IN PUMICE LAND

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 20, 24 January 1913, Page 3

IN PUMICE LAND

A GRAND EXPERIMENT, ' MEN WHO DESERVE SUCCESS. MH. MASBKY AND THE RAILWAY PROBLEM. (ft MLEGBAFH— SPECIAt, TO TH6 JOST.) TAUPO, This Day:" Yesterday the Prime Minister travelled the first section of his Taupo journey, g6ing over the route of the direct Rotorua-Taupo line, as proposed by* the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce. IV day he- will start back from Taupo northward, following the route of the T*aupoTotara . Timber Company's railway extension scheme, which runs from Taupo, via Walrakei and Mokai, to Putsturu. In yesterday's trek Mr. Massey was under the aegis of the Rotor'u'a Chamber of Commercej while to-day he will Be under that, of the company. The most interesting feature of yesterday's journey began when the motorcars left the Rotorua-Taupo coach road at a point a few mile/ south of Waiotap'u, and followed ,a< parallel course,, it a distance of a couple of miles, traversing the best land in the Waiotapu Valley. By this means the party was introduced to 1 A quality of soil that the tourist on the coach road does not see. ' Probably the -pick of it all is what is known as the Waiotapu Swamp, now practically drained, and of good sheep-carrying capacity; The swamp lands—some'thousands of acres— 'must stand by themseilveg ? and next come large areas of well-situated, pumice fiats, a portion of Which has been improved to an extent that' indicates great potential productivity in a district tha,t until recently wets regarded as waste. * >In a third category ' may be placed the more undulating pumice lands, which in time will be broken in much in _ the' saifie way. as the flats are coming in -now. COURAGEOUS PIONEERS. The, first considerable holding passed through after leaving the coach road .was 36,000 acres belonging to Messrs/ Stead and Watt, carrying now 12,000 sheep, with an ultimate carrying capacity, the manager hopes., of well over a sheep to, the acre. Messrs, Stead and Watt have a rich nucleus of swamp lands, and are developing their property with 'vigour. Next comes Mr. Butcher's property -of 20,000 &ctes l and then Mr. Vaile's 53,000-acre holding, which reaches down almost to Lake Taupo. These are big holdings, but nothing save praise is heard for the owners, for they ( are ! pioneers. They started out on_ a grand experiment, and it is -developing most favourably, so that success is probable, if not certain. Only the other a&y people laughed at the idea of breaking in' these pumice lands, and amid that scepticism ■ these plucky" men poured out their money, the investment in Mr. Vaile's case alone representing not less ihan £20,000. The result now is seen i in, green paddocks/ much fencing, abun- ! dant red clover and cow grass, good crops of- turnips, and fat sheep. ■ MISSION OP- THE RED "CLOVER. , 'According to the Government Agricultural Chemist, Mr. B. C. Aston, this> pumice soil has all the elements of fertility save one-^-nitrogen. It is the mission of the red clover to supply that, want, and its luxuriance, wherever sown^ even when springing amid fern, shows how the clover us doing its work. A great factor in f avoUr of t these pumice lands is that they are mostly ' level or undulating, and Mr.' Clifton, of the-Agri-^ cultural Department, estimates that twothirds are ploughable? therefore, with eh'eap manures, such as railway communication should bring, they are ;cap* ■ able of .being Vastly improved- by cultivation, and ultimately of excelling areas that ."are now more, productivefbut, from their situation, less amenable to ploughing and cultivation. Mr. Clifton says that as far, as the growing of root crops is concerned, the pumice' country has passed the experimental stage. Mr. i Aston says' that it improves the more it is cultivated, and will ultimately, he thinks, be suitable for working in small areas' rather than in large. ' '.THE RIVAL SCHEMES. ,Of • course, the Rotorua people • are slowing Mr. Maeeey .the possibilities 'of these pumice* land» as a lever to secure railway .trausport, and to-day -Mr.' F^ G. Dalziell, of the Taupo-Tota/a Timber j Co., will show other . pumice lands on the Mokai side as an argument for the extension to Taupo of the company'a railway. The company 'saya that> the Mokai connection will put Taupo in closer . touch with Auckland ' without passing through Rotorua.' Oil the other hand, Rofcorua wieh«e to link up the big lake district to itself, and then to link itself to Tauranga as, "the nearest deep-water ,porL . ,-j •Favoured with splendid weather, yfesfcarday's, journey was delightful, particularly, after leaving the coach road, j which hugs the Mils, then striking out into the Waiotapu Valley. If the rail- i way follows that valley, it . will keep I to the right bank of the Wafkato, ■ thus avoiding two crossings of that river now made by the coach road. From Mr. Vaile's homestead a magnificent view was .obtained, starting 'with the j famous Mount Tarawera and Rainbow Mountain, beyond the head of the valley, following the blue course of the I mighty Waiiato towards triple-coned Tauhara, and fading into the dim die. tance southward of Lake Taupo, where itnowclad Raapehu and steaming Ngauruhoe' were faintly visible,. * Last night the Prime Minister and party were at the Terraces. , ,