PONGAROA MAIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10716, 28 October 1912, Page 4

PONGAROA MAIL.

I A PROPOSED DIVERSION/ (By Teltg-mph.—Special to Age.} PONGAROA', October 26. Chief Inspector Dall, of the Postal 1 Department, was met by a large and representative meeting; of Pongaroa residents, who.-uhammcrasly favoured tie mail service from Eketahuna try Pongafoa, finally linking up Masterton and Dannerirke. The road, ifc is claimed!, lies open to the sun, nnd more metal and £SO<X) is available for 1 its upkeep. While the Akitio County pays the Pahiatua County £4OO per ammra for the maintenance of the Makuri-Pahiatua road, neither tho Pahiatua County nor the Uorougli gave any encouragement to the recent proposal to bridge Tvico's ford at Makuri. This would bring; Pahiatua L/ miles closer to ongnroa, The Akitio County offered £IOO, hut th<% Pahiatua County, wanting its pou'inS of flesh, offered no special inducement.. - The inspector stated that the Department had been informed that tha Pongaroa people were against tha> proposed Eketabuna-Ppngaroa mail' service. The residents, i'elt hurt at thevstatement, and gave it an emphaticstating that Pahiatua may be responsible i'cr tiio mis-statement, as. four-fifths of the ratepayers concerned favoured) the Kketa.lm.na proposal. A motor waggon was shortly to run between Eketahuna and Pongaroa, car--vying goods at 25h per ton throughout tho year. This was less thaw half via the Pahintua-Makuri road by waggon. The residents of Pongaroa gave the inspector a guarantee that they would accept all risk and responsibility if the Alfredtou-Web-er road became blocked; next winter. It was stated that the Ponga-roa-Pahiatna Road was in a very bad state and delays often occurred.