THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1929. FLAX-MILLING AT PAEROA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5408, 8 April 1929, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1929. FLAX-MILLING AT PAEROA.

With the proposal to establish a flaxnull at Awaiti a secondary industry is promised Paeroa. What the full significance of this will mean to Paeroa it is not hard to realise ; and, looking at is from purely the town’s point of view, it is the most important announcement that has been made since Paeroa was granted borough rights. Since the decline of mining Paeroa has had to thank no one body of men so much as the farmers for her prosperity. They it is who have saved the place from being relegated into the category of a “ghost town,’ and by solid achievement helped to establish Paeroa as one of the admittedly most flourishing country centres in the North Island. Now before the inhabitants is a scheme which, as being a secondary industry, invites the closest co-operation of these same farmers. By the growing of flax on’the wetter portions of their property farmers will not only be able ~to.’ add materially to their incomes, but gradually bring in waste land into good arable acreage. It might, in fact, pay them to definitely set apart portions for flax growing alone. Taking the question from the point of view of Paeroa launching forth as an industrial centre, it means a ri'c.her, more important town. With hundreds of artisans employed in the neighbourhood, together with the export of manufactured articles, trade will increase to an extent far beyond what would accrue should the borough merely gradually extend along the ordinary lines common to New Zealand inland towns ; and, naturally, with an Increase in Paeroa’s wealth there would be a corresponding increase in that of the private individual, Again, another point. Apart altogether from looking at it from a local aspect, and as a local asset, the. establishment of such a commercial manufacturing concern will in the end mean an increase in New Zealand’s exports, and the export of the produce of a secondary industry into the bargain—what the Dominion is crying out for and sorely needs. Then Paeroa’s local product would be a national one, and goods labelled “Made in Paeroa, N.Z.” would “go the world over.” A mill at Awaiti will also aid local interests in another direction. As another- valid reason among many it may be used as an argument in favour of the immediate commencement of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway, and awake dilettante authorities more forcibly to the urgent need of a railway that would pay ; not an iron road to lose sorely-needed gold over. With one industrial undertaking started here, there is no reason why others should not follow suit. Human beings have almost an unfailing habit of following the lead of others, so, curiously enough, jt is with industries. The lead taken may quite likely be just the beginning of greater things. Paeroa is eminently situated for many manufacturing purposes. She has road, rail, and water transport in her favour ; to mention air may, perhaps, appear to be looking too far ahead, but the era of aerial transport is approaching more rapidly than the majority have ken of, and at, Paeroa are natural aerodromes awaiting use, and a river for hydroplanes. Water transport, on account of its cheapness, easy handling of bulk cargo, etc., is of great advantage when it comes to moving goods for export, and Paeroa is within but a few hours by water from the deep sea vessels at Auckland ; Thames harbour, being a failure, does not count. With the advent of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway coal will be as near Paeroa as it is to Auckland.

Public electric power is available, and there is, if necessity calls, water power in the vicinity to run small private electric power plants. Paeroa is the natural distributing centre for a very wide area, and, being that is logically the inverse reflex—a concentration point. Communications radiate in all directions, whereby the town is favoured as not many are. Thinking seriously and reflectively, without undue sanguinity, it is possible that Paeroa is,fated in the not long distant future to enter into a period of prosperity worthy of its natural advantages.