THRIVING DISTRICT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20989, 16 December 1939, Page 20 (Supplement)

THRIVING DISTRICT

BUSY INLAND JUNCTION

A transformation from a wilderness of scrub and useless swamp to one of the richest and most fertile farming areas in the Dominion is the splendid record which has marked the Morrinsville town and district as among the most progressive in New Zealand in' the last 60 years. Seemingly hopless country when it was taken over by the pioneers, the land responded readily to the efforts of the men and women who chose to make their homes in the district. Perhaps the most reliable barometer of the progress of any farming district is to be found in the nature ojf its central town, and in this respect the Morrinsville township has fully reflected the wealth of a fine rural district. The foundation of the district was laid in 1873 when Mr John Turnbull, a sturdy pioneer took his family into the wilderness of ti-tree and scrub to undertake the management of an estate of 38,000 acres. That journey, occupying over a week from Hamilton, marked the first serious settlement of the area. It was four years later that Samuel and Thomas Morrin, those enterprising and far-seeing pioneers from whom the district has taken its name, started the intensive farming which has transformed Morrinsville into the flourishing pastures of today. The Morrin Bros, had unbounded faith in the possibilities of the district, and, buying 30,000 acres of land from the Maoris, they subdivided it into lots of 500 to 1500 acres. However, the road formation proceeded very slowly and it seemed for a time that the efforts of the pioneer settlers would be doomed by the consequent high freight charges. The Piako and Waihou rivers were brought into service and, with the advent of artificial manures and other aids to modern farming, the district made rapid progress and soon became known as something of an El Dorado in the dairy industry. Ideally situated in the midst of such a rich district, the Morrinsville township has also advanced by leaps and bounds and today is recognised as one of the busiest inland junctions in the Dominion. Well laid out with wide streets and attractive shops which will serve every need, the township bids fair to make even greater progress in the future. Enterprise and industry are evident in all branches of the settlement’s activities, which make Morrinsville a worthy centre for such a splendid farming district and stand as a fitting memorial to the work of the early pioneers.