An Index of Banks Peninsula.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 5535, 8 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 01. 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 asyears 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, *j< 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 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 Butter, 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 Paver, Pigeon Bay, Little Akaloa, Okain's Bay, Le 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 estimated at 450 tons. Cocksfoot production is from approximately 9000 acres and Ihe - 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 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 goqd metal roads along the Summit and to all the Bays. , Inthe'Akaror > 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 inCanterbury and in fact in New Zealand, to instal an electric supply service, which extends to all the Bays and Akaroa, only isolated . v 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 m Christchurch. STOCK SALES. Stock Sales are held at Duvauchelle, where the Peninsula Saleyards Company have their yards and hold a monthly cattle ana sheep sale, holding as well fortnightly sales of springers m the early • part of the dairying season. Special sales are a.so held occasions y. 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 Sales, are also held occasionally. < AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATIONS. Two annual shows are held on Banks Peninsula, one at Little River by ti c Banks Peninsula A. and P. Association and the other at Duvauchelle by the Peninsula Horse Show an,l Pastora Ration. The annual shows are he d m November. Both Associations have schedules of classes which provide for the exhibition ot Cattle Horses! Sheep, Dogs and Domestic Produce, Flowers and School Work, ctc, akaroa. Akaroa is a town of 600 inhabitants with a fairly large additional nopulation outside the Borough boundary The town has all lion. j popui . ~ way 0 { septic tank drainage, high modern con X nnr i v electric light, etc., and has all other institutions which' go to'make up an up-to-date Borough. The tourist bus ncss is one of its chief industries and the town is well equipped with hotels and boarding-houses that provide the best accommoda- ?• for tourists Its beautiful harbour and surroundings attract thousands of hoiidav makers and in recent years it has become the most favoured watcring-place m Canterbury. ihe charm of the im from Christchurch and, the beautiful scenery and sheltered ind valleys arc the admiration of all who are privileged to S them Tourists arc well catered for m the way of games, tniS* croquet, bowls, golf, etc, win e launches do fishing and pleasure trips down the harbour all through the busy season. Akaroa is the business centre of the Akaroa County, as Little i?ivrr is the business centre of Wairewa County and shops and business places provide for all modern requirements. There are also stores at Duvauchelle, Pigeon Bay and Okam s Bay.