The Daily News WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1905. THE ROAD QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7751, 1 March 1905, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1905. THE ROAD QUESTION.

In his able address at Stratford oil Monday night the I{Premier touched upon perhaps the most, vital question to Taranaki settlers of all those dealt with, viz., the roading of the newer settlements. The crying need » of the settlers for years has been good roads to give them ready access to the outside world. The Premier expressed the opinion that the backblocks should-not be loaded for road-making, and said he was con--Ivinced that the loading should be removed. In answer to the interjection, "Take oil the loading," the Premier replied : "I have not the magic wand of a wizard, but I s v uy, where lands are loaded, and roads are not made, the sooner the roads I are made the better." Though the Premier idisclaims {{magical powers, he has what is practically as good—the command in the House of a majority which is prepared to follow him in every effort for the amelioia- -> tion of settlers' hardships and the advancement of New Zealand. What the Premier thinks to-day is prac.tic;ally what the Liberal party, which he has led so ably for years, thinks '» to-morrow. Since, then, with his clear sense of justice, and his practical comprehensive views of what is essential for the furtherance of settlement, the Premier is convinced ol the necessity for a forward road po]- ' icy in Taranaki, there is nothing needed now but that, in the rush "" and worry of active legislation, the matter should not be permitted tc lapse into the list of things to Ik done someday. Dealing with ' the thirds which are allocated to local jj bodies for road maintenance. tlu Premier said that often these wen "psactically of no assistance." The ' suggestian to capitalise these, anc hand them to local bodies after a lapse of years, introduces an element # of time as well as finance, which it not reassuring. What is wanted in Taranaki is roads now—formed anil 11 metalled roads—along which a vehicle may be driven at any season so that the man \\ ho goes out bad a shall not iind himself c.ut off fron the world, and growing grey-headet in waiting for the <iay when he wil ■ r be able to; travel a mile or twe in wet weather without the risk o being engulfed in a quagmire. A forward road policy is the vital neei for Taranaki |to-day. We have the ■ land, and the climate, and 110 material engineering problems bar th< way. All that is needed is the will —and the money. The latter is a matter essentially for : the Govesn ment to deal with. We are not, af is the case; in many jpther place; it where roads are continually askec for, claiming the outlay of monej on unremunerative land. Pastorallj and agriculturally, Taranaki is th< pick—the very choicest portion o •, New Zealand. Our rainfall is sun and regular, and our climate mild The loading of the outer blocks, a. l well as the complete metalling o _ many of the main arteries which ar< yet unfinished, would make this pro vince a paradise indeed. No loca body cjn do much alone, nor car any combination of these do anj better. They have neither the means nor the power. Only in wise Go 9 .vernment action are our difficulties , to be overcome. It is not a mattei of politics or party. Every setllei who to-day is looking forward wit! horror to the coming winter is more concerned with the condition of his holding and its unmetalled tracks than with any party shibboleths. A " large liberal treatment of Taranaki by the Government would be supported by men of all shades of opinion, and would be repaid tenfold by the abounding content and prosperity it would induce.