Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1899 The Shannon Road.

Manawatu Herald, 10 August 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1899 The Shannon Road.

The above heading is hardly accurate but has been used as a brief manner of describing the position. The way, to be particular, between the Ferry and the township ot Shannon is wonderful and watery, and also muddy. It is not a piece of engineering that reflects credit to the local body in charge of it, the Horowhenua County Council. Whilst it is about the worst road in the county it should be the best, as alongside of it is some of the very best of road metal. We understand the trouble, which is the stream that travels by tho side and over it in various places, a strtam coming from the hills, where it has not learnt to confine its way except just as it suited the volume of water, and resenting in a very expensive, but to those not called upon to pay towards its management, an amusing manner, the efforts to keep it in place. At times the combined wisdom of engineers and councillors have been used to try and restrain it within a certain devised course, but though dams were erected and bridges built a few months soon saw the dam washed away and the bridges filled up. Undoubtedly a large expense will have to be incurred to make this road as good a one as it should be, and though not desirous of expressing a too strong opinion as to the best way of doing this, it does appear that a sufficiently wide and deep ditch alongside the road would be effective. There is the cost to consider, but the first cost appears to be, for the inhabitants of Shannon the cheapest, for already a lot of money has been wasted in trying to do what is wanted without sufficient money. We. are not prepared to say that the work could be done for £300, but supposing it could this sum would only represent -£15 a year for interest, which cannot be reckoned costly when compared to the importance this road is to Shannon. It must not be supposed for one moment that we are advocating improvement to this road from a Foxton point of view, as it is only a question of a few months when the Wirokino bridge will be erected and the road to Levin be useable in place of the Shannon one. We have many years ago, before another newspaper on the

other side of the river was dreamt of, urged the settlers around Shannon to agitate for a road to the Wairarapa over the ranges, which if still approved of, and it should be as thus making Shaunon a place of more importance, makes the urgency of attending to the road apparent. The road from the Wairarapa would be of little use to drovers arriving on this coast if they had only the road to Pal. merston available, as they can get to that point by other roads already, but the reason for a cross cut over the ranges would He in the facility drovers secured in moving to Foxton for the Sandon district, and down over the Wirokino bridge for the Otaki district. The time has come when the settlers at Shannon must arouse themselves or be for ever asleep, as the communication with the Port of Foxton is of more value to them than they at present realise, but which they should be able to if they but inquired of the business men of Palmerston, Feildihg, and Woodville, We have not space in this article to prove how' much the actual fact of having water communication at command to counterbalance rail charges is worth, though the fact has been apparent to all dwelling beyond Longburn. When the Wirokino bridge is finished the business men at Levin will make a big bid for water competition, and will thus most likely succeed in rail charges being reduced, and this will place them in a better position to compete with their Shannon rivals. We know not how anxious the settlers may feel about this road but it appears evident that if they feel inclined to let matters go on as they are, their representative in the County Council is not prepared to disturb their peace, and even should he be, the County Council wiU want a lot of stirring. Even this can be guaged if any of our views can be accepted as fairly accurate, as the majority of the Horowhenua Council appear careless of the advancement of the northern portion of the County* and the councillors credited with generally getting their own way are interested by the power of the purse in pushing on Levin. Every township has perfect liberty to advance its own interests and are to be credited with so doing, but that does not absolve a district for remaining silent and watching matters going from bad to worse. We should like to see a good road niade to Shannon and the present mail service kept in that running, but the road, unless improved, will be the means of that service being shifted to Levin. Though It may not seem very likely, yet many more curious . events have taken place, we think it is possible a bridge could be obtained for Shannon, and the opening of the road across the ranges would materially help towards obtaining it. Not more than a year ago everybody laughed at the talk of a Wirokino bridge, but the first pile will be drjven in a few days. The urgent need in a new district is the continual repeating of its wants, and the working of all wires that will possibly lead f o satisfactory results. __-— -_-!-___---_--_______.