Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6061, 21 April 1881, Page 6

known as Albertland North. Riding along, I could see where gumdiggers had been at work; for there was a small rush to some of this land when, better than a year ago, gum was so high in price. It must be 12 or 14 miles to Kaiwaka, the latter part of the road being through a thick belt of forest, emerging from which one sees scattered homesteads, that belong to the settlement in the distance, the high mountain Pukekaroro, with the long range of lofty, precipitous hills beyond, which seem to extend to Cape Bream Tail. Kaiwaka takes its name from a river so called—one of the two branches of the Otamatea, the other brancii being the \Yairau, which goes into the Maungaturoto district. Both these rivers are wide and navigable, the scenery in particular places being very fine. From tiie Kaiwaka River —which, of course, flows into the Kaipara. to the Mangawai River on the east coast, judging from the map, might be eight to ten miles, giving an outlet on both sides, though the principal traffic comes and goes by way of Mangawai. With such splendid river accommodation on both sides the island is where the ridiculousness of a railway through the North appears, not to mention the hilly nature of most of the country through which a line would have to be taken. What country, indeed, is more blessed with navigable creeks and rivers than is a great portion of the North ? Pukekaroro is the name of the highway district, which includes Kaiwaka and part of Hakaru, the boundaries being Mangawai, Maungaturoto, Waipu, and Oruawhnro. Between 11,000 and 12,000 acres is the size of the district. In all, there are twentysix homesteads, with an average population of four to five each. Farms vary in size from 40 and SO up to 1000 acres, and, according to their size and condition, are rated at then- value to let from £1 and £2 to £6S and £80. In this district, which was originally known as 40-acre land, nearly 20 lots have reverted to the Government, in consequence of a nonfulfilment of the conditions under which the land was selected by certain parties. It must have been thought at one time that Kaiwaka would eventually be a most lively and prosperous locality, and have a due share of commerce and industries ; for years ago a township was laid out, and suburban lots of ten acres each were surveyed, and plans of both, I presume, were drawn. How many of these sections are now in the possession of private parties I did not ascertain ; and whether any pegs of even corner lots could now be found is very questionable. Not long ago, at considerable expense, the Board of Education erected a roomy school-house and a comfortable teacher's residence. These buildings stand, I believe, in the township, there being sufficient ground for a good-sized play-yard and a vegetable garden—the latter utilised as it should be by Mr. Campbell, the teacher, who, during the season, had quite a show of diSerent sorts of vegetables. Here I saw growing to perfection snake cucumbers, looking just like so many green snakes, coiled round on the beds. These may be termed a sort of Yankee invention, as the seed came all the way from America. Tomatoes, too, of extraordinary size and yield, were there. The whole of this school property is well fenced round. On the school roll are 36 names, with an average attendance of 27. This was only a half-time school up to last September, when it was ■altered to full time. In another part of the settlement, within the last couple of years, a neat Presbyterian Church has been erected, in which services are regularly held. There is also a post-office and Btore. A public library has not yet been established, being in a kind of embyro state, as yet only talked about. Compared with some of the Northern districts, the land at Kaiwaka is pretty level, and much of it ploughable. As a rule, it is limestone soil. The land may be classified into first, second, and third-rate qualities. Some of it is excellent wheat land. One settler informed me that, years ago, from four bushels of seed he had the handsome return of 200 bushels of wheat. At one period in the history of the settlement, wheat was regularly cultivated. Not an acre is grown now. No roots or cereals are produced for market. A few potatoes are planted by the settlers for their own consumption. A few acres of oats are usually put in for hay, and a little maize, perhaps ; and that is about the extent of the cropping carried on. Grass is the main crop, and is obtained either by cutting down and burning scrub and tea-tree, and surface-sowing the land, or by the usual process of ploughing and harrowing. On land the tendency of which is to go into tea-tree, continuous attention seems to be required to keep it down. There is a good bush run in the district, and by paying a small sum per head for each beast to the natives, the ■winter season is provided for. And so long as that system of turning cattla into the bush is carried on, so long will the settlers have no urgent need to grow fodder for their stock or to erect houses in which to winter them during the severe weather. A good many sheep are kept—altogether nearly 3000. Twenty bales of wool were sent away from the district during last season. I did not hear of any cheese being made, those having dairies generally making butter. Notwithstanding the somewhat neglected-lookiug state of their farms, the settlers seem well to do, living mostly in good weather-board houses, and, as a rule, having a decided liking for Kaiwaka. Te Ikaranganui (the rising up of plenty of fish) is the native name for Kaiwaka, or part of it at least. Walking through the district, at one particular place I came upon what might be termed classic ground. It was a valley or ravine that at one time had scattered about it large quantities of human bones—a kind of Golgotha in fact. Tradition records how a tribe of peaceable and industrious natives were driven from their kainga—some miles distant—by war-loving tribes from the Bay of Islands, who had become possessed of firearms ; how they retreated to this valley; and how they were massacred by their enemies, their bones being left to bleach at Te Ikaranganui. As in other settlements, I found the Kaiwaka people very kind and hospitable. I might have prolonged my stay so as to have visited every homestead; but was not able to do so, as I had to push on to other places. [ However, I saw sufficient to give an idea of the resources of the district, as well as the mode of farming carried on. One of the oldest settlers is Mr. Ros3, the chairman of the school committee. In regard to improvements—land cleared and under grass, fencing, and so on—his farm is as far advanced as any. Four hundred acres is the extent of his holding. He generally has a large dairy and makes buttei". Recently a road has been taken through part of his farm. It is a continuation of one of the North roads—the one from Albertland to Maungaturoto. Compensation was given for the road, which is a great convenience to the public generally. Mr. "Webster owns 410 acres, and keeps sheep and cattle. He used to grow wheat, and could obtain 40 bushels to the acre. He has the machinery necessary for threshing and cleaning grain, and horse-power to drive it; but in the absence of a grist-mill in the neighbourhood, he finds it does not pay to grow wheat. A potato crop that I walked through was looking very well, the tops quite green. They were white potatoes, had been put in late, and ought, by their appearance, to give good returns. Mr. Webster has a good orchard, though on a limited scale, both site and soil apparently '

which is wortli growing being a ' ftj dessert app'e, having a fi? le Uavo ° ur th fgt* generally bearing well es . At the foot of the Pukekaroro mountain la aie fann tif Mr. Stewart, who has been in the district some 10 years. Ho ow£ s 7M V bc,u S limestone and sandstone meat at one time was cultivated, and with good yields; but none has been'grown of late This is principally a sheep farm-! flock of upwards of 500 being kept W„ great amount of cropping is done-fiVe acres of oats and some potatoes being the extent oi last season's. Grass, of course is th» mam crop, and, I dare say, wool and mutton pay as well here as other products The farm extends partly up the mountain and, being of an undulatory character is' no uoubt, a fine run for sheep. ' * Aston Grange, belonging to Mrs. Clayton, is generally considered the best farm in Kaiwaka. Part of it, many years since belonged to Mr. Charlton, who used to keen cattle and make cheese—the cheese btincr well known as a superior article both in Auckland and elsewhere. Mrs. Clayton has been living at the Grange for about 10 vearT The farm contains 700 acres, and is bounded by the Kaiwaka River for a mile and a-half The soil is mostly limestone, with a little sandstone. Some of it is very rich the luxuriant growth of plants and trees near the house being surprising. The land oririnally was covered with light bush, tea-tree or fern, and varies considerably in quality * but, taken as a whole, it is a very good farm. A large portion has been laid down m grass. In all, there might be 250 aercs I was sorry to see at Kaiwaka, and particularly on Mrs. Clayton's paddocks, that abominable weed, pennyroyal (Mentha prUffium). It is spreading a good deal. I had noticed it in many other places in the North. I may here state that once this weed <*eti possession of a paddock, it is very hard to get rid of it. Stray plants may be grubbed up by the roots ; but a paddock would have to be ploughed, and the land' receive a summer fallow, in order to its eradication ; and even after that odd roots might come up. This pest is much worse than fieabane now very common in the North, because that will die out. Not so pennyroyal. Mrs. Clayton has nearly 400 sheep, and about 100 head of cattle, besides working and riding horses. Round the house, shelter trees have been planted, and have made rapid and vigorous growth. Lemons here do splendidly. Beneath the shade of these trees, and under covered roofs, beehives are kept in numbers. Some of the hives appeared to be full of honey. I suppose, in all, there were between 40 and 50, many of them with glass sides and sliding doors, so that the bees could be seen at work. Mrs. Clayton is a lady of considerable energy, and takes great interest in matters concerning bees, iruits, and flowers. She is quite an enthusiast, too, in the manufacture of wines, preserves, and sauces, for domestic use, of course, and has no patieiice with ladies in the bush who will not take trouble to make these nice things—make them in sufficient quantities for the farm servants to have a share—to help down the salt meat, you know. She kindly gave me recipes for making orthodox chutney and real Worcester sauce, equal, I believe, to the celebrated Lea and Perrin'u. Here is the recipe for the sauce : —Garlic, 4 heads; cayenne, loz.; Indian soy, 4ozs.; walnut pickle, Bozs.; 4 braised nutmegs; 48 bruised cloves; jozbruised cochineal; sugar, 120z5.; 2 lemons; and 4 quarts vinegar. To be mixed altogether in a jar, shaken every day for a month, and then poured off. I lunchcd at Mrs. Clayton's, and had an opportunity of trying the chutney and preserves, the latter,, a year old, being delicious. Much of the land at Aston Grange would be greatly improved by draining, and, I believe, Mr. Clark (Mrs. Clayton's son) who manages the farm, intends, as an experiment, to start draining operations in a paddock near the house.