THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 40, 28 August 1880, Page 2

THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.

The deplorable state of the Mountain road during the present winter has caused a good deal of comment, and we have never lost an opportunity of drawing attention to the matter. We were not at all surprised that, on the first occasion of the settlers in the Ngaire district meeting together, a resolution should have been passed, and a deputation appointed, for the purpose of bringing the condition oi the road under the immediate attention ot the Government. It is all very well for Mr. Shbimski, Mr. Thompson, and other Southern log-rollers, to say that too much money is being spent for roads in the North Island; but those who have, like ourselves, an intimate acquaintance with the condition of the main roads in Otago will Thave but little sympathy with the cant talked by these men. Mr. Thompson lives about CO miles from Dunediu. If it took a fortnight to convey his goods from the new Edinburgh to his highly favored part of the country, what would he think ? Yet that is what the settlers here- have to do when they want to get goods from New Plymouth to Normanby and Hawera. Would Mr. Shrimski be content with a railway to his beloved Oamaru? No, Mr. Shrimski would want a good road also, if it had not been made years ago. When they had a line of steamers running from Duuedhi to Oamaru, was the patriotic Shrimski content then ? No : he wanted the railway. We hold that the metalling of the Mountain road is only an act of justice to settlers, who gave high prices for their land, under the strong belief that the road would be put into a passable condition. And they were certainly led to believe that such would be the case. There is a sum of 18s. 9d. voted for roads and bridges in the unsettled districts of Taranaki and Patea, and although a portion of it may have been already spent, yet the Government ought to be able to spare enough for this highly necessary work. It will be the means of settling an important district, and keeping many persons on their holdings who are now thinking of forfeiting what they have already paid for their land, because of the utter hopelessness of their position, so long as the only road by "winch they can get eith r to or fiorn their holdings remains in its present state of liquid mud.