THE ROAD TO TINUI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2443, 3 November 1886, Page 2

THE ROAD TO TINUI.

[By our Special Reporter ]

Having got as far as the Mungapakeha Bridge, another digression mußt be made, to see why we have to travel about six miles to. Tinui, whon it is only about two and a-lnlf miles from this point. It must be bonio in mind that the direct road ut blocked by the "Blaok Hill," an impediment that the engineer who originally laid off the toad" evidently thought insurmountable, although it appears to be constructed with a view of going over that way, Tho main road is only used fur wheol traffic, as pedestrians and horsomeu never think of anything hut the" Black Hill" 'track, ■ which in addition to its being a shorter route, is in every way preferable, as it avoids the mud in winter, and the dust in. summer. The County Enginoer has made a flying survey over this route, and is confident of locating a road across tho impediment with an easy grade, and plenty of, metal oil the line. Thiß will, no doubt, be the recognised road to and from Castlepoint, and as th 9 settlers generally are anxious that this routo should be opened there are indications that it will, ero long, be an accomplished faot. ■' .In the interest of thetravellingpublic it is to bo hoped that the question will not be delayedanother season, . as thore appears to be feeling among'the powers at the ■ Tinui end not to spend auy,niore monoy on the present main road beyond the bridge until it is decided whether a road is to be constructed over the Blaok Hill. On leaving tho Mungapakeha Bridge wo dive into what-appears at-first Bight a ploughed field, but on close inspection proves to be a road line. The wheel furrows are deep and many, the pace being consequently slow and tedious, On reaching the hill side cutting on the opposite Bide of the valley, which in tho summer is ono of the best roads in tho district to travel ou, wo find.thafc it' is in anything but a good condition, Deep ruts are worn down both sides, with occasional holes caiisod through the .water. running over the top of the road; .'that you find out as aoou as you drop into them. These Budden drops in addition to stopping tho conversation of' the occupants of the buggy, threatened to dislocate their joints, as well as the parts of the vehicle. What with the jumping, jolting and plunging wo managed to reach a short piece of metalled road noar the entrance traok to lea Station. Over , these few chains wo "layed back for a brush," but our pleasure was shortlived, and we had a repetition of tho hill road with a slight ckugo for the worse, which necessitated all but the driver taking to "shank's pony." Although this was slow travelling it was preferable to the bone racking four wheeler, and enabled us to obtain fine views of the splendid flats in tho vicinity of tho Tinui race course, from off the hill tops over which we travelled, instead of taking the more circuitous road line. An occasionally tolerably good piece of road would tempt us to get aboard, but our pleasures in this direction wore many and'short, for no sooner had we nestled comfortably down liko a setting lion than we would ho reminded of getting out again by seeing, ono sido of the bugyy disappearing, thai sent us to the oppo3ito side as a counterbalance, in fact we were liko the passengers described by Mark Twain going over tho steep Rigi railway who held back as though assisting the train to keep its position. The road over the racooourse hill and Elder's flats were safely negotiated whon the Boss pieooofmnd work remained to be got over, this was round Peach's bluff leading into Tenui township. The driver was left'in sole chargo while the remaining trio scrambled round the face of the Bluff.. The shouts of the driver, floundering of the horses, which wore almost breast deep in places, and tho dissappearance of tho best part of the buggy wheels, added considerably to the 80one, which at times was worked up to an exciting pitoh, but thanks to the drivers energy and strong gear, and staunch horses, the well metalled road of the township was reached at length, and when the pedestrians got onboard for.the final stageasympathefcio signof relief wont round to think that the journey was accomplished safely bo far. A few minutes drive brought tho party to the Tenui Hotel the journey occupying seven hours and three quarters, being at the rate of four miles an hour, The progress of Tenuihasbeenvery slow.forthepastfew years, but when its land-looked position is taken into consideration, with its almost isolation from commercial centres by its roads, or rather by not havinc roads, it will not bo a matter of surprise to thoso who expect to hoar that the dimensions of this township had considerably increased. Whoever is at fault for allowing such a stato of things to exist is not a quostion to disouss now, but it is to be regretted that yoar year after is allowed to pass withoutsome effort being made to make this promising township approaohable for the outside traffic The same state of things exists on either side, the approaches to the main road of the town are only metalled tor a few chains, giving thoso residing in the centre, every appoarance of comfort while their less fortunate neighbors are loft out in the cold, and have to flounder in the winter mire to reach the. well-metalled centre road strip. It has justly boon remarked that the Castlepoint Road Board pride themrolves on two things—mud and a bank credit balance-and the. present state of things more than boar out tho above remark, for there is mud everywhere and money in galore waiting to be spent. If the new Akitio Road District is formed it must of necessity sound the death knell of the Castlepoint Board as the latter body will have no district roads to look after.andthis being the case, the funotions of .the Board must merge into the County ; Council. One cannot help noticing that 1 the interests of the Road Board lean 1 towards Castlepoint, ■• and' this is more '■ cohspioudua when work 1b required either '■ north or south of Tinui, .In the former oase every'effort ismade to keep opeu the road communication,with, the coast dig.

itnctj- while !n the latter'case;'., the apte". thetic and even obstructive lnitaher point■to the fact that nmre than public benefits ate cohered 'in' expending the money . on the roads leading to the-township of Tinui. -It has been pointed nut that the r4e of carnage of goods between Whareama and Wellington has .been reduced to one half within.tlio past few*years, and. this alone should be an incentive to the construction of good roads to keep open communication with the business centres j all the year round instead of allowing the / the district to suffer during tho. wool- ( carrying season, at which time it-is most \ essential that they should bs passableAj( The wave of depression has reached Tiftui' • judging by. the quietude that reignid among the orowd on Saturday evening. There was the;"usual, assemblage abouk tho hotel, but things were of a very Blow A nature compared with former gatherings in the townskip; It is evident the principles of Temperance aro spreading to a .cortain degree among the station hands in this district, and this, was ..exemplified in a striking manner on Saturday!. J&nß Qf these bands-came in as spree, and drauk as freely as he was ablo and felt inpline'd to treat, one and'all on a very liberal scale. One -after the other refused the invitation to have a drink, and • as a last resource he had to get a wellknown old toper to keep him company in his liquid pleasures, and toshow'hissuago of what constituted manlinesß he'slapped the old fellow on the baok, and deolared he was "the only man among tho lot.". The return journey of the adventurous quartette was commenced at 8.80 on Sunday morning, and was iu .most res- : peots similar to tho up-trip. The roads.' had dried up sightly during the prevjkv i afternoon and night, which made Momotion somewhat slower if anything, the first four and a-half miles occupying two hours, and- thou three of the passengers wore on font. Thowhools hung to tho partly dried mud like a porous plaster to a man's back, and appoarod to give the horses aB much trouble to shift them, as though they were kept down by a heavy load. After making Blight' stoppagosat Kumarauand tho Taueru, Masterton was • reached at 4.30. the journey occupying eight hours whioh under ordinary circumstances should not have exceeded four. Before closing this account of our trip a word of praiseiis duo to the admirable turnout which was supplied by Mr W. Neill, for had ,109 horses not been staunch, the gearlßbng, and the buggy of the best description, tho whole lot would have been left in some of the many mud holes between the Mungapakeha bridge and Tenui.

!■ WAIRARAPA GOSPEL TEMPER- ■-' ■ ANOE UNION. ■■•.. A sieetlvij of the Wairarapa Gospa" . Temperauuu Union was held in byfcoriau Church last evoning. Mr Fulton in opening the meeting said he"hid at the request uf tho President, ta'kon tho ' chair in the unavoidable absence of Mr Buttle. He would givo them a short address. He said that true temperance soldiers were.those who' walked' onwards in tho straight path and tried to help others to do the same whatever temptations assailed them.' He thought, that it was those who were not engaged in useful .occupations who were more prone to be assailed than others, If-they were working t-liey would have something to take up their time, and would not bo 60 easily led astray as those who had 110 occupaAs to amusements, ho thought it was right that everyone should hajpieir amusements.' He thought that-iMuro demanded thataome part of people's time ' should be taken. up with. amusement. But when strong "drink was introduced ' into the amußements and pleasures of life, how disastrous was tho result. The.man • who before took' a delight in the company of others, in music, in study, and'rational - pleasure, now thought of nothiiig'toit the drink. Nor was this the worst resul}-J& degreos this man began to get slaok-jnjs business,. then poor, and in trying to rotriovehis position he appropriated if hat was not his own, ouding in tho prison, and_ sometimes on the gallows, The Chairman also referred to those who made a boast of how much they could stand without feeling it, but they generally found that these people in the -end had the greatest fall, But they had a remedy for this; By joining tho temperanco army they could not bo touched' by those temptations (cheers). Ho wished them to progress with tho glorious work in which they were engaged, and help others on (cheers). He would call on Mr W Betty for a song. Mr Bettv sang "Never Forgot" in good style. tflaber followed with a rocitatiljffland Miss Felling with a song, both of "which were well roceivod. The choir under Mr Betty then rendered a selection.' A reading from Mr 0. Dixon and a song from Miss Gapper followed. Mr Graham, tho President, then addressed tho nioetltig. ■ Ho said that oven in a small town liko Masterton, people did not know the extent of the terriblo effects of drink amongst them. Ue referred to tho mpressiblu joy a, person felt if they w&e the means of saving a fellow mortal from intemperance, Ho related the case of a young man who sold almost everything he possessed, even to his boots, for money with which to buy drink, arid ho wed to go through tho streets barefooted - 111 the middle of winter. The temperaiico people were the. means of reclaiming him, and he was now one of their shining lights. Ho hoped the friends of temperance would ontor into a kind of cojnpetition and see who could assist most iu reclaiming drunkards (cheers). Tho Chairman oalled upon Miss Groen to givo them a song, which was received with applause, '.Tlie last item on the programme was a bass solo by Mr Betty, which was rendered in a masterly manner. The meeting terminated with thejEene* diction. .sßf