THE TE KUITI DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17457, 29 April 1920, Page 6

THE TE KUITI DISTRICT.

FOOD SUPPLY PROBLEM.

A DIFFICULT POSITION. [BY telhbbaph.—OWN correspondent.] TE KUITI. Wednesday. The locomotive men quietly stopped work, first having attended to the engines, drawn the fires, replenished the coal and water supplies, and made everything spick and span. An engine stood by to assist the express up the heavy grades towards Taumarunui, and every man completed his hours of duty. An engine which came in about 5 a.m. was duly attended to before the last man left. To-day the goods sheds are closed, the cleaningsheds contain lour cold locomotives, and a fifth stands out in the rain, there being no room inside for it. The only freight left uncovered in the yard is timber, everything else being covered with tarpaulins. The men are not communicative. The Mayor called a meeting of business men to-day to consider the question of food supplies. Te Kuiti has sufficient flour to last for a fortnight. Retail purchasers will be limited to four pouuds, and country people will not get more than 1001b bag. The position of Mangapehi and Kopaki and other towns alone the line is difficult. They get over a thousand loaves of bread a we«k from Te Kuiti, but transport will now be a difficult problem. Hie lack of' supplies will seriously interfere with the back-blocks settler, who ie now trying to get in supplies for the. winter. If ho can not get them in now it is hard to sav when he will. • Benzine and kerosene,, may run short very quickly. The only hope for places situated in the King Country lies in the possibility of drawing supplies from .Wis land by boat to Hamilton, and then by motor-lorry.