SETTLERS' GRIEVANCES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18049, 24 September 1920, Page 6

SETTLERS' GRIEVANCES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I would like to let tho public know through your valuable columns the way we are treated in Tuapeka Mouth by the powers that be in the transport of goods, etc. At tho present time there are hundreds of tons lying at Balclutha waiting to bo brought up, end our splendid river service (as some of our members called it) is completely useless on account o£ a low river, so we have to suffer year nfter year audi still no sign' of our long-promised railway making a start. It is a pity they would not let us build a •orivato lino and so give us a chance to coinpete with other places. So much for railway; now for another good service, as some of those in power call it —that is, a punt over the river in place of a bridge. You can cross only when the river and' elements are favourable. For instance, a lot of children come over to school here, and sometimes cannot get back home, and then at other times they are days away from the school on account of a low river, or too high, or too windy. But- we havo to put up with all tiia-t, as we are a long-suffering people here?ITow {or a glimpse- at our mail eorvice, whichis a hundred years behind tho times, just an oldi coach and pair of horses. A passenger must leave hero for I>nnedin at about 7 in the morning, and with a little good luck ho might reach town about 7 p.m. Fancy that—l2 hours on the trip, not saying anything about tho torture he goes through before reaching the 'main line, whereas if our railway was up the river, or if wo had a ntail service up from ualclutha, we could leave here at about i p.m. and roach town at 7 p.m.—only threo hours instoaid of 12. Then our mail lands hero about G. 30 p.m. Just fancy tramping away in tho dark on a -winter night for your moil when it would rea-ch here by noon the othor way! One thing wo have to bo thankful for is that our county member gave us gravel roads. If not, we would be getting stuck in the mud. Now, just a word re telephone. If wo want to speak to Balo'iutha we haveto ring up Lawrence, then by Milton, and if we are in a hurry it is just about as, quick to ride down. Now, seeing this is a' very old settlement, dating back as far as 1870 or more, surely it is time our Government did something to help us along a bit, soeing that a line would be coming up through some of the best agricultural land in New Zealand. It is a pity - some of our worthy members, who say wo have a good service, would not take a trip out here by coach, tlienoe to Ba-lclutlia by boat to catch the express—that is when the river would ri6e to let the boat up. This wiU give the outside public an idea of how the "country people arc handicapped compared with town —I am, etc., One Who Stofess