The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1905. ISOLATED WHANGAMOMONA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7887, 1 August 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1905. ISOLATED WHANGAMOMONA.

It is no new task for us to endeavour to ameliorate the all too deplorable conditions. of life that -exist in the Whangamomona district. Again and a-gain have we .emphasised the need tor relieving these settlers in the back-blocks .of some of the worst of their hardships, and it is not surprising that they have at length become not only embittered, but desperate. At the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, held about/ the middle of last June a wry strong appeal was submitted by Mr Joseph -.McCluggage for Ihe help and co-operation of the Chamber in furthering the claims of i the settlers both for road completion and railway construction. The question, however, which chiefly came under discussion was that of the completion of the Ohura Road, regarding the importance of which Mr McCluggage fully dwelt upon, apparently to the exclusion of the equally pressing question of the completion of the railway. The Chamber promptly complied with the appeal, and a .strong resolution was passed urging the' Government "that the formation of the Ohura and other arterial roads in the district cannot longer be delayed without paralysing settlement and Ihe progress of the district." About a month later a deputation from the Chamber went \to Wellington and interviewed Ministers on the subject. Meanwhile, the settlers have not been idle, but have been engaged in active efforts to secure recognition of their needs. The latest move has been the formation of a Railway League and the despatch of a petition to Parliament praying tlrat provision may be made for extending the railway to Whangamomona as soon as, possible, or at least that the section at Huiakama shall be completed without delay. The Government has now to consider the appeal for railway as well as road facilities for transport purposes. Both are "urgent requirements," and it is a difficult problem to solve as to which preference should be given. The case for the advocates of the railway is fully set forth by a correspondent in this issue and is certainly deserving of much consideration. We cannot, of course, agree with all the statements and contentions of our correspondent, and we are prepared to make all due allowances for the somewhat caustic remarks which he makes anent the action of the Chamber of Commerce, and the opinions of our contemporary. It is easy to understand thai the feelings of the Whangamomona settlers have been stirred to their depths by the prolonged hardships which have ensued in consequence of the district being at times practically cut oH from civilisation and commerce. Desperate men with grievances thai demand redress are prone to view many tilings in a dark light-, which in other circumstances would appear in a totally different complexion'. These sadly neglected pioneers of back-block .settlement appear to have given up all hope of a speedy remedy fiiy means of roadwork, and to have concentrated their energies towards obtaining a rapid extension ot the railway. There is much to he said rn favour of the attitude they have taken up. A railway would place the settlers in regular communication with the trade centres, would enable them to obtain their requirements and send away their produce. It is a vastly different matter to have to cart goods two or three miles instead of thirty or forty. There would be some inducement to make good the bye-roads as well as the wain j[ a railway were near at hand, hut to face the piiM-nt difficulties co.i- 1 sequent on there being neither roads or railway has worn out the patience and energies of. % hardworking settlers. Tiic cost of car)- j ing provisions to Whangamomona is at present' enormous, while with a 1 railway it *ould be (rifling and the money thus saved would, we are sure, be gladly utilised in a more profitable manner. Besides the railway would take all the heavy traffic, and thus save the wear and tear which so rapidly destroys the present main road, and it. would he available for bringing up the metal necessary for the roads. We are aware that the question lends itself to controversy, hut there can be no possible doubt that under existing circumstances tlic railway wuultl bo

a fai Rieater boon to the Wlianganiomona settlers thau the road, ali lfcoiij,'h it stands to reason that Hit-re must be a proper means ol aee.ss to the railway. As we have pointi\! out, on more than one occasion, tlte ink'iests of tiie. backbluc.% sittltrs arc. vital to townspeople, anj thjiigii the latter recognise i t;is full j an.t have done what they w.iild toward.-, urging the claims (ji u. pack-blocks on the Govcinnient, hey must not be blamtd (or the ... iay that has taken place over the piovision of necessary convenience:-. that should go hand in hand with settlement. We trust that Irefore lung vigorous work on the road as wul as cn the Stratford-\Mianga-ii!orno;ia railway will enable settlers to tiller upon an era o[ comfort and prosperity which will amply compensate them for their long fight against adverse circumstances. Meanwhile they must not lost heart, but persistently insist on their fair share of the financial grants rrom the Pu. lie Works Fund. If, however, one section of the community is going to pull- one way (for roadsj ami the other for a railway, little progress will result, but with unity of purpose anil direction much good will result,.