OVER MT. MESSENGER.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1920, Page 6

OVER MT. MESSENGER.

THE DISABILITIES OF THE SETTLERS. • NEED FOR STATE ACTION. (By Our Travelling Reporter.) For many years past settlers in tiie northern portion of the Tarar.aki province and in the southern portion of Auckland have been severely handicapped by the want of proper roading and transport facilities, whilst the lack of adequate through communication between such important provinces as Taranaki and Auckland is also a decided drawback. Certainly there is a road open for a few months in the year, but during the greater portion of the time that umnetalled stretch between Uruti and Mahoenui —containing, as it does, those bug bears of the winter traveller ' —viz., Mount Messenger, Mokau River and Taumatamairc proved almost unsurmountabte barriers that are only traversed by those whom dire necessity compels, and then only with extreme difficulty- Brave men and women settlers have, however, struggled ~nd managed to make some headway iigumst obstacles that would daunt the stoutest hearts, and, always optimistic, they have been looking forward to the time —not far distant, they always hoped—when their main road would be metalled, and they would be able to enjoy some of the comforts of travel possessed by their more fortunate fellows who dwell on tar macadam Toads.

But it seems as though they are to be doomed to disappointment once more, for, despite the pressure of local bodies and associations throughout the district, very little is done. Twelve months ago the settlers were promised by the Minister of Public Works that I r"'+er: would be put into train so that. - irC could be made very early this - c i. uiiier and full advantage taken of tlie -iinc weather to continue the metal from its present terminus along a bad flat and over the mountain. Work was started on a new metal pit at Uruti (which, by the way, has advanced a step, the post office, which had been conducted in Mr. McAllum's store so well for many years, being now installed in a building of its own, with Miss Dempster as postmistress), and a motor wagon sent out to the job, and it looked as if some vigor was about to be infused into the job, but up to the present not a yard of metal has been placed on the road, and if the season turns out to be a wet one very little metalling will be done his season, and the settlers will have another winter to plough through mud.

The position has been rendered more acute this year by the loss of the launches Mahoe and Marokopa, boats that were very suitable for the trade of the river ports, and, as a lesult, the bulk of the wool has to be brought by horse and motor wagon over 50 miles of road to Waitara at a cost of about £1 per bale Indeed, the district is fortunate in that it has as mail contractor a man of the type of Mr. C. H. Johnstone. who uses his best endeavors to cater for the needs of the district, pushing right through with the cars whenever the state of the roads permit, but when, as frequently happens after a day or two of rain, the roads cannot be negotiated by cars lie has his horse teams ready to take up the running. Those teams have also been made available for the carriage of wool, and are gladly taken advantage of by the station owners, though their drivers (Messrs C. Nicholson and W. Hunt) have an arduous and occasionally hazardous time, the former on one trip last week being capsized twice, but fortunately got off uninjured. After negotiating the mountain, the load is fairly good until reaching Tongaporutu, where the traveller can always rely on obtaining a genial welcome and good provender at Mrs McKoy's accommodation house.

Between Tongaporutu and Mokau, work is proceeding on the road, some grading being in progress. There are some places that require careful negotiation by motorists after rain. A feature that strikes the traveller is th; state of the bridges on the unmetalled portion of the road. All are wooden structures, and the mhjority of them bear placards limiting the loads that they are considered capable of being carried with safety. Improvised patches show where many of them require redecking, and one would not be surprised to hear of the road being blocked during the winter through a bridge collapsing. The timber is on the site for the renewing of one bridge, so possibly it is the intention of the Department to have the work done-

The punt across the river is another bugbear to those who have to use the road. Mainly owing to the delay it causes, particularly in getting sheep across. The present punt is old and obselete, and on several occasions lately the wire rope, by which it is drawn from shore to 'shore, has broken, entailing delay in crossing. This, however, will now be obviated, as on Friday last, a new rope was taken out. rjil:vs the Government •is prepared to lmd.'rUikc the erection of a new bridge, some more modern ferry service should be instituted, and t.iie present punt, which lias done yeoman service iu the past, pensioned oil' before there is an accident to chronicle.

The township of Mokau does not appear to have made much headway during flic past few years, practically the only lic.v building being the post office, which is in charge of Miss Rita Whitehead. Though small, it is apparently capable of doing the business offering. It is, however, marvellous that Mokau has been able to e?:ist at all considering the disabilities under which the district lias (shored. Some years ago the river was a great asset and regularly visited by steamer-; which brought goods to Use stores and settlers, and journeyed no the river for cargoes of coal, now so badly wanted. Some yea''s ago the river was rendered unnavigabie 011 account of a flood bringing down timber and creating snags. Owing to the inaction of the Government and slow response to the.settlers appeal for financial assistaance. the Mokati Harbor Board has been unable so far to have the. river-Wenred.- However, a contract lias been let to Mr. Brown, of Te Ivopnru, to prepare the timbers for a punt which will be utilised to carry the plant for snagging the river. The shortage of timber is, of course, causing cielav, but. it is hoped the timber will soon arrive, be put together, and then work will be commenced in earnest, and in a short time, the river shouM again be open for coal traffic. Meanwhile, setters' wants are supplied by a launch run by Mr. Victor Sjolund, who is so well-known to the tourists, who are delighted with the beauties of the river. The port now receives rare visits from the' Wetere and the Pukere, the former a few weeks uiun* 101 balti ef woei, wkiljt the

lalter nyoutr'it goods Meanwhile the harbor secretary and wharlinger (Mr. Dawson, who was formerly cleric to the Waimate County Council), is having e comparatively easy time. However, settlement is still proceeding up the Mokau River, where a number of returned soldiers have taken up land and are optimistically looking forward to the future. So far, little dairying has been attempted in the district, there being a factory at Awakiiw, but as it manufactures cheese its of supply is necessarily restricted. A strongly supported movement is now on foot to establish a butter factory in the Mokau district, and it is hoped that this will be in full swing by next season, i Already a meeting has been held, when Mr. Geo. Sage, a settler from up the river, presided over a gathei"ing of over twenty settlers, and the matter was enthusiastically taken up, about ?.20 cows being guaranteed. It was resolved that the site be at a suitable place near the Mokau township, which will enable cream to be brought both by river and road. It is understood that there are two suitable sites offering, and a Government expert is to be asked to report 011 them, so that the most suitable in every respect can be selected. Meanwhile a strong committee, consisting of Messrs. Geo. Sage, W. D. Black," A. Sampson, and J. Terrill, with Mr. 11. Maine as secretary, was set up to obtain all information regarding the establishment of a co-operative factory and to report at a meeting to be held shortly. The establishment of a butter factory should give considerable impetus to the district, especially as ■ ome properties are about to be cut up. „ Awakino, which is barely four miles from Mokau, is also suffering from the lack of steamer facilities, and settlers there are indignant at the lack of consideration shown them by the Government in the matter of roading. The township bears an air of prosperity, the fine post office, of which Mr. McGregor, late of the New Plymouth office, is now postmaster, adding considerably to the effect. Awakino is an important telegraphic centre, being on a main telegraph line, and it is the Telegraph Department's intention to erect a residence there for a linesman.

Settlers in the district are very progressive, and they have certainly given a lead to the rest of Taranaki' in the erection of the handsome permanent memorial, consisting of a concrete fence and archway with marble tablets, which was unveiled last week in the presence of a representative gathering, it was expected that Mr. Jennings, M.l\, would have been present, and had he been there a _ deputation would have placed before him a list of urgent requirements, with all of which he is familiar, and most of which he has urged upon the Government in season and out of season. Indeed, at the very moment almost, he was 'in Wellington advancing the claims of the district for consideration. The principal matter that they again wished to bring before Mr. .Tcnninsrs was the inactivity of the Public Works Department in completing the Valley Road. This work Sir William Fraser had promised would be completed. Thousands of pounds had been spent on the work already done and in-order to justify the expenditure! if for no other reason, the work should' be pushed on to completion, especially in view of the fact that the Yallev Road yas to be the outlet north. The Public Works Department had neglected the road over Taumatamairc, and this was in a very bad state of repair, communication with the railway north bein" practically blocked. ' , h

Other matters wore tlic metalling of Mount Messenger, which Sir William Eraser had faithfully promised would be done this year, lint, so far, nothing had been done- The need for a more up-to-date method of crossing the Mokau river ivas also to have been stressed, besides which there was the necessity for the appointment of a doctor, medical student, or n nurse in the district, while anion? minor matters was that of telephone communication with the Mokau police station.

The local chenco ficM--. under the management of Mr. Ceo. Scott, is doing exceptionally well. Nothing but first grade cheese has been turned out, though the factory has been verv much handicapped bv lack of shipping and consequent difficulty of storage. In former years practically the whole of the wool has lweu shipped from the district by the steamers Mahoe and Marakopa. but since the loss of these vessels an occasional load has been taken by the Tukua whilst the balance has been carted out to Waitara bv Mr. Johnson's waggons Already some 300 bales have been taken out bv this latter method, and Mr. Johnston hopes to cart an additional 20(i before the season ends. Mi- W. ,T. R, Avery, the local storekeeper, also takes advantage of the same means of getting in his supplies. and. although he has to pay £2 r>-s per ton for carriage from naitara. visitors from \ew Plymouth were surprised at being able to purchase packet teas at the old original price of 2s fid, whilst his customers are still able to secure their sugar by the bag. a luxury that townspeople ' have not enjoyed for months.

Awakino possesses a strong troop of T.etrion of Frontiersmen. under Cornnral Jones, and their picturesque uniform was ninoli in evidence at the unveiiin" ceremony, at which their confreres from New Plymouth and Rnlwtll received n ffreat welcome. The visit, too. should have a beneficial result on the movement, a* a gatherin<r of those interested was held and addresses on the Legion were given bv Lieut .-Col. Weston Lieut stafT-Scrgt. Hinton, of New TMvmouth. 1 Frontiersman N\ Jones, of Rabotu. Corn. .Tone,. Frontiersman Thomson and others of Awakino.