KING COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14929, 29 February 1912, Page 10

KING COUNTRY NEWS.

[from OCR ovr\* CORRESPONDENT.] The annual meeting of the Marokopa Dairy Factory Company was held last week. Mr. E. C. Stanley, chairman of directors, presided. The chairman, in his annual report, dealt exhaustively with the erection of the factory and the progress made since its inception. He also outlined a scheme of increasing the objects of the company. It was suggested that another factory "be erected at Tetnore Point, with a bacon factory attached. The- report also added that the prospects of the forthcoming season were good, and it was anticipated thai the cream from 1000 cows would be dealt with. In a conversation with .Mr. Stanley a few days ago ho stated that he had great belief in the future of the district. He said that there had been many pessimists in the "district, who thought "that the promoters weio ahead of the times, but they had now altered their minds, and were now as optimistic as ho was. ( The settlers in the Mangaotaki district j are not to be envied. They have been | nine years without a road. A road from j Piopio was put through a certain distance to the- iungaotaki about nine years . ago, juid a six-foot track was carried on for about 10 or 12 miles, to give access to .sections which were being opened up, The same primitive track exists to-day, j practically nothing having been done m j the. meantime except the tilling of a hole | hero and there. The sections along the j length of the so-called road are taken up. 1 and many thousands of pounds worth of i improvements have been placed 011 the I land by the settlers. Some of the difli- j cultiesVill be recognised when it is stated ! that the wool-clip of the district, ap- j proximating 300 bales, has to be packed j on horseback a distance of 10 or 12 miles. I The i.oat of having goods taken out to the : farms from Te Kuiti reaches to about £5 ! a ton, and the process is slow and difficult, , as it is impossible to take a wagon with i safety any further than was the case nine ; years ago. Under such conditions is it any wonder that settlers look round for someone to blame"' The country is as good as any in the district and the settlers are of the right stamp, as can be shown by the way they have improved their farms. The lack of this road stands a menace to the prosperity and a bar to progress. It settlers only had the road formed they would be prepared to enter into a scheme for metalling, as there is an abundance of limestone in the locality. The extraordinary weather which lias been experienced in the Kir.g Country for many months past is causing a considerable* amount, of anxiety among bush farmers. It is estimated that 50,000 acres of bush have been felled during the past season, and so far not 1000 acres v of the whole has been burned. This will mean a distinct loss to the district, as burning usually takes place early in the month of January. On the other hand the axiom that it is an ill wind that blows nobody good is exemplified by the success of the dairying industry, brought about by the plentiful supply of moisture- It is just the reverse of circumstances. Last year splendid burns resulted, and thousands of acres of bush were cleared up for all time, whilst the dairy farmer was pining for rain and grumbling at the scarcity of feed. In connection with the Wairoa-Maro-kopa telephone line settlers have been informed by the Telegraph Department that the original bond for £90, signed by the settlers two years ago, would have to i bo abandoned, owing to the difficulty of constructing the line between Manga-a-iiae and Moeatoa, The proposal which the department has signified its intention of carrying out is the erection of the line from Wairoa to ' Manglt-a-hae. and from Marokopa to Kiritehere. A newbond for signature, for £30 per annum guarantee, -has been forwarded. The attitude now taken ap by the department is manifestly unfair, as the principal and original intention -was to have direct com- , munication with the Main Trunk line at I Te Kuiti. Those settlers in the Kirite- i here and Marokopa district will be unable I to be in touch with thnir community of j interests, a fact which hi causing them a J very great deal' of worry, more especially ' since the successful inception of the dairying industry. The position if, now that all their business will have to go via Kawhia and Hamilton, rendering them unable to hare bureau, communication with their natural 'centre. However, the settlers in the Pomarangi district, who are left out, intend to help themselves, and will erect a private line joining the Kairiuiu. It is without doubt unjust and unfair that these settlers should be. treated in such a manner. If they are 1 able to erect a private line over the country, why cannot the department do so?