Kinohaku, 15 miles, guarantees collected by Mr J, Shaw £l6 or £lB withgoodneas knows how much bother and grumbling, about £1 per mile.”—New readers, wbat is your candid opinion as regards the above c nglomeration ? A more rambling, topsy turvey, tumbling statement, embracing money, miles, and grumbling I never encountered. Are we given to understand by Mr Woul es’ iuainuaticns, that the few settlers occupying sections in the vicinity of the Kawhia County's southern boundary should pay the same rate per mile as their neighbours within the Awakino County ? Their numbers are far excessive of the Kawhia County settlers who have become gua".antors, iu fact many interested in the Awakino County have not attached great importance to the said advantageous line by not having guaranteed. That reminds me, by the way. I received information quite casually, that Messrs Rose Bros only guaranteed £1 collectively, both being occupiers of large sections. Is ih ; e credible “B® guarantees." In refereece to Mr Stanley’s absurd statement Mr Wouldes wisely comments that a man’s word, without a written guarantee would be useless to a public body. To we readers of the Settler, it would appear to be by the merest fluke that he perceived the erroneous remark as immediately afterwards he commits himself by wishing to impress on settlers that it is * only” a guarantee. A guarantee being a surety against loss, why allude to the said word so casually, In conclusion, 1 would kindly, but in all sincerity, advise Mr Wo■ tees to be more explicit, practical, and less theoretical in his statements in the future.

P.B. -Is Mr Wouldes as well versed as regards wireless telegraphy ? if so, 1 would look upon it as being a great favor to we readers, if he would impart a small amount of his knowledge through this paper. Needless to state it. would be handy in case of an urgent order. * Kinohaku, June 12th, 1808.

(to the editor.) Sib, —To “ Outsider ” Am pleased te n<te that the letters published in this paper re aboye have awakened a keen sense of interest to you. The settlers are apparently perfectly equivalent to attending their own interests without yoa participating by giving uunccejsary advice. We readers are quite apprehensive of the fact that grumblers and discordant persons are not requisitioned when dealing with any subject. As to Oparau being to the fore of Marokopa we are perfectly acquainted, but perhaps you are not aware that the aforesaid township is not to the fore of Kinobaau, uot only the route of the private line having been decided,’upon, but I have been informed by Mr W. J, bhaw appliances, etc., would be to hand this week, he being ia a capacity to give anthorative information. You undoubtedly are of the same opinion as we readers ia reference to Mr W. J. Shaw’s stability, but surely you are not oblivious of the fact that it would have been much more becoming had you ventured to express your sentiments of high esteem in connection with this worthy gentleman at the time when Mr P. Bose was shelving all cause ef delayauce on Mr Shaw's shoulders. Please observe, Mr “ Outsider,” although exposure of “ petty ill-feeling ” is most deplorable it is inffuitelv more re to silently contain same as it would then be deemed as a malicious feeling. I, as one of the correspondents in

this matter, wish to convey to you th**whilst freely expressing our views on this topic quite openly no ill-feeling is entertained. Your scinty correspondence appears to me like unto a man of great ooneeijen* tial air coming to the fore when all laborious toils are o’er. I wish to accentuate on Mr “Outsider” the fact that it is entirely through the dearth of guarantors that this controversy originated. Hope, Mr “OutSldor," you ara not diaoonoerW by tbe Bi< raw lines, bat that they will assist you in either becoming an “ Insider ” or remainiag an “ Outrigger.” In the near future I trust “ Outsider ” will be topping the guarantee. —Yours, etc., HARRY DERECOURT. Kinohaku, June loth, 1908.