PROGRESS OF THE PATEA DISTRICT.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 222, 26 May 1877, Page 2

PROGRESS OF THE PATEA DISTRICT.

[FROM THE TARANAKI HERALD.]

An admirer of such varied and beautiful scenery as is supplied by Dame Nature in its most rugged and wildest forms can have his taste gratified on this road, for there are some spots strikingly grand. There are points on tiro road where, on a clear day, Mount Egmont may be seen, producing as pretty landscape views as any lover of Nature could wish for. The first village that is come to on this road is MANUTAHX SOOTH, called so, I suppose, to distinguish it from the Mann tab i at this end of the district. It is a small, but yet thriving looking place, and being not far from a native village, there are always a number of Maoris about. There is a hotel here, and as the landlord managed to lodge a number of settlers from this end of the district, who went to visit the Patea Agricultural Show, it is but reasonable to presume that he was equal to the emergency, and that his accommodation was good, or I should have hoard to the contrary. It is close to this village that Mr H. S. Peacock resides, whose hospitality many a Taranaki settler has experienced, and who has generously given to several of our settlers young bulls from his splendid herd of cattle, the sire being his pure bred Astrologer. There is a very good store at Manutahi, kept by Mr Foreman. His shop is a large one for a village, and is well stocked. There are not many other buildings in the settlement at present, but I should not be surprised in a few years to find the place well built upon. A short stage brings you to another village— KAKARAMEA. It is here the Agricultural Society own some twenty acres of land, on which they hold their annual Show. Mr Dale, of Carlyle, has periodically a sale of live stock, which is always largely attended. The sales take place in the Society’s ground, where pens are fixed for the cattle and sheep. The Warncliff Hotel is not far from the grounds, and is kept by Mr Sam Dixon, who affords every accommodation to the traveller. Mr Dixon has a store attached to the hotel, for the convenience of the persons living around the village. Four miles from Kakaramea is the town of

CARLYDEj which since I visited it some five years

ago, has, like the other parts of tho district, progressed in many respects. The hotels have not increased in number, although the other business premises have. Patea has air untidy appearance about it, and the houses for want of a coat of paint have a neglected look. The principal street is only partly formed, and the sides of pathway would be the better for kerbing. The road to the bridge when I was there was actually dangerous from large holes that arc allowed to remain without their being filled up. The Government buildings here have been very substantially built, and will answer tho purpose of tho district for some years to come. The Court-house is not a bad looking building, and adjoins tho Post Office and Telegraph Office, which aie to tho right, whilst the police barracks are to the left of it. The Immigration Barracks are not far from the above, and is a building with nearly a hundi ed feet frontage by a depth of forty feet. There arc eight rooms, two of them forming wings to the main building being 40 feet by 20 feet, and six others 16 feet by 14 feet, in all of which there are fire-places; there being two treble chimneys and two double ones. side are two cottages built for married immigrants, but now as a hospital. The General Government has handed these buildings over to the County, and one of the large rooms has been turned into a Council chamber, whilst the other portions are used to keep stores in, except that portion which Mr John Black, the County Clerk, occupies temporarily, until he can get a house to accommodate himself and family. The County Council are making preliminary arrangements for the government of this district, and have had maps prepared showing the extent of the County, which are hung on the wall for reference. A building has been erected since I was last here for a Town Hall, Which is commodious, and would seat a large number of persons, I should think. It is not very pretentious in an architectural point of view, but no doubt answers all the purposes required of it. A little way above it, on a hill, are three places of worship, alongside each other. There is one for the Church of England, of which the Rev. Mr Dasent is the pastor; the Wesleyan Church, of which Rev. Mr Law is the minister; and the Roman Catholic Chapel, in which the Rev. Father Pertuis celebrates mass. It is laid that there is but one road to Heaven, and the Carlyle people follow this precept with regard to their churches, for all go in the same direction, and the separation o«ly takes place on arriving at the doors of their respective religious edifices, to meet again when the devotions are over. To use a sporting phrase—A sheet could be thrown over the devout on a (Sunday morning. The Court house is not a very large building, but evidently sufficient for the requirements of the place. It is nicely fitted up inside, and has the usual awe-inspiring look about it that such buildings are supposed to possess. Captain Wray is the Resident Magistrate, and Major Baddeley (formerly of Taranaki), the R.M.’s Clerk. The Post Office and Telegraph Station, as I have said, is alongside, the Postmaster and Telegraphist being Mr F. J. Long, a most obliging officer, and one who often puts himself to personal inconvenience to accommodate the public. There are three hotels in this town, all of which are well kept. The Albion Hotel is on the opposite corner of a street on the same side as the Post Office, and was formerly known as Quinlivan’s. It is now kept by Mr T. Haywood, who evidently knows how to conduct his business. Everything is clean and comfortable. The attendance is good, and the wants of travellers well - looked after. There is excellent stabling at the back, the floor being paved with stones which had to be carried from the beach. Adjoining the hotel are rooms for commercial travellers to show their goods in, thus affording every facility to those visiting the establishment. Tho Australasian Hotel (formerly known as Casey’s) is kept by Mr Odgers, who is noted for the good table he keeps, and comfortable accommodation provided for the traveller. The house is very commodious, and a large number of beds can be made up if required. Stabling here is also good; in fact, the arrangements in both these houses are as perfect as anyone can expect. The Masonic Hotel is kept by Mr Beamish, and lies between the Albion and the bridge, It is a quiet, unpretentious hostlery, the rooms are clean and tidy, and the accommodation good. Not far from here is Messrs Henderson and Farrah’s brewery, which is managed by Mr Garner, and as a place worthy of visiting, I was shown over it. For the size of the town the establishment is large, and in it all the necessary apparatus for carrying on the business of brewing is to be found. There is a very large vat—double the size required—although the average brew I was informed is . about twelve hogsheads a week. The ale brewed is clear and sparkling and very palatable. Going closer to the river I found Mr Hirst’s warehouse and Mr Hirst busily engaged superintending the loading of a schooner which was lying alongside his wharf. He informed me that two vessels had left the previous day ; the one at the wharf was to go the same tide, and he had received a telegram announcing that the ss 1 Clyde/ from Wanganui, with fifty tons of general cargo might be looked for the following day. If this is any criterion of the

satoiJ d-g trade of this port, I can quite understand the necessity there is for an improvement being made to the river. Mr Hirst has a large warehouse where he stores the merchandise received, and the produce for shipment; but he says it is not commodious enough, and he will have to put an addition to the building shortly. A little above Mr Hirst’s there is another wharf which, I presume, has been built to meet the increasing trade of the place. Carlyle can boast of a good school, which is well conducted. The master is paid a liberal salary, and I hear that a gentleman in every way competent, holds the position of schoolmaster. In looking round the town, although it seemed that most of the trades were represented, that of general storekeepers appeared to be in the largest number. There are two Banks in the town—the Bank of New Zealand and the Bank of New South Wales— Mr H. F. Christie is acting for the former and Mr Tennant for the other. The Bank of New Zealand has a very good building, and the internal fixtures are neat and business-like, but it is rather out of the way ; whilst the other Bank having premises opposite the Post Telegraph Offices is much more conveniently situated for business purposes}. This being the Comity Town, whore all the Councils and Local Boards meet, it is the proper place for the newspaper to be published, and accordingly it is here that the Patea Mail is printed. Mr A. Black, the proprietor, attends to the practical portion of the business, and Mr James Kenworthy docs the editorial. The printing office is situated nearly opposite the Town Hall, and although the building has an unfinished look about it, yet no doubt it answers all the purposes required of it. The paper is neatly printed, and its editorial and news columns are filled with good readable matter. If the settlers wish their district to progress, they should support to their utmost the local journal, for by the newspaper produced, so is a settlement judged, by the outside public. A newspaper is something like a barometer; for from the state of its advertising columns the prosperity ®r sinking of a district is foretold long before the storm of a financial crash takes place. If, therefore, the columns of a newspaper is bare of advertisements, it is a pretty good sign that there is no vitality in the place, and persons on the move judge of it accordingly, and abstain from going there. The Patea Mail, however, seems to be pretty well supported, and under its present manage ■ ment is likely to become a good property in time. Like Taranaki, Patea is governed by local bodies, and has as many Boards as we have; and also, like in this district, those Boards generally all meet on the same day, which trios the resources of any small local newspaper, and it is found quite impossible to do justice to any of their meetings, so as to give a full report of what is done. The County Council, Town Board, Harbour Board, Education Board, Patea East and West Hoad Boards all meet about the same time. The size of the town of Carlyle may he said to be from 250 to 300 acres in extent. Its inhabitants about 300, although the rate roll only numbers 170 householders. The society here is very much the same as in other email communities. Of course there are a few who stand aloof, and regret that fate has compelled them to vegetate in a place where there are so few nice people to associate with; but the majority of the settlers are a sociable and hospitable lot of people, who are ready to hold out the hand of friendship to a visitor, and to entertain him to the best of their ability.