Public Meeting at Shannon.

Manawatu Herald, 9 January 1894, Page 2

Public Meeting at Shannon.

■ ♦ THE EOAD OVER THE RANGES

HRIDGING THE MANAWATU.

A meeting was held at the Shannon school house on Saturday night, convened by Messrs Gascoigne, Lind, Nation and Cassie, to consider what steps should be taken to bring the matter of a road over the ranges under the notice of the Minister of Lands, and to discuss other matters of interest to the town. There was a good attendance of settlers, and among those present was Mr T. P. Williams (Mayor of Foxton), Mr J. R. McMillan, of the Foxton Borough Council, and Mr Coley, also of that town, who had d liven to Shannon to be present at the meeting. Mr Gascoigne was voted to the chair.

SHANNON- EKETAHCNA ROAD

The Chairman said the time had come when it was advisable to ask the Government to give the settlers here communication with the East Coast. It wa9 an important work, and when only a small outlay was uecessary to do it it was clearly the duty of the Government to do it. He knew from his own observation that the road was practicable for two or three miles from the point to where it is now formed. He then read from the issue of the Manawatu Farmer of October 9 an article descriptive of the route to be taken. It would run from Shannon east up part of the Tokomaru Valley ; then proceed southerly until it reaches the junction of the Mangahao river ; then running down the Mangahao Valley in an easterly direction will cross the Forest Reserve at nearly a right angle, southerly, to the Kakariki Clearing - skirting as it goes, the south end of the Govern -

ment Special Settlement at Waiwera. Here it will join the -already made Pnkohai Road, leading to the Hukanui Railway Station, on the projected Masterton-Woodville line of railway. Hukanui will be the station for the surveyed Kakariki Farm Homestead Special Settlement, and is only about seven miles from Eketahuna and about three miles from Newman. The information given by the paper was authentic, having been procured from headquarters. He might also say that he had talked the matter over with Mr Morgan Carkeek, and this gentleman said he thought it was surveyed in M r Macandrew's time, and he (Mr Carkeek) did not anticipate any difficulty. He (the chairman) had written to Mr Williams, Mayor of Foxton, telling him of the. meeting, and that gentleman had not only come himself, but brought with him a member of the Borough Council and a friend. He (the chairman) had drawn up a petition for presentation to the Minister of Lands, which-Tcoiild be amended if the meeting could suggest any improvement on it. He was glad to see Foxton working with them, and unity was strength; he hoped also to see Eketahuna cooperate. . . Mr T. P. Williams, (Foxfcpn) : ajud he would ask the "i^pad the petition, but before dbiii| ? Sqp^esired to express ; his pleasure ■in working side by side* witn Snannon. Unity was strength, and the 'movement would not only help Shannon but Foxton and the whole surrounding district. Foxton was the most direct port on the West Coast, and to have a direct road also from the other side would be a boon to the settlers of both districts. He would like to hear the petition read.

The Chairman read it, as follows : — .

To thb Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands.

Honorablk Sib,— We, the undersigned ratepayers and residents in and around Foxton, shannon, and Exetahuna,.4,ra«r your attention to the desirability and,: ne- 1 cessity of connecting the East and West Coast!;, by continuing the road which is already made for vehicular traffic eight miles from Shannon in that direction, to a road already existing on the east side of the Government Reserve in the Exetahuna Road Board District, over a gap of about seven miles unmade through the Government Reserve. ■ . : . • , Your petitioners need scarcely point out the advantage the connection of the two roads would be (the worst portion being already done) not only to the Foxton and Shannon resideuts, but to the farmers and | residents generally on the Wairarapa side of the range. They are beyond calculation. We, your petitioners, are assured that a practicable route exists between the two aforesaid roads, and we would resppctfully request that a surveyor be appointed to make a survey and to report thereon. And your petitioners, as in duty bound,