KARAKA AND WAIAU ROADS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 405, 30 August 1918, Page 4

KARAKA AND WAIAU ROADS

Loan Poll Next Friday

The following is a copy of a circular that is being issued by Cr. J. S. Montgomerio (the member for the Mauku riding) to the ratepayers of tho special rating area for which a loan of £27,000 is proposed to be raised by the Franklin County Council for metalling the main roads in the Waiau Pa and Karaka districts, viz.: The urgent necessity for providing better roads for the Ka-raka-Waiau Districts has induced 1 the Council to take steps to raise a loan of £27,000 for the purpose of metalling certain of the main roads throughout tho district. The new concrete bridges, giving access to the suburban railway station at Papakura have caused a very rapid development of a large portion of the Karaka district; whilst at the other end the new Patumahoe railway station has created a very much increased traffic from Waiau and the outlying districts. The consequence is that the clay roads have proved quite inadequate for the traffic. Throughout the winter months they are unspeakably bad, being for many months each year practically impassable. There is probably not in the Dominion another district of the value of this, so badly served with roads. Living as we do, at the back door of the largest city in the Dominion, it is hard to understand why an effort has not been made to provide passable roads. In laying out the roads included in the Loan Proposals the Council has been guided by what would best serve the interests of the whole district. By including most of the main roads in one comprehensive scheme ratepayers will see that not only have we served the whole district, but also, that each part of it gets a greater advantage than they possibly could get from any small local work. The advantages of linking up a large area of good farming country such as the Karaka-Waiau district cannot be over-estimated. Good roads give access to good markets—and who knows in what direction that market lies. The dairying industry, which is only in its infancy, is constantly developing in new lines. What better site for Dried Milk or Cheese Factory, or Town Milk Depot, could be found anywhere than in the centra of this big district ? To bring a metalled road to the ratepayer's own door, is only one of the advantages of the loan, but the more farmers connected by that same road tho greater the advantages to each. It seems almost incomprehensible that anyone enduring the mud and discomfort of our roads should hesitate for .a moment about supporting tho loan. We want to keep our boys on tho farm. Can we ever make farming attractive with impassable roads ?

Is it fair to the wives and mothers that they should be shut in where it is almost impossible for a doctor to reach them in an emergency. And the education of the children —is it of no value'? And our roads are so bad that they are dangerous for little children.

Hut leaving out these things which ihould be our first consideration, and looking at the whole question from a business point of view, how can anyone hesitate for a moment before supporting it? Metal gives accoss to markets—any market and every market. How much this means, men who have always lived in the mud hardly know. A cheap line of feed or manure, or fencing material is auctioned in midwinter, but without roads it is lost to the farmer.

Again the dairy farmer, who is too busy all summer to carry out some improvements, looks forward to doiDg it in the off season, but when that time comes it is impossible to haul the cement, bricks, timber or whatever the material required, tt is these things and a hundred others that make the extra rates a mere trifle as compared with the advantages of good roads.

There is another consideration. At the present time the cost of maintenance of mud road 3is enormous. If a large proportion of our main roads are metalled we are going to very much cheapen this maintenance so that it should be possible to reduce the ordinary rates. In this connection it may be pointed out that at a meeting held at Paerata it was unanimously resolved to apply for a loan for Paerata roads. A similar movement has been mooted for the Miuku District on what is called the Tramway Road. When these roads are completed practically all the main roads of the Riding will be clone. Those farmers who havo advocated small local loans will thus see that they lose many of the advantages of a comprehensive scheme. In the first place, if only a small portion of the main roading is (lone it leaves the improvement and maintenance of tho main roads still absorbing ai.i. rates and littlo or nothing is left for the bye-roads. Further there is tho question of subsidies, there are always some Government subsidies to ho had. Those, if our main roads aro in order, are available for the bye-roads. It may be pointed out too that tho Government gavo a distinct understanding that loans raised during the war period without subsidy would bo subsidised when money became available.

In conclusion, I would urge upon all ratepayers tho necessity for goting out to the poll. Don't let a few cranks and antideluvians rob you of your chance of getting out of the mud. Come out to vote and see that your neighbour gets there too. Don't forget polling day, Friday, September fith.

Polling places as follows: —County Office, Hall street, Pukekohe ; D. W. McAithur's office, No. S, Palmcrs!on Buildings, Queen street, Auckland ; Public Hall, Patumahoe; Public Hall, Waiau Pa ; Te Hihi School, Karalca ; Old Road Board Office, Karaka, Polling hours—!• a.m. to 6 p.m.