HOLIDAY TRIPPING IN CENTRAL OTAGO

Evening Star, Issue 19779, 1 February 1928, Page 9

HOLIDAY TRIPPING IN CENTRAL OTAGO

NOTES BY THE WAY CROMWELL AND ITS FRUIT PROBLEM [Written by W. B. Scott, for the , ‘Evening Star.’] Cromwell stands on a bluff at the junction of the Clutha and the Kawarau Rivers. To the visitor arriving at the station on the other side of the river the township, with its beautiful war memorial and the plot in the foreground, looks very picturesque. Scaling one of the hills and looking down on the town immediately makes one think of an oasis in the desert. Cromwell is a mass of greenery, while all around there is nothing to be seen except grey hills and immense outcrops of black stones. This impression is accentuated by the lovely spell of dry weather through which the district has been passing. Cromwell is fortunate in possessing an abundant water supply, with the result that the desert blossoms as the rose and trees, shrubs, flowers, fruit, and vegetables have responded splendidly to treatment.

At a distance of four miles from Cromwell wo reach Ripponvale, a cluster of fruit orchards that have been experiencing adverse circumstances from a trinity of evils—late frosts, high winds, and long continued rainless periods. Here again the astonishing results obtained from close attention to irrigation were evident. Some orchards showed little in the way of an effort to get water amongst the trees, and there was a corresponding absence of foliage and fruit. Otherorchards, as _ a result of hard work—all at it and always at it—and plenty of water, were delightfully green and laden with apples and peaches. In some cases the orcha relists have walked off the sections, while in other cases the trees have been uprooted and cattle and sheep are being grown instead. Fruit is essential to the wellbeing of a community, but one cannot expect even when you ge the right class of man in the orchard, the best results unless the orchardist receives a payable price for his fruit, and on the other hand the householder who is expected to purchase the fruit is able to obtain it at a reasonable figure. There seems to be a big discrepancy somewhere that the man in the orchard is unable to explain, and that the purchaser is unable also to understand. Let me give an example. The earliest peaches, known as crate peaches, because they arc carefully wrapped and packed in trays, brought to the orchardist to whom I was speaking the lordly sum of 2|d a lb. The purchaser in Dunedin paid 8d and lUd per lb for the same goods, from which no loss was experienced by the retailer through decay. Docs not this wide margin require some explanation? Just at present many tons of stone fruit are being forwarded to market and a glut is inevitable. The orchardist will pay the penalty, although be has done all the hard work. The Dunediniie will pay much the same price as before the glut. Does the fruiterer reap the advantage and get more than his fair share of profit? My knowledge of Dunedin leads me to believe that the people are clamoring for fruit, but the heavy charges become prohibitive. I am well aware of some of the answers that might he given along the lines ol orchard charges and loss ol limit, etc., but, the hard fact remains that in spite of his energy and toil the orchardist is having a difficult time in gaining an adequate remuneration, while the city resident is not obtaining the fruit as cheaply as he should be able to do.

A RUN TO WANAKA AND HAWEA.

All arrangements had been made lor a motor run to the Lakes when an unexpected hitch occurred, and it seemed as if the trip would have to be abandoned. Fortunately a friend came to my assistance, and by midday a wellloaded “Lizzie” had commenced a 100-mile run, which included Lakes Wanaka and Hawea. in spite ol the drought and the heavy holiday traffic the roads were in an astonishingly good condition. Wanaka and Hawea are not anything like being thoroughly exploited, and in days to come they will be a tremendous asset to m particular, and Otago in genera!. The real eye-openet of the trip was tiw ia* relation given hy the wonderful farming country that lies in the various valleys between the hills and the mountains. Though the evidences of drought were everywhere manifest, yet the appearance of the farms and runs revealed that the country possesses not only tourist possibilities, but the true backbone for towns like Cromwell. Our outward route lay along the Wanaka road, through Lowburn, with its Welcome Home Hotel—a new thing in the way of hostelry names to me—then Quecnsborry, with its quaint old Queensberry Inn—a relic of the coachitm days and a cross between a mining pul) and the inn of an old English village, then on through Luggato towards Pembroke. Instead of entering the township we circled Mount Barker, and thus were given an opportunity ot viewing this beautiful farming area. Crossing the dry beds ot the Cadrona, we were in a few minutes on the shores of Lake Wanaka, with Mount Buchanan wreathed in mist on the other side of the lake. Then came an unexpected and delightful experience. An eight miles run along the shores of the hike brought us to Glen Dim Bay. It lay before us, placid, beautiful, and warm, while the rest of the lake was disturbed bv a cool and strong wind blowing from the mountains, but missing the bay. The view across Glen Dim was entrancing as the greens, browns, grays, and purples of the hills . shaded into one another. Mount Aspiring, one of the sights from the bay, was in shy mood on the occasion of our visit, and was veiled in mist. At this spot the water js shallow and dips gently, making it « safe bathing spot. Members of the party enjoyed a delightful swim, after which the billy was boiled and the table spread for tea on the lake shore. On the return journey Ruby Island presented a charming sight, with the mountains of Lake Hawea in the background. At another bend in the road we looked down on Pembroke, nestling in the valley, with Mount Barker and Mount Iron standing guard on either side, and the Pisa Range and the Criffel Run forming a suitable background. From Pembroke the Ford raised no ohjections to taking us over the hilly country, including the crossing of the Clutha. by means of a punt, which carried 211 vehicles on Boxing Day, until we reached the shores of Lake Hawea. Here a fine expanse of water, covered by the dark shadows of deeply serrated mountains, with their steep and tireless gullies, upon which the setting sun was shining, formed the groundwork of a picture that will not, easily bo forgotten.

Then came the homeward journey through the valuable and fertile Hawea Flat, down the hill, across the Clutha Bridge, once more into Luggate, and at 9 p.m. we are home after a thoroughly enjoyable trip. There is much more that one would like to write about. Never have I seen such magnificent Lombardy poplars. In all directions they stand like sentinels, and a wonderful contrast to the brown and dingy unwatered blocks of land Then one is struck with the remarkable results wrought in seemingly barren mid unproductive land as soon as water

is turned on to it. This makes it all the more regrettable that the Tarras and Bannockburn irrigation schemes have failed to meet the requirements On one farm in the Haven Flat we noted sixteen fine stacks of oats, and the harvesting had not been completed. One cannot conclude without a reference to the beautiful Wanaka Station, o'u the shores of the lake. The avenue of English , trees, now in the prime of life and the midst of their glory, on the road to Glen Dim and bordering the station, is a thing of beauty, and we hope a joy for ever.