THIRTY YEARS AGO

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3480, 16 June 1934, Page 5

THIRTY YEARS AGO

ORIGINAL OTOROHANGA SETTLEMENT. (By G.R.C.) Thirty years ago to-day the native township of Otorohanga was offered for sale by public auction. In 1904 the town was surveyed into sections, some 200 in number, and under the direction of Mr G. T. Wilkinson, whose name appears often in the incidents of the early King Country, was-sold-on. a 21 yeaiL’ lease system. Quite recently it has bec-n possible to freehold a number of these maturing leases, and it has been a step toward confidence, as a growingagitation centres round the native tenures with them awkward conditions. The surveyor responsible for the lay-out of the township was Mr Andrew Wilson, and in naming the streets he has perpetuated some of the important Maori chiefs of the land, Rev.'i, Maniapoto, Kanawa, Turonga, Haerehuka, and Hinewai was a chieftainess. Early in the century Otorohango had a large European and Maori population, but its importance as a native kairga goes a very long way back. It wm, in 1904, the largest town in the nerVly (opened up King- Country. Although an area of Crown land was in the vicinity, ordinary residents had been unable to obtain valid titles tc their sections. A hotel, public hall, Methodist Church and school were all erected on land of insecure tenure. Scattered about were numerous small wooden cottages, and Ellis and Burnand’s mill was operating cn the town boundary, close bd=ide the tapu l-:.ahi-katea tree in Pine Street. This company erected the first bridge in the country across the Waipa River, a Tittle higher up than the present railway bridge, and besides being used for log trains, pedestrians and vehicles found it convenient for a number of years,. before the traffic bridge was built. On the eastern side of the Main Trunk line was the old station building, and it-served far those wishing to make the one Auckland connection per day. Immediately opposite, cn land acquired by the Crown for the railway, was the shopping .centre of the day. Stores, restaurant and the usual collection of the pioneer sheps. Those who foresaw the future of Otorohanga an a place of considerable importance believed that Tuhoro Street would be the principal thoroughfare and along it were erected stablc-s, hell, hotel billiards salcon and blacksmith’s shop. Maniapoto Street proved the final popularfrontage as.it remains up until the piesent. Just beginning to spread was the Lime of the Waitomo Caves, and Otorohanga was advertised au the nearest town to them at which accommodation is to be obtained. faking the place of the old bridle track via Mangaorongc to Kihikihi a i'o.uned road was made past the Pukctara'a Hill, giving access to the Wailrato. A creamery was at Kio Kio, four miles from Otorohanga, in the .then farming- district. And all this land wasffhen in tire Kawhia. County. When the streets were named to perpetuate' the memory of celebrated chiefs an important emission was Wahai ai, who had a gi-eat deal cf influence with' the tribes. - The Government built him a wooden house oyer the river from the town. Nothing of -it remains to-day. and little of the original settlement at all. The original police station, in Tuhoro, was recently broken up, and Turner’s Hall, the oldest remaining landmark is now due for a similar fate.

Thirty yeai's! Flalf a man’s life, not long - as the history of a nation goes) but a period of remarkable transformation to those who watch the King Country progress.