"I REMEMBER....."

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13085, 19 October 1935, Page 4

"I REMEMBER....."

PAHIATUA—AS IT USED TO BE.

[Wherever old-timers meet. and pause, and reflect, the doings, the places and the people of those early days of Pahiatua flash through their thoughts and find expression in happy reminiscence. To those of our readers who take a pride in the district’s transformation over fifty years and a curious delight in what used to be we offer at intervals, the recollections of these pioneers.! By “NGA KOROUA."

1 notice that the main read contraitors art* widening a nasty little bend at tin* southern approach to the Xgawapurua. Bridge and it is not before time, either. This has always been an awkward turn to negotiate if traffic is met coming from the direction of Woodville. Some day. perhaps, we will see a fine new structure there, one bridgt for the trains and one for the road traffi . I well remember whet the first bridge went up there and tlu* authorities fixed a toll gate. It \\a> about 49 years ago and the Alaori-; at Nu:nwapurua strongly lesented th?- action. They took the law into their own hands, in fact, and pulled down the first gate which was erected. Th© authority of the Council to instal a toll gate for the purpose of collecting road maintenance was questioned at the time. As a result of the action of the Maoris a court case was made of it in Woodville but the informations were dismissed on the ground of the Court having no jurisdiction in the matter of disputed titles. The Council. however, succeeded in paci tying the* Alaoris and the gate became an established fact. After the gate was destroyed a second urate was brought all the way from Alasterton. The County Council referred to was not a. Pahiatua. County Council, of course (it wa<s not in existence then) but the AVairarapa North County Council with Headquarters at Masterton and much of the local Treatment was against these * ‘outsiders coming in and adopting what tin* settlers believed were illegal measures to extract money from the people.