The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1920. PROGRESS AND ENTERPRISE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3392, 23 January 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1920. PROGRESS AND ENTERPRISE

With which is incorporated “The Taihape Post. and Waimarino News.”

” A large and representative meeting of settlers from the Pongataua, Pukeokahu, Moawhango, Mangaohane, Nga—matea, Ercwhon, and Otupao districts, held in Taihape on Wednesday, decided to have Vperformed’ such road work and bridge construction as will, when finished, constitute another era in the progress of t'he Taihapc district. It -was decided to ra.is‘e a loan of suffiicent magnitude to do some fifty miles of road completion, and to bridge the Rangitikei River at two Very important points. Without doubt it is one of the largest and most important "proposals fvoer roading "and bridging that has yet been adopted in this district. The carrying out of the resolution has proved that farmers in New Zealand’s hinterlands cannot be accused of par-

simony, or_ of lacking public spirit; but that they are fully alive to‘ the re-_ quircments of their country and of the unprecedented times in which they 'live. In performing the Work they l have taken in hand they will be adding to the production and, sequentially, to the riches earning capacity of the ‘-Dominion, and particularly of this lTaihape district, for all time. Tai- , hape territory farmers are truly setting [an example that any Government | might follow with advantage in achievi ing that increased. settlemen-t and that increase of production that will be so‘urgently needed if New Zealand is to meet the incurred war liabilities without hardship. To-‘day there is en.-eo-uragement in the markets of the world to produce, and to enjoy over i average profits of production, but when harrassed by a predicted financial stringency, there is not the ‘inducement (for such enterprise as that practiced‘ in easier times, at least, -that is the experience of -the past. The Imperial authorities are bending almost their entire ‘energies ltowaids increas‘ln.g'

trade and production within and without the Empire, and we are -of opinion that no -greater feeder of such energies can be given than in opening up‘ unroaded lands, in furnishing those facilities in ingress and egress that will bring them miles nearer to the nearest rail centre, thus encouraging and making increased production easy for those men who are proving t'hat they deserve whatever assistance any government can give them in the good work. It goes without saying that the opening up of a main road from Taihape to- Napier will prove of incalcul— value to this town ’s businessmen, for in addition to increasing settlement and production there will assuredly grow up a large road traflie between Taihape and that large territory through to the East Coast. We shall not be surprised to find that a considerable impetus is given for Moa- ‘ ' ' —.—._-L.\‘L'l.-.

Whango to expand into respectable town dimensions, for, as large rivers have their feeders, so large town centres have their suburbs and more distant villages, which, as railways are extended, become towns to supply the increased population gatheredaround them. While We heartily congratulate scttlers'oll the adoption of such comprehensive roading and bridging proposals, we feel sure they are thereby reaching out for benefits and adVantagcs that. were not otherwise obtainable, and they are conferring benefits and advantages on Taihape that no thoughtful person will fail to realise and appreciate. It can tljuly and sincerely be said that no inland town -is surrounded by a more senterprising, far-seeing, and—nlow that we ‘have fresh in our minds-the experiences of the war we may add-—a more

courageous yeomanry than that encirCling Taiha-PW Roads are the bloodvessels of _thc country; they pass through healthy country, carrying «revitalised, oxygenised blood to» the heart of industry, ‘to be redistributed over the whole Empire, going -where the whole body politic most needs it T'hey keep “P "the highest possible degree of circulation, the produce of the land outwards to the World’s markets, and a return flow of the. means whereby produetion can be still further increased, It is plain to the most thoughtless that more mud-tracks and unbridged rivers impede settlement and production, and as 9. result the work of producers in such conditions languishes. We have heard the oldest. and most experienced settlers in various parts of the Dominion urge upon their fellows to “vote for metal” whenever opportunity occurs, and it seems that this advice is being closely followed by men On the land in this large Taihape territory.