RAURIMU.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 November 1906, Page 3

RAURIMU.

Raurimu is now quite a large township, and together with its suburbs has a total population of about 1200. In the township itself there are 4 general stores, 2 bakers, 5 or 6 boardinghouses, 2 butchers, I saddler, 3 green grocers, 2 barbers, and several small businesses of a general nature, together with 2 livery and bait stables, and 3 billiard rooms—two ot them with two tables each.

The public hall is a good building, and was erected by subscriptions raised by the workmen. It is thoroughly up-to-date, and is provided with a stage and a piano. The school is held in a large tent, which cost about £SO, and there is a' lady assistant with the headmaster. Some idea of the rough state of the country on the " Spiral" of the Main Trunk Line beyond Taumarunui, may be obtained from the fact that 500 men are employed on the five miles of line south of Raurimu. Two of the cuttings alone employ nearly 100 men between them; one of them contains 120,000 cubic yards, and the other 50,000 cubic yards of conglomerate rock. In addition, there are two banks containing 150,000 and 67,000 cubic yards respectively. The line rises, roughly, 700 feet in seven miles, Raurimu being 1900 feet above sea level, and Waimarino, the next station 2600 feet. The latter station is almost half-way between Auckland and Wellington..