A YEAR OF PROGRESS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5369, 28 December 1928, Page 2

A YEAR OF PROGRESS.

HAURAKI PLAINS AFFAIR®. ANNUAL STOCK-TAKING. The idea that tempts people to make new resolutions at the New Year prompts us to present a resume of the affairs of the district of Hau-i raki Plains, so bha.t by taking stock ■encouragement may be given to go forward to greater things and gain profit by the shortcomings of the pa£t.

The year .1928 has been a notable one for the district. After, the years of rapid development and' the period of consolidation, the district has commenced to go forward on sound, steady, progressive lines. The movement has been so steady that after, the hectic years of the past the progress may have passed unnoticedl Dairy production in the past twelve months has been vqry satisfactory, and the present season promises to be a Record one. The drought of last summer, which had such a detrimental effect in other districts, lessened production ip Hauraki Plains at the time, but so sweetened and improved the porosity of the soil that the production in the winter and spring was greatly increased. Favoured with a dry winter, the district has experi-. enced a splendid season, and in qome parts new records are being created. Cows have been in better heplth, and in many districts it has not been necessary to shut up hayfields. Some farmers have depmed it advisable to have the greater part of. their'farms mown, so prolific'has been the growth of feed, and almost every farm could have carried niorq stock in the flush months. Careful calculation has, shown that up to the present average cows on the Hauraki Plains have produced more than average cows in other dairying districts, and certainly much more this season than in ths corresponding periods of previous seasons. The we,t weather following the dry spell has now assured a flush, of feed that should be sufficiejnt to carry, right through. On the whole prices have been satisfactory, and! the operative pig and calf-marketing associations have assured a satisfactory pen turn from farm by-products. The operations of the Lands Drainage Department and drainage boards have materially contributed to the welfare of farmers. Space does not permit of the enumeration of the work the Hauraki United Drainage, Board, for its programme has been very extensive. During the year two more drainage boards, have c'omq into being, but so far (they have not had time to effect though next year should see much) done. The Lands Drainage Department’s operations have mostly been in unopened country, where it cannot readily be observed, but extensive work has been done in improving thej Piako River. The effect of this passes unnoticed, as it has been in the nature of flood prevention, but its effectiveness was demonstrated in July, when, about the; time of the big flood in the Waihou River, the level of the Piako was above that' of the disastrous floods of some years ago 4 but the water was safely confined between stop-,banks and did no damage. The dredging below Ngatea, which is yet a long way off completion, has very materially lowered the low tide level in the upper reaches, and at the present .time there must be almost as much difference between high and low tide at Ngatea as, at the river-xnouth. This work when completed .will probably obviate the necessity of drain-Water pumps at the riverside. Another factor affecting milk production which has been given much attention during the year is the ques-i tion of a water supply. In the drought of last summer the Hauraki Plains West water supply scheme pr.ovqd a boon of inestimable value, and throughout the rating district there are farmers who would gladly pay twice as much as they are charged rather than be without the supply. Thq scheme was given a thorough testing and came thiough with credit, so that it was not long before other districts set about devising a similar supply. However, as the great necessity passed the enthusiasm waned, and though schemes were devised for Netherton, Turua, andi the Waitakaruru Canal districts, only the latter has beep proceeded with.

Ever on the lookout for better returns for their product, the farmers of the Plains have given considera-i tion during the year to the manufacturing, side of the business. Chqese seemed a good proposition, and throughout the season the cheese factories have been well supported, so that during the flush months supply had to be turnqd away. Milk is now being carted long distances to cheese factories. The Waitakaruru settlers persuaded the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co. to build a four-fat factory, and although it is not yet working to capacity, this was not expected in the early stages. Ngatea suppliers considered the establishment of a casein factory in conjunction with the butter factory, but the idea was not pro-; c,eeded with. The Kerepeehi district, after considering the merits of having a cheese factory, deferred the matter to a moi.e favourable time. In Netherton the question of re-opening the cheese factory was considered, but sufficient supply was not forthcoming to warrant the change over. Many suppliers throughout the county havq considered that a change over to a proprietary comp any would be beneficial, and much cream is being sent out of. the county to private firms.

There has been little change in the ownership of land during the year, and thq only new area to be opened up is a small part of the Kerepeehi block where soldier settlers from the deep p'eat area near Ngarua Road have beqn placed. So far they have nbt commenced dairying on their new holdings. The opening of this land necessitated access to the Kerepeehi block, and a short time ago the; Lands Drainage Department connected the road across the block to the Kaihere road at the Ngarua landing by means of a ferry and to the county roads at Kerepeehi by means 'of a bridge over the Awalti canal. These connections enabled the Kaihere district to have an alhweather road for the

first time, and U is being moqj» Roading has advanced during the year. All sections of tbe main highway have been hept in suqh good order as to earn for the county the commendation of the Main Highways Board and of the travelling Pub-| lie, and though some ratepayers may be critical, a journey over other roads of the province would alter their views. The Pekapeka road and the new stop-bank road near Netherton were medalled last summer, af.il the small gap at the Wharepoa ferry js . now being completed In the Ngatgfcgriding a £5OOO loan was authorisedAa* - April and rapid progress is now being > made with the metalling of the Nga-lea-Kaihete Landing road, and with the road on the Pubanga Island side of the canal Other roads to be metalled out of this loan are Orchard Rawerawe riverbank, and a sec ‘ tion* of the Kaihere Landing road- A £9OO loan for the metalling of Ngn* talpua Road was a Is,a authorised, which work is in hand, while tenders have been called for. the Patetonga district roads work. The gravelling of the Kaihere-Toreheoe section of the Morrinsyille-Waitakar.uru road was almost completed last autumn, and Moehau Road, Plpiroa township, was metalled out of funds forin the riding account. Improvements to th® hill road at Coxhead’s crossing were carried out and sections metalled. The Turua Town Board has carried out improvements to its bitumqn roads and ha's, tar-sealed most of the ■ township footpaths. In Kopuarahi a movement has been commenced tn secure a road from Shelly Beach in , lieu of the present road along thq river, which will never be a good road. Little progress has been made with the Miranda Road proposition, but this mattey is not forgotten. The Hauraki bridge was opened early in May, but has made little difference to Plains settlers, who find that Thames is not now the cheap : shopping-place it was before :local rates became so heavy. This bridge arid the improved roads have had the effect of increasing the volume of motor traffic to an enormous extent, and the country is now particularly well served in the matter of motor transport. The advent of service • cars caused the replacement of the Piako River passenger steamer with n scow, and though the steamer has been replaced for, the Christmas traf- ’ fic the volume of goods transported by road is steadily increasing with the regular lorry services.

So far, no further progress has been made with the taking over of the Piako River wharves by the County - Counc.il, and though several of the * structures have beep repaired by the council, this was done for its own benefit in landing road metal, and ■ many of the wharves are now in- bad order. Slow progress is being made with the ejection fcy the Public Works Department of the Waitakaruru Stream bri Igfe on the main highway owing to the soft nature of the foundations. Several small bridges have been ejected by the County ' Council during the year, and handrails have been 'provided at several crossings on main roads. tL— An important public, work which ' as made progress during the year is the; stop-banking of the Waihou River north, of Netherton, and the' settlers of the district arte now awaiting the arrival of the new Minister of Public Works to make representations to have the bank continued towards Turua. Additional classrooms have; been provided a»t the Kerepeehi and takaruru schools, and a teacher’s residence has been provided at Tur.ua. -Many of* the schoolcommittees, have carried out %jxtensive improvements, notably the Ngatea, Kerepeehi, and Kopuarahi committees. Improved sanitary facilities have been provided at the Turua school, while at JWaitakar.uru drinking fountains have been provided.

The operations of other Government departments and loc.a] bodies have been mostly of a routine or maintenance nature. The; Thames Valley Electric Power Board completed the reticulation of the Patei tonga distric.t last summer. The; erection of the Public Works; Department’s electric power, feeder station at Kerepeehi has proceeded very slowly, but completion is now insight. The Ngatea township street lights have been disconnected: since the end of January, and though the Ngkte?Hall Society has the matter of their reinstatement in hand, progress is very slow. The Kerepeehi township were also disconnected) last October, but so far no action in the; direction of having them reconnected has been started. Probably something will be done when the new hall is opened in a few months’ time. The County Council, which already maintains a number of street lights at important road cpr.iers, plans to increase t'he number considerably. In comparison with previous years, there was a marked .increase in the amount of damage done by tire in 1928. Four residences at Turua, one at Mangatarata, and one at Patetonga, besides a shop and a hall, at Kerepeehi, were completely destroyed,while thousands of tons of millable flax was burned by swamp fires. A rural delivery service for. the Await! and Netherton district's; was commenced in July, and a few months ago the Patetonga telephone exchange hours were extended to include opening on Sundays and holidays. In. the realm of sport the Haurfekf Plains still has as many clubs as evertfoi though some have ceased to exist others have sprung up, and the total' is still over 30. Efforts to term a' bowling club at Ngatea failed, but a club was formed in Kerepeehi, too ? late, however, for. anything to be don*,., this season. A ladies’ basketball club . was formed at Ngatea during the winter, and though ladies* cricket, Club.s were mooted ■some months ago they have not yet been formed. The Ngatea Swimming Club was very active last seas,on, and this year has undertaken the provision of a floating pontoon bath for the instruction ef beginners. The pontoon is being built.. Horse races at Kerepeehi in ary are being and arrangements are being made to hold a primary school championship sports y** o *— ing early fn the new year.