THE MARLBOROUGH EXHIBITION BLENHEIM'S BACK COUNTRY. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 70, 20 September 1904, Page 2

THE MARLBOROUGH EXHIBITION BLENHEIM'S BACK COUNTRY. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Our Special Reporter.) Despite tho facb that tho eomowhat prohibitory tariff of 2s 6d was charged for cntranco to Maryborough's Exhibition on tho opening afternoon and evening, tho takings amounted to something like £140. There was much complaining on tho part of visitors because no passes out wero given. Ono Wellington lady — who, by tho way, wna not ainbugat the grumblors — mado thrCe visita to the Exhibition on Saturday, and puid haJf-a-crown on each occasion. It was oxpected that n large number of people from the big back country surrounding Blenheim would visit tho Exhibition on Saturday, but bho rmin in Ihe early morning inteVicred with this promise. On Monday, when," the popular "Colonial Robert" became tho "Open Soeame" to the building, there were largo attendances both in the afternoon and at night. In addition to tho list of Wellington exhibitors already published in tfie Post, Messrs. Peter lluteon and Co. had v representative di^riay of articles from th«ir pottery work*. Special arrangemcuta h«vo been made for tho visitora to the Exhibition to sco tho processes of breeding and rearing trout for distribution in the Maryborough waters. A pond of unique design, with a fountain combined, ruta been constructed at the rear of the Exhibition, and hero a number of trout, including a 17-poundcr, havo been deposited, and the- construction is such that tho fish are made to move on occasionally, and not lay perdu, as fish on show are wont to do. Having their interest in fish culture thus aroused, visitors arc informed that a. visit to bhe hatcheries, a littlo way out of town, will prove of interest. The Poet's rcproseuUttivo accepted such invitation, and found the Blenheim hatcheries even more interesting .than those of Maqterton. Probably this was because the Curator (Mr. Claudo Ball) had netted a number of fish and set them in diiforent runs for the benefit of visitors. The Blenheim hatchery is practically in ita infancy, but already a large quantity of fish has boon successfully reared, and many thousands have been liberated in tho Om&ka River, below tho town bridge. Mr. Ball, the Curator, is not only an export angler, but an enthusiastic breeder, and under hia care tho fish aro flourishing. Pheasant* are also being reared on tho ground. Tho uso of tho site of the Ble-nhonn hatcheries which is ideal for th<i purposes of fish culture, has been* given freo of charge by Mr. 8. Tnpp. Another interesting spot near Bleu hoim was that portion of Sinclair's Estate which haa recently boon acquired by tho Wairau Poultry Form Company. Tho farm is being organised on model atul uii-to-dato lines by bhe tnuiiAgor, Mr. D. N. Bcott. At tho present time purebred pous only aro boing kept, and they aro of nil classes, including gametv Tho incubator is in operation, and h*a already "mothered" not a few htulthy-looking chicks. 'fhcvd aro movable cootM in the paddock and in a second paddock "colony liousm" (lnrgo movable coops) are ready for tho growing birds. It 1a intended to crostt tho different utrniua of pua'brwls on ooun as tho present incubatioiw havu grown up ■ Ducks and pigeons are ivlso being reAred under exceptional circumstance*. Apropos, it w<» reported that tbe director* of tho Wellington Fresh Food and Ico Company has found tho Blonberm district so suitable for the raising of poultry that it hno decided, to mako that country ita headquarter* for"poultry farming;. A drive through Blenheim « back country provides an oye.-opetior for the Wellington man.. Here u» no undulating or mountainous region. Certainly thero aro ranges, but thoy are 'far away in the distance, carrying a lov«]y blue in the morning light, and tipped hero and thero with beautiful snow-capped peak* But for miles ouUsido tUo town of BlenheitM, aud in ev«ry direction, the fertile plain spreads itself in a mnntlo of green. In the town itself tho soil is feet (not inches !) deep in its black richness, and this high quality extends into the back country. The consequence ia that agriculture crowds pastoral pursuits away into- the hills and ranges at tho back, Ev«n dairying in scurco ventured up>u in this country, cropping being the order of t\\s •easons. At the preaenb time oata ure very much in evidence, and, numbers of paddocks wore seen bearing good growths. Marlborough lia« ever ocon a rich grain-grow-ing province, and it look* as >f i<£ prosperous farmers, are not departing from the old love. There -je «omo attempt being made to foster the dnityiug industry, and hor/d and there a was ptmed during- a most enjoyable- and interesting drive on the soMtu, v^estern, and northern distficte' at the, back of Blenheim. The drive also disclosed, amplo proof that this is a w«ll watered, country. Pwst experience in the risings of the Taylor and tho Omuka Rjvera, has led t,M> autkoriUe* to mako exporimenui with groiiw along tho beds and banks of bho rivers, and already tho experiments have proved successful, flood waters being kept to the main channels only, and prevented from wandering at largo over tho countrywide. During tho railway journey from Blenheim to Picton furtW evidence of the devotion to agriculture was seen, A good deal of ploughing had bwsu dune, and the harrow w seen at work. Ah Tua Marina a clear view of Mneeacr« Hill and its two momorial stones w«a obtained. As titno does not seem to. bo a v«ry serious object on this line-— though the residents of Blenheim cxpraw thankfulness for tlvu «niaH mercy of a recently -saved quarter of an hour on the through journey — it would bo appreciated by many tourists and other travellers if the Government would mako a stoppngo of fifteen minutes at Tua Marina during dajligfit journeys. TUb would enftblo visitors to tako a ruu up to tho summit of Masaacro Hill, from wliich a lovely and comprah«amve view of the Wairau Plain is obtainable^ A momorial stone, marks the sito of tho nw*s»cre by Raupamha, and, the hill also contains an ab&lisk raised by tho people as a moinorinl to the Marlborough troopers who fell during tho campaign in South Africa. The Government is. beiug aekod to change tha name of this hbtoric *pot from "Massaoro TliU to Memorial Hill. The Tourist JJepnrtment should forward my suggestion to the Railway Department, especially as tlio trams running between Picton and Blenheim ar-o few and far between.