THE BACK COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 207, 2 March 1914, Page 3

THE BACK COUNTRY.

TRANSPORT FACILITIES. SOME INTERESTING VIEWS. A FREEZING WORKS WANTED. The toast list at the smoke concert tendered to the Hon. James Allen by the Agricultural Society on Thursday night provided material for some matters of interest to back-block settlers. The toast of "Transport Facilities," which was proposed by Mr. 0. H. Burgess, drew a most interesting reply from Mr, W. A. McCutchan, of Whangamomona. The speaker dealt first with the problem of roading the baekblocks, which he characterised as one of extraordinary difficulty, and demanding the immediate attention of the Government. At the outset he doubted the wisdom of the proposal for Government control of the main roads. This system would entail expensive dual control which would, as h»d been proved, cause considerable friction. Dealing with waterways, Mr. McCutchan said that while it was apiparent exports and imports must be handled at the natural harbors, the increasing tonnage of vessels was causing considerable anxiety. New Zealand's produce must be placed on the world's market in the best possible condition, a result which could only be achieved by speedy transport from the freezing works to the ocean-going vessels. Messrs Borthwich and Sons, of Waitara—a Bplendid firm—were about to enlarge their works to cope with the surplus output of the district, and the Patea works were to be rebuilt on a larger scale, but the volume of produce from the eastern country would be enormous. He had recently been struck whilst in Palmeraton North at the sight of stock train after stock train passing through to Wellington from the Main Trunk district, and the land there was no better than, if as good as, that in the hackblocks of Taranaki. The volume of wool, mutton and beef from the East road would in the course of a few years exceed that from the Main Trunk district. Freezing works would have to be provided here, and the settlers of Taranaki had been (pleased to hear that at the next meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board an announcement would be made as to when the port of New Plymouth would be fit to receive ocean-going boats. If the proposal for a new freezing works were carried into effect, he was confident that the volume of produce would be more than sufficient to warrant it. The port of New Plymouth was the natural outlet, and the Government must sec that the road construction in the district was sufficiently accelerated to provide means of transport to New Plymouth. He was glad to see a member of the Ministry on tour, as the knowledge he thus gained must be of value to him in gauging the needs of the country. He had listened with pleasure to Mr. Allen's views on the subject of borrowing, which was, in his opinion, the lifeblood of the country. All the progress and increased productivity of the district lay at the door of borrowed money. The only thing to be feared was injudicious expenditure. The fringe of the district's fertility had not yet been touched.

Mr. Walter Jones, of Mokau, who also responded, placed the importance of adequate means of transport bv road before the development of the waterways. The backblock settlers were at the'present time losing 20 per cent, of the value of their produce through the lack of transport facilities. They ploughed their land but could not cart manure to it. The interests of the town were studied before those of the country districts. He condemned the present Government for failing to deal adequately with the problem of roading the baekblocks. The trouble was that the Ministers never went into the baekblocks in the winter. A voice: Because they'd never- get out again if they did!