The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1918. DANGER FROM ISOLATION.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 March 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADV OCATE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1918. DANGER FROM ISOLATION.

(With which is Incorporated The Faihape Post and Waimarino News*

The fire that was swept over this district during the last forty-eight hours by a cyclonic wind storm once more emphasises the crassness or callousness of the Government in its failure to provide a reasonable, if not an adequately efficient system of communication between Taihape and its hinterland with the outer world. While there are many hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of property and thousands of lives jeopardised by such spontaneous conflagrations as that now being experienced there is no direct communication with Wellington, from whence only official advice and help could come. All that hangs this immense, thickly populated territory to the rest of their fellows in the Dominion is one single wire to Wanganui. The result is, that while destruction and devastation was rampant, carried by a mighty wind over miles of settled country, through towns and villages, like an all-powerful Moloch sacrificing all property and animal life, and human beings only escaping by rare good luck, it took hours to advise at the seat of Government of what was in progress while it should only have taken so many minutes. Worse still, that one wire upon which hangs the destinies of thousands of people goes by a route to Wanganui where it is as likely to he destroyed as it is north of Taihape, and, from Wanganui messages, it was by the merest chance thatthe whole of this portion of the North Island was not isolated. If the wind had not abated when it did and intermittent rain had not fallen there would have been neither railway or telegraphic communication between North and South. Wo know that the Department must have long ago realised the utter inadequacy of the one ■wire via Y/anganui for this district's everyday routine business, and it must be aware of the awful risk this dog’s hind leg” one wire system is in such awful plights as this district found itself in yesterday. The fact ' is this one wire is as likely to be destroyed just before it contacts with where duplication occurs as it is before it reaches Wanganui from Taihape. T|ie whole of the ’ centre of this portion of the North Island is dependent on that one wire and all telegrams have to be sent to Wanganui, where an altogether inadequate staff is kept for repeating them to Wellington or to wherever they may be addressed. No matter how life or property is destroyed or endangered there is only one wire. A telegram from Marton to Taihape, stating that Ohutu, only four miles from Taihape, was under fire, that the Box Company’s works and other property had been burnt, was despatched at noon and did not arrive here till after four in the afternoon. What help could Taihape give Ohutu under such circumstances? While the one wire that is forced to do the work of two wires was conveying the message the whole countryside wmuld have gone up in smoke, mills, houses, villages and stock would all have been destroyed. We say would because the message stated what was not correct. Neither Ohutu or the Bgmont Box Company’s works were on fire. We hope the Department under Sir Joseph Ward will immediately do something to bring this increasingly important territory into more rapid communication with the seat of Government. Its present connection is a relict of bygone pioneering days and is in no way fitted for conditions obtaining now. Both as regards mails and telegraph this district has only a makeshift service. After what transpired during the last forty-eight hours we trust the Department will no longer permit the continuance of such terrifying risks. The men w 7 ho go out and convert virgin bush into riches producing country ought not to be isolated so as to involve the loss of homestead, buildings, crops and stock before any call for help can be given, as we understand was the case with Mr. Ross, at Rangiwaea. We have repeatedly voiced the appeals of settlers for means of communication, but the Department is designedly deaf. Will the Department, after yesterday’s experience, still leave settlers isolated and the whole of the southern centre of the North Island dependent upon the one “dog’s-hind-leg” wire to Wanganui for its communication with Wellington and the outer world? lr only for pity’s sake we hope the Department will not be deaf to this appeal.