THE WHAREAMA AND CASTLE POINT SETTLERS' PETITION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 269, 20 September 1879, Page 2

THE WHAREAMA AND CASTLE POINT SETTLERS' PETITION.

, To ik Editor of the Wairaea pa Daily. Sin,—At length the Castle Point, Tenui ; and Wliaveama settlers seem to be waking 1 up. It has dawned upon thorn that it ' would be an advantage to have better communication with the outer woildand its markets than heretofore. Perhaps the 1 hard times have had some effect on these 1 previously easy-going, satisfied mortals, 1 stimulating them to 03 up and doing. The 1 outcome of this awakening is a petition to ; Parliament asking for a sum of money ' sufficient to form and metal a trunk line '< of road ohrough the Castle Point Highway '. District. It seems scandalous that in a district 1 from which some L 130,000 has been re- ■ ceived by the Government from the sale ' of Crown Lands, that at this present time there is not a road fit tu travel on from ■ Castle Point to the Taueru. Many set- • tiers have this winter been obliged to pack ' their stores on horseback, and others could not rppkee buildings burnt down, 1 on account of the roads being impassable for all kinds of wheel traffic. We even suffer at election time. Mr Bcetham, who deserves our thanks for the effort he made, was unable to meet and address the electors here, from having been de- ■ layecl so long by the boggy state of the Mungapakeha. The settlers here blame the Government for the bad shite of the roads, and, no doubt, with «ond cause. But are not the settlers themselves in a measure, to blame in not having, years ago, made strenuous efforts to get money for the purpose 1 Did they urge with their Representatives enough in the matter, or take them to task sufficiently for their failure and neglect. At any rate, the unpleasant fact remains that we have no roads fit to travel on and no funds to make them belter. In considering the matter of granting a sum of money for a main line of road, it is to be hoped that cur representatives will call the attention of the Government strongly to the fact of there still being about 225,000 acres of unsold Crown land in the Castlepoint Highway District, which will be materially increased in value to the colony from having a good and permanent road through the country in its vicinity. This may perhaps have more weight than our just and equitable claims, however strong and clear they may be. It is out of reason to expect that the inhabitants here can form, metaY and maintain a main trunk line of roadjjiyi as by-roads by local taxation alormlt would be both unjust in the exfre' ruinous. In this district roads are very expensive to make from the hilly, clay formation, want of metal, and other ad- i .". verse natural features. _^""L Considering the landholders here have v purchased land from the Crown to the value of £130,000, and only received an outlay in return on roads and bridges of about £14,000, it cannot be said that they have had fair treatment at the hands of the various Governments administering the affairs of the colony. Taxation of all kinds has to be borne by individuals here (who have to pack their stores and produce on horseback) equally with those who can take advantage of the railways and other public works. Until we are connected by permanent and good means of communication with Masterton and other markets, it cannot be said that we participate in the benefits of the public

works scheme, though taxed to pay interest on (lie loans to carry it out. I trust that every landholder and resident will subscribe" his mime to the petition now going 'round for signature, no matter whether the road we want goes past his door or is ten miles away. It is our great want, and will benefit all more or leas. If we can but get sufficient money to form and metal our main trunk line, there will bo every chance of our Highway Board being able to form and metal our by-roads. At present it takes ■ the greater portion of our rates to repair the damage done by floods and slips in the winter months on such roads as wo have, V Craving, Mr Editor, your sympathy wiyJßKfcihelp through the medium of y o *B§W» to «et our long withheld tfc. M, MR MOORE AND THE SCANDINAVIANS, To tk Editor of the AVaikaiiapa Daily. .Sir-Mr Moore and his friend "Chi «ico Confessa" are certainly making rfipid strides both in their intellectual and independent positions. One accuses the unoffending Scandinavians of non-intelli-gence merely because they did not vote for the man he thought proper. How absurd! They' should have asked Mr Moore first, and done as he would tell them— ;< All vote for Pharazyn." Then Mr Moore would chuckle to himself and say, " See what I have done ; oh, mighty man, that I am." Next time of election no doubt they will ask him first, and abide with his decision. Why didn't Mr Moore hurl some of his wrath at those sixty-two English voters that arrived from Wellington, besides some 400 cither voters from all parts of the district who voted for Mr Bunny ? And I have no doubt some of them had as sound sense and good education as Mr Moore or " Chi Tace Confessa." But the simple reason is, he was afraid. He thought he might have a pill returned he couldn't swallow, for they understood English, the {Scandinavians didn't; he would he safe to attack them. What delusion, Mr Moore! Indeed, we would be unintelligent if we could not learn the English tongue in two or three years. . "Why didn't lie console himself with something hot in a warm glass after his friend's defeat, or try to make a few friends for him by next election, instead of crying over spilt milk and turning a dozen or two dead against Mr Pharazyn \ I think ' the Slandinavinns have a free will of their own, and have they not, then, a right to vote for whom they choose and wiio they think will do them the most good? I think my coun'rymen did the wisest thing they could in voting for Mr Bunny, I, knowing Mr Pharazyn personally, having been his humble and obedient servant for seven months, do not think him capable ever of becoming a great statesman or paradise-maker for the working classes. Our friend with the heathen name insinuates perchance they were paid for voting for Mr Bunny. His conscientious scruples would not. be long at fault, I presume, in taking a bribe that he thinks others are so ready to grasp. " Chi Tace Confessa "is a good deal, in my opinion, toward agaswork, He rattles along with Latin, Greek, and English, with an occasional scrap from Punch, all mixed together; and I doubt if he knows the meaning of what he has written, One thing, however, is clear: Mr Moore is quite independent of the 52 votes from Mauriceville, and I hope my friends and countrymen will see that also, aiul'vote for some man that will have a IMe respect for them and not quite so Mich self-conceit, Any reply in either ""Miin English or Danish, Scandinavians can read and understand; and if Mr Moore cannot do it, just pat " Chi Tace Confessa" on the back and say, "Suell him, boy," and wo will have plenty of bow-wow-wow. " Chi Tace Confessa" is a curious name for such an educated gent to wear, But I expect his own wants a little cleaning.—lam, &c, Vim elm Jensen.