AN IMPRESSION OF PUKEKOHE.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 615, 11 March 1921, Page 5

AN IMPRESSION OF PUKEKOHE.

BY A VISITOR. Mr H. H. Bolitho, who visited Pukekohe during the early paid of the week, and who is one of the Dominion’s best known writers, gave x-epresentative an interesting story of his impressions of the town. ‘'Your town is the first on the railway from Auckland, with a personality of its own. All the nearer towns are merely subui'bs of the city, but you seem to have created your own independent centre about which the gi’eat farming territory is producing the district's wealth.” Thus Mr Bolitho acknowledges the fact that Pukekohe is a town and not a mere settlement on the edge of Auckland- “The fact that you have your own paper,” says Mr Bolitho, “is sufficient to impress a visitor with the progressive, policy of the town. But the most wonderful thing to me,” he continued, “is the manner in which you az*e schooling the younger generation. lam not so far away from school-days myself as to have forgotten the conditions under which I was educated, and in those few years schools and educational systems, judging by your standard, have made rapid strides. Your new High School, where I met the new principal (Mr Munro) could be held up as an example to the whole Dominion. How wonderfully, in the space of one month, it has settled down to the duty of preparing the young people for citizenship. Another feature of this high school life which appeals to me is that the farmers in the outlying districts are content to let their boys continue at school instead of taking them away after passing the primary school standards. So many farming folk seem to think that mental cultivation is unnecessary in land cultivation, but it is pleasing to note that this false idea has little sway with farmei’s in your district. Many of the lads whom I met from the local High School spend their days and evenings in study and in the time between they milk cows and help with the fann. work. It is a magnificent evidence of the fact that Pukekohe has vast strength in its coming generation.

“Of things in the sti-eet, I can say very little, for your tojfrn is sane and busy—too busy to have made itself anything but a commex-cial trust that the fact that you are surrounded by open country is not going to make you forget the impox’tanee of pai’ks and squares in your town planning. Your town has spread to the point where a green sward or square would be appi’eciated. I see no evidence of poverty and, indeed, the only poor person I saw was a rough throated singer .of “Don’t Go Down in the Mine, Daddy.” He was playing an -accordeon as an accompaniment to his song and also as an inducement to the generous passer-by. But he comes from Auckland, so that my own town must take the blame of sending the only beggar to your busy main street.

“To revert to the schools in which I found so much that was interesting. I would like to congratulate Pukekohe on the teachers who are moulding the young minds of the district. They are surely evidence of the passing of the old time, serious unsympathetic, vinegar spirited school ‘rnarm.’ In chatting to a group of High School lads, I found them happily friendly with their masters and very anxious when I broached the subject, to declare their principal to be a ‘thorough sport.’ The phrase is not the outcome of English instruction, but it is a sincere tribute from the lads whose school life is not a period of unsympathetic, intolerant supervision. I can only envy the students the beautiful country which surrounds them as an incentive to study.”

Is there anything in the town itself which impresses you? asked our reporter. “The insects mostly,” replied Mr. Bolitho. There seem to be plenty of flying things to settle on the visitor, but they aren’t the treacherous hornets of Samoa. I have met a few of your local dignitaries and have been pleasantly greeted, which shows that you have elected the right men to positions of importance, for from the experience of some towns, I realise how uncomfortable it is for a visitor to enter a town and find that cool indifference which makes you feel that you want to rush straight back to the railway station and speed to the next town.”

“ I want, before I finish my chat,” said Mr Bolitho, “to congratulate you 0,-. the way your paper represents the district. I find that most of the country journals depend almost solely on city papers, paste and scissors for their material. They, therefore, possess none of the characteristics of the town in which they are produced. Your paper is a symbol of the district and itsWncer-e method of representing the people with whom it circulates is very admirable. I fee' that with the excellent educational facilities which the town enjoys, Prkekohe of the future is to he a very strong neighbour for Auckland City. When I visited the town on the

Royal train almost a year ago, I was very much impressed by the welcome which you gave His Royal Highness and I assure you that the other members of His Royal Highness’ ci'oura'_e were similarly pleased with tne display at the station. 1 have been io about 100 New Zealand inland towns and am very .sincere in saying that Pukekohe is high on the list for beauty and energy. The speed at which your people walk in the streets is a very reliable indication of the fact that you are all awake to the fact that this is 1921. a year pregnant with possibilities.”