THE Thames Star. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1928. THAMES-TAIRUA.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17388, 28 March 1928, Page 4

THE Thames Star.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1928. THAMES-TAIRUA.

"With malice towards none; wlth charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right."—Lincoln.

Now that the Minister of Public Works is to visit Thames, and as he is,to ride, up the Kauaeranga Valley and over to 'Tairua, the present is the time that serious representations should be made by Thames'' Borough and the Thames County 'Councils to place before him the desirability of connecting Tairua and Hikuai with this town. This journal has long been agitating for a connection by road with these outlying places in support from representations made by various settlers of the two places named. So far the only result has been that an estimate was prepared by the Public Works Department on the cost of the work, and this was in the. vicinity of £60,000, a sum that at onee struck dismay into the hearts of the people on both sides of the range. Subsequently, however, an easier route was! mapped out, with the result that the estimated cost of communication was placed at about half the original amount. This was considered more within the bounds of possibility, and representations have been made at various times by the member for the district, Mr T. W. Rhodes, that an amount should be placed, on the estimates for the construction of this road eonnection, so far, without avail. 'The Minister promised, however, to tour this peninsula, and/is on Friday to ride over the proposed route and see for himself the nature of the country. There is no more titting time than this, that deputations representative of the Borough and ,the County should wait on the Minister and urge this important trade connection with Thames. This backcountry is Thames'* heritage, and every effort should be made to" secure connection therewith. The settlers desire it, being, to all intents and purposes, isolated for long periods. They obtain their goods by difficult and slow methods, and their produce is just as hard to place on the market. The settlers are mostly sturdy returned soldiers, who have been making remarkably fine efforts to establish themselves as permanent fanners, and are deserving of all the assistance that can be rendered from this end. They are desirous of trading with their nearest town, which is Thames, and also with being within easy reach of rail and'steamer connection. -'This is the time when both the Mayor and the County chairman can co-operate. , Thames is looking for more trade, and here is a settlement anxious to buy from Thames. Unfortunately, neither the Borough, the County, nor the settlers are able to help in the matter of finance.. The two former find it difficult to meet their commitments, while the latter are struggling farmers. It is the function of a Government to provide road access, and, in doing so, in this instance,J.t will be able to relieve unemployment to no small degree, besides opening up an important trade route and. giving access to land that would quickly be taken up for settlement. - Now is the time to press the wishes of people resident on both sides of the Coromandel range. Mr Williams will be at the Park Hotel on 'Thursday afternoon, and will receive any deputations, and we suggest that one of these should be a representative one to press the claims of the Thames-Tairua road.