TARANAKI HINTERLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 March 1922, Page 4

TARANAKI HINTERLAND.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISIT. ' RkILWAY WORKS INSPECTED. RICH COUNTRY PASSED THROUGH. (By Wire.—Special Reporter.) Tahora, March 8. The Taranaki Chamber of Commerce party of twelve members, which is touring the Taranaki hinterland, left New Plymouth at 7.15 this morning and arrived at Tahora for lunch. The first stage of the journey was an hour’s run to Stratford and then the three car loads swung east and the real part of the tour commenced. The roads were good all the way through, though unmetalled. The Douglas Saddle gave a foretaste of the nature of the country, being unmetalled, and then the Pohokura Saddle was safely negotiated. From the top of the Whanga Saddle range upon range of bush, indescribably beautiful, stretched out for miles.

A short stop was made at this stage. The road from here to Whangamomona was bumpy, and provided the worst part of the trip, but the conditions were dry. Whangamomona was reached at 10.45, and the party were guests at morning tea. Good sheep country was seen, and several mobs of sheep and lambs in good condition were met.

The Tahora Settlers’ Association met the party at Tahora, and lunch was provided, at which a short toast list was honored. Mr. Kennedy, president of the Association, toasting the chamber, welcomed the party. He regretted the slowness of railway construction, mentioning that it was 21 years since Sir William Hall-Jones turned the first sod of the line. Metalling was an urgent need, and in this connection a deposit near Tahora had been favorably reported upon, while there was also* shingle at Te Wera.

Mr. T. C. List (president of the chamber), replying, said the chamber desired to get conversant with the back country, as the interests of town and country were inter-dependent. This railway should be made the chief railway under construction in the North Island, for it was a national work. Meanwhile, they should concentrate on metalling the road from Tahora to Ohura, making a good connecting link. The party then adjourned to visit the railway station, construction work and rail-head half a mile further on, while the school was also visited. The weather :s showery.