An Index of Banks Peninsula.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 5534, 4 October 1929, Page 4

An Index of Banks Peninsula.

Some Interesting Facts and Figures Regarding District. Banks Peninsula with an area of 267,901 acres, comprising the Akaroa, Wairewa, and Mt. Herbert Counties and the Borough of Akaroa, is a rich volcanic district, noted for some of the finest grazing land in the world. Its proximity to Canterbury's capital, Christchurch, and its early settlement, together with the richness of its soil, abundance of water everywhere, and great productiveness have made it a favoured district, which as years go on should lead to it carrying a large population. Projecting, as it does, into the sea, it enjoys an insular climate and its country is warmer and more sheltered than the Plains country around Christchurch. The many hills and valleys serrating the landscape, make Banks Peninsula very pretty country with its Bays and ridges, green hills and valleys. Akaroa, therefore, is a favourite tourist resort, while motorists find many enjoyable trips among our hills. COMMUNICATION. Daily return car services, and train and car service from Little River provide Banks Peninsula with excellent communication with Christchurch both ways. POPULATION. The Official Year Book of 1929 gives the population of the three Counties and Borough comprising Banks Peninsula as follows:— Area. Square Miles. Acres. Population. Mt. Herbert County .. 59 57,760 515 Wairewa County .. 165 105,600 1,045 Akaroa County .. 163 104,320 1,800 Akaroa Borough .. 221 610 Totals .. 387 267,901 3,970 Total estimated population of Banks Peninsula in 1924-25 was 3949. VALUATION. There was every need to reduce the inflated valuations of v early post war days and the following are the figures for 1928-29. Capital Value. Unimproved Value. Wairewa County £1,515,689 £1,246,219 Akaroa County £2,362,120 £1,940,400 Mt. Herbert County £700,665 £573,213 Akaroa Borough £168,543 £74,541 £4,751,017 £3,834,373 PRODUCTION, The chief primary production which engages the attention of Peninsula farmers includes Fat Lamb, Sheep and Cattle rearing, the production of Cheese and Butt6r, and the growing of Cocksfoot Seed. The Peninsula supplies Christchurch with most of its beef. ■ Number of Sheep and Lambs trucked at Little River in 1928 was 138,000. Fat and Store (approximately) 6000 head per annum ; Wool (approximately) 780 tons per annum. Cheese (approximately) 1000 tons made by seven co-operative cheese companies' factories at Little River, Pigeon Bay, Little Akaloa, Okain's BajvLe Bon's Bay, Takamatua and Barry's Bay. Home-made cheese is made on many Peninsula farms where it is not possible to reach factories and the estimated production of home made, dairy cheese, is about 200 tons. Butter and whey-butter are made at the Akaroa Co-operative Butter Company's factory at Akaroa and by the various cheese factories. A number of farmers also supply Christchurch Dairy Companies. The total Peninsula production of butter is esti- : mated at 450 tons. Cocksfoot production is from approximately 9000 acres and the annual return is about 20,000 sacks. Other production in the district is from barley and oat *crops in Wairewa County, pigs, of which there are approximately ?000 reared annually, walnuts, fruit, etc. A WELL ROADED DISTRICT. The' abundance of good hard metal available everywhere for road making has enabled Peninsula people to construct splendid surface roads and besides having good wide well surfaced main highways from Christchurch to Akaroa; there are also good metal roads along the Summit and to all the Bays. In the Akarcr County the Road Boards, Pigeon Bay, Okain's, Le Bon's and Akaroa and Wainui Road Boards control all except the Main and Summit roads and they have metalled and constructed the roads in their districts and have brought them up to a fine state of perfection. Every Bay is accessible and the grades have been greatly improved in recent years. ELECTRICAL SUPPLY SERVICE. Banks Peninsula was one of the first country districts in Canterbury and in fact in New Zealand, to instal an electric supply, service, which extends to all the Bays and Akaroa, only isolated ■ districts not being yet supplied though this is being done gradually. The Banks Peninsula Electric-Power Board are the supply authority with its office at Little River and engineer at Duvauchelle. Although reticulation of the district has been expensive and rating is necessary, the ever increasing demand will ultimately eliminate the rate. The electrical service has been a great boon to Banks Peninsula, light and power being available everywhere. EDUCATION. Banks Peninsula is well supplied with Primary Schools in-every part of the district. Secondary Education is provided in Akaroa at the Akaroa District High School and arrangements are made to, board pupils, outside Akaroa, attending the school. In Little River and districts beyond school children can either use the Akaroa school, or the train service to get secondary education in Christchurch. STOCK SALES. Stock Sales are held at Duvauchelle, where the Peninsula Saleyards Company have their yards and hold a monthly cattle and sheep sale, holding as well fortnightly sales of springers in the early part of the dairying season. Special sales are also held occasionally. An»annual Lamb and Ewe Fair is held at Messrs H. Matson..and Coy's yards at Little River in March and Cattle and Sheep bales are also held occasionally. • AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS. Two annual shows are held on Banks Peninsula, one at kittle River by the Banks Peninsula A. and P. Association an . . at Duvauchelle by the Peninsula Horse Show and Pas - Hon. The annual shows are held in November. BotlhJawg® have schedules of classes which provide foi t pi nwpr c; aTl( i Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Dogs and Domestic Produce, Flowers and School Work, etc, akaroa. at +■ r mn .'nhiliitants with a fairly large addiAkaroa is a town of 600 inhaWtan£ , The town has all tional population outside the Boiouji tank dra i nage , high modern convenience m the way Qther ingti _ pressure water supply, electric ngtu Borough. The tourist tutions which go to make up an *!' d town is we ll equipped business is one of its chief mdust e - de the begt accommodawith hotels and boarding-house anc l surroundings attract tion for tourists. Its beautiful < - . years it has become the thousands of holiday makers and Vmtcrbury. The charm of the. most favoured watering-place beautiful scenery and sheltereo run from Christchurch and the l oeauc bays and valleys arc the admiration, oi wfty of games, enjoy them. Tourists are we 1 < j aunc j ies fishing and tennis, croquet, bowls, golf, - > t j iroU gh the busy season. pleasure trips down the harboui all tin ou fe VP of the Akaroa County, as Little Akaroa is the business Wairewa County and shops and. River is the business cent - dern requirements. There are' business places providee io g a y and Okain's Bay. also stores at Duvauchelle, Pigep"