TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY, 23rd SEPTEMBER, 1946 VIGOROUS PLANNING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 23 September 1946, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY, 23rd SEPTEMBER, 1946 VIGOROUS PLANNING

MUCH MORE than hydro-electric development in the Waikato basin area was referred to in the statement last week from Wellington that vigorous planning surrounds the hydro electric schemes to be located on the Waikato river above the existing Arapuni lake. Automatic almost with the electrical scheme comes access which in turn leads to land settlement and the founding of new towns. Generally, in this way, pioneering establishment is to proceed over a vast area of country in a previously sparsely settled locality. Te Awamutu is particularly interested and can be very directly concerned. In the range of planning, distant perhaps, is the following statement: “On the western side of the Waikato river, surveys have been made of a modem state highway from north of Te Awamutu to Tokaanu. These are, however, but the traffic arteries of the future.”

This was preceded, four months ago, with a somewhat similar statement from Wellington: “Mangakino,” the new town springing up on the banks of the Waikato river at the site of the Maraetai electrical station, “will be a busy town about the size of Cambridge. Buses to Putaruru, about 30 miles away, will give immediate access, but if a new highway planned to run between Tokaanu and Te Awamutu is not too long delayed, there will be only a 40 mile run to the Main Trunk railway in the west.”

Such announcements certainly interest Te Awamutu, and there can be a very direct concern in the future works programme. Generally the proposed* new highway will follow the line of the Owairaka Valley road to the

Wharepapa settlement, and from this point it traverses what is virtually virgin territory. It is a notable feature that for the greater part this new area comprises Crown Lands which await only the provision of reasonable access to be capable of settlement and production. The opinion gained by inquiry is that for approximately 14 miles beyond Wharepapa settlement the country equals the quality of the areas already developed—easy, undulating country readily capable of being brought in. It is merely historic fact that similar lands nearer to Te Awamutu have been permanently pastured within a remarkably short space of time, and are now in a high state of productivity. It is not unreasonable to suggest, therefore, that the developmental work on these lands should be put in hand by the Government the moment labour and other conditions permit. For here are many thousands of acres lending themselves to the immediate purposes of rehabilitation and the*ultimate welfare of the nation. To say that they are in the wilderness now is merely a reminder of the fact that not so many years ago the metropolis of to-day was in a similar state, and it becomes therefore a challenge to our ingenuity and willingness to bring into use the latent opportunities that exist. For in this project there is scope both for large-scale planning and courag--eous enterprise. Over an area of several hundred thousand acres in which there can be industrial as well as farming development the founding of new towns can be visualised—and realised if enterprise and effort is applied. It has a particular bearing upon the future of Te Awamutu which is naturally located as an outlet centre with the main arterial transportation services of rail and road. There could well be therefore a studied inquiry into the national aspects and a systematic endeavour to aid the Government in its* ultimate developmental programme. Starting in from Wharepapa, closer settlement schemes can be negotiated with the Lands Department serving the immediate needs of rehabilitation and furthering the ultimate major national undertaking. In this the local bodies and the voluntary public organisations of this district could serve a useful purpose and gain a really important step in what is destined to become one of the really vital developmental projects, on which the country is now embarking. It calls for organising ability, serious planning, and diligent effort.