ISOLATED SETTLERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17982, 29 March 1930, Page 3

ISOLATED SETTLERS.

POSITION BEYOND TE MATA ACCESS COMPLETELY CUT OFF. SY.MPATJ IETIC MINISTER. (Special Reporter.) TE MATA., Saturday. Between Te Mata and Ivawliia arc two roads, tooLti 'day, each presenting dilllci.ilties to travellers in wei weather, and practically isolating the settlers living along them in winter time. One road runs through the Te Maari block and the other is wliai is known ‘as Buckeridge’s Road. Eacli of the two groups of settlers desires that any money spent should be on their particular road, and when the Minister of Public Works (Hon. E. A. Ransom) was in the district yesterday a deputation of settlers from each district urged upon him the spe-r cial claims of their respective roads, in any money proposed to be spent. Buckeridge's Road is really little more than a Irack, and (lie deputation asked liic Minister to make a grant to widen it for a distance of about nine miles. The settlers or Te Maari regard their road as the. most direct, anil, if put in order, by far the best route between the two sea ports. A deputation of the settlers along this route asked Ihc Minister io metal about, four miles of Hie road, so as to give them more or less a metalled road right into Raglan.

The road has slipped very badly al a point above Thomas’ place, and has blocked a lower road which gives access to Thomas’ and Siica's properties. Thousands of ions of earth have broken away from Ihc hillside, and this great wcigliL is slill on liic move and already lias partially blocked Hie stream lliat runs along the bottom of the deep valley. This is causing I he. water lo hack up, and the worst poini has by no means yet been readied. With Hie coming winter, I lie prospects not. only for the two settlers named, but for others along the valley, will be desperate if the waters rise and flood Hie valley, as llicy are hound (o do if some immediate relief is not given. Already Mr Thomas is unable to get out his cream, while higher up Mrs Shea will shortly be peened in with her family of four young children. A flood may carry away wool sheds and other buildings, besides completely isolating these settlers, preventing them from getting in supplies or getting out their produce. Best for General Purposes.

Mr Vowless, one of the Te Maari settlers, who, li years ago, carried his swag into the virgin bush and made his home there, made a strong plea for the main road to be retained as the arterial, route in preference to Buckridge’s Road. He quoted figures in support of his argument that the Te Maari road was the best for general purposes, and he urged the Minister to concentrate on this, instead of giving the settlers two roads to maintain.

Tie suggested also that a good team of unemployed be put to work on the lower road, that is blocked, in order to get the slip cleared speedily, before the winter comes on. Mr W- Vernon said both the main roads mentioned were cream routes, hut a considerable amount more cream came over Buckeridge’s Road, although there were far more settlers on the Te Maari road. He did not think the grades on Buckeridge’s Road were any worse than on the Te Maari road, while lie was convinced "that the upkeep of Buckeridge’s Road would be far smaller than that of the Te Maari Roafl. Mr Campbell Johnstone, county chairman, supported the proposal to put a gang of relief workers on the lower Te Maari road. He considered, however, the settlers themselves should have a say in the route they preferred. It was far better to have one good road than two indifferent ones. . „ , , The Minister said he was grateful to Mr Lee Martin for the opportunity he had afforded him of seeing some of the worst roads in his county. He believed the back country was the backbone of the -country. In the present case he would not come to any decision until he had consulted his engineers as to the best route and the best and speediest means of affording relief to the greatest number. He assured the settlers that lie would render every assistance when the engineers decided which route would he the most serviceable to the greatest number. Absolutely “Broke.”

Referring to Thomas’ and Shea’s access, Mr Ransom said lie realised that here was a very great dilticulty that required immediate remedy. He would consider seriously sending out a gang of relief workers, and would certainly promise a subsidy of £3 lor £1 for this particular work. Mr ,1. Martyn (riding member) said the riding was absolutely “broke,” owing to" the great amount of money already spent on clearing slips on the road, and lie asked the Minister to make the £3 lo £1 subsidy retrospective on the sum already spent on the slips. ~ , The Minister said lie would have to consider this aspect of the case. lie hoped, however, to make the access a permanent and not merely a temporary one. His object was to see that, all road works undertaken by relief workers were of a permanent nature, and calculated to promote settlement and production. For whichever route was selected for attention, lie promised to give a subsidy of £2 for £l. The settlers thanked and cheered the Minister, and also Mr W. Lee Martin, M.P., for his services on their behalf.’ Mr Martin had, said Mr Vowless, brought two Ministers to see them, whereas formerly. they had never received a Ministerial visit at all.