POSSIBILITIES OF PAEROA

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4505, 18 December 1922, Page 2

POSSIBILITIES OF PAEROA

A NATURAL CENTRE. Speaking to the toast of “Paeroa” at the show “smoker" on last Thursday evening Mr A'. White said that he did not know of any other district that lent itself more admirably to the breeding of pedigree stock than this one, and he felt quite safe in predicting that the Hauraki A. and P. show in a very flew years would be second to none in .the Dominion. All that was necessary was better reading conditions from the outside places. Owing to the geographical situation of Paeroa it was a natural centlre, and would steadily grow and prosper as such, being fed by the outer districts. The enormous possibilities of the Hauraki Plains' have not yet been half realised, and a large proportion of the wealth that will be evidenced as the Plains develop must, in the natural course of events, find its way into Paeroa. Also, continued Mr White, the Paeroa/Pokeno railway was an undertaking that had to be reckoned on, .and when it was completed Paeroa would become a very large railway junction.

On replying to the toast Mr Vuglar, after apologising tor the unavoidable absence of the Mayor, Mr P. E. Brenan, said that he had been ove.' 1 ’ 40 years- in the district, and ne thought no place had progressed more solidly than Paeroaj thanks, to a very large extent, to the manner in which dairlying had increased in the district. In the old days-, Mr Vuglar saidy aH energies were concentrated on mining, flax and sawmilling, and dairying was scarcely thought of. With the advent, of dairying in this district, the speaker contended, the place had never looked back, and there was no doubt that the prosperity around us, as evidenced by the class of stock exhibited at the show, was sufficient proof that the district was admirably suited for dairying and the breeding of pedigree stock. He deplored the present state pf the Ohinemuri and Waihou rivers as a result of the mining, companies’ silting operations, and instanced only too clearly how, owing to lack pf interest and foresight, Paeroa had lost one bf its greatest assets, and hei only hoped that the business people of Paeroa would co operate with the local bodies in bringing pressure to bear on the authorities concerned and have the river dredged and made navigable as far. as Paeroa town opcc again.; He said that Paeroa, owing to its unique central poisition, must prosper and flourish as time went on, and he hoped tho business men of this town would realise it and cater for the needs of the general public, and the farming community in particular.