The Wellington Special Settlement No. 1 is generally known as Newman. It is about two miles up the line from Eketahuna, the Makakahi River being crossed by both rail and road. The railway bridge is an exceedingly fine structure. The township is perfectly level, though the hills on the west and the river on the east are less than half a mile apart.

The town consists of 840 acres, made up of 109 town acres and 114 suburban sections, averaging about four acres each, besides roads and several reserves. There are two recreation reserves, one of seventeen acres and the other about half that area; the cemetery reserve is nine acres, and the waterworks reserve is fourteen acres. This last is among the hills, but it is not likely that any use will be made of it for many years, as splendid water is to be found at a depth of about five feet, and this notwith-standing that the river has worn a course for itself not less than seventy feet below the level of the town, or sixty-five feet below the line at which water is invariably reached. Within a few feet of the river bank the water is still obtainable at a depth of five or six feet. This very great advantage is accounted for by the fact that at that depth the papa foundation is struck, and the superstratum of gravel and alluvial soil acts as a perennial filter.

In 1886, the site of Newman, with its surrounding hills, was dense bush, but the ringing blows of the axeman have been heard to some purpose, and are now followed by the cow-boy's whistle and the ploughman's cheery call. It is true that most of the land is still unstumped, but there are several smiling paddocks and gardens which would seem to deny all recent connection with the primeval forest.

The township is by no means large, being composed of the post-office and telephone bureau, the school and school-house, a blacksmith's shop, a general store, a public hall, and a number of neat cottages and villa residences. There are about fifty bonâ fidè settlers in the district. They are, in the main, doing fairly well, and may now reasonably expect to reap the reward of past toil.

Newman forms a part of No. 1 ward of the Eketahuna Road Board, represented by Messrs. Bourke and Mowbray. A good deal of road making has been accomplished, the greater part of it being done by co-operative labour. The rates are light, and property is rising rapidly in value.