The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1903. WOES OF WHANGAMOMONA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 260, 2 December 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 1903. WOES OF WHANGAMOMONA.

The settlers at Wbamgamomona are , evidently not inclined to quietly subnut to the injustice perpetrated by , the Government in placing such a ; paltry sum on the Estimates for the Ohura Road, and an indignation meeting was held on Friday evening to discuss matters. From the Stratford Post we learn that Mr J. McClug'gaig'O, who presided, moved certain resolutions expressing dissatisfaction at the large amount placed on- the Estimates for the Otago Central and MkUawd Kailjustly urging l li«at money coui-d have been better spent in metalling anid maintaining the roads in the W-han'g'ainoinon-a district —more especially the Ohura Road. Mr McCluggage said that he had personal knowledge of the country surrounding the Ota-go- Central Railway, and he had no- hesitation in saying it was some of the poorest land in the colony. It was -hold in very large areas from 100,000 to- 300,000 acres in a block, much of it a dreary waste of saind with little or no vegetation on hundreds of acres. He was at a loss to know why the Government persisted -in putting' this line through ; he was certain that it would never pay for axle grease, The Midland railway he was not personally acquainted with, but he had it from what he considered reliable authority and reports, that this country was- very little better than the Otago Central. The greater part was rocky and lvilly, suitable only for gold-mining. The West Coast vote this year totalled £BO,OOO, and ho could not see what permanent benefit wo were going to derive from its expenditure. There were settlers on the Whangamoinona, Vera, Marco, Poraitfii, and Waunigawata Roads who had lucn struggling on packing their wires and supplies on their bucks over dangeroiis and difficult plscps fijr yell's, and to these men this Premier qn' liis ltvst visit had promised assistance. Yet not a penny figured on t'ho Estimates for the opening up of any of these roads. They had a dairy factory established and working, and these roads required opening up in order to develop the industry. In reply to representations made at a meeting last week they had hart telegrams from the Premier and Minister, but as yet no definite steps toad been taken to- alleviate their distress, -and lip Jhpugh't it qboyt time something was done/ Thyrsi" liq "d'isgent, and, if anything, settlers grew even! more condemnatory as tfie evening wore on. Any of those who know tho 'district cast of Stratford will recognise the justice of the protest and the extreme difficulties with which the residents have to contend. And without a trip into that country it is absolutely impossible to give even the faintest idea of the hardships that surround the occupiers of the sections in this "improved farm settlement." One thisig is certain, and that was voiced by Mr McCluggagie—that unless Governfneup pufve some steps to assist the settlers, jjssisting thpfn promptly and liberally—the much bopined "improved" farm settlement will become depopulated. There arc immense possibilities for that country, but these cannot surmount such obstacles as miles upon- miles of deep mud and slush facetiously called roads.