UTIKU.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8811, 13 May 1907, Page 3

UTIKU.

(Prom Our Own Correspondent.) The erection of the new railway station buildings is still at a standstill, the piles and part of the frame work were in position some mouths ago; since that time the work has not progressed. This delay has been caused through a diversity of opinion among the residents as to where the postal business should be conducted. The original plans provided for a combined railway station and post office. On representatioubeing made by a number of petitioners asking for a separate building for the post office the work was postponed to allow the authorities time to ascertain the best means of satisfying the wishes of the people. According to information received by the Taihape Chamber of Commerce the department has decided to have a new post office bnilt on post office reserve site. The statiomnastcr’s residence is practically finished and will bo ready for occupation in a few days. Other evidences of the progress of the place are shown by the number of other buildings iu course of erection; prominent among those is the now town hall that is being built to the order of Mr J. Doolo.

Mr J. 11. Gibbs, late of Saudon and Oroua Downs, has decided to make his home in Utiku and intends to erect a ten-roomed house, the timber for which is already ou the ground. Part of the material for the new suspension bridge over the Rangitikei river is lying iu the station yard. It is understood that the work will be put in band at once. The completion of this bridge will bring a nnmber of settlers into closer touch with' the railway, besides opening up a large area of the newly acquired Awarua block, that was thrown open for selection by Government last year. It cannot be said that Utiku is a township of mushroom growth caused by the railway works. The large area of milling timber iu the vicinity will secure constant work for a large number of men for some years, by that time most of the farms will be under_ grass and cultivation, which will bring a steady increase of business to the town. At the present time the wages paid by millowuers to their workmen work out at over £2OOO a month, and the quantity of tiniber sent from the railway station exceeds by nearly one half the output of any other centre between Wellington and New Plymouth. After paying for the erection of several permanent buildings on the recreation ground, the local sports c .i-imittee lias a surplus of £lB as the result of their gathering ou Easter Monday. The townspeople have started a musical and debating society,' to be continued through the winter months.