PROSPECTS OF THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5794, 12 June 1880, Page 6

PROSPECTS OF THE NORTH.

It might interest a large number of people who are now wandering over New Zealand, looking for land, to know where they can easily satisfy their requirements, ani it is not with any hesitation that I offar my advice to them, as I myself have spent a considerable amount of both time aud money with the same end in view. I believe 1 am intimately acquainted with every part of the North Islaud, from Wellington to Mangonui, and I can confidently assert that there is no p'ace to fqual the Victoria Valley and Kaitaia, Mangonui. I take it for granted that a mm who wants land requires three things : He wants cheap land, accessible laud, and good land combined. Now, here they are to be found, and it is a complete mystery to me that the advantages that are here, in a superlative degree, have not been taken advantage of by the old identities. However, let that pass. The quality of the toil here simply cannot be surpassed ; at any rate it is not by any iu the North Island. It can only be cour pared to the rich alluvial flat 3 in Poverty Biy, and will bear favourable comparison with them. It is impossible to describe the richness, as if I confioed myself to the strict truth many would think the picture too highly coloured. I can only say that the Waimate Plains there is so much fuss over arc not to be compared to the North as regards quality of soil, and as for the Te Aroha block, well, I nevcr'did think much of that, and I spent three months looking over it. As regards price, the best land can be bought for £1 per acre, and land that is equal to any in the Waikatj for 10a. per acre. People who prefer leaiehold caa get 500 acres of alluvial flats partially improved for £'J0 per annum. Thi3 is one of those wonderful fac'.s that we find it hard to realize, but the fact remains. We now arrive at the third necessity, accessibility. This is tho secret that has kept the place back, a 1; leas} it is the only reason I can describe. Landing from the steamer at Mangonui, dismay and terror is struck into the heart of :he land-hunter. Nothing but barren hills confront him, and landing on a two-penny halfpenny wharf, he finds himself in as miserable an apology for a town as exists on this side of the eauator. What ought to be a thriviug pl<ce is represented by a couple of stores and a public house, but I was told there was another one round the corner. I generally found one ro-md the corner wherever I have travelled. Taking Greatheart in the Pilgrim's Progress as his guide and example, the land-shark now mounts one of the most Ima'is piece 3 of engineering that ever existed in tlie shape of a road. Why the road should have been taken over the highest peak of a range that could be found is one of those things no fellow can understand. But this is one of the most in3urmountible facts he will have to contend with. It is a stern, stern fact. 1 know it is, as I sat down sevrral times as I wa3 going over. Reaching Oruru Valley, he will begin to ?ea that he has not made the trip iu vain. This place really deserves mention ; but I am trying not to' occupy too much of your space, so must pssi it by. The road runs up the Oruru Valley, and after passing Peria, he will renew his troubles. The mail that engineered this road Reserves a leather medal, for I am confident there is nothing like it in the wide world. It is like Mark Twain's map of Paris—unequalled. This is the road that has kept locked up one of the finest stretches of good land in this island, and is a disgrace to the surveyor who laid it off, and the supineness of the people who let it continue to be the main rond to Victoria Valley. The inhabitants of Mangonui seem to be blind to the fact that it is the country that makes the town, and that without good roads settlers will never come here, no matter how rich the l«nd is. If they would only i eilize that, surely in their own intere it, they would construct a perfectly level line that is already surveyed. It is, however, quite impossible to say what they will do. A few years ago the Government offered to make a road here, and this population of imbeciles actually said they did not want it. You can't account for people like that, you know. However, not te trespass on your space too much, I will merely s *y that having struggled over this strange apology for a road, the would-be settler will find land here that will sati*fy the most fastidious ; and let him remember good cheap land is scarce, and there is no doubt that a level road will be constructed to Mangonui in a short time, and then the pioneers will not have cause to regret their enterprise.—[A Correspondent.]