HOW SETTLEMENT PROGRESSES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9867, 25 March 1893, Page 2

HOW SETTLEMENT PROGRESSES.

MR BARRON'S UP-COUNTRY TRIP. Mr Barron, Under Secretary in the Linda Department, returned to Wellington on Thursday night from his trip up country to inspect the road vroiks now in progress. His main object was to see the roads in charge of the department between Pabiilua and Hunterville, and the Murimolu country. He first of all went up tho Makuri Valley road, and found it to be fairly open fer dray traffic up to the Makuri township, fn lieu of a bridge a ford is in the meantime to be made across tba Makuri, so as to afford access to the township. On the main road, just opposite tbo township, the want of two small bridges across streams h?a bsoa the subject of some complaint. One of them hac already been constructed in a temporary way, and it has been decided to construct serviceable structures over both stream*. The read through the township has also been started, and a slight extension of the Ohanga road has also been pat in hand. Above the , Makuri township the road is formed for dray traffic for a considerable distance. Parties of men are working upon it on the oooperative system, and in about three months it is expected that it will be ready for dray traffic right into the Koonor Special Sattlomrnt, wbo'-ce a bridle track will lead to the Pukrtol range. The communication between Koonor and Woodville via the Waowaepa saddle sni the MakairQ road is to be improved. Mr Barron inspected the road between Pahiatua and Palmerston, and it will probably be allowed to remain in its present position and cot be converted into a dray track at present. The officer went on to Marton and Funtervillo, and found that the road from the latter township is now completed fur4t miles to Moawhaogo, while the section thence to the Waikato River, at Rmpeho, will bo finished for dray traffic in about three weeks. The co* operative contractors have been engaged on it since early last winter. All the bridges except one across the Waikato River have been built, and in this one exception there is a good ford. Three weeks hscoa there will ba complete road communication from Hunterviilo right through to Tokaano, on Lake Taupo (three days' travel). From Ruapehu, proceeded by way of Karloi to Plpitikl. Sixty men are at present employed upon ibis road, and it will not be ready (or dray traffic nntil about the close of the approaching winter. From Pipirikl Mr Barron down the River to Wanganui, ar*d came oa by rail to Wellington, He is full of admire* i\ea at the rapid progress of settlement in the M&knri distiiot, and at the energy diaplayed by tbe settlers, who have cleared a large are* of country. He thinks thay deserve every encouragement from the Government. Settlement ia rapidly advancing right up the Makuri Valley and over the watershed into tbe watershed cf the Manawatu.