Land Development In Harihari District

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 7

Land Development In Harihari District

It is to be hoped that there will be a brighter future for New Zealand’s dairy industry for the Crown will be establishing more than 12 new dairy farms in the Harihari district in Westland in the next few years. It has under development in this district three blocks of almost 3000 acres in total.

Harihari lies abou of Hokitika and has about 150 inches. The Duart farm settlement is close to Harihari township. Of 1100 acres it is all flat. Drainage is the major problem and already some progress has been made in this direction, although it is now only in its second season in the hands of the Crown. Prior to the Crown taking over the place, only about 150 acres were regarded as reasonably useful country, but some idea of the potential of the country can be gauged from the fact that on 200 odd effective acres, in not nartieularly good condition, the equivalent of six sheep to the acre are being carried at present. The property has benefited from a major drainage scheme ’ carried out in the district bv the Westland Catchment Board. This scheme has involved the cleaning of the La Fontaine river or stream which runs through the farm and also the excavation of some large main drains. The major outlets are now complete. Internal mole and tile draining is envisaged in the future. Drainage Effect Recently a 50-acre paddock was ploughed. Two years ago it could not have been negotiated on horseback. It has a thin layer of peat over silt. Now it is waiting to go half into swedes and half into temporary pasture when the weather will permit the necessary cultivation to be completed. Across the La Fontaine from this paddock is a large expanse of swampy country. Possibly 100 acres of it is open, but beyond there is both bush and swamp. The intention is to start to tackle this area after Christmas, putting in drains about 4ft deep about every four chains and then leaving these for

t 40 to 45 miles south an annual rainfall of about a year to 18 months before returning to mole drain the area. An airstrip is planned for the settlement so that it may be possible to topdress some of the wetter areas before it is possible to get a wheeled vehicle on to them. The Duart farm settlement will eventually be broken up into dairy farms, but at present the likely number of these is uncertain, depending on the future development of the heavier and deeper peat and the light bush country. About 250 acres is described as light peat. Dairy Farm The nearby Herepo farm settlement of 397 acres was a dairy farm running 60 cows before it was taken over by the Crown at the end of May. It is still carrying this herd and the numbers of cows may be increased to about 75 next year with the property also being used to rear as many dairy stock replacements as possible against the the day when the Crown’s blocks will be broken up and the cattle will be needed. It is expected that Herepo itself will make two and possibly three dairy farms but it is likely to be about five years before this country is broken up. About 150 acres which have been used for dairying are in fairly good condition and part of it is quite light and dry for the West Coast. Quite large areas are. however, in gorse and blackberry. Last week some 10 acres were being root raked and giant disced after being in blackberries with stumps and logs. It will go into swedes. About 75 acres bordering on the Wanganui river have been heavily infested with gorse and blackberry and it has been broken down with a tractor running over it with giant discs on behind. Last week the department was waiting to burn this countrybefore putting the discs into it This area is destined for temporary pasture and turnips in January or February. Fencing The programme on the property this year includes about a mile to a mile and a quarter of fencing, building half a mile of road, reticulating paddocks with water and building a new piggery. All usable grazing country has so far had a ton to two tons of lime and 3 cwt. of superphosphate in the spring with another 2 cwt. to follow in the autumn. The La Fontaine farm settlement is the largest of the three Hari Hari blocks and in effect it is in three separate blocks. The greatest oart of the area—some 800 to 900 acres—is in swamp on which drainage operations

are due to be started by the Westland Catchment Board almost immediately. On the 340 acre home block the country is relatively clear and the major programme ahead is topdressing and pasture renovation with suppression of rush growth. One of the last major clearing jobs on the area has been virtually completed and the slightly more than 20 acres involved will shortly go into swedes. On the middle block of 240 acres two tractors were working last week bush and bog discing and harrowing 20 acres which are also due to go into swedes. On this country the timber has been felled and the main job ahead is clearing of stumps prior to cultivation. It is expected that La Fontaine will eventually be split up into eight or nine dairy farms. At present it is carrying 614 ewes and 357 cattle of varying ages. Rotokino farm settlement of 850 acres lies five miles outside Whataroa and 65 miles south of Hokitika. It is now in its second season in the hands of the Lands and Survey Department. It comprises mainly open river flats that have not been fully developed and a little swamp that should not be difficult to drain. Last season and again this season 30 to 40 acres are being sown in swedes prior to sowing to grass, but here some 200 acres have also been successfully sod seeded with grass and clovers. An airstrip has recently been sown and a bulk manure bin built and it is the intention to oversow some 250 acres from the air with clover and superphosphate next autumn. Fencing has been an important item so far and the six wire electric fence is being used to facilitate flexibility in subdivision against the day when the property will be subdivided into four or five dairy units. Hotel Farm Three miles south of Franz Josef the department has taken over an 870 acre property from the Tourist Hotel Corporation. This is not in the settlement category for after development it will be handed back to the corporation to supply the requirements of the future hotel at Franz Josef with mutton and beef, pig meats and dairy produce. ■ About 420 acres of this property, which came into the hands of the Lands and Survey Department about six months ago, has been partially developed following felling of bush and clearing Some has now partly reverted and the- area of 16 acres on this season's programme for turnips and temporary grass came up as “clean as a whistle" after being root raked out of second growth some of which was up to 20ft high. It is planned to put a bulldozer over the lighter bush country and then burn it prior to working the soil. It is expected that some 200 acres of the 450 acres now described as being in bush could be brought in. There is a dairy herd of 50 cows on the property together with pigs and run cattle. Two miles and a half of fencing is on this year's programme and as well a new enclosed piggery and a set of cattle yards. A gravity feed water supply is being installed with water coming down a moun-

tain behind the farm and already creeks on this sloping property have been straightened and shaped to overcome flooding and erosion. In this part of the world the rainfall is of the order of 200 inches a year. Quite apart from the fillip which these new farms will give to West Coast farm production and to the Coast economy in general, their development is already tending to act as a spur to farmers on country adjacent to these blocks. (Concluded.)