Masterton: The Chief town of the Wairarapa.

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 920, 1 March 1918, Page 13

Masterton: The Chief town of the Wairarapa.

> and pleasure result. There is also a Horticultural and Industrial Society, and a Pigeon, Poultry, and Cage Bird Association with annual show held in the Municipal Town Hall, which is well supported, and run by an energetic committee. * » •& © The activities of Masterton in the direction of patriotic matters are very pronounced. Red Cross work, Trench Comforts, bi-weekly entertainments of the boys from the camp, Patriotic Funds, Lady Liverpool Funds, Our Sailors, and the many other movements to aid in alleviating some of the suffering and misery caused by German Kultur, all find energetic self-sacrific-ing workers in common with the rest of the Wairarapa. A Soldiers' Club has been erected and will shortly be opened for the returned soldiers. It is well built, well furnished, and will be well managed, and a monument to the earnest desire of many who, being unfitted for service at the Front, are doing their bit for those who have done so much for us. * # » » The suburbs, of Masterton are rapidly growing in population, and buildings

MASTERTON is situated near the centre of the fertile Wairarapa Plains, distant 67 miles from Wellington by rail and about 64 by road. The town, which has a population of about 7000, is governed by a Borough Council (since 1877), the surrounding district being under the ' Masterton County Council. The Borough. Council is housed in a fine new brick building convenient to the centre of the town and containing lofty, well lighted and ventilated offices with all modern conveniences, gasworks, showroom, Public Library and Beading-rooms, Council Chamber, Committee-rooms, Mayor's Room, Concert Chamber, meeting rooms, and a commodious Municipal Hall. # * . . * ■» The Borough possesses a number of fine reserves. The principal one is the Park, which is within a few chains of the Post Office. It contains from 40 to 50 acres well planted, laid off with beautiful flowers and, shrubs, a. fine ornamental lake on which are kept swans and other water-fowl, and where swimming carnivals are held, shady pleasant paths, a. number" of fountains, turfed oval for athletic sports, band rotunda, "Coronation" Refreshment Rooms, bowling green, and tennis grounds, etc. Every provision has been made to supply the needs for recreation and amusement, and though Masterton is a "dry" district there are swimming baths for ladies, and for men and boys, besides the lake and good bathing pools. « * * * There are a number of good hockey grounds, football, cricket, sports, and one of the best and most healthily situated golf links , in the Dominion. The Bowling Club's green in Dixon-street during the bowling season is a centre of attraction, where visitors are always sure of a. warm welcome and a keen game. The Wellington-Wairarapa Acclimatisation ponds and hatchery are within the Borough and draw a great num- , ber of visitors. From these ponds trout are distributed over a large part of New Zealand. The rivers of the Masterton district furnish very fine sport to both residents and tourists. Those who are fond of mountaineering have been well cared for by the Mount Holdsworth Committee who, with some Government aid, made a good track and erected a mountain house at a convenient position on Mount Holdsworth. There is: a considerable number of people who annually climb this mountain, ■enjoy the exhilarating spice-laden air, and the grand view from the summit. The flora is particularly abundant and of great variety, so that many teachers in the district make special journeys to study the. wonderful plant life to be found there. # * * •» Masterton is well supplied musically. There are two instrumental bands catering for the public, giving selections of music in the park at public official gatherings and on patriotic occasions. The Wairarapa Caledonian. Society hold their time-honoured sports on New Year's Day in the Masterton Park, and also have concerts, inglesides, and social evenings in normal times. The Pipe Band, however, has been so drawn upon for the Expeditionary Forces through voluntary enlistments that it is now in recess. There are three up-to-date picture shows here, open every week night and with ibi-weekly matinees and all seem to be very well patronised. « & «■ •» Masterton is, a recognised centre of pastoral, agricultural, and dairying industries with real live men engaged therein, who have not been backward in adopting measures to foster and encourage these pursuits. A Society, the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral, has its headquarters in the town, with a most efficient committee of management, officers, and staff. With energy, foresight, and enterprise an estate was purchased and grounds were set apart for their annual shows These are situated at Solway within reasonable distance of Queen-street iriid extending to the railway line and Sol way Station. Here, in lovely surroundings, native bush, terraces", springs, and water -courses, quite upr-to-date show grounds are established, and a two days' Autumn Show is held in the month of February each year, followed by a Ram and Ewe Fair for another two days. Exhibitors and visitors come from all parts of New Zealand, and both profit

are extending in all directions. Lansdowne is forging ahead, and will soon have to consider the pressing need of an improved system of local government. It is far too large and important to rest content with forming part of the County and must decide in, favour of forming a Town District or becoming part of greater Masterton. Upper Plain, Solway, and Homobusli are also advancing considerably, and will continue to do so from present indications. * * * * In education matters Masterton is distinctly fortunate. Lon.<r years before any system of State education was dreamed of, the pioneer settlers of Wairarapa, who were the founders of the Masterton and Greytown Small

Farm Settlements, and the', builders up of the prosperity of the district, met in conference in Masterton and set aside land for the purpose of founding arid carrying on a Grammar School, Library, and works of public utility. e. >- .« o In spite of legal advice that it couldn't be done and that they would have to sell the surplus town acres, the Masterton men decided that it should be done, and so they did it, and being, not only sturdy self-reliant pioneers, but able and practical men, they obtained the legislative enactment needed to secure the educational endowment of the town and district. Here, in passing, it may be mentioned that these men who did also provide for almost universal suffrage, and in those early days, with the exception only of married women, everyone of mature age could exercise a vote in the town management. The one defect in the suffrage was removed some years after, and married women received their just and equal rights. «■ a. a. «. The revenue derived from this source, under wise management has now reached £3407 a year and is steadily increasing. Assistance is given to the schools of the Masterton Small Farm and Borough district, scholarships are subsidised, free plaice students assisted, technical and manual instruction is largely assisted, the Public Library has been helped for years, and works of public utility in the district have been made possible or successful. « *» * « The Trustees have also set aside the nucleus of a fund for an Agricultural High School and are prepared to liberally assist in the upkeep of such an institution, and, as the necessary land is

In the eeotre of the shield iB Mr. R. G. Williams, Maßterton's first Mayor. The names of the Councillors surrounding him, starting from the top and reading from left to right, are:—Messrs. E. A- S. Wyllie, Job Vile. 1). Donald, W, W. MeCardle, R. Wilson (Town Clerk, appointed by the Governor), D. McGregor, E. Feist, F. Gray and W Perry,

available, it is only awaiting the return to life of the Department of Education. The Masterton District High School, with the good organisation and capable administration of the headmaster, and an able, highly efficient, and enthusiastic staff of teachers, maintains its high prestige and attracts scholars from far afield. There are this year on the roll of the secondary, main, and side schools 938 pupils. In the recent matriculation examination seven of the-'pupils passed and one secured a pai-tial pass; two passed in the public service entrance examination with credit. For the National Scholarships eight pupils passed the senior, one being awarded a scholarship. Several qualified and one was awarded a Junior National Scholarship. A very

fine Museum, containing natural history and every variety of educational aiid interesting exhibits, is attached to the District High School. Instruction m the rural course, woodworking cookery, dressmaking, and laundrying is a feature of this school. * * * * The Masterton Technical School, under a committee of management, has a thoroughly up-to-date building, modern equipment, and a very capable director and staff. The total roll of the classes was 818, including free place students and returned soldiers. In addition to the continuation classes, accounting book-keeping, shorthand, technical and manual classes of all kinds, woolclassing has been taught to women as well as men, magnetism and electricity, and history and economics (University extension lectures) have been a special feature of the school. * * * * Besides State Schools at Lansdowne, Fern Ridge, Te Ore Ore, Solway, etc., educational institutions are also* established and flourishing in Masterton in connection with St. Patrick's (RC) §?• ri / d ™ s Convent (R.C.), St. Matl thew's (Church of England), and Solway (Presbyterian). The Wesleyan Methodists have purchased a block of land where the old Show Grounds were and will shortly erect an Orphanage there. * * * * There is a very fine Public Hospital in Lansdowne, and a number of private hospitals, registered nurses, and a Plunket Nurse in Masterton. The headquarters of the "Waararapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board is in Dixon-street, where also the Public Health Inspector is located. * * * # Masterton has an efficient drainage system, which is now being extended to the whole of the Borough, with an improved sewerage farm for the disposal of sewerage. The Municipal Gasworks are very complete and up to date, and the street lighting is good. The Municipality has abattoirs, and the meat supply to the inhabitants is inspected by a Government Inspector, thus safeguarding the health of; the public. * ■» * * The Borough water supply is high pressure, pure, naturally filtered, and plentiful. e «• * ~ Fire prevention is in the hands of an efficient Fire Brigade under a Fire Board. In addition to the highpressure water sxipply there is a steam fire engine, and there will shortly be a chemical motor engine of the latest pattern. Street fire alarms, with callboxes extend through the principal streets. * ■» •* 4* There is a continuous telephone system, and the installation of the automatic system is only awaiting certain instruments -which the war has delayed. * # » # , Among the local industries, besides timber and building trades, foundries, cement, pipe, etc., works, are concrete construction works, and freezing works, employing a. very large number of hands. * * * * Of the beauty of Masterton's surroundings, picturesque motor drives, and general prosperity of the dictrict, space is not available to< speak. And as to the climatic conditions, the number of septuagenarians, octogenarians and general prosperity of the district, is a sufficient guarantee of excellence. If more is wanted it may be found in the significant fact that the Government ceased ptiblishing Masterton's vital statistics some time ago—the death rate was so low.