PUKEKOHE’S PROGRESS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 604, 1 February 1921, Page 5

PUKEKOHE’S PROGRESS.

RECORD BUILDING RETURNS, NEARLY £42,000 FOR 1920. STRIKING FIGURES. Pukekohe borough, as far as building returns are concerned has progressed apace during 1920, and continues to show noteworthy progress. For the year ending December 31, -1920, 84 building permits were issued • .and the estimated value of the total construction works approved, according to the declaration of the applicants for permits, was £31,800, but in additiion the Pukekohe Technical High School just completed, cost a Ittle over £IO,OOO, making the total £41,800, as against £3839 for work done in 1919, when only 22 permits were issued.

There is still an acute shortage of houses, and quite a number of people, who hold sections, are waiting to proceed with the erection of their residences, but the cost and the scarcity of material is. out of the reach of many of their pockets. Of course the record figures were reached when material and labour was at its highest. With an easing tendency, as far as material is concerned, it is expeced that a record number of houses will be erectedl in Pukekohe during the next year or two. RATEABLE VALUE, £378,201. POPULATION NEARLY 2000. The rateable value of the Pukekohe borough at April 1, 1920, stood at £378,201. In the year ended March 31, 1919, the capital rateable value . (land and improvements was shown at £373,619 and the unimproved rateable value (included in the. former) £211,139. The gross capital value, including land and improvements, of the borough in 1919 was £393,236, and the gross unimproved value (included in the former) £218,996. 'The area of the borough is about 3510 acres, while the population according .to the 1916 census was 1545. At the present time the population is estimated at about 1800. A census will be taken during April. The borough was valued in 1912 and a a revaluation is now necessary, but this does not seem possible until the Valuation Department has completed the revaluations of the counties throughout the Dominion. * Products.

Pukekohe famous as a potato and onion centre, while situated about a mile from the town is one of the largest butter factory in the Souhtern Hemisphere. During last year produce to the value of abouifc a quarter of a million was exported. It must be remembered that last year phenomenal prices were obtained for potatoes, onions and pork, while this year the prices realised were far below those of the previous year. Although we are not in receipt of agricultural statistics, a flying visit over .the district a short time ago when digging operations were in progress, revealed the fact that the areas undqr cultivation exceeded those of the previous year to some considerable extent, although perhaps the yield was not as great. Taking for a comparison the extra acreage and the low pi’ice obtained, the value of the produce would be about the same as last year, if not larger. Then on top of this, it must be borne in mind that the output at the butter factory has increased considerably, and further the price the farmer is receiving for his bultter-fat is enormous as against last year, it is quite within reasonable bounds to suggest that the produce exported from Pukekohe during 1&20 will almost reach three-quarters of a million pounds. Educational Facilities, ghere is not the shadow of a doubt that Pukekohe as far as educational facilities are concerned has progressed out of all recognition. A few years back the Education Department was urged upon to erect an up-to-date primary school which would be in keeping with the stride the district was making. After repeated representations the department acquiesced and an up-to-date concrete structure was erected. As time passed and the population increased so did the school roll, and additions were necessary. It is only a very years ago that high school work was carried out in a corner of the school. The attendance grew and only a couple of yeai’s ago the accommodation was taxed to its utmost capacity, and High School pupils had to be housed in the Oddfellows’ Hall, situated in Harrington Avenue. Invspite of the change the space at the primary school proved totally inadequate and an additional room had to he erected. Steps were then taken to have a Technical School built, and this was done, and we are glad to state, a school worthy of, not only the name of Pukekohe but of the whole Dominion, and which will be officially opened on Thursday next by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. W.

F. Massey, and Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education.

At the close of last year the roll of the primary school stood at 480, an increase of about 100 over the previous years roll. The present building will accommodate 400 of the district’s rising generation, so; it will be seen by the above figures that the school is overcrowded to the extent of about 80 pupils. If, when the children settle down after the summer vacation, which terminated yesterday, it is found the accommodation is inadequate to cope with the attendance, additional class rooms will have to be ereceed as soon as possible.