Rapid Progress.

In the intervening period up to 1894 the County continued to progress rapidly under capable administration and economical expenditure of loan moneys in the construction of roads and bridges throughout the district. The formation of the Waimata road was undertaken in the following years at a cost of nearly £7000, and the improved facilities for transport proved a great boon to settlers of that district. The public debt by this time was steadily increasing and at the end of 1896 stood at £25,568. One of the largest road works was undertaken in 1897, viz, the formation work to Kiore, on which £12,000 was expended, while the Waikohu road construction was initiated in the same year at a cost of £2978. Five years later the public debt had increased to £32,000. In succeeding page 198 page 199 years the formation was also commenced of the Patutahi quarry, the Mangatu, Wharekopae and Mangamaia roads, while loans aggregating £3000 were expended in the construction of a bridge at Tolaga Bay, the extensive loan works making the public debt at the end of 1905 £45,315. The bridges already erected & structures required caused the council to raise a series of loans for bridging work at Tolaga, Wharekopae & Motu. Owing to damage by floods and general dilapidation, a county loan of £6000 was raised in 1907 for the rebuilding of the structures, which was undertaken during the succeeding years. Thence onwards, the district began to show remarkable development, owing to the extensive loans raised for bridges and roads to link up hitherto comparatively isolated districts (whose communications and transport facilities were shut off for some months in the year) resulting in a material benefit to the settlers, the district and the town. The Waikohu road was further extended and the formation of the road to Mangamaia and Tahora was opened up with the aid of comparatively small loans. One of the outstanding events of that year was the purchase of the site of the present Council offices, on which a number of old houses then stood, ac a cost of £2188, and, in the following year, the present buildings, costing about £2000 were erected. The Waihuka and Ngatapa districts were opened up by roading and bridges in the following year, prominent among which was the Patutahi drainage scheme for the draining of the flats, which was undertaken first in 1910. The public debt by this time had vastly increased and now stood at £89,523.