CHEVIOT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCV, Issue 10918, 28 March 1896, Page 2

CHEVIOT.

£ TO THE EDITOR. Sm, —As your readers, as well as the public in general, are largely interested in the prosperity- or otherwise of this valuable estate, allow me to give you some information! have just received from one ivho

knows the whole district thoroughly. E> writes to me as follows':' —“The East Waiau Plat, on the Cheviot Estate, is equal to some of the best land in Canterbury. I don't mean the whole of the flat, only that portion lying along the downs. With proper and careful farming it is fit to produce stock, roots or grain, and it is chiefly well watered. The West Waiau Plat for the most part is not so heavy, but there have been some good crops of wheat grown on it. It is not so well watered naturally as the East Waiau, as the settlers have to sink mostly for water. The Home View land in the vicinity of the M'Kenzie township is well adapted for dairying purposes. It is chiefly low-lying land, very good for grazing, hut a good deal of it requires to be drained to make it more profitable. Most of the small grazing runs bn the estate will carry a sheep to the acre all the year round, that is, by proper subdivisions and cireful management, such as burning and then surf ace-sowing with proper grasses. I am referring to those runs upon which very little ploughing can be done easily. On - the other small runs a considerable area of ploughing' can be done to produce turnips or other root crops and oats for winter feed or fattening stock for freezing. Of course the above remarks mean capital, and without that you cannot expect to make thq best of the land. As I have indicated above, with reasonable means and careful management, the holders of most of the small runs on Cheviot should have a very fair return on their outlay and labour. On the other hand, there are a few of the small runs that will not carry a sheep to the acre profitably, and cannot be improved very much. I must say the rents have been fixed somewhat inconsistently in that connection. I think there are too many small holdings on Cheviot, as some of the people will find it difficult to find employment. A good many will have to go out to work, as their holdings are too small to make a living on. If Cheviot had been situated in the middle of a large agricultural district it would have been better for the small settl® l *®-'' I quite agree with my informant's remarks as to the small settlers, and trust that the Government will soon take measures to improve their lot by a reduction of rent, making it consistent with those demanded from the other settlers. Our Liberal Government have now, a most favourable opportunity of making this Parliament well approved, of by buying the Glonmarlc Estate. Taeir finances showing .£150,000 surp-iia, now seems the time to got .work for tno many hundreds of unemployed men and grownup youths of Hew Zealand. vVbon all this is performed, then will a real boom arise, and the young farmers and would-be settlers rejoice.—l am, &c., *W. E. M’DOUGALL.