TARANAKI NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16052, 20 April 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

TARANAKI NEWS

HARDSHIPS OF'SETTLERS. CFbom Odb Own Cobbespondent.) WANGANUI, April 18. The toll-gate question is a burning one in Taranaki, and the Stratford County Council has. now decided to write to the Prime Minister asking him if next session he will introduce legislation to tax motor vehicles, the money to be distributed among the local bodies for the upkeep of main roads, and stating that, failing some provision of that nature, the Stratford Council would be compelled to erect tollgates. The Ngahere Dairy Factory has made a half-ton cheese for the Manawatu Winter Show, in which coins were distributed as follows :—£s in half-sovereigns, £5 in sixpences, £3 in threepences, and £3 in shillings. The cheese will be cut up in lib slices and sold for Is. According to the Tahora correspondent of the Taranaki Herald, the hardships of backblocks settlers were again instanced this week. Mr Bright, of Tahora, was taken ill on Thursday last with the recurrence of a trouble due to an old accident, but did not treat the matter seriously until Sunday, when he became severely ill. A motor car was summoned by telephone from Whangamomona, but owing to the unmetalled roads it was not till Monday night that the car arrived. At seven o'clock on Tuesday morning a start was made to cover the 20 miles to Whangamomona, but only half a mile was passed when the car became bogged. Neighbours willingly came to the rescue with shovels and dug the motor out. Then a couple of horses were roped on, and by this means the car was once more sent on its way. In the meantime another of these settlers had gone to get one of the teams to help them up the saddle, and another man came to their assistance with a horse and trap. The trap was hooked in front, and with the engine of the car going the party passed the first saddle. A slow rate was made to the next saddle, where the rail-way works are under construction. Here Mr Robinson pulled them up the saddle. The party then battled on to Whangamomona, which was reached about three hours after the departure of the train. On Wednesday Mr Bright was placed in an ambulance on the train, and taken right through to New Plymouth, where he is doing as well as can be expected.