Saunders Road breaks away from Oxford Road about 5kms southwest of the Ōkato township, eventually linking up with the end of Carrington Road.
Ōkato was a military settlement, formed when 11,650 acres were granted to men who had served in the Taranaki Wars. The amount of land allocated to the men depended on their rank, with larger blocks reserved for the higher-ranking officers.
As Saunders Road appears on early survey maps of the district, it seems reasonable to assume that it was named after one of these soldiers. However, this is where the history gets a little complicated because there were two soldiers with this surname. Sergeant John Saunders was granted section number 34, a block of 81 acres, and Private William Henry Saunders was given section 95, of 50 acres.
It was common at the time to name roads after more senior military officers, making John the more likely candidate. However, it is William’s section that borders Saunders Road, while John’s is on Dover Road. Regardless of which man the road was named after, neither left much of a mark on the local landscape.
The Taranaki Land Deed Indexes held by Archives New Zealand reveal that John disposed of his section in 1870, only three years after it was granted. While William’s 50-acre section did not change hands until 1893, there is no evidence to suggest he ever farmed that particular block of land.
Others did, of course, and the Corbett family’s connection with the road is the reason that a small lake, hidden from view from the road, was named after the well-known family. Corbett Lake Scenic Reserve is owned by the Crown and cared for by the Department of Conservation.
The small lake can be accessed from the roadside, with a bridge taking you over the Mangatete Stream before a short walk across farmland. Surrounded by native bush, the lake has been allowed to revert to a natural wetland since a wooden weir was removed. The reserve is home to many native birds and is a moulting site for the paradise shelduck or pūtangitangi.
This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.
Related plans:
Taranaki SO5924 Sheet 1 Okato District Block X (1922), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
Taranaki DP12546 Sheet 1 Corbett Lake Reserve (1977), ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)
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