The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1885. COUNTRY ROADS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2016, 15 June 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1885. COUNTRY ROADS.

There is a crying evil in the North 1 Island which calls for earnest attention at the hands of this present Parliament —an evil which has a most serious effect jn retarding the early and reproductive settlement of the country, This evil is the aimoß,t useless condition of nearly all but the main tyunk roads during the greater part of the year, jQE. an accurate estimate of the value of tfje i lime and trouble and opportunities pasted by those who have to use the sludgo-.c]bannels which do duty Yor roads, could bo anjv,ed at, the total would represent; an enormous sum. If the number were known of %i valuable settlers who have sickened of waiting for reasonable access to their holdings and have " cleared out" (to use a common expression), or of valuable intending settlers who have been frightened from the inland country from this c,ause ; the total would reach a large figure. It Js ftue that the Crown Lands Department lias ,gf late years wisely made some small efforts" to give access to its lands when selling' them, but as these {efforts usually stop short of metalling the roads, they only add something more to the existing net-work of sludge-channels. It is no difficult matter to show that the whole question is one ol great importance to the dwellers in the cities as .well as to the unfortunate settlers who more immediately suffer. ' The large and foijced growth of the cities and towns can fluty be saved from serious relapses by the steady fprward march of settlement iu the country, and thjs settlement is now seriously checked for want of proper roads, That the evil js now becoming a crying one is due to the fact that the country rendered more immediately accessible by former loans spent on railways and trunk roads, has as a consequence been settled, and fresh settlement or utilisation of the back country held by private .owners depends upon a new departure in public works, The feeling is rapidly gaining ground in the country districts that to ma&e the existing railways and main roads • return something on their outlay, they must be better fed hy branch roads, and that this end can only be obtained by a loan specially raised for this purpose, Nor does this idea seem at all unreasonable when it is considered that the burden. of opening up the back country is at, present borne by the country settlers to so an extent, while the indirect benefit is felt by all. Why not, therefore, let all

take a more equal share in bearing this burden 1 That such h loan would be a reproductive oue is plain, as every penny would be spent on works of utility, which would at once lead to increased production, Also, as money is now easier, there is no doubt that the prospect oi getting it on good terms would lead numbers of owners, whose lands now lie'idle, to go in for improvements, if they were encouraged by the prospect of easier access to the markets.'. As it is at present, it lis no 'uncommon thing to see fine stretches of land lying idle, which are within easy distance of the railway system, yet, for want of a few miles of decent road,, are placed on the same footing as inferior lands at much greater distances, if these latter happen to have only a trunk,; road through them. Take, for instance, .the Wangaehu Valley, which is now.' only attracting settlement as the roadß are being carried through it, yet which has been lying idle for so many years, although it is within easy distance of the railway system. It would be easy to select all those roads which might be termed the second class in the arterial system, which are at present formed only, and on which a substantial expenditure for metalling would give a very great impetus to settlement,.at the same time largely augmenting the productions and value of the country as a whole, . The Phoenix Lodge, 1.0. G.T., ineet'this evening. It is notified that the balanoe sheet of the Masterton Road Board for the past year has been passed by the auditor, and is now open for inspection. The Committee of the Ploughing Match has altered the details for the boys' prizes. The event will now be for youths under 19 years, it being considered that the alteration will cause a larger number of entries,

A general meeting of members of the Wairarapa Poultry Society will beheld on Wednesday evening, when the rules and regulations, and the prizo list for the first show, drawn up by the Committee, will be submitted for approval, The eighth anniversary of the Loyal Masterlon Lodge, 1.0.0.F.M.U., will be celebrated by a plain and fancy dress ball on Wednesday Ist'July, for which extensive preparations are being made. Tic kets may be obtained from any member of the Committee, or the Secretary, Mr F D. Polling. The Wellington and Athletic Clubs played the first heat for the Senior Cup of the Association at Wellington, on Saturday, when the latter suffered a severe defeat, the score standing two goals and one try to One try, The' match between the second fifteens of the two Clubs resulted even more adversely to the Athletics, the Wellington team winning by three goals and a try to nothing, We again direct attention to the excellent programme which has been provided by Messrs Foley and Berkley for their weekly entertainment to-night. Miss Beaufort is already well-known to die Masterton public. Miss Lottie Shaw, who will assist them, has earned her reputation as a danseuse at the Alhambra,

Lpufjpn, and need not, therofore, fear cplpnia) critipism. Two excellent little pieces, '.'Tlje green-eyed monster"'and " Our suburban retreat," wijl also be presented. MrE, MpEwen announces that lie has been appointed agent- for Messrs P, and W. Duncan, the well-known agricultural implement makers, of Christohurchi Messrs Duncan rank among the very best manufacturers in the Colonies. They have had thirty years experience, and among other prizes they took the Mayor's Cup at the • Canterbury Agricultural Society's show in 1870 for the greatest number of points, and in 1883 they named off the President's Cup and 40 guineas for the same, scoring 79 points with63ehtrn-e. This prize is the most valuable one 'that lias Jjeen offered for machinery in Canterbury.' "'At this season of the year their ploughs should attract special attention. It is almost superfluous to state that the firm holds testimonials from all parts of the countiy. As an example of how monopolies are fi«ntroJle() in Franco, it is interesting to note the terms pf fclm cqntraot about to be mode between fjie frpncjiGpyeinmenj; and the Opmpie Generate, which las the monopoly of making inatchW for the next twenty years, The company wijl pay for the pnvelege 17,010,000 frangsabout £7oo,ooo—and about 40 per cent, of the gross receipts in addition, in ease the sale of matches exceeds 35 milliards, The nature and quality of the matches are carefully prescribed, and the prices at which thoy are to be sold fixed. The Government reserves the right to control ajj the operations of the Company, and the Jatfce'j' agrees to employ only French working meria'jw} agents, and not to have any interest, direotly'or indirectly, in any similar interest in any foreign" GOunjjy, Messrs Lowes & lorns' salo on Batur* day was largely attended and the various lots of furniture and sundries brought satisfactory prices. t The Carterton Football Club \ m noff joined the Association, and will probably play the winner iii' % Groytown and Miisterton match, which takes place on Saturday next. It has not yet""beon settled where this jnatch will be played,

Messrs Lowes and loms invite tenders for stumping three acres of land in Sen'alJ-st, This piece of land "has beon secured by $$ firm for the erection of new and extensive saje yards, which lyjll be proceeded with at'aii' early' date. Tenders for the stumping close on the 20th inst, ' •'.

The annual general meeting of the Horticultural Society will be held in the Council Chambers on Thursday next at 8 p.m., when the election of officers for the ensuing year, the adoption of the annual report, and other important business will be proceeded with. We regret to learn that Mr W. Everitfc has notified to the Secretary that it is his intention to resign the Presidency, though he will continue to take an active interest p the Society.