New Zealand - Raetihi - Ruapehu District, Manawatu-Wanganui Region -1957 - Whites Aviation photo Raetihi - A town in the central North Island of New Zealand. - Raetihi became the focal point for travellers going between Wanganui and Waiouru. - A thriving town emerged to serve the timber workers and those passing through. A trip North from Wanganui was not for the faint-hearted. - The scenic “River Road” passing through Pipiriki was treacherous with primitive tracks and long falls if you left the track. - Those who completed the journey to Raetihi found hospitality, accommodation, blacksmiths and saddlers for weary horses and supplies for their further travels north. - The great fire of 1918 was a terrible setback to many businesses and homeowners in Raetihi. - The loss of numerous mills slowed the timber industry but it continued successfully into the 1940s. - As decades passed, it emerged that the ‘endless’ supply of strong native timber was running out. - The choice to replant forests in fast-growing pine was there, but in the middle of the 20th century the ability to treat this new soft wood for outdoor building was not available. Raetihi felt the loss of the timber industry more as each year passed. - Farming was an option for some but it would never be as high an employer as the forests once provided. - Although now a small rural town, Raetihi was a minor industrial centre between 1900 and the 1950s. - It had numerous timber mills which provided the bulk of employment to the region. As the timber was cleared, agriculture became more prominent in the local economy. - The two most prominent agricultural activities are cattle farming and vegetable growing and they now provide the bulk of employment as the timber mills have closed. - The decline of the timber industry negatively impacted upon Raetihi, but it has recently experienced some small growth due to tourism. Its close proximity to Mount Ruapehu and popular ski-fields has led to the establishment of accommodation and cafes to cater for the increasing number of visitors. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raetihi) ---------------------- Image source: Raetihi, Ruapehu District, Manawatu-Wanganui Region. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-42922. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/32051291 https://natlib.govt.nz/records/32051291