BALL ROAD NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 7 October 1913, Page 2

BALL ROAD NOTES.

unuu nUHU IIUIC.O. * . (By "Cosmo.") Mr Muller, the metal contractor, started carting on the first of the month, and is at present laying down the 20 chains of metal authorised on the Petch road. This road, being absolutely flat, gets in a beastly state after heavy rain, so that the milk suppliers interested are breathing a sigh of relief at the prospect of its speedy completion. The County Council has wisely listened to the complaints of settlers regarding the dangerous state of the Alton gorge owing to its narrowness at the bottom, and has just completed making its width 30 feet instead of 13 or 14 as formerly. Your readers will remember the narrow escape Mr Graves, of Hawera, had at this same spot last summer when driving in his motor car, but now all danger is past and the place has been made absolutely safe. If I might suggest to the engineer it would be a capital idea to get one of his surfacemen to sprinkle a pound or two of grass seed (preferably couch) on the filling, as it would help to prevent it from slipping away from time 1 to time. j One or two Ball road settlers interviewed the railway traffic manager at Wanganui some time ago to see if he j could do anything to prevent the continual pilfering going on at the railway station, and suggesting that a platelayer's residence should be erected in the vicinity and the key of the goods shed be head by him at night time. Mr Armstrong was in full sympathy with the proposal, and promised to forward on the request to Wellington for farorable consideration. Word has now been received that owing to financial stress they regret, etc. One thing is certain —the refusal does not finally dispose of the matter, as it is impossible Sor the whole district to be penalised in this bare-fac©d way without some remedy being forthcoming. The traffic is now great enough to warrant a stationmaster being appointed, and the next move will be to strengthen the hand of our district member to take action in the matter. The spring so far has been, like the winter just passed,.one of the mildest on record, but our quota of rain has been somewhat deficient^ and although herds generally j&fe looking splendid and milking well on their present fare, there is nevertheless the lack of that "bounding ahead" in grass usually experienced at this time of the year after a good heavy pelt of rain. Moreover, many acres newly sown down are awaiting the "beneficial soaking," but no harm will ensue so long as the weather keeps in its present mild, humid humor.