How Premier Seddon Was "Jogged" Into Providing Better Roads

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1949, Page 2

How Premier Seddon Was "Jogged" Into Providing Better Roads

The year 1896 produce'd a great occasion for the* young school and district. On February 29 the Prinie Minister, accompanied by a galaxy of notables from the Education Board, visited the district to open what is described in the log as a workshop, but which became known more generaliy as the .Technieal School. This visit was seized upon by the residents as a golden opportunity. to press Mr. Seddon for various mueh needed improvements to the roads in the area. At this time an exceedingly rough and boggy track wound along the foot of the hills through the bush to Waikanae. To Paekakariki there was only the equally poor track via the valley, no road existed on the route now followed by the main road to Wellington. It was 'decided to take the Prime Minister for a ride in a block dray round the roads that existed. The driver, Tom Pudney, had instructions to drive with due care, that j is to make sure that he did not 1 miss any mud holes or tree roots. { After this experience the Prime Minister readily agree'd that there j was great need for better roads, j and promised to do what he could J to get soniething done. This i promise was ' redeemed shortly '

Paraparaumu was en fete today for the second day of the celebrations of its school's diamond jubilee. With the coming of the settlers to the district the need for a school became of great urgency as children had to travel by train to Paekakariki to the recently opened school, at that time the only one south of Otaki. Mr. A. Howell and other settlers kept pressing for a school. At last, in 1889, in a building resting on skids and provided by Mr. Howell, Mrs. itamage, a local resident, opened an aided school with a roll of 15 boys and 11 girls.

after and better road communication with Paekakariki and Waikanae was completed before^the tuni of the century. • Meteoi'ic Growth. The meteoric growth of the Paraparaumu 'district in recent years is based; upon three main factors: The excellent stretch of sandy beach from Raumati South to the Waikanae River, its equable climate, a factor which, although it is at times called into question, was recognised as early as 1890 by the building of two accommodation houses to providd for a steady flow of visitors who wished to relax in the restful and mild climate '"of the district, and finally its proximity to Wellington, growing too big for its encompassing hills. The steady stream of visitors has grown into a torrent of thousands that floods the trains and roads all summer and is little diminished in the winter. Improved transport services have resulted in an increase of residents travellirig daily to work in Wellington., In 1944 the number of permanent households in the district wss 355; by 1949 the number had increased to 675. An estimate puts the number of permanent residents at about 2000.