ROADLESS NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15496, 1 January 1914, Page 5

ROADLESS NORTH

THE SETTLERS' TROUBLES

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE.

"A team of bullocks has had frequently to be requisitioned to pull the coach out of the road," said Mr. T. Coates, who with Mr. F. Clarke, of Kaiwaka and Mi. F. Maader, M.P. for Marsden, waited upon the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister for Pnblio Works, yesterday, to urge that a grant be made for the improvement of the road between Kaiwaka and Maungafcoroto. Until two weeks ago, continued Mr. Coates, the coach bad had to leave the road in two places, and go through private property, the road in these places being impassable. The worst portion of the road was the first three miles after leaving Kaiwaka Post Office.

"In bringing out a three-ton block of specimen stone for the Exhibition," he added, "it took three teams of bullocks with one waggon three days to cover three miles." ( "Well, if you will put such loads on the road, what can you expect," said the Minister.

Mr. Coates said that it was the only case of a heavy load being carried over, the road. Practically, the only traffic on it was the coach.

Mr. Clarke said that in 40 years' residence he had never seen the road in the condition it was in during last winter. The Hon. Mr. Fraser promised to have the district engineer report on the road.