GOOD ROADS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 23, 20 March 1924, Page 2

GOOD ROADS.

n become-s somewhat wearisome to ftinue reiterating- the need for good ds. It is time the people woke to a fuller sense of their responlities in this matter. In this jr issue attention is called to the apathy and carelessness in dealing with the electric power loan, and the , same spirit is in general evidence in ' all matters affecting the public welfare as distinguished from matters of gte¥.ate welfare or profit. The fact is /patent that it costs money to get K roads and that at present money Rf is neithgr^ptentiful or cheap. But the question is not “ Can we f afford good roads/’ but rather 44 Can y we afford to muddle along with bad roads ? 99 There is a good deal in the contention made by one candidate in the last general election in this electorate that 44 good roads and railways should preceed settlement,” and not follow fifty years after. Undoubtedly such a scheme would have added considerably to the selling value of the land In its unimproved state, and that the Government would have reaped a rich harvest in revenue from the sale of land contiguous to such roads and railways, -j— besides immensely acclerating the development of the country. And not only would it have done these things, but it would have attracted many good settlers with families who were not prepared to make martyrs of themselves by wading through mudtracks for half a century, just for the honour and glory of being patron isingly called " pioneers.” Ugh! It leaves a nauseous feeling to look back forty years and recall the politicians who .used to-kiss “the prettiest babies they had ever seen—and prob- ' -sjyv the cleanest—and promise to put the question of a decent road before the Minister for Public Works, who ' must have lived in close proximity to tJT a waste paper basket, and ought to have been dumped into it, promises taw—.and all. It can be safely maintained that the press of New Zealand, irrespechas at all times written j|BP , "!ki'Jk unanimity in support of efficient

public utilities such a; post offices, telegraph and telephone services, education, railways, and most insistently of all, good roads throughout the country generally. Shrewd business men are quite alive to the obvious fact that whatever materially assists towards increased production is for their benefit also, and the in a- j jority of the business men of this j Dominion only require that the j country’s real needs be put before j them in an intelligent manner to on- I ■ sure their hearty co-operation. Un- 1 I fortunately too much is left to the ! professional politician, who in his slavish adherence to party, overlooks the general weal. The salvation of this, or any other, county does not, and rever did, depend on the ambitions either of persons or parties to hold political offices, but forever depends on the active intelligence and moral excellence of its citizens. Active is written advisedly, realising that good intentions never acted on, so far from deserving credit, may easily become the measure of our disgrace. New, good roads arc admittedly a necessity for the development of this country. Good roads arc urgently needed if the drift is to be stayed from the roadless backblocks to the garish lights of the city, where so many parasites and wasters ooze their lives away even now. Good roads are necessary if the healthy minded, useful workers of the towns, many of whom would make excellent settlers, after a year or two spent in working on the land, are to be attracted to the country. Good roads, by increasing production, will also tend to reduce the cost of living. Good roads will enable the settlers, including hundreds of early pioneers of settlement, to enjoy social intercourse v/ith their neighbours, so long denied them by rivers of mud, dignified by the name of roads, or at least win a sigh of happy relief from the toil-worn, brave, old settlers when they isalise that their children may reap in joy where they, too often, sowed without leaping- their due reward. It is then a dutv each person owes to himself and to the collective State, whose protection and co-opera-tive operations would then be in the interests of all, that he should exercise his intelligence and his vote for the common welfare.