Stratford News.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12337, 20 August 1903, Page 5

Stratford News.

(From our Resident Agent).

August 19th. — The arson case was continued at the Court .yesterday. Mr George Hitchcock gave evidence as to 'his transactions with the accused, denying having employed him in the manner asserted in the confession, and giving particulars of a dispute as to payment for the tools belonging to accused and burned in the lire. Miss Tocker • also gave evidence as to hay ing been in the shop when an altercation took place between Mr Hitchcock and the accused, but she did not overhear what was the subject of the dispute. After a lengthy 'enquiry extending over three days, the prisoner was committed for trial. The "Settler" reports the Ohura Road to be in a worse condition than over— a crushing indictment *of the - Government that after 10 years of autocratic rule and the spending of huge sums of money has left things in such a state. It is not possible to find out exactly how many thousands have been expended on the road, but it is asserted by men who have watched the whole dreary burlesque that there has been enough money wasted to metal the road from end to end. Strathmore and Huiakama have now been settled 10 years, and they are for dix months in the year to be 'approached only through knee-deep miftl extending for six miles before the ,metal is reached. Twenty miles more of deep mud intervene between Strathmore and Whangamomona. Settlers have been in Whcftigamomona for six or seven years paying cartage rates varying from £3 per ton in summer up to £10 in winter. The worst of it it there is no prospect of any improvement for many a year. The metalling of tho road i.i progressing at the rate of about ori^ mile per annum and Dhe failway works, in view of tho rougher country to be traversed and the threatened curtailment of publio works expenditure, cannot maintain the truly remarkable rate of construction of the • past 1\ years, namely, four miles per annum. The outlook is none too cheerful. Mr E. M. Smith, M.H.R., in a burst* of eloquence just before the last Parliamentary election, said :— "How things would hum if Taranaki would only return all four members solid for > Gobernment." Well, the four Government men are in, but as for tho hum,, the least said the better. It may hum in town, but it is humbug in the back-blocks. The egregious folly of the co-operative works has kept back inland TaranaUi for ten years. Tho money has gone .and there is . nothing but mud and rotten bridges to show for it.