MANGONUI COUNTY.

Northern Advocate, 23 April 1915, Page 2

MANGONUI COUNTY.

NEWS AND NOTES

FARMING DISABILITIES.

The upheaval in the markets of the world, and In the shipping facilities is causing grave inconvenience to the farmers in these districts. At present the shortage of wire has been to many a rude awakening. In no dis- 1 trict is wire of such urgent import-. ance as in this county, and the ab-, solute bareness of the market is delaying fencing work everywhere, and unless the situation is relieved be-' fore very long there is a risk of a fair > amount remaining undone; and a year • lost up here is a serious matter, especially in the development of bush country. The shortage and high price of grass seed is also a very serious matter, as it is impossible to avoid sowing land that has been cleared and burned. The most serious result of this is the fact that several are reverting to the old and pernicious habit of using their own seed to sow new country, claiming, in view of the high prices that it is just as good. This custom has to a large extent fortunately died out. Settlers are becoming enlightened and realisisg that they were merely storing up trouble for themselves by sowing weeds. Using home-gathered and im-properly-cleaned seed has in many cases almost irretrievably ruined much good country. In spite of the high, price one is able to get for his wool, butter, and produce, the public must not forget that the man on the land has many awkward problems to I solve as the result of the present crisis in the history of the world.

Tiie roads are In splendid order, as j the result of the last two dry winters and summers. At present~>the County Council have men engaged on patching work on the principal roads. All holes' are to .be filled in. and it is therefore possible to look forward to the coming winter with equanimity as far at anyrate as the main roads are concerned. BRIDGES NEEDED. . Petitions are iv circulation throughout the county, asking for a sufficient amount to "bridge the" Peria River, at both crossings, as these are practically the only unbridged crossings on the main arterial North road. It is more than likely, as a matter oC common justice to the Far North, that the proposal will receive the necessary financial help from the Government. When completed, it is certain that motor traffic will at once become common,! and rapid transport for freight and ipassengers will do more than anything else to enable - the Far North to come into her own. SHOOTING SEASON. The shooting season is rapidly approaching, and May 1 will hear the popping of guns. Good sport is anticipated generally. In many cases pheasants'hatched last year are very immature, but 1 birds are plentiful. Duck shooting on Lake Kaitaia and LakeTongonge is likely to be really good for the first few days of the season. The Californian quail, which until quite lately have not been found up here, are now fairly common, and are spreading rapidly. MAIL* SERVICE FACILITIES.

It must be generally acknowledged that nothing plays a bigger part in assisting the development of a growing district than convenient communication with the outside world generally, and with, the large commercial ■ centre. From a business point'of view this is generally applicable to any district, but the peculiar conformation of the North Island of New Zealand and the situation of the Far North—over 150 miles distant by water from Auckland and isolated as far as any other reasonable means of transport is- concerned—makes this a very important point It is an unthankful task to grumble, but the satisfactory manner in which the districts of the Far North are developing and progressing reveals most gloriously the fact that we are by a most infrequent and unsatisfactory mail service. There is'much discontent throughout the county, and it is high time the Government made sweeping reforms.to right the wrong and remove an unfair handicap on the progress of the district. t

At present - Kaitaia and the surroundipg districts are the commercial centres of the county, and an illustration of the way in which this district is served in the matter of -mails is typical of what the whole county has to bear in this respect. There are plenty 'of mails inward, it is true. A mail arrives from Auckland, via ManWhangarei, another arrives on Wednesday: via Mangonui per steamer from Auckland, while on the same day a mail arrives from Auckland via Awanui, and on Friday afternoon a mail arrives fro mAuckland via Mangonui. It will be seen that the incoming service is satisfactory. The outgoing service is the one which furnishes a real grievance. The only mails- from the district for Auckland leave Kaitaia on Thursday and Friday mdrning—on the consecutive days —although on Friday nights a mail closes for Auckland via Whangarei. Thus, on only two consecutive days can mail matter be despatched to the outside world. Only business people can readily realise what a handicap this state of affairs is to the progress of a growing district. It is th-3 very essence of isolation and a crying wrong. It is perhaps correct that the (present shipping arrangements have brought about the existing state of affairs, but the postal authorities have ho right whatever to allow the convenience of the entire public of a district to be upset owing to the vagaries of shipping companies. It is a state of affairs which is quite easily rermedied. All that is required is the despatch of an additional overland mail via Whangarei early in the week. It is likely that settlers will agitate for their rights on this question at an early date. The grievance is a very real one and could well be remedied at small cost.

The question of mail services brings prominently before us the, question of motor power for carrying mails. The present system of horse power mail coaches is altogether too slow and entirely out of date- For the greater part of the year mails, if carried by motor, would quite easily be taken from Kaitaia to Whangarei in a day, and would thus make the overland service practically, as quick as the jdirect water service. When the •Peria bridges are put through there *will be no reasonable obstacle in the iway of regular motor mail coaches. In I view of the benefits such a service i would confer upon the community, it j would be the duty of local hodies to leave no stone unturned to make and keep the roads—the main arterial roads — in a fit state to carry motor ! traffic throughout the year. When 'next the mail tenders are called for another period it is the plain duty if the postal authorities to make the proposition of motor-carried mails as tempting as possible.

Although mails for the outside world leave Kaitaia at 6.30 a.m. this same mail is closed at 5 p.m. the previous night. 'For the business man this is an impossible state of affairs. Most people who are actively engaged in business have little or not time to answer correspondence in the daytime. The result is that correspondence received at noon cannot be answered at 5 p.m. Surely it musit.be possible to vary the present regulations so that mails which leave at 6.30 a.m. need not close until 9 or 10 p.mthe night before.