MARAKOPA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 264, 1 June 1910, Page 5

MARAKOPA.

Own Correspondent. A petition is at present in circulation in the Marakopa and Kiritehere districts asking that that portion of the Awakino County lying north of Tirua Point and along the old Native line to as far as the Mangaotae Gorge, be included in the Kawhia County. This question of incorporation with Kawhia County has been before the settlers here on more than one occasion, but hitherto there has been a want of unanimity on the subject, a number of the settlers preferring to remain in an inoperative County free from rates, to joining a County which has so much Native land within its boundaries as Kawhia is burdened with. However, at the present time it has been brought forcibly before them that if the country here is to be brought into line with other districts it must have a local body to manage and control its local affairs, and this has been the case, more particularly in regard to improvements on the Marakopa river, which river means so much to the settlers in this district in the way of getting stores into and produce out of the district. The petition at present in circulation has been signed by almost every settler interested in the Marakopa Valley, and is being taken round the Kiritehere and Pomarangei districts by Mr Percy C. Rose, of Kiritehere, who has been a warm supporter of the movement in favour of joining Kawhia County ever since he settled here six years ago. It is confidently expected that there will be no difficulty experienced in securing the required number of signatures to the petition which will be forwarded to the proper quarter when completed. The provisional directors of the proposed butter factory are hopeful of being able to make a start in a small way this coming season, no trouble being anticipated in gopgern,