STRATFORD TO NAPIER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3231, 22 September 1892, Page 2

STRATFORD TO NAPIER.

A recent visitor to Stratford is simply amazed at the change wrought in the appearance of Stratford within the period of twelve or eighteen months. Three hotels now: one previously. Aocommodation easy to obtain in the one-hotel day. Now, with three-hotel accommodation, the advice is " book your bed early if yon intend to stay the night. Skip the breakfast, if you are an early arrival: book the bed." That is the present safe way of obtaining a chance at oosey sleeping quarters. A considerable strain is frequently put upon all the bedroom accommodation these three hotels can afford. There is no stint as to shakedowns. In this respect all are ready to oblige. " The liveliest and mest go-ahead town between Wellington and New Plymouth, bar none." Barely yet out of the wintery mire, for the inland roads are still very stick-faaty. Slash holes are disap* pearing, but there are yet " quags " whioh it is safer to circle than venture through. If Stratford is bo thronged now, with Bettled and increasing population, with only the early flow among the more venturous visitors, what may be expected when all the diverging roads from East road are easy to travel ? Instead of mud it will be dust. Yet, by comparison, travelling will be easy, and visitors will be enormously increased.

To help this easier travelling, Messrs. Brierly and others, who had the three mile gravelling contract from Stratford to beyond Kahouri stream in band and well forward when the wet weather put a stop to operations, are already making preparations to finish the metalling. Probably they scent) other similar work ahead and desire to be in time for another contraot.

Then Haywood and Martin, who have the formation from Toko eastward, are making ready for a fresh start. The Gordon road milk suppliers are interested in thia section, bat they want metal. They will probably have to wait. Still, it is a step in tbe right direotion to get the formation well forward, so that if any chance for metalling comes tbe road will be ready for its permanent coating. A record of the adventurous carriers and paokers of floor, fencing, and sundries, if last winter's experiences were fairly Riven, would prove interesting. There has been mnoh burry-sonrry for fencing wire, and a considerable quantity has been got in. Mr. Nolan was among the pushers. He had the whole of his wire paoked in from Toko. Besult: fenoiog well forward, and a very early run in of good class breeding sheep. Bat this could not have been ventured upon unless tbe fencing had gone ahead. Henoe tbe difficulty and expense were inoarred. It was the only way to secure 101 l advantage of the ooming season. This is a typical case. All may not have been bo successful, and may not have had the necessary prehmin ary experience to induoe the best effort being made. When the lay of this country becomes properly known it is less surprising to uninterested spectators why there should be such a continual worry about a bit of formation here and there. This East Boad is not only tbe key to Auckland district, bnt is also to prove a tolerably direct run via Pipiriki to the Hawke'a Bay district. If our amazed excursionist has not been misinformed or misunderstood bis informant, tbe East road ia the way to Toko road. The lettlers are getting Toko road felled and cleared for some distance from its junction With the Eaßfc road. Then Toko runs into Mangahon road. This taps the Anderson road. Here again, running inland, comes an item of private interprise. The Anderson road ought to have been finished off by the Government as far as the turn leading to the Matemateanga. Funds bad been voted, but held back till, disgusted with the delay, private enterprise furnishes the means and connection is made with the Government land, which it is understood was surveyed by Mr. Bullard. This again is connected with Captain Turner's work through the celebrated Kaitangitawhenna Block, until it meets Mr. Annabell's work, and goes on to Pipiriki, from which point there is a completed road to Napier. Thus there is reason for the hurry about these inland roads. New Plymouth by road in an unbroken line to the Hawke's Bay coast. Our excursionist wants to know if tbe prospeote of the full opening of thia back country makes all the present bostle at Stratford, what is going to happen when there is a good line of road through to both Anoklaud and Napier and the intervening country is in bonafide occupation. He fears to contemplate the prospect and has moved forward.