A TRIP TO WHANGAMOMONA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 130, 10 September 1910, Page 6

A TRIP TO WHANGAMOMONA

SIGN'S OF PROGRESS EVERYWHERE. (Contributed.) A trip to Whangamomona. used to be termed a trip to the back country, but such "back-blocks" excursions will soon be a thing of the past s for with the rapid progress of the railway work Whungaiiioinoiia , with the facilities its expanding trade will demand, will force itself to the front as a trade centre. Progress and activity are noticeable everywhere. Settlement and improvement go hand-in-hand, and those who a few years back buried themselves ru the heart of the bush, will soon reap the benefit that the old pioneers so righly deserve. It is only eight or nine years ago since the Hon. Hall-Jones (now Sir William) dug the 'first sod of the Toko length of the iStratford-Whangamo-mona railway, and what will eventually be the Main Trunk Railway; and to-1 day the work of formation is within one| mile of the Whangamomona township. It is true the Whangamomona tunaei will be a bit of obstruction for a time, but Mr. Dyson, the engineer in charge of the works, informs me that excellent progress is being made, and it is anticipated the work will be complete sooner than at first expected. The formation is now in very heavy country, and notwithstanding the extremely heavy mins experienced this winter, wonderful progress has been made with the won.. At present there are about 300 men, many with their wives and families, on the works, and the settlement

presents quite a unique appearance. I Very comfortable dwellings can be madewith canvas walls and iron roofs. Many very nice little kitchen garden i can also be seen, with a few iloweri i here and there that speak of a refined ! taste. One thing, however, is evident. ■ The cost of carriage, considering the ■ very bad state or the roads, must be • great, but still not very much in excess - of town prices as would be expected. , The Whangamomona township is grow--1 ing apace, many new buildings being l erected, one of the most prominent

being the county council office, which is also utilised at present by the Bank' of Australasia under the management! of Mr. Reedy. The benefit accruing to the district by having' local control is very apparent, and what should be advocated in the very near future is a' Town Board. On account of the mild-' ness of the winter season, the grass is' very much ahead of anything seen in | the open lands around Stratford. Lambing seems to be successful, and good percentages will be the rule this season. Some splendid prime beef can also be seen here, and the quality killed and'on view at Mr. MACluggage's butchery;

compares more than favorably with any grown or exhibited outside. Large quantities of bush'is being felled this year, and bushmen are in great demand. The

cheese factory under the management of Mr. Cutter is now pretty nearly iri full swing, and really good prices are guaranteed for the coming season There are about COO cows guaranteed, and although the supply of milk is not quite equal to the same quantity of cows , that would be milked on the plains,! yet it is surprising to people not acquain- j ted with bush dairying how well the ■ | cows do milk on hilly country And it ■is a question whether the profits ob-, tainable from dairying is not in favor of the bush farmer, considering the big difference existing in the price of land here and outside; and again with the advent of the railway the increase in the value of the land it is to be hoped will repay them for some of the hard-j ships contingent on the pioneers' life. I That Whangamomona has a great fut- 1 ure before it no one can or will deny,j and the faith always reposed in it by J Mr. Joseph M'Cluggage, of the storekeeping firm of M'Cluggage Bros., must be realised. Backed up by good country that will carry both sheep and cattle, and with railway and road facilities, Whangamomona must go ahead, especilly as it is populated with progressive and successful settlers. Geniality is the prevailing spirit of its inhabitants; hospitality predominates; and the spirit of good comradeship ensures to everyone a good time in Whangamomona. The beautiful clumps of native bush preserved by Government, with other features of bush life, will always make Whangamomona a favorite resort and habitat for tourists. Beyond the Taungarakau Gorge, with its natural scenery, waterfalls, and the variety of charms so inseparable from native bush, will always prove an attraction Ito lovers of the artistic.