Occupying a natural clearing in the midst of what was recently a virgin forest, the little settlement of Rangiwahia is in the County of Kiwitea and in the Electoral District of Rangitikei. The nearest telegraph office is at Fowlers (Birmingham), which is eighteen miles away towards Feilding, with which town there is coach communication three times weekly. A comfortable hotel and several business establishments, in one of which the local post-office, with a tri-weekly mail service, is conducted, constitute this romantically located village.

The Rangiwahia Public School —situated about five miles from the Mangarimu School, and the same distance from Wairaki—has thirty-seven children on the roll, with seating accommodation for forty. The school was opened in 1895.

Mr. Arthur William Rule, the School master at Rangiwahia, was born in Cambridgeshire in 1860, and educated in the Church of England schools at Balcham. He landed in the Colony in 1881, per ship “Mary Low,” and was relieving master at various schools under the Wanganui Education Board before taking charge of the Rangiwahia Public School.

The Rangiwahia Cricket Club, which was established in 1892, is only in its embryo state, but the prospect is encouraging to the organisers. The patron is Mr. John Stevens, M.H.R., and the officers for 1896 were:—President, Mr. James Mitchell; vice presidents, Messrs. G. L. Lay, T. Moffatt, and M. Bielski; captain, Mr. W. Stevens; vice-captains, Messrs. J. Moran and W. F. Stansell. The colours are dark blue and black, and the annual subscription is five shillings. The membership is forty-five.

The Rangiwahia Sports Club holds its meetings on the Recreation Ground, an enclosure of ten acres, which is said to be one of the prettiest spots in the North Island. The sports are held annually on St. Patrick's Day, and a large sum is given away in prize-money. As many as 120 nominations were received in 1896, competitors coming from as far as Wellington and Napier. The Club is in a good financial position, having a substantial credit balance. The patron is Mr. John Stevens, M.H.R, and the officers for 1896 were:—Messrs. James Mitchell (president), G. L. Lay, T. Moffatt, and M. Bielski (vice-presidents), J. Carey, F. Saywell, P. J. Moran, and Walter Stevens (committee), W. F. Stansell (secretary and treasurer).

Pemberton Hotel (J. G. Mitchell, proprietor), Kimbolton Road, Rangiwahia. The Pemberton Hotel is a convenient building of wood and iron which has been held on lease since the 21st of December, 1893. The building contains thirteen rooms, of which eight are bedrooms, containing about fifteen beds. There are two comfortable sitting-rooms, and a large and convenient dining-room. Behind the hotel is a five-stalled stable and other out-offices.

Saywell, Frederick James, Farrier and General Blacksmith, Kimbolton Road, Rangiwahia. Mr. Saywell was born in the Wairarapa, and was apprenticed to Mr. W. T. Wood, of Palmerston North, completing his tern with Mr. J. J. Jensen, of Feilding, in 1889. For five years Mr. Saywell was in partnership with his brother in the coach building trade in Feilding. The partnership having been dissdived in 1894, Mr. Saywell established the present business, which he has conducted since that date. The lease-hold premises occupied by him include a bailding of wood and iron, which affords about 400 square feet of floorage space. Mr. Saywell is a member of the Rangiwahia Cricket Club, also of the Manchester Rifles and the Ruahine Rifles. He is a good shot, and won the champion cup from scratch right through at Feilding 1893–4.

Watt and Stevens (Alexander Watt and Walter Stevens), Butchers, Kimbolton Road, Rangiwahia. This business was established in 1890, and has been conducted by the present proprietors since 1894. The premises occupied by the firm adjoin the Pemberton Hotel. They are large and convenient. They is a slaughterhouse erected on a leasehold section of twenty-five acres. They do a considerable trade throughout the entire district, from Ruahine to the State Farm, where there is 1560 acres of land, which has been felled on the co-operative principle. The proprietors, Messrs. Watt and Stephens, employ six pack-horses in connection with their business. Their trade is chiefly in beef, being about eight bullocks per month, to twenty-four sheep. Mr. Watt was born in Rangitikei, and was brought up to farming. He has resided on the Pemberton block for about three-and-a-half years, owning and occupying a farm of 200 acres, which is well stocked with sheep. He is a member of the Pemberton Rifle Corps. Mr. Stevers is a native of Tunbride Wells, Kept, and has had fourteen years' experience in connection with the butchery business. He came to New Zealand per ship “Douglas,” landing in Wellington in 1874. He has been a member of the Feilding Rifle Corps for the last six or seven years, and has won one or two medals for shooting. He is also a member of the Rangiwahia Cricket Club.

Moffatt, Thomas, General Storekeeper and Carnier, Baker and Accommodation-house Keeper, Post-office Store, Kimbolton Road, Rangwahia. Bankers, Bank of Australasa, Feilding. Branch at Ruahine. Mr. Moffatt came to the Colony when very young, and was in the Wairarapa in the early days before the road was constructed over the Rimutaka. For nine years he was in business in Palmerston North a a butcher. He is one of the pioneers of the Pemberton block, and established himself in business seven years ago when there were no roads, all supplies having to come by a bush track eighteen miles in length. The present convenient store and accommodation house was erected in 1892. The buildings, which afford a total floorage space of between 2000 and 3000 square feet, are ercted on a large freehold section, and have convenient sheds behind. The accommodation is very convenient, there being eight rooms available for the public. Mr. Moffatt keeps a large stock of all kinds of merchandise, and has a considerable number of pack horses, which are used in the delivery of goods over an extended area of bush country. Mr. Moffatt is agent for the Phœnix Insurance Company. He has twelve children, of whom five are now assisting in connection with the business.