MANGAROA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 450, 23 March 1912, Page 3

MANGAROA.

The township of Mangaroa is also alive to the future ahead, and during the past year building operations have been proceeding very briskly. The place is assuming quite the appearance ofa town and lies very compact in a valley on the banks of the Ohura river, and is nicely sheltered by a circle of low lying hills. A large number of new business preimses have been erected and many additions to older ones have been made. All the trades are represented and are carried on in substantial businesslike places. Two new bank buildings have been erected during the course of the year, and considerably add to the tone and appearance of the town. The activity displayed in Mangaroa is no doubt responsible to the fact that it will be a terminus of the Te Koura-Stratford railway for some time on account of considerable engineering difficulties that will be encountered in getting the line through the Tangarakau gorge and also that it is almost certain to be the starting point of the Aria-Pio Fio railway to the Kawhia harbour. These facts have acted as the incentive of the progress being carried out. There is a certain amount of speculation going on in town sections and the values are pretty high. There are, however, very few sections changing hands at present, as those in possession are more inclined to hang on for the present, than to sell., brought

about by the hope that as the railway approaches they will then be able to sell more advantageously. A scheme or laying the town out in a proper manner and the forming and metalling of the main streets is at present in the hands of the Ohura County Council, who intend to take the matter in hand. It is understood that the levels of the town are to be taken in the near future in order that a uniform and presentable business programme may be carried out. The proposal is to raise a loan over the whole township to open up and form all streets and to metal the principal ones on which there is most traffic,also to widen the metalling on the main street to 20 feet, and to form footpaths. A proposal to form drains to carry off the storm water is embodied in the proposals. The project has been mooted for some time, but owing to a slight difference of opinion as regards the rating area and the place being scarcely ready for the scheme the matter has been deferred up to the present. Many residents consider that they will be able to carry the matter better owing to the county having adopted rating on the unimproved value. Judging by appearances and from general observance the time has arrived when something should be done in the matter, as steps taken in the initial forming of the town would materially assist in avoiding complications in the future as the growth of the town demanded. The idea seems a feasible one and should be taken in hand at once in order that residents might be able to reap the benefit the winter after next.

A matter of considerable urgency and an apparent necessity would be the appointment of a police constable to the district. Ths matter was urged by residents some time back, but their representations proved futile. It is impossible for a police constable stationed at Ongarue to give the district the attention that ics importance requires. A number of valuable institutions are now established in the district as well as a large number of up-to-date businesses and it seems only a reasonable request that these people should have the protection of the police. The population in the district is growing and with the advent of a large number of men about to be employed on the railway works the necessity of a guardian of the peace being established is warranted for more reasons than one. As matters are at present it would take a constable a number of hours to get on the scene from Ongarue.