The Taihape Daily Times THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1916. THE PORT OF WANGANU.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1916. THE PORT OF WANGANU.

AND W AIM AKIN O ADVOCATE (With which is incorporated The Tai bape Post and Waimarino News.)

There is a time in the history of all communities when organisation and judicial enterprise may lift them out of the ruts of stagnation and drift and land them high on the roadway to progress and, perhaps, metropolitan dimensions. In this connection on e . cannot help admiring the persistency with which Wanganui journal advocate I trading improvements and additional' commercial facilities, to increase shipping, and otherwise urge that which would be calculated to make thentown a centre of industry—shipping and otherwise —unsurpassed by even some of the present-day chief shipping ports. They seem to rarely miss an opportunity to prod their leaders of commerce and local institutions on in any matter in which the commercial interests of Wanganui may .be benefited. And this is as it should be, for the newspaper should be the voice of the community, eternally being raised in al'l that pertains to its territory's advancement. It is a fact that some of the largest towns in the world ewe their magnitude and importance t<> the daily newspapers that have fearlessly advocated their interests, even, at times, in the face of misplaced, bitter, and determined opposition, but through their perseverance success has been eventually-' achieved. Wanganui, undoubtedly, has a large and magnificent field to exploit, which may enable it with added and relative facilities to rapidly grow into one of the leading shipping and commercial centres of the Dominion. In an editorial in the morning journal faets worthy of note, as having some significance with respect to the future, were mentioned. It drew attention to the increasing use of the port and stated that its developnient had been noted in commercial circles with Home and intercolonial interests; that the Christchurch Meat Company was centralising its North Island business in Wanganui; that the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Co. had purchased land on the harbour front '(pre- ( sumably for business premise's), and' that land in that vicinity was fast rising to a high price. The Harbour Board is .urged to make basin and bar improvements, which, if executed in the near future, must force still higher the value of property thereabout. In th e advocacy of public works that will hugely increase the town's feeding country no opportunity seems to be missed, and we shall not be surprised to find such a friendship -worked up with such places as Raetihi, and similarly placed districts, that will ensure an early establishment of communications and thereby for ever make Wanganui their market town and the port of outfet for their produce. So far as towns from Ohakune downwards, including Taihape, come into question, Wanganui has a rival in Palmerston North. The latter place is on the highway to the seat of Government, and, perhaps on that account, is more patronised. Palmerston businessmen have, however, made more effort to cater for trade in this territory, and that may be why th e commercial intercourse Is greater. But it seems to us that Wanganui is the natural outlet for tho whole of the territory from the' centre to the westward of this part of the North Island, and that it rests with Wanganui Institutions and its businessmen to extend its influence and brin°about an inter-trading int.imacv t .h»t would hasten by many years a consummate that would be y b not only to Wanganui, but to all the country that may be attracted to it