NOTES ON TE ARAL [IN OUR RAMBLING REPORTER.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5770, 25 March 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

NOTES ON TE ARAL [IN OU R RAMB LING REPORTE R.]

Tin 'L\ Ai.u disiiiut lies betweui Mangaw.ai and fi'viii, iMvuii,' in aiL'i of "_''J,000 acres. I'll" (|ii,ila\ oc clio soil \aue.-> gieat'y the IiuiU <>f it l»jiuti stiff clav Mtil ol aII colonis f, »ii) .1 sto'iv, b.i'iL-u white to bnglit iii'l. The )>i>! ski' is huuid in .'lliui'l bottiVUs 1'k'/( i. l so.ue extensive swamps in the distuct th.it will become tlio be^t taming poitiun of tlie country when eipitil his been -.pent in diaining The only-wo 1 k tlniio in thic direction as vet is on the e\tui->i\c f.irm of Mr. Eyie This gentleman In-, inn laigo. open drams thiough an extent ot sonic .'10D acres of swamp Since this \uiik has been done the clmvcter of the swamp has alteied considerably, ,viid wlieie lli\ and tmcoi i tew yoiis «sini_e, sheep ue '41 i'iiig. l'lie e'l 11 uixr <«f tlic tonntiy is uudidaUug and seen, httid by 11 iturc to be at mhiii 1 future day a imc sheep countiy. This hiicly undulating giound is exhausted by hundreds of yeai •> giowth of fern and ti-lue, which 1 utui n-s nothing to the .soil, so that surfacesown grass is foil 111 to be a failure. It is proved, however, by the experience of the sottlers that after twice breaking up, and scattering a little bone-dust, a Hue sward is obtained When tins is done, the laud c lines a heavy piopoition of sheep 01 eattle to the acie, ind seems to possess peculiar fattt nmg piopetties Thus it will be s>con that what is wanted 111 the Arai district is eapitil and laboui, to turn what at piesentaie uniuvitinglookmg lulls into a good gia/mg count: y l'lie land no'v under cultivation, about 1.0U) a,ies, i-> princip ilhj devoted to 41.1/111-, pur ]>o>cs. The small proportion ol cultivated ii'id to fie ,irei oi the distne 1. 1, due i.i I 41 " u^i 1.1 ■• to absentoui-.n —.vb mt 10,0'):) aei\, aio calculated to be in the h.uiils of aS caters, an 1 desoi ted home- j ste.vh are (|inte a te.iture i'i the di-. tnct, -J>.iiu .. dc 'u honses slmdrv^ without occupuita. One .idvuitisje of aliieiii -'a 11 I 1 tiio los'dent lattleisij t'lvt it give, a lu^e aioi of laid for tliem to run cattle 0.1 —J.000 s 'icop an I S03 held of catt'e is about; a Ku 1 c-jtunate ol sLoclc owne.l m the disttiot The ]>i>j>ul itio.i i& li^ekoned at ).>0 adults and children. Tliu scenery is sinking ami qnite icties'iing to the traveller after pis-iiti'4 over the Torfc Albeit lioal, tlirough Oru.twli.ro. v/luii the higher gimiu'l 13 rcaohe 1 at To Aiai, a fine view, looki.ij eastward nio^ts tlie eye over a long range of white, glittering sand-hills along the coast. Those aie backed with the blue ocean, dashing its enormous suif rollers on tlie beach with a noise of thunder. On the bosom of the ocean repose^ the Hen and Chickens, with its clear cut pjiks standing out against the blue sky : the Tattle Baruer, a blue ha/y-lookmg snot of land. Farther away the foov Knights are visible ; away on the left .re the M.mg.uvai Heads, with the bai close to, a white line of foam —altogether the se v^ne is one of the most magnificent in I\cw Zoalaml. Vast quantities ol gum have been taken fiosn the hills of Te Aiai, and <heiv .uiv men >-ti!l diggmtr, l>ut the supply is getting -hoit. This indiibtrv was in many cases ni gieat assistance to the eaily settlers 111 the days when their fanns were unproductive and the giass giowing. Among the crops grown may bo mentioned vines —several acres are planted in this way, and some good wine made 111 the district. Last season was an i xci'ptionally bid one for grapes, and almost liicvciv case blight or black spot has inadi sad hi\ oc, and will stop the manufacture of w me tins season. The district is lioh in mineral resources. Coal has N-en found eropi>ing out ol the surface in small seams. The samples which j our reportei inspected were of good quality, though small Xo prospecting his been done, .so that it is impossible to say whether the scams enlarge underground or not Jn I SO'.! guat excitement- was caused throughout 'IV Viai and the ad|oinu\g districts by the dis> ove.v <,f > quart/ leader. Several bags ucit.ldlud 11 id shipped to the Thames. The (jii.ut/was ciii3hcd at the Kuranni '.inglestunp, and the yield considcicd a]<i>'ible one ; 01, >f not payab o, it was .snllici -nt to bring out the piospcctus of the M.angawai (i.M. Co A subsci iption list was opened, and C100 subscribed by tlie residents. Tins amount was spent m surface scratching^, and no goo I done. [t is beyond doubt that (|ii,w t/, leets exist, l>ut whether payable or not remains to be proved Te Arai boasts a church —a roomy building, w itli remarkable windows. This church was built by public subscription, and is humoinously shared by sevcial deuoiitiu itions i'lie services are conducted by throe liy readers alternately, with monthly \isits fiom the llev. Mr. Woikur. Tlie Public Library is Hi go, and the books cireii! ite fieely among the settlers The Cemetery, after being open to the depiedatiom of cattle and pigs, for the bst do/on year.?, li is beci fern I at I.i't by public sub-.fi iptio.i, and predcnfs a neit appearance Th" t'diuation il w ints of the dibtiictaro supplied by two hilt time seho,ilii uii'lci the t< u-hnship of Mr. lli-.Jd<u Tlu- ,<.ll(i >ls ,uo w ide apart, the sobttei i houses Ijeing so scatteu'd. It is ef»iitcni[ilatud erecting a centtal school, as soo'i ji-3 a site can b> agreed upon, and di away with Uic lulftune schools The Board ot Jvliicition has gmnrcd tlOO for the purpose. The aveiage attend uu i' at the present sulinols ia The Tc Aiai Po^t oiHce is a busy onij, the mails f()i all the s.m\oiiiulnij, distnets passing througli. Mi. Kan ami, tliu posfc-maiter, also inns a good sloie, winch m addition, iiFonls the only ae oimnoil.itidii to bu found by tlie tia\tiler. Tin: 10 uIsthioughout the

d'-i,. i i ] m\c iiii[H i\vl < onsidoialily m the 1 1 t k « tii , isimulh in tlu" dneition ot MaiiL.iv. .u, the piiikip.il outkt for pioducc dud [>asbL'ii<:ci-. What tin -Ltth i>. want is l><.'tt"t'i comiiiiiiuu.itinii between Auckland and iho poit (M.ii){»awai), as the piesent .in mil' Client c lilacs immense loss of time ,ind ii'o.iiivenicih'o ; .uid this it is to he hoped the -.uuiiKT 'Amjlc, now advertised to lie laid on, will supply Im many yeai&to eomo.