PATEA TO-DAY

Patea Mail, 18 December 1935, Page 1 (Supplement)

PATEA TO-DAY

ONWARD AiND UPWARD. A RECORD OF PROGRESS. ■ Four years ago, ou October io,-1951, Patea celebrated its jubilee as a bor ough. Since then-its record may "be said to have been one'el’ steady pro- - gross.From the very earliest days there were many who were -convinced that . the town -would one day bo a thriving by reason of its geographical •C position, the rich' country in its vicinity', and its many natural advantages. ,TJre town, like many others in the .Dominion, felt tiro full force of the depression in the early nineties, and for many years little progress was made. Latterly, however, the advantages that the town possesses have been more fully realised, with the re- >' suit that there is to-day a general feeling of assured coulidenee in its future. for a long time there was a fear that the town might lose its chief industry', that of the local meat works. 'This fcary however, has been dispelled, as a now' company' has succeeded the bltj one, and has already spent many* thousands of pounds in now plant and machinery and additions to the buildings, bringing the •works to a still higher state of efficiency, and ■ making them one of the foremost in the Dominion. The restoration ami remodelling of these works-has given to townspeople additional conlidenco . in the future of their town, and ,uo fears are entertained with regard to it.' As showing how the town has progressed of late yours, it is interesting to look buck a few years. la 11)12 its/progress may bo said to have commenced with the erection of the present Town Hall and municipal ;■ chambers, which have proved a valu,‘abic asset to the town. Next followed a high pressure water ■ supply system and a septic tank system of drainage. Next followed extensive harbour ' improvements involving the expoudi- . turc of some £94,600. A few years later came the new P post office, then later still the now ■courthouse. Next, thanks to tho generosity of an old Whenuakura settler, the late Mr. Hunter Shaw r , there was erected the present handsome public - library, reading room, and Plunket Building, following this came the children's •' ward at- the excellent public hospital which the town possesses, and later still the very line maternity -ward. Later still'we find further improvements being effected to popularise Hie town, one of these being a ladies' rest room for the benefit .of country settlers visiting the town. The establishment of a Garden ' Circle in connection with the Women's Institute has,led to tho appearance of . the -town being greatly improved by v , the establishment in. the main -street of a handsome rockery covered with flowers at all times of the year and a reserve on the way to the Domain, which is to be planted with trees, flowers, and shrubs, known as tho Queen Mary Reserve. ' The Domain itself has been greatly improved by the construction of a children 's playground, replete with swings, see-saws, horizontal bars, chute, and shelter shed, these improvc- , incuts being duo to the same benefactor who made tho now public library and reading room possible. The value of the Domain, it may bo mentioned, ivas still farther enhanced by the erection of a commodious training shed, which was nmde possible by tho united efforts of the various* spoils .bodies in the town, assisted by (lie settlers of Iho whole district, who generously supported a queen carnival and enabled the necessary funds to be

raised and the improvements carried out. Other -Improvements that have help- • ed to still further populari.se the town and enhance its value as a place of residence and particularly as a- seaside resort are the improvements that have been carried out at the beach, where the Baton 11 Ivor caters the sea. Hero, thanks to the efforts of a band of willing workers, known as the Seaside Improvement Society, assisted .by tho Harbour Board, under its genial chairman, Mr. Adolph Christenson, the beach has been made an ideal place ■where people can spend a holiday. The society has made it possible- for any car to gut right down to the water's edge by means yf a good metalled road. On arrival at the beach tho hol-iday-maker can obtain an ' unlimited supply of fresh water, and in addition, there is electric power available for boiling water for picnic purposes. There is also a commodious concrete dressing shed for bathers and a playground for the- children nearby. During the past few years a number of seaside cottages have been erected, giving the beach the appearance of a garden suburb of the town, Patea will always be remembered by visitors to the town and by tourists passing through by reason of the unique memorial which stands in front of the Town Hail. This memorial, which takes the form of a Maori.canoe' some 55 feet in - length, .stands on sixteen massive pillars, ten feet in • height, the centre pillars forming an arched entrance to the Borough Council chambers. Seated in the canoe are life-size figures carved to represent the famous navigator Turi, in memory of whom the memorial is erected, Ids wife Rongorougo, his son Turangalmua, his brother llewa, and others. For the benefit of the uninitiated, wo might explain that Turi, one of the world’s greatest navigators, voyaged from Ha-, vvaiki in the loth century in the'canoe Aotoaroa, looking for the land where "the soil smelt sweet and the river ran towards the sotting sun." In tho course of time he duly arrived in New Zealand and leaving the Aotoaroa at Itaglair, set. off on foot to find the place he desired. Travelling overland along tho coast and naming tho rivers cn route, he finally arrived at Patoa, where ho found the river flowing towards the setting sun and where the “soil smelt sweet." Here he laid the burden ho was carrying down, exclaiming as he did so, “Ka patea tatosra," meaning that ho was relieved of Ms load. Here Turi made his homo aud ■■ founded the Maori settlement of this portion of tho island, planting the and the karaka, the seed of which he brought with him, and which grow in profusion to this day, testifying to the wisdom of Turi in choosing Patea as his place of residence. With its mild and equable climate, with its season- weeks ahead of tho more northerly and central portions of the province, Patea should become known not only bus an important centre but as an ideal place of residence and a holiday resort. In addition to its beach at the river mouth, it has tho advantage of tho river navigable for some 30 miles for shallow draught vessels, such as canoes, and for a shorter distance for ordinary pleasure boats. Tho scenery as the upper roaches of the river arc reached is extremely beautiful, fern -and karaka clad spurs coming down to the water's edge. Those who knew Patea. of a quarter of a century ago will agree that it is a different town to-day. Its -citizens look hopefully forward to the future after years of determined -effort to .assist tho town to occupy tho position that its geographical situation and its many natural advantages warrant. May thc/coming year bo one of progress and prosperity for all. Long may Patea flourish.