FARMING IN THE MANAWATU DISTRICT.

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 142, 18 June 1919, Page 14

FARMING IN THE MANAWATU DISTRICT.

The fertile district between Waikanae in *he soui& s»tj Feilding in the north has always been considered the pick of the Dominion, and rightly so, for in this large area will be found more Teally first-class land than in the rest of the North and South. Islands combined. It is, therefore, that we find a well-expres-sed desire by less fortunate people to buy into properties situated in ' the territory named. The railway service, as services go, is an excellent one, the towns offer all the social and educational advantages, and the climate lends itself to successful farming. From time -to time the original holders of the land, for various reasons, decide to cut up their properties, and: it is on these occasions that the opportunity is presented which farmers from all parts are not slow to grasp. During the last seven years the following large subdivisional sales, amongst others, have been conducted by Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd.. :—

Arapata Estate, Waituna, 3466 acres. Kuku Estate, -Manakau, 448 acres.

Kopane Estate, Awahnri, 1107 acres.

Riddiford's Estate, Longburn, 1650

acres. Mingiroa Estate, Kakariki, 963 acres.

Rangiotu Estate, Rangiotu, 304 acres,

Hodge's Estate, To Horo, 991 acres, Bolinda Estate, Palmerston North, 548

acres. Donald's Estate, Bunnythorpe, 290 acres. Gorringe's Estate, Koputaroa, 651 acres. Wood's Estate, Shannon, 817 acres. Gleeson's Estate, Manakau, 154 acres. Rototane Estate, Rangiotu, 352 acres.

Already this year the same firm has held some highly-successful sales, and, as we consider the prices obtained, would! be of general interest, we give an analysis of them. .

TAKAPAU ESTATE, KOPUTARTJA. —This property was cut up into areas of from 42 to 171 acres, and ifc was all sold under the hammer on 30th April, on account of tho Estate of late John Davies. The 1040 acres realised from £23 to £71 per acre, and averaged £54 15s.

TE OPAKETE ESTATE, KOPUTAR.UA.—Offered by auction on 14th May, on account of Mr. C. C. Higginson, in areas of 38 to 87 acres. Every section sold at auction at from £69 to £86 per acre, the whole 304 acres averaging £76 15s.

THE HANNAH ESTATES, PALMERSTON NORTH.—Never before has so much interest been manifested in the Dominion in any cuiting-np proposition as in the above. Buyers came from far and near, and in one day fifty-two persons had lunch on the property. The terms were very easy, and this fact, coupled with the desirable locality and the good quality of the land, resulted in a record land sale. Four separate estates were offered, comprising rich river deposit land, good dairying and stud farm land, and very fair sheep country, and every section, was eagerly competed for, and sold under the hammer. The RAUKAWA Estate of 701 acres sold from £45 10s to £81 per acre, averaging £58 16s. The TARARUA Estate (sheep country), of 768 acres, averaged £11 15s. The CLIFFSIDE Estate, of 1014 acres, went from £37 to £60, averaging £49 18s. The SIBERIA Estate, of 2278 acres, realised £24 6s 6d per acre, selling from £16 10s to £70 per acre. In a leading article on this sale the Manawatu Daily Times,' of 12th June, says : "Both sides gained yesterday. The vendors certainly had a good win, and we have it on excellent authority that not one of the purchasers, given ordinary luck, will live to, repent his bargain. This sale vividly indicated one' thing, and tha1]; is that there is a genuine land hunger in the Dominion, and that hundreds of, genuine fanners are on the look out for agricultural and pastoral holdings." "'-■

It is hard to say what land is really worth, and. though present. prices may seem high, we remember when other properties were sold some years ago people considered that the prices were out of all reason. The Riddiford' Estate at Longburn, sold by Abraham and Williams, Ltd., in June, 1913, averaged

£52 16s, and to-day not ono section could be bought a.t less than £100 per acre, and some sections have Eokl at beyond this figure. With proper farming it is astonishing what land will produce, and as this is an age of specialisation so must the farmer specialise if he wants to make a success.