THROUGH THE DISTRICT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11919, 16 July 1906, Page 2

THROUGH THE DISTRICT.

NOTES BY 'RAMBLEiI

In and around the Upokongaro district I find land lu;s been chauging bands pretty freely of late, (several et-ttlers have disposed oi their properties, viz., Mr K. O'Leary has cold out his lease to Mr L. Norrw, Mr Norris having cold out hi 3 interest in his property near Parihauhau to Hamilton Tiros. Messrs McDonald and Walsh have also disposed of their Tnterest in the Huripari and Te Antiwaka proporty to JMr- 11. i. Death (late of Sea view and Waverloy). Mr A. G. Anderson Uas Becurcd > i fT Nash's property, tin; latter gentlfiiiini' '■: ving decided to gi*« America a trial. \)i L. Cowan lias ilispeaed of his Jl"tat.:<. I(V.S«.

In cciiinci •,'.<, n with this subject I mny cay there is very great inquiry for I,'jul on all sides, and very earnest inquiry i/= being made by numbers of persons a3 to when the remaining portions of the Ohoto and other native "locks will be put out for selection, etc. There is some very excellent country in these blocks, and no doubt when the chance is given they will go off like wild-fire. What is needed' is for us, here in Wanganui, to be in earnest and to be continually pegging away, and get the roads pushed through to these lands, so as to facilitate settlement, as well as to bring the produce therefrom to our town.

There is no doubt but that we have been asleep long enough, and now that we have started the ball rolling we c]ioi,3d keep it so, and with aa. increasing speed if possible.

I am very pleased 1 indeed to see of late that our Chamber of Commerce has been moving in a determined manner in this direction, and it should be solidly backed by the whole community. As far as I am concerned I shall be very pleased to give any information or assistance in my power.

I find that amongst a large number of the settlers throughout the inlaud districts there is a very strong desire that the road over the hill from tl.r> Huripari Stream to Aberfeld'ie shoukl be deviated, and, instead of ;'oing as at present, should follow along the Upokongaro Stream through Parihauha.i (Mr F. Barnes' old holding and Ferni-' Pros.), and join the present road at the iaot of the hill on the Mangawhero side. If this were done the road would be practically a level one all through, thereby making a very great saving in haulage, etc., to the settlers beyond. I understand the proposal is viewed very favourably by pretty well all the settlers round about tli.' district, and I am given to under-* and that every facility will be gives by those niost affected to carry out such a scheme-. No doubt if this could be done it would be a very great benefit to the district throughout. Although, as I have before stated, there is this strong desire for the change, still no one seems inclined to take the initiative in the matter, for it cannot be expected that the governing body will move in this direction until it is shown in some tangible way that it is wanted. My idea is that if this deviation is really desired (and I think it is a good one), the settlers in the district and those in the Tauakera, Field's Track, and the nearer end of the Ohoto should, by petition or otherwise, show their strong wish for surh an alteration. There is no doubt but tl:.".{ if the local authority could umWr&'.i- mch a work it would be a great h ->.v U> ••c'tlenieut.

It is said that if this suu^t- . .! <!<\iition were made, a much brtlu \<>.\i\ couM be made from it into the Ta:inVin Ulork, bo as to avoid Hamilton's IliH. whj< h alone would' be a great thing, fi.r u> make a dray road "up this bill as at pres«?T>l Lihl off will be a very costly affair. But as to whether a new and better road can be pot, I am not in a position to cay, as on my trip through I was not able to examine the country sufficiently.

While travelling along this road (Te Komai) I was exceedingly surprised to find that the Government had formed from 20 to 30 chains of a 16ft dray road on a p«rt which is of no earthly use to the settlers. I should explain that a dVay can be taken from town to aVu* two miles distunl from Mr Hamilton (sent.) homestc.'!. From this point oi*. the <.ldBtyle pacK-i;ime has to be used i?r.d this is only a ( ")iit 23 miles from tov.n*. and after thecsc j.u>ple have been paying rrtc--, taxes, and i-.nt for something approuhing 20 years. From the main road into Mr Hamilton's home is only about three miles or so. After passing Mr Hamilton's (senr.) for about a mile and a half, we come to the Govern ir.ent work before mentioned. AVliy it should have been started at this particular place and continued the distance stated is hard to understand, and not one to whom I spoke on the matter was able in any way to give a reason. As I before said, this work is absolutely useless to the settlers in so far as wheeled traffic is concerned', and will, I have no doubt, in a very short time be to a very large extent destroyed by slips, etc. It must be remembered that for about two miles or more, perhaps, on the town side, there is only a pack-irack, and a!-.<» on the far aide the same sort of track. It in just like putting a gate in the middle of a common with no fence on either side, aud saying "I have a paddock." If, instead, this work had' been done at the town end (commencing from where the dray road ends now) some good would have been done, and would be thankfully appreciated by the settlers. Some of the settlers told me the work was put in hand a little before the last elections, and for a certain purpose, and certainly it looks something like it too.