PROGRESSIVE SHANNON.

Shannon News, 15 February 1924, Page 3

PROGRESSIVE SHANNON.

STEADY POPULATION GROWTH

(Tq the Editor)

Sir,—We are apt at times to think that our home town is slow and not progressing us fast as its neighbours, and. to listen to the pessimist and imagine he is right. While the growth or our town is perhaps not rapid enough for some, it is unique in so fur as it lhas been continual and unlike many others, has never known a setback or a slump. Years ago when houses were plentiful in other towns and a prospective tenant could pick and choose, there was never an empty house in Shannon. The reason was that work was always plentiful and every home was needed. Homes have been built steadily all the time and vve have emerged from a mere village to bile prosperous borough of to-day with about 1500 people. A glance at the statistics of about 14 years ago and those of to-day show that Shannon is growing quicker than any other small town" in the Manawatu. The following comparison is interesting and may possible surprise many. About 14 years ago the populations of the .various towns were—

Levfcu ..4.., 1147 Foxton 1250 Otaki 629 Shannon 272 The 1921 statistics were— Levin 1928, vicinity 431 ... 2409 Foxton 1686, vicinity 149 ... 1835 Otaki 1075, vicinity 290 .... 1365 Shannon 1013, vicinity 359 ... 1372 These figures for Shannon do not include men working at the Mangahao works. I mention this because it may. be stated that thei population was temporary. You will note that we have passed Otaki that wa.s once more than twice our size. We are only 462. behind Foxton tjjat was more than five times our size; we are considerably moriei than half as big as Levin that was almost five times our size, and I predict that in the near future Shannon will grow to be the largest town in the Manawatu south of 'Palmerston North. Our Dairy Factory has increased its output every year and is one of the few factories in the world that can run all the year round without the farmers growing winter feed for cows apart from a little hay. This is possible on account of our rich land and splendid climate. Thousands of acres of rich. land that has always 'been subject to floods has now been banked and drained and within the next ten years bids fair to become* a source of production second to none in New Zealand. The flaxmilling industry, of which Shannon is the centre is . thriving and on /a more stable basis than, ever in its history.

The home town of light and power for the Wellington province, with no antjguated gas works to burden the ratepayers, a plentiful supply of piije water to be turned on under pressure shortly—it is surely hard to believe that there are any pessimists in our town. Yours etc., A. E. HYDE.