A MUDLESS MARCH-APRIL RUN

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1930, Page 6

A MUDLESS MARCH-APRIL RUN

AUCKLAND TO SPIRITS BAY. AND BACK TO WHAN GAR El. (By R. J. Fames.) No. (.!, We had to over-run our tracks northward to get, back to the Oruru valley, a’nd the return journey further impressed the writer with the groat advantages attaching to the reclamation of the mangrove swamps. There are about 1000 acres of this tidal territory about the foreshores of the Whangaroa harbour, and where, lands have been won from the salt water they have proved a profitable asset, especially to the hill farmers who needed some flat country. It appeared, incidentally, that some of the occupiers had “jumped” the swamp land, reclaimed it from the -wastes, and are now faced with the pretty problem of securing titles. However, the work, that has been done ought to be an inspiration to every district that has useless apd unpleasant mangrove flats within its borders.

ORURU—PAIR-BURN. The Oruni-Fairburn valley is a field of rural beauty. Besides tho fertile low-lying lands the hills—high hills — arc giving good dairying results. The Oruru-Pairburn dairy factory draws its supplies from a. wide surrounding territory, 23 miles to the south-west, 16 miles to the north-east and 27 miles towards Lake Ohia—and 12 miles beyond. There are 196 suppliers to this factory, 40 of whom are Maoris. Oruru is one of those few companies which have financed and helped the Maoris. It bought them cows, wire, grass-seed and manure, and, said Mr Hoskin, chairman of directors, “it. has turned up trumps every time. Wo have- not made a single had debt.'’ It might be said at this point that every manager to whom the writer spoke referred in terms of unqualified approval of the work of their Maori suppliers. Oruru directors wore amongst the optimists at the beginning of the season’ and made progress payments against butter-fat of. 1/5 and 1/4 per lb. In January they advanced 1/2] and by February had come back to 1/. So that by March the season’s advances for butter-fat amounted to 1/31 per lb, and the company was faced with the spectre of possible reclamations. Oruru is justly proud of its manufacturing record this season. Not a single box of second-grade butter was made and 90 per cent, of it was graded superfine. When it is remembered that tho cream delivery is only every other day, and that it is carted over long distances by motor van, horse-drawn vehicles and on horseback, they quality records at Oruru represent a real triumph for home separation. Between the Oniru-Fairbprn road and Lake Ohia there is a continues succession of hills, and at all points can lie seen evidences of improving pastures. L,ast year about 350 tons of basic slag was distributed through the Dairy Company to its suppliers. In the lower-lying territory the practice of making ensilage is being definitely extended. On the frostfree hills, where hay-making is a very difficult- operation, the method usually followed is to top-dress and shut up certain paddocks for winter feed. There has been a gradual improvement in the quality of the milking cow's and in the- sizes of the individual herds. Mr G. Yates (two farms) milks 150 cows, Friesians and Jerseys, while Mr John Garton has a herd of 90 very fine Bhort,horns of the Illnwarra milking strain. The run back to Kaitaia disclosed further large tracts of fertile areas. HOKIANGA COUNTY.

On the way south we took the road via Horekino and Broadw-ood to Kohukohu. Excellent flats and very fine foothills were passed. Approaching Broadwood a good deal of burning off was in progress on the bush-hill country. Kohukohu, population s+o, is one of those townships which is not making very material progress as the years go by. Like Mangonui and Whangaroa, the “second city” of the Hokianga (Rawene stands as the local body capital) is crowded down to the- water’s edge by high hills. The main street is very tortuous, and -notices limiting the speed to five miles an hour indicate the local sense of danger. There is no community water supply, no lire brigade, and five acetylene street lamps comprise the public, lighting service. A good deal of hill country just about the township is only now being broken in, the improvements being due to the need for more nnstore for the ever-increasing dairy herds. The butter factory is at Mofukaraka, some four miles from Kolmkohu and about opposite Rawene. From this point Rawene looks like an isolated village on a tongue of laud ]mked our into the Hokianga river, with an undeveloped hinterland. Tin* crossing by ferry would ham been about Ml miles, but we elected lo go by road to Rawene, via Mangimnkn, which mentis a run of 7+ miles! The Hokianga county office, Ihe hospital, and police- court headquarters are situated at Rawene. About 14,100 cow’s supply the factory opposite at Motnk'araka, there being +SS suppliers, of whom about 120 milk by machinery. Some 527 tons of butter was made last year, and this season it is

expected that 000 tons will be manufactured. The culling of the herds, the improvement and widening of the pasture areas, together with new suppliers, account for the increase. KAIKOHE DISTRICT. Between Rawene and Kaikohe the land varies suddenly and considerably in quality. Kaikohe is a bright and growing township, three banks now having substantial and well-do signed premises. The shops that are being erected, and the leading firms that are represented, indicate that the commercial interests are confident that Kaikohe has a sound future. There are about two miles of good roads in the town district and a mile of footpaths, those in the main parts being splendidly kerbed. Kaikohe lies at the head of the fertile Mangak-ahia and Matarana valleys and is the trading centre of a rich and rapidly developing agricultural and pastoral district. The wide flats in which the township is centred are capable of high development. Bo far the Maori land trouble has held advancement in serious check. There has hitherto been a spirit of hopelessness, almost all the natives objecting to spending labour on their properties pending the completion of the consolidation scheme. The result has been that large areas of good land have been over-run with blackberry, gorse and other noxious growths.