Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1929 SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

Patea Mail, Volume L, 8 November 1929, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1929 SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

Jt must be very gratifying particularly to those who have 'never ■weaned of extolling the natural advantages'possessed by Patea to find the town progressing as it undoubtedly is at the present time. Three months hence should sec a very handsome- building erected at the corner of Egmont and/victoria Streets to serve as a Public Library , and Plunket rooms, a new courthouse to take the place of the present drab and dilapidated -structure, and a very fine children’s ward at the public hospital, admirably situated, thanks to the ‘generosity of Mr. Douglas Roots, who very generously surrendered the portion of his leasehold required for - the site of the ward. In addition, there is already completed a very fine bathing shed at the beach, with all conveniences, and last, but by no means least, a well-car-ed for and picturesque Domain, with children’s playground, shelter and picnic sheds, croquet and tennis lawns newly laid down, and a well-kept oval for -recreation purposes, in place of the hay paddock that this area was wont to consist of in the past. In addition, the Borough Council is busily engaged in metalling the side and back streets, a work, by the way, which should have been carried out years ago, with the result that like the Domain the town itself is now "Wearing a well cared for instead of a bedraggled appearance. That all these changes have not been brought about without effort 'goes without saying, but the secret of the success that has been achieved has been'.the united front that has been presented by the various local institutions. The Borough Council, both under the former Mayor, Mr. Finlayson, and the present one, Mr. F. Ramsbottom, has set a fine example of unity, pulling well together in the interests of the town. The same may also be said of the Seaside Improvement Society and (the Domain Board, whose united efforts have brought about such good results. The latter body in particular has had a very hard row to hoe in the past, being severely handicapped through having a large area of land to maintain and very little funds to carry out the work. Fortunately for them and for the town the trustee in the estate of the late Mr. Hunter Shaw included the board in the list of beneficiaries under the late Mr. Hunter Shaw’s will, - with the result that the board has been able' to instal a very fine children’s playground in the Domain, with a shelter shed and two ornamental summer houses for the use of parents taking their children to the playground and for the public generally. The first benefaction the board received was a cheque for £IOOO paid into the board’s account at the bank by Mr. fk F. Warren, the sole executor in Mr, Hunter Shaw’s estate. The board, realising that its income did not suffice to maintain the Domain in its present state, decided not to expend the money on any memorial, seeing that they had not the means of maintaining the assets they already possessed, consequently they placed the money with the Public Trustee bearing interest, which began to accumulate from the time it was handed over at the rate of 5 7 | per cent., thus allowing the board to know exactly what

its income Avas going to be, and enabling it to “ciu its citofh" accordingly, when - it was found that the board had hot the funds 10 carry out the two-fold ivork of erecting a memorial to the late Mr; Hunter ShaW and maintain the Domain at the same time, -the trustee in the estate, gripping the position, gave the board a second benefaction, this time of £3OO. With this sum the board has equipped a very fine children’s playground, Avith SAvings, seesaAvs, chute, and shelter shed, and has also constructed a handsome summer house, a shelter at the Oxford Street end of the Domain for those Avho desire to sit quietly “far from the madding croAvd’s ignoble strife,” and look upon the Pacific Ocean. The Lioard has also made a very fine entrance to the Domain at the Surrey Street end, Avhcrc the croquet and tennis courts are situated. These items, together Avith a motor laAvn moAver that was purchased, has absorbed practically all of the £3OO bequest, the £IOOO being held intact, as the interest is needed to maintain the oval as a children’s playground and keep the appliances and buildings in a proper state of repair. In fairness to the Domain Board it should be pointed out that although they have received the bequests mentioned, they are at present very little better off than previously as regards income, as they have lost the rent of their “community” paddock, which Avas their chief source of revenue, and which had become overgiOAvn Avith lupin and gorse to such an extent that the only solution off the problem of keeping the Aveeds doAvn Avas to lease the paddock to the community stock-OAvn-ers for three 3 r ears on condition that they cut down the lupin and gorse (and kept .‘them cut, : jand,' eventually eradicated them. Three years hence, when the paddock is again revenuje .producing, (the board should be in a very good position Avith the interest from the £IOOO bequest as Avell as its Ordinary revenud, We mention this in fairness to the board, to slioav the public that the board is not able To (achieve much that sporting bodies Avould like it to on account of its income being so limited. The board deserves no small amount of credit for the Avay it grappled with the problem of fencing off and subdividing its community paddock so that Avhat Avas an “ever increasing liability” Avas turned into “an immediate and permanent asset,” as a member of the board very tersely expressed it. If the present rate of progress in the toAvn is maintained, there should be bright times ahead for the burgesses in the near future. We see no reason Avhy the Minister of Health should not select the local Domain as the site for the Government Health Camp for children, Avhich Avill be. held each year in future, apart from the Education Board’s Health Camp, Avith the result that Patea avill become recognised as the health resort that its situation undoubtedly warrants it being. Altogether, the signs of progress are such as have not been seen for a long time past, and as Ave Imm stated the toAvn in throe months’ time should Avear a very different aspect.