A NEW NAPIER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 129, 13 March 1935, Page 6

A NEW NAPIER

VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. MR GALLAGHER'S ADMIRATION. CONDITIONS IN NORTH ISLAND. Interesting impressions of Napier were given to a representative of the "Guardian" tlhis morning by Mr W. G. Gallagher (chairman of the Ashburton Hospital Board), who attended the annual conference of the Hospital Boards' Association there last week. Mr Gallagher was struck by the wonderful rehabilitation since the disastrous earthquake on February 3, 1931, and expressed his admiration of the manner in which the people had tackled their great difficulties. "Tlhey displayed wonderful courage," he said, "and deserve every success." Mr Gallagher also spoke of farming conditions in the North Island, compared with those in the Ashburton County. "The business area has been practically rebuilt on a very modem plan," said Mr Gallagher, "and is ahead in that respect of any other town in New Zealand. Buildings, mostly two-storey-ed ferro-concrete structures, are very substantial. Verandahs are flat, footpaths wide, there are no gutters or verandah posts, and \the footpaths are rounded off, making all the street corners easy to be negotiated by traffic. There are still a few buildings not rebuilt, and they make a scene of desolation, giving some slight idea of what Napier looked like after the earthquake." Continuing, Mr Gallagher said that the Marine Parade was well laid out, with a sound projecting hallTn the shape of a shell, where band and other concerts were given. The trees on the parade were lit with coloured electric lights at night, and the effect was a very line one. Hlarbour Board's Work. The harbour was practically destroyed by the earthquake, shipping being unable to get to the wharf. The Harbour Board was dredging for another wharf, and had been successful in getting a depth of 35 feet without a rock bottom (which is the depth of the channel in Lyttelton Harbour). The new wharf will be in the open roadstead, like Timaru, and in the meantime cargo is being taken out in lighters to the Home steamers, a distance of about two miles.

"A very wonderful result of the earthquake was the clearing of about 7000 acres of dry land which was previously covered witli water and on which boating and yachting took place. This may in the future prove a big asset to the harbour board which has drained: it very thoroughly. It is hoped to cut the area up into five-aore fruit farms and to build an aerodrome on it. Already a few homes have been erected there and the gardens look well. This land is expected to carry a very large population in the future and be a great asset to Napier." From Wellington to Napier the country locked well, Mr Gallagher said. It was very fresh and green. Farmers had •had a bad summer drought but they were recovering quickly. Sheep appeared in. satisfactory condition but the dairy cattle had not fared so well. "Coming from Canterbury, one cannot help being struck with the small provision made for winter feed," he said. "A team is rarely seen. Their winters are, of course, much milder than ours. On much of the good lands settlement is considerably closer than in Canterbury, and of course, dairying is the principal industry there. Padducks are very small and cows are everywhere. Top-dressing is being carried out at present and appears to be done regularly with good results. The amount of stock carried is really wonderful. On some of the best land, particularly around Hastings, 10 ewes to the acre is common all the year round, and all the lambs are fattened. This land is at present valued at £9O per acre."

Fruit-Growing Industry. Speaking of fruit-growing, Mr Gallagher said this was a very important industry in Ha who's Bay, and the orchards were a wonderful sight just now. From a very small area of land it was possible to make a living in very congenial surroundings. It was interesting, he said, to see paddocks sown with pumpkins which grew to a great size, and! were used mostly for cattle feed in the winter. One man in Shannon, who had only a small garden, well worked, grew his pumpkins on the roof of his pigsty. About Palmerston North willows, which had been planted en the edges of swamps had been cut down for feed during the drought and had proved very useful. The dry season had also enabled farmers to burn stumps right into the ground from old bushland. "The increase in pigs in the North Island during the last few years has been very great," stated Mr Gallagher. Regarding other stock he considered the bullocks a line, well-bred class. The ewes were mostly Romueys and a fine stamp, bigger than the local type. A very large number appeared to be mated with Southdown rams and were producing some hue fat lambs. Concluding Mr Gallagher said that bitumen roading was much more advanced in the North Island than in the South. The same supplies of shingle were not available but the work was well done.