IN EARLIER DAYS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 2035, 24 December 1907, Page 2

IN EARLIER DAYS.

Continued from yesterday. MARTON. This is the most populous township iu the Rangitikei District, and, like many equally prosperous places, it owes its existence to speculation on the part of a single man. Up to 1864 it consisted of a store and publichouse combined, the property ot Mr James Signal, in the year mentioned, Mr Signal, believing that there was a good chance of forming a township, and making a goon thing out of the sale of a small section of laud on which his house stood, had about 30 or 40 acres cut up into convenient lots, which were offered by public auction. The result was highly satisfactory, and none less so because residents in Wanganui showed their confidence by competing for most ot the promising business sites. Very soon the place commenced to grow, and ere more than two or three years had passed, adjoining farms'were laid out in town lots and eagerly bought up. Originally, three was only one business street, but as the land grew in value, the branch road leading to Wanganni was formed into a street, and this is now as important as any in the town. A Local Board was at first created, and this body did good work in forming streets; bat about two or three years ago, the settlers found themselves strong enough to form a Municipality, the Mayor and Council of which have since then carried on the work with praiseworthy zeal. Quito a number of streets have been formed, though there is a great deal yet to he done before this part of the work is completed. One of the great drawbacks of the place is the want of water during dry summers. In the olden days, the Tutaenui Stream, which forms the eastern boundary of the town, supplied all that was required ; but the article _ was not by any means good, as it .had to be taken from stagnant pools. With the increase in population, it' became simply unfit to drink. The' Borough Council recently decided upon borrowing £3OOO, a portion of which is to be expended in procuring a water supply. Probably, artesian wells will be sunk. As the whole of the debentures were taken up iu a few days, there;is every prospect of the work being proceeded with at _ an early date. With regard to its build-. . iugs‘, Marten furnishes a number _ of contracts, some of the edifices being very handsome, while others are the reverse. The most prominent structure is St. Stephen’s Church (Anglican), which' stands on an eminence overlooking the town. It is visible for several miles from the east and south-east, although the country is almost level. There are four places of worship in all. Most of the stores are large and extensive. The hotels, of which there are only three, are large and comfortable, and the visitor finds himself thoroughly at home iu all of them. There is a public hall, which is not, however, so roomy as one might be led to expect. Some of the Friendly Societies, which are well represented in number, and also very strong iu membership, have also meeting places which they own. The volunteers nossess a roomy and well-built Drill-shed. There " is , probably no place in the Colony in which the Volunteer spirit has been mure active for such a long period than it has been iu Marlon. In 1863, there was onlv oue Militiaman in the Rangitikei ‘District, while there were four volunteer corps, two of which were cavalry. The Royal Rifles was the name of the infantry corps at Marfcon, and although many changes have taken place in the officers as well as in'Jhe ranks, this corps is still leading a healthy existence, and there are many members who ctu boast of having assisted in forming the company, and of having been members ever since. Martou, though not situated on the northwestern trunk road, speedily asserted its importance by diverting the traffic from it. The main road runs from Bulls direct to Turikina, leaving Marfcon about five miles to the northward. When Cobb’s coaches started to run between Wellington and Wanganui, they followed this road, a boy being employed to carry letters and parcels to and from Marfcon ; but it was soon found that the extra passenger traffic whiclT;wonld be gained by making the detour of four miles so as to pass through Martou, was more than sufficient to cover expjuses. The railway has now taken the place of the ancient means of locomotion. The station is close to the business centre of the town, and communication with Wanganui on the one’hand, and Manawatu on the other is therefore easy. Besides the road already mentioned as running through the town from Bulls to Wanganui, there are a number o? less important means of communication with the surrounding country. Cue of these leads to the eastward, and by means of a bridge over the Rangitikei River, to the upper portion of the Manawatu, District. Another extends northward, and taps some of the richest farming country in the neighbourhood. A third, known as the Pukepapa Road, extends north and south at the western edge of the town, and also runs through agricultural districts. • The Rangitikei Advocate, owned by Mr Kirk bride, and published daily, is published at Marton. Nearly the whole of the surrounding country has been laid off in square miles, with a road running all round. These blocks were cut up into 80acre farms, and this is even at present about the average extent of the holdings, although in“some cases as much as a whole square mile has been taken up in one application. Almost the whole of the land tor some miles around has been brought under cultivation, and large quantities of cereals are annually produced. In no place on the West Coast is fanning carried on to a greater extent than in the immediate surroundings of Marton and Sandon. The holiday-seeker can spend his time very pleasantly in the town and its neighborhood. There are several pleasant drives, and a visit to the cliff off the Rangitikei River at Mr R. Hammond’s York Farm, or higher up near the residence of Major Marshall, will be found among the most attractive. About a mile and a half from Marton, on the road to Bulls, is a small cluster of houses, which bears signs of an attempt to form a township. There arc some nine or ten dwellings and a small building which lias the appearance of having been erected for public purposes. - This is Orofton, and its existence is due to the efforts of Sir William Fox to form a township cm strict temperance principles, and the building referred to was erected by him for the convenience of the local teufc of Rechabites, Although very liberal terms were offered to all who were prepared to take up land on condi-

tion that no hotel should be erected, only a small number of persons were found willing to live there. Sir William Fox owned about 6000 acres of land, but at the time he attempted to form the township, _ he cut up the larger part of it,_ into farms, and sold it to desirable settlers at little more than he gave for it about 10 years earlier. His own residence is near the Greatford Railway station. The neighborhood is well worthy of a visit. TURAKINA. Viewed from one of the many eminences .which surround it, this is an exceedingly pretty township. There is no pretence of town about it, although a Local Board has formed the whole width of the principal thoroughfare, including footpaths, while it has also attended to drainage. Nearly all the houses are surrounded by plantations, and as they are scattered about over_ a considerable extent of it can easily be imagined that a bird’s-eye view would have a pleasing effect. The locality has been well chosen. The North-western trunk road from Bulls runs through the township and leads on to Wanganui, and this is joined by the equally important road from Martou. About half a rails from the junction a road ot less importance strikes off towards the inland settlements. The railway line makes a curve around the place, keeping on its western side, and having crossed the main road, enters the local station. The selection of the station site was the subject of very severe comment at the time, for equally level ground could have been obtained close to the centre of population in place of a 3jpile away from it. The removal of the Post and Telegraph Office to this station undoubtedly did do a great deal of in jury. There are three places of worship ; several Lodges of Friendly Societies, and three hotels. With regard to the inhabitants, the Scotch element prevails, nearly all the old settlers being Turakina owes its existence to the fact that it formed a convenient stage for travellers to and from Wanganui, who found, a convenient stoppingplace. To sheep and cattle drovers, the hotels and well-grassed paddocks are even now almost indispensable. When the Maori war broke out to the North-west of Wanganui, it. assumed extra importance on account of the largely increased traffic which it created, but when hostilities ceased, it suffered a relapse. It is easily understood thaat the sudden removal of about 6000 troops from”the district with not many inhabitants would seriously affect all trade and traffic. Mr G. Y. Lethbridge, after whom the Local Board had been named, and who resides in the neighbourhood, was oue of the contractors for the supply of ;meat, and this'alone was then sufficient,to add largely to the trade of the place. At present the township may be said to have reached its maturity, and unless some important industry be started iu the neighbourhood, there is little chance of population increasing or trade expanding. The population is under 400. Only a portion of the surrounding country is arable, but the hills afford excellent pasture for sheep and cattle. Some very rich and level land is to be found in the narrow valley of the Turakina river, but the extent is limited, the whole of it was taken up before the township sprang into existence. The country on the lower side of the township is also level and fertile, but nearly the whole of it forms parts of the Rhodes estate, already mentioned, and is only used for grazing purposes. A number of neat farms may be seen on the Bulls and Marton roads, but the country as a whole is uninteresting. The distance to Martou by road is ten miles and to Wanganui thirteen miles. The railway line is a litttle longer. The railway between Turakina and Wanganui is full of turnings. which are necessitated by the broken country. It first of all ascends to the plateau between the Turakina and Wangaohu rivers, and then descends to the fertile valley of the latter. Then there is a grade of 1 in 40 to ascend to the next table land, which is followed by the descent to the Wanganui. The road takes a similar course, but it has steener gradients. There are no settlements or railway stations of any importance on the route. The railway line crosses the Wanganui river on a cylinder bridge at a point about two miles above the town, and then branches down to it.