TRIALS OF PIONEERING.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 29, 16 April 1918, Page 4

TRIALS OF PIONEERING.

Under the heading of '‘Through Fire and Water,” Mr F. Shadbolt writes to the Taumarunui “Press” from Pio-pio-tea West as follows: Mr and Mrs Shadbolt and family have had a particularly trying time on their section at Pio-pio-tea West. At Christmas time their tents were blown into ribbons in the gale. These- were replaced but the recent gale destroyed the new tents also, and the unfortunate people were deluged with rain, and for two days the only covering they had was wet blankets. Mr Shadbolt bought timber twelve months ago with the intention of building, and got the timber to within two miles of the settlement, but the tracks got blocked, and the timber had to be put over the bank to get some rafted. Returning home with machinery to get the timber up from the steep river bank Mr Shadbolt was caught in the heavy rain, and the draught mare in the sledge fell on trying to pull the load up the slippery track, and Mr Shadbolt had to abandon the load. On arriving home he found that a tent in which two young children were sleeping had, through some cause unknown, caught fire and the children were still asleep, enveloped in the flames. Mrs Shadbolt broke through the curtain of fire and pulled the children out. Mrs Shadbolt’s hands got burnt and the little girl was badly burnt about the legs, her hair singed, and her face slightly burned. The boy also had his legs burnt. After the burns had been dressed the boy looked at his sister and said. “When you go to bed Marjorie you say your prayers again. I’m going to.” The following night Mr Shadbolt was caught in a heavy thunderstorm, coming in for a tent fly. He expects when he gets home to find the children have been again drenched with rain.

Mr and Mrs Shadbolt and family have been on their Government secion for over years, under extreme pioneer, conditions. In the winter time their tracks and roads are particularly bad and dangerous. Mr Shadbolt believes this winter the roads will be worse than at any time since settlement was opened by the Government.

ler . This had been ignored. Then he would like to know the reason why the Government had refused to do anything in connection with the committee’s recommendation against trusts and combines. The recommendation was for the extension of the Commercial Trusts Act to all trades in the Dominion. It was only reasonable that the Government should be expected to do something in this direction. Another recommendation, likewise ignored, was that all packets of goods (groceries and the like) should have their weight stamped thereon, so that the public might be protected. Even if this little reform had been carried out it would have pleased the people. Other requests were made, but, with the exception of the rent legislation, nothing had been done. L j .jak&Jm