MANGAROA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 181, 12 August 1909, Page 5

MANGAROA.

Own Correspondent,

Situated in the centre of the Ohura County at the junction of. the Tongaporutu - New Plymouth and Waite-whena-Te Kuiti roids with the Ohura- i Stratford road, and at a distance of 29 j miles from Ongarue. Mangaroa town- j ship bids fair to be a large town as the j district develops. Unfortunately for j early developme *.t a large area of land j immediately surrounding the township j is held by leasehold from (he Maoris in j large areas. Thcs, while the land is suitable for dairying the Crown settle- j ments is too scattered to support a but- , ter factory in the neighbourhood of j Mangaroa. In the Mangaroa stream j is the only deposit of good gravel in the county, and advantage has been i taken during the last two years to \ have two miles of the Ohura road j formed, and metalled -the only break j in the miles of papa mud. About 4 | miles from Mangaroa there is a metal j reserve, which has been prospected. | lately, exposing a large deposit of j sandstone and gravel, suitable js a se- j cond class m'tailing gravel, to which j the settlers are looking to improve the j roads. 1 Settlement in the different valleys I is progressing very favourably, Owing j to the sections containing a consider- j able area of steeps and broken country j the leases are fairly large in the eastern portions. Southward along the Ohura road the sections form ideal grazing country ranging in area from 165 to 300 acre.*, and many sections are well laid down in grass.

The towmVp has three large boarding houses, three stores, blacksmith shop, and two billiard satoons. A large number of private residences have been erected lately, and with the advent of sawniilling, which will be in evidence this coming summer, several settlers are arranging to erect buildings in the town. The settlers have erected a very fine hall; also a residence for the Medical Officer, and have a promise that they shall have post office buildings erected this summer.

Prices of town sections have risen lately owing to the settlement of the vexed railway route, and settlers are asking up to £5 per acre for the good will of partly improved sections. As several main roads junction at Mangaroa a movement is being made to have saleyards erected centrally, so as to then suit the settlers south of the township. The Ohura road is being widened and bridged over the Tangarakau gorge, so that stock can be brought through from southern Taranaki at any season of the year, an.l the Ohura settlers consider that having saleyards at Mangaroa would enable them to get in touch with the southern markets and southern buyers. The three mysteries of the Ohura: Did the man get round the squirrel? Are we to have a County election? When and where is the Railway banquet to be?