DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 2, 3 June 1913, Page 6

DISTRICT NEWS.

! AWAKINO-MOKAU. (Our Own Correspondent). I read with interest your sub-leader in regard to the new Waitara bridge, and was pleased: to note your remarks regarding the bridging of the Mokau River. The 'price of the Waitara structure verged close upon eleven thousand pounds, and of this the Government by way of subsidy, gave £3OOO, approximately one-third of the cost. Where the contributing local bodies were numericably more numerous than those which will be expected to contribute towards the cost \ of the local bridge the Estimates ought to show £ for £ subsidy or even more. Although many, settlers of this district contend'that the bridge—being as it is a national affair—ought to be constructed by the Public Works Department. But the 'best those settlers can do so that they may not be disappointed in this matter is from now henceforward to realise that the D.W.D. will not gratify their dream, for from what I have heard from members past and present of this district, and from the remarks made by Ministers while in the district and replying to deputations, the Department will not give any assistance in the matter until »ihe various 'loc&l bodies, in /the vicinity will contribute their share of the cost. ,I would draw the attention of the Chairman of the Awakino County" to this state of affairs, for as he has had 1 something already to do with the matter, he must as well as myself be convinced of this state of affairs. The County ought to begin at once to show that they are alive in this matter, for if we are to have a bridge at the mouth of the river some immediate action is required, for an official in the Public Works Department has stated that it is practically impossible to place a bridge near the mouth, and further more, he is, I believe, in favour of bridging the river a few miles further up stream. My advise to the settlers is to wake up. There is and has been too much lethargy in the matters pertaining to this bridge, and real concerted effort on the part of the whole district is what is required. Local affairs of such importance are left to a few and should they through want of support fail to accomplish the matters they undertake for the public good, these armchair lopal fault-finders, .ejaculate, "I told you so!" Why do not some of them come away fropi their fire-sides and assist, instead of leaving these affairs to one or two to engineer? They are only toe pleased to accept and use any local advantages and conveniences which the workers struggle to obtain, but to render aid- in procuring them they are conspicuous by their absenee. I trust that when the next meeting in regard to the Mokau bridge is called, that instead of half a dozen ratepayers answering to the call, the local hall will be called into requisition to hold the meeting. The Chairman of the County informed me the other day that a Minister is to visit Awakino in the course of a few days for the, purpose of opening the new post office.' When he cpine? I hope to lpaj-n that a strong settlers' committee has waited upon the gentleman and obtained from him some satisfactory reply on the bridge question.

There are some settlers, who living in this district, pass condescending remarks of sympathy with the settlers of Uruti in regard to the struggle they piust have to make ends meet. Now, from that little valley a good lesson may be learned, I Tefer to the matter of a district nurse. The valley has now been in possession Of a trained nurse for, I think, three years, and I do not think they would be without one, for judging from, the report of tho New Plymouth Hospital Board the people are so pleased with .their nurse, thaj; to make her work leas arduous and 1 more advantageous to the district as a whole, they have found the ways and means for the erection of a cottage to serve as a residence for the nurse. This district is twice the distance from medical aid, and the nature of the work carried on about here is of a more hazardous nature, that is, in regard to life and limb, for much of the country is being won from" its virgin state. Comparisons are odious when we place the Awakino-Mokau district beside Uruti in regard to the manner in which the district nurse scheme was treated here. I believe a paltry flO note would cover the total amount of subscriptions received by an energetic collector. Now, when these people who wonder how Ureti .people exist, read these notes, will they not feel rather ashamed of the treatment which they meted out to so wortlvv an object as that of the district nurse'scheme?' If thq matter were properly carried out, I know several young buslimen who, if approached in the proper manner and at the right time, would, when they think of those sisters of the Red Cross who ministered 'so .patiently and with such charm of manner while that ugly axecut throbbed or that broken leg kept the sufferer on the broad of his back for some weeks, would not speak of a shilling but of sovereigns.