TAIHAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 7 March 1907, Page 4

TAIHAPE.

NOW IX bXItJKJiS A \ ISJXUK. Taihapc i- perhaps ilie inu-1 maligned town in Llit; colony tu-dsiy. ill addition to us rightful inline tins progressive centre ol a wealthy d.strict lias been called "D o Happy," "f'r.iigo of Beyond." "The Limit/ and otner lanciful names. Many were the croakers who prophesied that when the rail-head passed Xailuipe there would be one more deserted village in New Zealand. Present day indications, however, point in the clrectiou that, with the completion of tlie .Main Trunk line Xaihape will progress more rapidly than ever, it is coiilidently expected that this will be a stop-over station for mail tra ns running North and !South when the steel ribbon which is to connect Auckland and Wellington is declared open. At a later day Xaihape wiil no doubt become a resort of the tourist and the sport-mail. At the present time the Xaucapu Itiverj which runs quite ciose to the town, affords excellent trout felling, and good shooting abounds. Xaihape is 14U3ft. iiltovc the sea-level, and enjoys pun' mountain air. It would seem that this would be an ideal spot as a healt'i resort.

The principal industry of the district is swindling, the headquarters of the Kangitikei Sawmillers' As-nuiU;oii Ljtiing situated in Taihapc. The annual meeting of tiie Association was Recently held, and a most encouraging report was presented by tin; directors it was shown that 22 mil) ion feet of timber was the output for the year ending Ul>-t .January last, and this represents a value of juat ou £1Jl)U0.U00. The. output also was an increase ol five million feet on the previous year. The Association ships timber to Australia, the port of shipment being Wan ganui, and the manager of the Association informed the writer that the export trade could be. considerabiy increased if bevter .-.hipping [facilities wen provided in Wanganui. ,lu additioi to the Australian trade, a very extcn I sive trade is done with the South 1> ! land, timber being sent as fir soul i as Tinuiru. The main trunk line wil

shortly tap the great Waimarino foi est, and it is the intention of the A> to put mills right throng this extensive area. This wiil pr< vide work for many .-coves of men, an when the mills are ail in liulil ( Win, Taihapc may be called the '"'Timberoj bl;s M of New Zealand,.—Palmersto) " Standard."