MANAWATU AND WAIRARAPA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3712, 3 November 1927, Page 2

MANAWATU AND WAIRARAPA.

STATISTICS OF BOROUGHS. The following statistics of five Manawatu boroughs, and of five Wairarapa boroughs, have been gathered, as far as they can be gathered, from the “New Zealand Official Year Book,” 1906, and the “Local Authorities’ Handbook, 1927.” The figures in these volumes do not always tally to a unit with the figures given by the local bodies themselves, but the figures of the Government books have nevertheless been adhered to, so as not to upset the basis of comparison. Palmerston North and Masterton both became boroughs in 1877. Grey town was constituted in 1878, Feilding in 1881. A third Wairarapa town (Carterton) .qualified as a borough in 1887, and a third Manawatu town (Foxton) followed quickly in 1888. Levin was constituted in 1906. The year 1917 saw both Shannon and Featherston become boroughs. Martinborough is provisionally a borough this year. In reading the following table it must be borne in mind that alterations of boundaries since 1906 have in some cases impaired the value of the comparison. The greater volume of progress on the Manawatu side, as indicated in the following table, reflects the difference between the developmental effects of the cow and the sheep, and also reflects to some extent Palmerston North’s site advantage as a transport and economic cen-

tre: Populationi tion 1906j. 1926. Palmerston N. 10,250 18,143 Feilding 2,975 4,263 Levin 1,265 2,456 Foxton 1,330 1,760 Shannon — 1,130 Population! tion 1906. 1926. Masterton 5,050 8,165 Cartertom 1,400 1,798 Creytown 1,130 1,088 Featl^erston 1670 1,049 Martinboi'ough 1 640 .957 Area Rateable Rates in value received Acres. (unim.) in 1926 Palmers- £ 6 ton N. 4,851 2,323,230 61,585 Feilding 2,090 543,706 15,027 Levin 1,332 *646,028 4,989 Fox t on 1,271 97,841 4,846 Shannon 844 *197,990 2,150 Masterton 3,236 803,060 26,303 Carterton 1,798 98,314 4,446 Greytown 1,930 *183,332 4,172 Featherston 760 41,770 2,099 Martinborough -1,070 46,797 2,262 *ICapital value.