KAIHU SETTLEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 209, 4 September 1899, Page 6

KAIHU SETTLEMENTS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Your readers will no doubt be pleased to learn that, settlers have survived the seven days' gale. At one time it felt very like the blowing down of buildings on the sleeping inmates, but fortunately the damage was confined to the blowing clown of trees, palings, fences, sheds, etc. For seven days it blew and rained, and the exposed stock suffered greatly; in fact, all stock are looking bad. Although the winter has been a very dry one for us, it has been very cold, with plenty of ice. Fancy that so far North. Election matters are in evidence. Mr McLeod delivered addresses in several places, and at Awatuna received a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr J. Gilford also addressed the settlers, to explain Ids reasons for not putting up, and stating his intention of standing in the event ot any unforeseen event causing a vacancy later on. Affairs are very dull throughout the settlements, work being scarce and the outlook not very promising. The great difficulty is to know what is best to be done to secure an income. Some are of opinion that fruit is the only thing, but that, like most things, takes time. Others are trying raising stock, but the area'is too small, and the bulk of the land 100 exposed to make this profitable, apart from the distance from market and high freights. The exposed si I nation is a most serious trouble, and increases as year by year the bush la felled. Very little bush has been felled this peason. Shelter trees are being planted, and if this is attended to more there is no doubt that every penny expended will be well spent. Fruit trees promise abundantly; the cold weather suited them exactly.