PROGRESS IN MARTON.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9166, 9 June 1908, Page 5

PROGRESS IN MARTON.

SIR,—I was much interested in tbe letter on “Progress in Mar ton” by Argus” in your Friday’s issue, and should like to say a word or two also on the subject. “Argus” says the borough should be extended to take in the Junction, or a separate borough formed. The question _of the inclusion of the southern portion of the borough has been before the Council for a long time, and instead of pushing on with the matter they have kept it back, for what reason is hard to say. The Chamber of Commerce has lately taken the matter in hand and there is every prospect of the change coming to pass before the end of the year. But the trouble has been all along that Marton people have not wanted the Junction pushed on. With a short-sighted way of looking at things they have considered that the progress of the Junction would mean the retrogression of the older town. Far from it! If the two are run as separate bodies they will progress, but slowly.R If, on the other hand, they join forces and work as one with one ultimate end in view, they will attain that eud, as “Argus” says the making of Marton the inland capital of the southern eud of the North Island. We have our chance now; we have the country all round that will help closer settlement in the-, country and closer settlement in the town. Marton seems to have roused from her sleep of years. Let her business men, her Chamber of Commerce, her Borough Council, see to it. that she does not dose again. I noticed in the report of the Chamber of Commerce meeting that a specification and estimate of cost of an asphalt footpath to |the station is to be’mbtained. That is a good idea, and I hope it will come to pass. That same road to _ the station is a torment to pedestrians. The avenue of trees on the station road is also a good idea; so many people judge of a, town by the approaches to it and, if the approaches are Jbad, visitors are prejudiced against a town even before they enter it. The questions of water, light and drainage are big ones that the Council will have to tackle before long. Let them not delay unduly or Marton will again he left behind in the march of progress.—l am, etc., GREATER MARTON.