NUTS TO CRACK!

Evening Star, Issue 9129, 9 May 1893, Page 1

NUTS TO CRACK!

Tee 'New Zealand Trade Mew,' in a recent issue, .contains an interesting and instructive table, compiled from official statistics, stowing the declared value of the exports from the principal ports of New Zealand during the year 1892,, distinguishing those of the North from those of the South Island. It niay possibly somewhat surprise our readers to learn that the North Island is now ahead of the South in the export of wool, the figures standing at £2,231,416 from the North and £2,081,891 from the South. The largest exporting port in the South Island was Lyttelton, £784,662 • and the largest in the North Island, Napier, £875,088. It may be expected that this proportion will increase owing to the enormous area of waste land still unutilised, and the fact that most of the worst mountain ranges in the North Island will carry grass to the very summits. The next large export is tallow, which is thus divided: North Island, £97,083 ; South Island, £68,430. The exports of butter were : North Island, £176,669 ; South Island, £50,493. This decided preponderance may be ascribed to the prime dairying districts in the genial climate of the West Coast, from Taranaki which are fast being developed. The shipments of butter from the different ports were—

Dunedin, it will be seen, shows a very considerable increase, which, we may hope, will he again augmented this year : but New Plymouth altogether bears the palm, closely followed, by Wellington. In exports of wheat and oats the South Island, has a distinct advantage—but by no means so great as might have been thought—exporting to the value of £4X5,358, against £339,586 from the North Island. In flax the were : North Island, £175,298; South' Island, £39,243. The total export of flax, it may be noted, shows a falling off, as compared with 1891, of £67,000-r£34,000 in the returns from Auckland and £22,000 '-.at Lyttelton. In gold the South Island preponderates, having exported the precious metal to the value of £768,229, against'£l76,669 from the North. The export of coal was: South Island, £39,362; North Island, £40,863. The principal ports of export of this article were Lyttelton And Wellington, it being used mainly in coaling the large ocean steamers. We have not the exact figures of the frozen meat exports, but these were mainly from the South Island. One moral, we think, to be drawn from these returns is that whilst undoubtedly the North Island possesses climatic advantages there is indisputably more energy and enterprise among the colonists. The South Island has to look to its laurels even in tho growth of cereals, whilst in dairy farming we are sadly behind hand; but there is almost indefinite scope for the development of the industry, with the certainty 'of a fair market in the Home Country for butter and cheese carefully prepared and packed. The cause of the rapid progress of the North during the last few years is not far to seek. The country available for settlement, both in the east and west of the island, has been opened up, and production is thus not stagnated through want of easy communication with markets and ports. Tho record of last year would have shown far differently had the interior of Otago been occupied, as it would have been had the Central Railway been completed. Otago is now suffering from the former aj)athy—now happily shaken off—of her own people, and her material foes have been literally those of " her own household." We have before us the report of the Commission appointed in 1881; and it is astonishing, in the face of the facts stated, and which have never been questioned, that in the interests of the Colony at large the line has been allowed to "drag its slow length along" instead of being vigorously prosecuted to completion. The construction of this railway, the Commissioners say, would b-j the means of opening for settlement an area of not less than 2,500,000 acres, about 500,000 of which are suitable for cultivation, and the rest might be classed as pastoral and agricultural lands, which could l>e profitably occupied for mixed fanning in blocks from 1,000 to 2,000 acres. The lands to be traversed and opened up are specialised. The Mauiototo Plain contains, it is stated, 150,000 acres of arable land, of which not a third is at present alienated from the Crown. The soil is especially adapted for root crops, but almost fabulous yields of oats have been raised—loo bushels to the acre, for instance, on the Kyeburn Hundred. From this district alone, when fully occupied, the Commissioners estimated ;i i i export of 36,000 tons of grain. Then ' - ;

come to the Ida Valley, where there ;..•; 00,000 acres adapted for agricultural settlement. The valley is about twenty miles in length and between five and eight miles in width. Good averages of cereals have been obtained on the few blocks occupied—- ''.//.,, 1,100 bushels of first-class wheat from forty-five acres. The Mauuherikia Valley, which 'he line next traverses, is an extensive plain containing a large amount of valuable land! the agricultural area lx?ing not less than 160,000 acres, of which certainly not one-sixth has been up to this time disposed of. Here, again, the excellence of the root crops is remarkable, and cereals show a fair average yield. The grain expoit, the Commissioners said, may be estimated at 30,000 tons. Approaching .Clyde there is a moderate extent of agricultural land, where good crops of wheat and oats have been grown. The valley of the Clutha narrows to a gorge between Clyde and Cromwell; but there are " numerous fertile patches where "orchard growing could be earned on "profitably.''* At Cromwell the country opens out into a wide plain stretching thirty miles, as far north as the lakes. The area of agricultural land is about 150,000 acres, of which not more than 30,000 have been alienated. The Hawea, Tarras, and Wanaka blocks are all of good quality. The average yield of oats in this district may be stated at thirty-five bushels, and the quality very fine, whilst the sown grass flourishes marvellously. Within the influence of the terminus at Wanaka Lake there are extensive valleys in which, the Commissioners say, a large population might be settled. The Matukitub Valley, for instance, opening to Lake Wanaka, contains an area of "14,000 acres arable, of a quality little inferior to the celebrated Taieri Plain." Estimating the tonnage of grain for

export which tho districts through winch the route of tho railway runs arc cafiablo of producing, the Commissioners (making all allowances) put this down at 100,000 tons. To this has to be added root crops and other produce, including .stock for freezing purposes. In addition, moreover, to the agricultural and jiitstoral resources of the country, the timber trade to be developed from the extensive forests in the vicinity of Lake Wanaka has to be considered ; whilst it is hardly necessary to refer to the impulse which would be" given to tho mining industry by facilities of communication for the carriage of material. Beyond tho facts stated, no argument should bo necessary in favor of the completion of the Otago Central to tho Wanaka without unnecessary delav.

im. 1882. Lyttelton .. £10,617 £23,644 Dunedin... .. 4,601 23,780 NewTlymouth.. .. S6.9Q7 82,708 Wellington.. .. ..' 44,756 68,703 Auckland . 27,449 24,213 Other ports ,. 5,728 . 4,114