PROSPEROUS PALMERSTON NORTH

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3477, 13 October 1926, Page 6

PROSPEROUS PALMERSTON NORTH

Palmerston North keeps on growing steadily in spite of the somewhat adverse trade conditions. There is no boom and this town has not had a boom for twenty years. It owes its prosperity first and foremost to the fertile plains adjacent to it, land secondly to its central position, practically all of the trains in the North Island having to pass through this town. Its growth has been further increased by the advent of the motorcar, and having good, flat roads all around it with easy access North, South, East and West, the number of motors,cars have increased enormously. Many buses convey a very large number of people into this centre daily from Masterton, Pahiatua, Woodville, Dannevirke. Feilding, Mlarton. Bulls, Wanganui, Foxton, Devin and Shannon. As a business centre Palmerston North is now- acknowledged as the most important town in the North Island outside of Auckland and Wellington. Also as a farming centre, this holds good and this is borne out by the fact that the New Zealand Government consider Palmerston North the most suitable locality'in New Zealand in which to establish an Agricultural College, and ha s purchased about 800 acres of land for that purpose. The public has not yet realised the enormous importance of this development to the Manawatu district in general and Palmerston North in particular. The Manawiatu and West Coast Show put Palmerston North on the map and the opening of the Manawatu railway from Longburn to Wellington enabled it to do so. The most important development here of recent years in the establishment of the Agricultural College. It is obvious that scientific agricultural education is necessary so that we may increase our earning capacity, as the future development of all towns depends absolutely on primlary production. Tlie development of Palmerston North within the Borough is obvious and is now- extending outside. About seventy houses have recently been built at Milson, and another large sub-division opposite that tow-n----ship is now taking place. Secondary industries go hand in hand with general development and mlany new firms are now, owing to its central position, establishing themselves In Palmerston North.