PATEA COUNTY

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 October 1931, Page 7

PATEA COUNTY

* Oldest in South Taranaki ORIGINALLY A WIDE EXPANSE Patea was the earliest district in South Taranaki to have a county council, for it was the earliest settled parts. The demesne administered by Patea covered right up to the slopes of Mt. Egmont. front Waitotara past Stratford and almost to Opurtake. the bouudary to the west being the Taungatara River, two miles from Opunake, out to the east to Omoana stud all the country lying within those radial points. It was a huge district and must have taxed the energy and resources of the early councillors to cope with the needs of the settlers. In the course of its fifty-three years history the county has dorm a great pioneering work and reference to it is fittingly included iti a history of the borough. The Patea County laid the foundations of the counties of Hawera, Elthain, Stratford, Waimate West and Egmont. The first meeting of the county^council took place on January 4, 1877, and the members present were Messrs. T. Kells (who took the chair), J. Livingston. J. <\V, Kenah, G. S. Bridge, G. F. Sherwood, J. Winks, A Middlcmuss, F. M. Honey field, W. Dale, and F. Coweru. The names will indicate the wide area of country represented.

The roll of honour of the couucil iu eludes the following names: — CHAIRMEN. G. F. Sherwood, 18877—78. G. S. Bridge, 1878-79. Felix McGuire, 1879-80. S W. Dale, 1880-82. F. M. Chapman, 1882. R. Horner, 1882-87. Walter Symes, 1887-96. W. C. Symes, 1896-1906. G. V. Pearce, 1906-1921. James Gibbs, 1921-29. W. G. Belton, 1929-31.

COUNCILLORS. » T. Kells, J. Livingston, G. S. Bridge, G. F. Sherwood, W. P. Kenah, J. Winks, A. Middlemass, F. M. Honeyfield, W. Dale, J. Davidson, W. F. Furlong, R. Wilson, W. Milne, Felix McGuire. R. Horner, W. A. G. Winchcomh, King. T. Partridge, W. Brewer, J. Gane. A. Hunter, C. A. Durie, T. W. Fisher, F. M. Chapman, E. J. Morgan, J. O. Taylor, R. W. Foreman, A. Howie, l M. O’Sullivan, J. Hair, J. Paterson, I. ! Lupton, T. H. Nicholson, W. Symes, D. i Fleming. A. Strachan, W. C. Symes, G. j Death, J. Riddell, G. V. Pearce, J. W. Thurston, J. Peat, O. Symes, W. Van { Asch, R. Bremer, A. Wilforcl, W. Der- [ rett, A. W. Curry, O. J. Hawken, E. J. Wilson,. S.. Blake,. J. .Kennedy,. J. Walker. D. Johnston. W. Klingender, W. B. Cave, H. G. Dickie, J. Coomb, A. Smith, E. A. Greager, J. Gibbs, W. G. Belton, Spicer, L. R. Hamilton, J. Hurley, J. R. Taylor, G. McGregor, M. It. Murphy, A. Elmslie. R. G. Scown, W. H. Watkins, J. F. McDonald, F. Hooper, F. O. Matthews, D. Sutherland. W. Back, G. H. Alexander, C. E. Johnston, J. Lupton, J. Peat junr., R. J. Watt.

The officials were as follow: — Clerks.—l. Black. 1877-8-2; E. C. Horner, ISS2-1920; W. F. Sheild. 1920-1931. Engineers.—T. Herbert, 1909-10; A. 11. Wright, .1910-17; J. C. AlcLauehlan, 1917-22: G. AY. King, 1922-29; L. F. Row, 1929-31. MET IN OLD BARRACKS. For several v-ears meetings were held in the old Immigration Barracks and in the early days of loading much was done out of land revenue. The council early assumed among other duties that of trustees of the Alanutaki Cemetery, and had control of the AVaverley recreation ground and the Alokoia Reserves. In its early years tlic Waitotara to Tauugatara Road was proclaimed a. county highway and early in its career the council agitated, and successfully, for the Government, to open up the Waimate Plains, one of the richest districts in Taranaki. In 1880 the Mountain Road was discussed and it was resolved that this should go past the corner of the AYailiiOhangai Roads through Normauby. An interesting item of district history is’ the decision that part of the l revenue of the infant town of Hawera should be devoted to the improvement of .the part of the main road through that town.

In 1869 an agreement was made with the borough council in regard to the sharing the cost of the Patea bridge, seven-tenths by the county and threetenrlis bv the borough, and the maintenance in the proportion of two to one.

Hawera County was formed in 1881 and this restricted the work of Patea to the district south of Hawera.