A COMPLAINT FROM THE BACKBLOCKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 320, 6 October 1908, Page 8

A COMPLAINT FROM THE BACKBLOCKS.

Sir, —Through the'medium of your columns would you kindly give publicity to the shameful treatment of settlers in the Okura district at the hands of the Government. Many years agA, when settlement was first opened up in this district, the special inducement was set forth that these lands were on the proposed Stratford-Ongarue railway, and every subsequent litho. and map up. to the present time contains this railway depleted as running down the valley from Ongarue. When appealed to regarding the state of an almost-impassablo main road, tho Hon. Hall-Jones always had the reply that the road could not be dealt with effectively and as a permanency owing to the advent of tho railway necessitating its deviation. I may here state that the la.rger part of the settlers here are limited in area of their holdings from one hundred to two hundred acros, and as these people have been' obliged to start and subscribe to two dairy factories, by reason of their areas being too small to live by sheep-farming, the non-construction of the railway is to them a case of utter ruin. By tho peculiar tenure of the abovementioned small farms each settler is obliged to reside himself and also to place his wife and family on the land. 1 must leave to the imagination of your readers the hardship entailed on tho brave women, who have cheerfully followed their husbands on a narrow, boggy track beyond touch of their own sex, and with hardships that would dismay a city dweller, but which they tako in weekly routine. To these peoplo the one bright hope has heon the starting of tho railway, to which they have learned to Iook ; a.s a certainty, never dreaming that anyone, and least of all tho Government in power, would advocato a deviation by which their < promised railway would be delayed or lost to them altogether. ' But by an agitation started some forty miles away by men with large holdings, tho principal one being the holder of a Native leaso, we aro threatened with tho deviation of tho ra.ilway to a point some thirty miles of the original route. Ono wonders whose interests aro pulling tho strings, inasmuch as tho proposed deviation carries it twenty-threo miles further, and a portion of tho country it will pass through is already served b.v water carriage on the Jloltau'River. Nothing can be urged as to better grading, as tho line deviation has to descohd to tho Wsitewhomia Stream and,

I am credibly informed, that before the survey party were withdrawn after an incomplete survey they had alrea.dy three tunnels to negotiate. The Ongarue route, on the other hand, offers no engineering difficulties, and has no tunnels, but offers . a fair and oven grade. Wo have recently been informed that- the Prime Minister favours a route farther north, and I should like to ask you, sir, whether this action of the Government is any different to that of a person who cuts up land with roads and access on the plans thereof, but afterwards refuses to form tho one or give tho other. Wo might reasonably have expected that our member, Mr. Jennings, would have stood up for us, but it is plainly to bo seen in all his speeches on tho ma.tter that he does not commit himself to one or the other, and I may add tho significant fact that both routes are in his electorate. His attempt to sit on two stools may, however, cost him dearly, as many beside myself are determined to record our one protest against the dishonest procedure of the Government at the ballotbox. Tho Opposition candidate is at least fair, and recognises that what has been promised tho Ohura settlers should be given them. , / I may further add that the line from Ongarue is an absolute necessity, as no roadmaking material is procurable, and tho cost of cartage effectually, cripples the resources of what would otherwise be a wide dairying and agricultural district. On the other hand, the proposed deviation will run' through a district amply provided with limestone ."and excellent ma.terial for the making of firstclass roads. As a proof of this I may point out that stone' crushers are being placed in that vicinity by the Roads Department, und it would appear that the larger holders of land 1 in that district will be treated to good roads and a railway, and the smaller, struggling settlers placed here by the Government will, have a dire struggle for existence made worse by loss of their railway and execrable apologies for roads. Surely no better illustration of the old. saying could .be found, "The'fat sow always gets greased."—l am, etc., OHURA SETTLER. September 30.