PROGRESS OF THE SUBURB

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1930, Page 12

PROGRESS OF THE SUBURB

FARM LAND SHORT TIME AGO.

RECENT LARGE SUB-DIVISIONS.

To some of the older residents of the district it seems but a few years;since the whole of- this now thickly populated suburb was in the hands of a dozen owners. ...

Starting at Wallace Place was 'the Standish estate on the south side of the Eliot Road, now Tukapo Street. On the north side was the Shaw estate including Dartmoor, and owned by the late Mr. W. D. Webster. Adjoining' Maratahu was a small section owned by the Sartens and afterwards acquired by the late Peter Eva. Then came the homes of the late David Sole, now Soleyille, and James Sole’s estate, how the Old. People’s home. On the south side of these two properties were the farms of the late Wm. Bassett and the Langman estate, adjoining which was Eliot’s old farm (later occupied by. Mr. F. D. Holdsworth, who was for many years chief postmaster at New Plymouth) and the Nate Mr. Francis. This property is now owned by the Taranaki Hospital Board. On the other side of

the road,was the farm of the late Job Wills, now known as the Tukapo estate. All these farms were farmed until quite recently. The first property to be subdivided was the Langman estate, which was divided into three holdings and occupied respectively by the late Richard Langman, John Langman and Hal. Goodacre. The first real subdivision into small sections was that of the Dartmoor estate, which was acquired by a Wanganui syndicate and which is now very closely settled. Following this was the purchase of David Sole’s property by Mr. W. Courtney, the pioneer of a number of settlements in and near New Plymouth. This was followed by the Tukapo estate. Mr. T. 0. Kelsey purchased from Mr. Job Wills and subdiviii. il into suitable allotments. Notwithstanding the many excellent building sites that were placed on the market by the subdivision of the estates progress was slow, but with the development of municipal conveniences the progress of late years has probably been more rapid than that of any other suburb of New Plymouth. THE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION. CLAIMS OF DISTRICT URGED. For the purpose of advancing the claims of the suburb a Westown Progressive Association was formed at a meeting on March 10, 1925. The officers elected were: President, Mr. V. C. Davies; vice-president, Mr. R. Wright; secretary and treasurer, Mr. G. B. Purdue; committee, Messrs J. C. Lobb, W. Surrnan, O. Revell, H. Marfell, F. Cowling, A. E. Surrey; E. R. Nicholson. A. Medway, H. Wallath, F. Dickinson, J. W. Robb, and J. Birmingham. Of

the officers, elected then Mr. V. C. Davies still holds the office of president and Mr. Purdue that of secretary and treasurer.

. During the last five years the association, despite the times of depression, has succeeded in obtaining assistance from the various local bodies in the matter of road and street improvements, especially in Upper Westown. The question of tramway extension to the borough boundary, Wallath Road, was again introduced by the association in February, 1926, when a public meeting was called to consider the proposal. The late Mr. F; E, Wilson, who occupied the mayoral chair at the time, considered the time not opportune, so the matter remained in obeyance for a period of four and a half years during which time the residents- were be.'ng served by a bus service, which was, and still is, running in competition with the tram over a portion of the route. This, the association considered was not economical to the ratepayers. The members again agitated for the extension at a meeting held on August 29, 1928, when a resolution was'carried seeking the co-operation and support of the present council. Subsequently a deputation from the association waited upon the council to further the requests of the residents for an extension of the tram line to meet the growing needs of Upper Westown and give them a better transport service. In due course the council reported favourably and also obtained the sanction of the Government Loans Board, as they considered the residents of Upper Westown were justly entitled to the extension, and that the extra length was essential and in.the bissb interests of the ratepayers.