THE OWEN VALLEY.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15095, 11 June 1919, Page 4

THE OWEN VALLEY.

Those who travel the main road from. Wenhope to Murchison who have not special knowledge of the district would be surprised to know the extent of settlement in the Owen Valley. Many ot those who concern themselves with the progress of the Nelson district generally have had occasion a «rain and again to protest against the expression of opinion by through travellers that the extension of the railway line from briennoue to Murchison would open little country that is fitted for settlement. Ihe Owen Valley is one of the districts the existence of which disprove the assertions of the superficial observer For a distance eight miles or more from the main road where the Owen river iunctions with the Biiller, settlers' homesteads are dotted about the Owen Valley. Recently those settlers have been successful m their endeavour to be joined up with the telephone systemand it is expected that the present housenold school will givo place to a regular school. Those settlers in the upper portion of the valley are very inucfi hampered for want of'road communication, the present very indifferent track having to cross a high ridge. This cam be obviated and a perfectly level road obtained if the course of the Owen river is followed, and the settlers of the valley rormed a Progress League and bestirred themselves in the matter. Tho league has now received word, through the Murchison County Council,' that the Government grant of £550 for the river road, known as Newman's road will be expended and that work will shortly be started. When this road is put right through the "settlers will not only have a level road, but will be brought very*^ much closer in point of distance with tho Murchison saleyards and dairy factory. It may be mentioned that when the telephone line was being put through the settlers themselves did the bush-felling jthat was necessary to get a clear line*