The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1905. OPENING UP THE CARRINGTON ROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7894, 9 August 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1905. OPENING UP THE CARRINGTON ROAD.

The discussion which took place nt the Taranaki County Council on Monday r.-lative to the urgent need which existori for tie ojst»ninp up of the Cnrrintfton Hoad, whether productive of the desired result o» not, is certainly worthy ol the serious attention of nil concerned h\ the progress and prosjvrity of the diMtriet. Again and hasihisques tion hion brought forwnrd both it connect ion with th»« completion of the road and th«* construction of n lia'it railway bet wen New Plyinout! and Optntako. yel so far nothing ha; been done toward* the realisation o; the wishes of the settl -is beyond (lis-

cussion nnfl correspondence on t'le subject. There is no (finestion that by ihe completion of ttyi (.'nrrinfrtor Koad not' only would n ];i area oi

country be opened up for ptolita"Mi , settlement hut Ihi l n>a*t r.iid wouli' lc iclieved to a great extent of tin ! present heavy through traffic. and ! there should be a consfldeniible'isavin£ of time o?e<r to*? journey between New Vlymoutjh Ami, Opunad\'»i. The C'Hinty Chairman pointed out to the Council that not only did the members of the district 'branch of thFarmers' I'nion advocate the construction of this through road, but they were even willing to b» rated therefor as far a* Hahotu. Mr Okey laid some stress on the contention that the townspeople of New Plymouth wouM benefit from this road, and he expressed Sur[>Mise that the matter had not been taken up)by the Chamber of Commevp. We do not think that Mr Okey intended to convey the idea that he consicferod the (.'hanidvM' had been lacking in the exercise ,»f its duty in not its influence to l>ear on the (»overn» uu»nt in Jhe matter, for it would have been unreasonable to hold such u view inasmuch as the County Council has only just 'become alive to the importonce of th" subject, 'it is well known that the Chamber of Commerce is always ready and willing, to l further any project which has for it* object the progress of the district ami the welfare of the country settlers. The nx>inbers of tint body are not actuated by the consideration of whether

any particular scheme or improvement will confer a direct benefit <m lh*_» (own, for -though that result is one that usually follows on the increased pro?i|K'rity of the country settlors. it fades into insignificance hc- , side the larger and frtr more important Question of the well-being of the district as a wlvol». We are confident Unit when the resolution passed <by th»3 Council 1 in brought under the notice of the Chamber tfyit the latter body will, as usinl, do its best to co-operaf? with the Council in the endeavour to ameliorate the condition of the present- sutlers on the Carringlon Hoad. a* well as to open up land for settlement, and provide a direct inland road to Opunakc. At present t.V Ca'*nnpfton Koad is metalled from town to the school, about' sjx mil's. From thence t () the Tlyruouih Hoad there are f o ur miles of more or less formed truck, but the

, At ibtr-r Impassable. A'• »ittr the next four milis there are pa(the* of formatiou to the I'ctone Ituad, where the nettlei's are proposing to raise a loar. for opting out tha\ road in the South Hood. Near this spot ther«« marked on the district II ui a reserve for a village settlement. The localil.v is one thai is

pnH'?i:.'n*-nfly suited for an excellent health resort, affording numerous a t-

ivac«ions for summer \isitors. but a t present owing to want of fci igood r<w»9 t. : )is vahyU/ln a«set ii- lying idlu and unprofitable. From the IViona Hoad to Stony Uiver. another four

mile stretch, there ,'is a rough .foot track through the bush, but it is so little used t\int the undergrowth renders a passage difficult. The routv thei proceeds through a native block (Tuhua) lor two wiles CV reaching

he Xewall Itoad. It need hardly be tat'd Hint there is no road work in c viili'M'O over this area, Ibut the Now- f >ll load lis opened up to the coast. ' f'rom thence* to Opunake there is a < !ig rou,to |by way of the Tohu, i ivihui, Okahu, tVirciiiu, and Ihaia I lload—n distanco of about seventeen m 1 a. H, ho»»v'r, the n*i<l is nllowr! io be constructed on n straight ' cw.i e tlere v.\ ill 1 be n suvir.g of; KOV 1 miles. Throughout the whole ro (I line the land is practically t'reitj from heavy grntlients. This may bv oi'HJy understood from the fa;* that ! the ;:'-oposp!l tramway which the Govpn mcnt declined t"> sawlii n could havi lioen laid down without any dif!i n'ty other than l.rklpes over the j

I i'ivel The chief expenditure in com-- ; l>!cs inff the Carl intfon Road will be 1 for.nd ill the l br'wl,ee work, but now j tii'.t linht steel structures can lie ' nUa'nrd at a reasonable figure ticie ,h v-ld la< no hesitation in facing the initial expense. l '. Tho cause of tie settl os lias rightly receiv- ,(! larje measure of sympathy ann upp>vt Vv.mi the public at lu'fie. There are ou the Carrington lioaii solrlcrs who have im'.lcrpono the hardships of roadless territory for f.-i-t v years and are t o-fhiy as badl} ~H lis ever. WhMo Mr W Cray's rein rks oil this beael at the Council ir.ee'ino, Wei'a sotnewhat fanciful, theie] is i,,i doulit thait "the deluded vie-; tins'' hnv# a Rrievanco that cills I -uilly for a remedy. Xow< is the time for concerted aciiqit, and no stone should Ic left nnturm;d in the effort to secure the many a<lvautages that \v .uld accrue to the district /by making the Carrinston Road an arterial thoroughfare between New TMymoutli ai d Opunake.