South Taranaki Towns.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 5 July 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

South Taranaki Towns.

In this article mention will be made of the towns of South Taranaki and their attractiveness. They are all young towns and though some of them lack the most modern conveniences of life they have one great advantage over the great cities—they have no slums, no sinks of iniquity, no stagnant dark alleys which in the Old World defy both the divine and human laws. There is a wholesomeness, a cleanliness, and a beautiful atmosphere everywhere. The people live for the main part quietly and contentedly, enjoying excellent health. The healthy invigorating sea breezes, the great op,en spaces, the freedom, the finest quality food which is available in abundance—all go towards making life pleasurable. Picture shows, social gatherings, numerous d°ances and occasional visits by theatrical and musical combinations brino--ing artists who are known throughout the Empire, provide' plenty Ot enjoyment for the people. Life is no dull monotony in South Taranaki, and people in the Old Country would no doubt be

surprised to learn that such great personages as Miss Marie Tempest, I>ame Clara Butt, Sir Harry Lauder, Mr. Skalski, the famous New South Wales Orchestra,, with numerous other companies and artists ot repute have given performances in Hawera, the centre of the wealthy district of South Taranaki. Smaller companies visit the other towns, which are well provided with halls. Card tournaments and Friendly Society gatherings and various social clubs help to provide for the wants of'the people. The sporting side of South Taranaki life will be referred to in another article. We shall now give a short description of the towns. HAWERA. The largest town in South Taranaki is Hawera. The country round about is exceptionally productive, and- a glance at the panoramic view on the first page of this Supplement will show that the land is flat or .almost, so for many miles. The railway line connects Hawera, with .Wellington, and there is a daily express train covering' the. distance..,(2o4 miles) to and from the capital.; In addition there are a number of slower trains passing between Hawera and other towns north and south. Motor services add to the transport facilities, and the roads are extensively used by the motor cars, which are more numerous in South Taranaki than in any other part of New Zealand. Hawera is commercially a good town, arid though the slump caused some falling off in trade business is. again becoming .brisk, and the town's banking business is sufficient to maintain branches of five banks—Bank of New Zealand, Bank of N.S.W., Bank of Australasia, National Bank, Commercial Bank of Australia (the last named having established its branch at Hawera during the last few weeks). The operations of these banks are extensive, and their total trade places Hawera well up in the list for banking in New Zealand. Hawera has a modern post office, which is one of the busiest in the province. Residents of Hawera .are great users of the telephone, and the number of telephone connections is very great, the exchange, which is open continuously, being a very busy one. Savings bank and mail and telegraphic businesses also heavy. There is also a branch of the Public Trust Office, which handles a large amount of business, while the railway station is too small to cope adequately with the rapidly increasing traffic. A new station, with extensive yards, has been promised by the Government, and no doubt the work will be put in hand when the financial conditions of the country are easier. .That should not be long now., Educationally Hawera is well served. The public school has about 800 scholars, and each year finds a greater tax placed upon its accommodation. The Convent school is full, and St. Mary's Anglican school has its part in meeting the wants of those who desire that their children should have religious instruction added to their ordinary school work. Just outside of the borough boundaries—which are expected to be extended very ; shortly— there was built a few years ago a. new school to serve the people of the closely settled area of Nolantown. This school filled rapidly, anda new room had to be added, but the prospects are that further additions will be necessary before long. Hawera possesses a fine Technical High School, built a couple of years ago at a cost of £17,000. This school is rapidly growing and is destined to become a very important institution. The principal (Mr. A. Gray) has had .a long experience in secondary school work, and he is, with the assistance of an excellent staff, building up a school that will-serve to tram fine British citizens.

Hawera may well be proud of its business and commercial;,., houses. The shops are neat and clean in appearance, and the windows are prettily and tastefully dressed, while for quality the goods'?are second to none. It is a fine sight to see the large crowds vot;_ people in the main business streets on a fine afternoon. People throng the shops on Thursdays (market day) and Saturdays, and - they spend their money freely, though they insist on purchasings only the best quality goods. The town is well lighted at night-take-'..-.; both gas and electricity being the illuminants, and during the Week for the Empire,'* when the shops will make special displays Hawera will'be a pretty picture. ..' . The residential areas are noted for the fine type of house and the neatly kept gardens and live hedges. In some of the streets trees have been planted on the sides of the roads, and with flower beds and grass plots neatly kept by residents the roads are being" made very beautiful. The streets and roads are tar-sealed and'are ? kept m excellent repair by the Borough Council, which follows 1 policy of cleanliness and efficiency. The borough reserves include ; the beautiful King Edward Park, which invariably calls forth the" highest praise from visitors. Attached to King Edward Park is a fine sports ground, large enough for three cricket matches to be played at the one time. Adjacent to this playing area is the A. and m l Ground ' whlch is well appointed and is thoroughly up to date. The expense of maintaining the grounds is heavy, buAhc farmers and business people feel that the show is of great value • to South Taranaki, and they are willing to work in its interests. ♦ „ rf h(L re '!*** ? re- c musidal societies in Hawera—the Male Choir the Orchestral Society, and the Operatic Society-all of which are well supported-by the public. South Taranaki has a good reputation for its^ appreciation of music, and, many of the students of the district Mve^achieved considerable success in- the Royal Academy and Trinity College qualifying for the Licentiate or - Associate Degrees of these institutions. The taste of the people is tor the best in music, and on occasions when great artists visit Hawera people come in frommiles around to hear them perform Hawera, with its up-to-date/faciUties and conveniences, i^hti everyway apleasant town in which to .live, a statement which^is equallytrue of all the other towns of South Taranaki _. Hawera was originally, laid out as a military settlement,.and " the first local governing body, was a. Town Board, which first _iet on .December Bth, ,1875. It is owing to the foresight of'Se early pivic .rulers that Hawera is now possessed of valuabie recreation and revenue producing reserves. In due course the C^uncnS 116 E fullyvconstitute^ bor<>ugli, with its Mayor ; a^ ; ELTHAMi :[ ZZ7'/, - The largest town in ; South^ Taranaki is Eltham, :' is situated twelve miles to the north of Hawera.! It is ni'the^rv: feart^of an area.extremely fertile land; It is higher*above the set than Hawera, and has a little heavier rainfall: Eltham, like Hawera - is a clean and attractive town, and is; regarded as a 'good business^ town Roads Iromnorthy south, east and; westsmeet at Elt^a_^and they are all of the same hiigh standard for which/ TaTahafcr _a_^ become famous. There are municipal gas works, and town-fias-^ an up-to-datei 'water ; and drainage system. ' T_ree ba__s>_ave:^ branches in the town, and on Saturdays particularly Eltham is a very busy town, aiid under the influence of srlive body of b_s_i__ men on the Progress League;the town is bo_ad to'grow in size to^'

importance, Eltham is the nearest town on the railway to the X7aw^ n _ alls Mountain House, which is a favourite resort for xouusts, who regard the Dawson Falls side as the best on the w3-f^ } e n aPProach to/the Eltham railway station has been " !!r c? and fl°wer and grass ; plots, neatly kept, are the subject oi tavourable comment by viistors. Eltham is.a very pretty ' t»w" ?! USes are well built and nicely keP*' and there are pieaty oi trees and pretty lanes just outside of the business area. +1, busin-ess People are keen to push their town ahead, and at xne present tame are very interested in the development of a big nyaro-electric power scheme, which will be capable of providing power for a very large area of South Taranaki. ° f . i Thh e shops and business premises are neat and clean, while the t !™$F r passmg through the post office is sufficient to keep the staff I tuily^ occupied. The telephone exchange, as in the case of Hawera is a very busy one, and the people not long ago sought and secured a continuous service.' - Eltham has a fine park, and in addition to the part set apart for.football and cricket there is a pretty area of shrubs. A decision tO:add a park for children was recently made, and when this is completed Eltham'will be a. still more attractive town. It. is well provided for in the way of facilities, and in years to come Eltham should grow into a large and' important town, the centre of. a magnificent dairying area. ■ '■"... i -..- ■ ' • ■ The following particulars of the Eltham County Council will be of interest:-— , • ; The Eltham County Council held its first meeting on December 22nd, 1906, the councillors present being Messrs. B. Dive, John Quin, G'i? reece ' J' PMUi Ps> A- C. Pease, J. Boddie, Swadliiig, and .brtzGerald. Mr. B. Dive was elected chairman. The estimated revenue for the first'year was £5025, the present annual revenue being approximately about £28,000. ... The area of the County is 201 square miles. The capital value in-_ 906 was £1,489,119, and in 1921 £2,726,583. The general rates aggregate to about £14,000 per annum, and the special rates £3500 per annum. This year a change has been made, and rating is now on the unimproved values. The greater portion of the roads are tar sealed. The Council possesses one .of the most up-to-date plants comprising stone crusher, tar boiling, \ four motor lorries, steam roller, etc. MANAIA. , To the west of Hawera lies Manaia, which is the centre of the , rich Waimate Plains, every inch of which is historic. To-day they are; richly prdductive, as the portion of our panoramic view to the le,ft-af Mt. Egmont shows.. The road from Hawera to Manaia is tar-sea^ed, and takes one through some very, beautiful agricultural laud^ Motor traffic on this road is heavy, for Manaia has not yet be^ .connected with the branch railway line from Te Roti (on the mai_3i"ie) to Kapuni, which is at present in course of construction a^iWH probably be completed within the next twelve months. A shprjf line of about four miles will,connect Manaia with the branch at=Eapuni, a township to. the north, of Manaia. .\ •'■■ Manaia is about two miles from the sea coast, and its residents . arekeen to further the interests and welfare of the town. At time . -}OS. - v ■'. "" " •,'.-,- v__w

lTn mi, a W? ter service is beiu S laid down at a cost of some ±db,UUU. Electric power for lighting is already supplied, and the town is well lighted. Its business is steadily increasing, and though it is not likely to become one, of the large towns of South Taranaki it occupies a pleasant situation and there is a community of interest among.the people which finds expression in the numerous harmv social functions which are held there. .';■' . . ~ Manaia has a good football and cricket' grounA and 'adjoining is a very pretty domain, which ,is the pride of residents. The streets ot the town are wide, and in recent years several fine buildings have been built. s Not far from Manaia on the Hawera side is a Demonstration *arm, which ; has been able to do much good work for the dairvinoindustry m the way of demonstrating what > can. be done hi scientific farming. ~,/., '■• ■"'•■', : Manaia has been a town district since 1882, when the Proclamation was issued by Arthur Gordon, Governor of New Zealand on" May 20, 1882. The election resulted as follows:—Messrs. A E - Langley, J. Jackson, P. McCarthy, C. Days, and W; O'Brien; Mr' ti , ,eL WaS the returning omeer. The first meeting was Held on July 1 1882, and Mr. A. E. Langley was appointed the first chairman of the Manaia Town Board and Mr. G..A. Hurley the first eier_. liie Bank of Australasia was appointed bankers oi the Manaia Town Board at their first meeting. On April 1, 1912, Manaia was made an independent Town Board, having over 500 of a population, and in September of the 0 "< same year the town elected seven Commissioners iif place of five as previously allowed. The election resulted as follows:—Messrs. Wm Borne G Glenn H. E, Candy, J. G. Craig, W. R. Butler, W. J. Bio-: ham, G. D. McKenzie. Mr. William Borrie was elected chairman*. The Commissioners of the Manaia Town Board at present are — w 6881?; I' m'J?e^ ldon (chairman)> G. H. Edwards, J. Hickey. B Howell, FT. McCarthy, N. C. Innes and L. G. Wilson, and the town clerk is Mr. Wm J. Badley. Bankers: Bank of New Zealand Solicitor: Mr. A. G. Bennett, Manaia is now exceptionally well' served in the matter of communication with the outside world. Where years ago there was only the horse coach running in and out once a day, now there are dast motor buses and cars, running each way several times~ a day, with a network of rural postal deliveries all over the adjoining districts. v In early days Manaia was a military centre, and in the eighties there was a permanent camp under Colonel Gudgeon, with fortifications an.d look-out tower, which has always been one of the sights ot the district In the gardens is a grove of English trees which was planted about 1881 to prove, as the Commandant put it, that English trees would thrive on the Plains. With all the Advantages possessed by Manaia, that township, situated as it is in the centre ot a prosperous and progressive dairying district, is bound to grow and become an important centre. .: OPUNAKE. Away to the left of Mt. Egmont in the panoramic picture lies * Opunake, One continues on fhe Hawera-Manaia road in a westerly direction for 28 miles from Hawera, or one may go by a fine tJ sealed road from Eltham for a similar The town lies at the end of the rich area of land of South Taranaki,

and the country round about Opunake is not as highly productive as that around Hawera, Eltham, and Manaia. However, Opunake ■, is a town with a future. It has a splendid sea beach, which is beinodeveloped by the Beach Improvement Committee, and when the railway line, now being laid down, reaches Opunake the place will become a most popular seaside resort for the people of South taranaki. Dairying is the principal industry, and improvements in the land are steadily taking place. . m The Opunake Town Board was constituted in 1882. The area is about 700 acres, the town boundary extending from the Waiau nver to the Namu river, and from the sea' coast inland for about a mile. The valuation of the rateable property, on the basis of the capital value, is about £120,000. The rate for the current year is l a d m the £, struck.by the Town Board, but the County Council also rates over the Town District at l£d in the £. The town is not yet independent of the County, though it has the requisite population (over 500). Two years ago the Town Board started a hydro-electric scheme with money borrowed from the Public Trustee, but the original town scheme has grown into a big district. concern, and is being handed over to a Power Board which has been formed. This Board will complete the work on a much larger scale than at first anticipated.llie Power Board has already secured authority to borrow £70 000 ot which amount £44,000 has been raised, and the work is to be pushed on out into the county to a radius of about seven miles. 1 his will supply power and light to farmers, factories, etc. ■ The population of Opunake has increased by about 100 within the last few years, and it is now about 500. A fair number of dwellings have been erected since the war, all good buildings of the bungalow style. A branch hospital has been built at a cost ot about £4000, and opened by the Taranaki Hospital Board. There are some fine concrete shops-, and-two hotels, a picture theatre (private enterprise). The' building known as the Town Hall was erected by the Defence Department when the military were stationed there during the troublous times with the Maoris. . ' Four churches provide for the religious wants of the people and there is an up-to-date State School for the children, and an up-to-date £3000 Convent School has been recently built With these works completed Opunake residents hope to enter upon a new era and they are keen that their town should prosper, as no doubt it will It has excellent prospects of becoming a very popular resort for holiday makers. . . PATEA. Patea is situated 18 miles south of Hawera at'the mouth of the Patea river. It is connected by rail with Hawera, being on the lmefrom Wellington. Patea is the natural outlet for the produce of South Ta-ranaki, and at a heavy cost the entrance to the river has been improved, moles, being built out to make the river navigable and the fairway deepened by dredging. The export of produce by small coastal steamers, which take the butter and cheese to Wellington for transhipment to the overseas vessels, is very large, and as production in South Taranaki is increasing. year by year ;So the port of Patea is likely fo become busier. Steamers up to about 150 tons can use the port, though in,times of westerly .storms vessels are not able to enter* The river itself is navigable' for some twenty miles, by motor launches. ' The following borough statistics sliould be -of interest. The borough was constituted in 1881; area 1450 acres. First Mayor Mr.

G. F. Sherwood. First Council: Messrs. Taplin, Milroy, Adams, Aitehison, Dixon, ' Mahoney, Gibson, Howitt, and Black. The capital valuation is £200,000, and the rates, general 2/- in the £, and water 6d and 3d in the £ (annual rental value). Interest < rates, 2/- water and drainage loan, 6d hydro dam extension loan. Electricity: Hydro plant and suction gas; hydro installed 1900; gas plant 1917. Water: High pressure service with.water tower; artesian well supply. Drainage: Up-to-date sewerage system, discharging through septic tanks into the river. The town has a library, Fire Station and Brigade, recreation v reserves football, cricket, tennis and croquet courts, and bowling green. The golf links are just outside the town. There is also a picture theatre in- the Town Hall, with legitimate stage as well. . Patea town lies mainly on the north.side of -the river on high Sround,;giving a clear view for many miles. It is a town of somewhat different type from the other South Taranaki tows, but is up to date and is well lighted with electricty.. The town has a -, pod cricket ground, and the type of residence is attractive. A wW w + G? n£ W°? S ' fellmonSery and big grading stores ■ ™Zl < CiT Se f°r 6Xport are carefully graded *7 experts provide .for the employment of a large number of people. , « The main roads which take people to Patea are good r and a large motor traffic passes through the town, daily services from - Hawera and Wanganui being in competition with the railways. KAPONGA. Nestling under the great mountain lies Kaponga, a pretty little ' town nine miles to the west of Eltham and some twenty-two miles trom Hawera. Dairying is again the main industry. The town is high above the sea, and-a very fine view of South Taranaki can be , obtained looking south. Kaponga is only a ,few miles froni the Dawson Falls House, and from the town the climb to'the' mountain really begins A good motor road takes.ohe to the mountain belt^ of beautiful New Zealand forest, through which the road leads to ' * the Mountain House As the nearest town to the mountain Kaponga enjoys the traffic of visitors who come from all over the world tosee the mountain. ■ • s -,;,.. . . , , . > ' ■■'•-','•*'!. .'. _ \ Of 2,659,464 lbs. of Cheese imported by Great E Britain last year New Zealand provided, 1,294,779 lbs. f * ■ ■' j INS 1 CMP In Butter we are only beaten-by Denmark, our / exports being 1,103,444 lbs. V- . Taking Butter and Cheese and "converting these -t into Butter-fat we supply Great 'Britain with 15 per -** cent more Dairy Produce than any other country in the world. The quality of our produce cannot be excelled. We are Specialists and the manufacture of Butter and Cheese is our main industry. -^