THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9452, 24 August 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT.

[Resumed from the lleeald of the 27th of February last.] TF, PUKE CROPS.

Owino to a variety of circumstances a period of noarly six months has elapsed.before the description of the district could be continued, bub the present series of articles will finish the complete description of the whole district to the south of Tauranga. As the crops have been got in and harvested in the whole district, it may be interesting, before quitting the Te Puke settlement, to glance at some of tho results. In Katikati the crops have been very abundant, but it is difficult to obtain any reliable data, as a great portion of them are taken overland to the Thames mining districts, and the home consumption, owing to so many nonproducers, absorbs pretty well the balance, leaving little for export from the town of Tauranga. Tho districts about Tauranga have also had very large crops, the principal one grown being wheat. The export of wheat has been very considerable, and the quality all that could be desired, but the price has been very disappointing. Settlers were led to expect something like 4s per bushel, but the actual price received averaged nearly a shilling less. The price of barley has been still more disappointing, the best price offering being 2a 6d instead of 4s Gel per bushel, as expected, and, in fact, at To Puke one settler has crushed up his crop and used it for feed. The principal growers of wheat have been the natives, who have gone in for cropping with an energy that has astonished those who have known their habits of late years. The natives have been well satisfied with the results of their wheat growing, and they are able to do well out of it where their European brethren can scarcely live. The Maori does not consider toil or labour in the matter, bub' looks at the actual result he gets in cash for his crop, and when lie receives that it places him in quite an unusual state of funds. This winter a very much larger area than previously has been put in crop, and the natives especially are extending their cultivations. Numbers of them find the results are better and much more certain than gum digging, and where large crowds of natives used to go off gumdigging, they are now staying at home, putting in crops of wheat find other cereals. FRUIT CROl'. The crop of fruit this year has been most prolific, and at times it has been difficult to dispose of soft kinds, but taking it all through, growers have received prices that make orchard keeping and fruit growing a remunerative industry. One fruit grower, with an orchard of 10 acres, containing 800 or 900 trees, principally apples of keeping varieties, has had a return of over twentylive tons of fruit, which has averaged over a penny per lb. Others have done equally well, and as the orchard in question has only been put down between seven and eight years, it is a pretty good proof that the district is very suitable for fruit growing. At Te Puke the crops have been equally satisfactory, and thero will be a large quantity for export.

C'IIEESK, MAIZE, ETC. It lias been estimated by a competent authority that cheese has been manufactured to the value of £3000. Of maize there will be over 3000 sacks, valued at near .■€'2ooo. Wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, &c., about £1000, and butter, eggs, &c., about £2.50. This is exclusive of the value of cattle and other stock sold, or the increase that has taken place. The average yield of the maize crop is put down at 00 bushels per acre, which is very good considering a large portion has been a first crop, and the subsequent crops are always better as the land gets sweetened by cultivation. As the number of settlers is only GO, and of these fully one-third are not engaged in making a living off their farms, the average per head is a remarkably satisfactory one. AN' INDIVIDUAL INSTANCE. As a sample of what one settler has been able to do off his 100-acro farm, the following return may be quoted. It may be mentioned that the settler was assisted by his own family of two sons and three daughters, who did all the work on the farm, and independent of that, earned no inconsiderable amount by doing small outside contracts and work for adjacent settlers. „The family milked 25 cows, and reared 25 fine calves, feeding the calves with cocoanut cake. The milk was supplied to one of the cheese factories, and realised over £80 in posh. In the way of crops, the return was ■ about SO wicks of oats, wheat, and barley, and some 300 sticks of maize. In addition, they fattened eight or ten pigs for bacon, and had the usual amount of eggs, butter, potatoes, etc., necessary to keep the house. Altogether the total value of the crops amounted to about £300, independent of what was required for home consumption. This is by no means an exceptional case in the settlement, and others could be mentioned that are equally good, but this is quite sufficient to show what can be done by energy and thrift when an industrious family thoroughly set to work to make their farm keep them. It is the more gratifying to refer to as the pioneer years of settling and farming were so arduous and discouraging that this same family seriously contemplated at one time clearing out of the district, but the progress made this season proves that farming at Puke, where steadily pursued for a few years, ultimately becomes eminently profitable. In addition to the European crops in the settlement, the natives have a good amount of crops, which will tot up to a few hundreds in value. [ GRAPE GROWING. Mr. Tanner's vinery, that was referred to in a formor article, has proved very profitable. Although the first season the vines I have given any marketable return, Mr. ! Tanner has been enabled to dispose of some •100 pounds of grapes, which readily sold in Tauranga at one shilling per pound. As the vines come into full bearing, this return will be immensely increased in future years. THE FLOUR MILL, ETC. The flour mill erected in Te Pake in connection with Mr. Meads' cheese factory has been at full work grinding wheat, but the expense of steam power has been found too great, und at present the mill is being erected afresh, where good water power will be available, both for it and the cheese factory. In respect of mills a large one is being projected at Tauranga, to be run by water power, the site having already been selected, and the preliminaries, in the way of plans, &c., having been already settled. At Te Puke the flax industry is about to be inaugurated by Messrs. Chaytor Brothers, on the Kaituna River, where an ample supply of the raw material is to be found. RETARDING SETTLEMENT. As usual in the district, the question of dealing with the natives crops up as a difficulty, and delays matters, but it appeal to be immaterial whether land dealings in the district are with the Government or the natives, they are all equally unsatisfactory. As an instance, a person in business in Tauranga advanced seed and provisions to some natives at a period of severe depression, and they told him they would return the advance in crops, or, failing that, make over 20 acres they owned at To Puke. The crops did not pay the debt, so the natives came forward and offered to make over the land." On endeavouring, however, to obtain a title it was found that it would be necessary to obtain the signatures of not less than 191 natives to the miserable little 20 acres 1 It is quite unnecessary to say the natives still hold their land. This is one case ; and now for some of the Government dealings that have taken place lately. The Government rejoice in the possession of a Land officer here, who is also the Postmaster, and whose multifarious duties confine him almost constantly to his office. The Government offered some land for sale lately at Te Puna, and owing to the report of the Land Officer it was offered solely for cash, although representations were made that it ought to be opened for selection on deferred payment or. lease. Still practical people's representations had no effect, and the land was offered, and unsold, except one section, whereas the whole would have been readily disposed of if it had been offered under the more liberal conditions of the Land Act. At Te Puke a large number of bush sections were offered, and again for cash and nothing else, although the settlers protested, • and were well supported by the local representative on the Auckland Crown Lands Board, and since then the unsold section* are only open to be taken up for cash, although it is well known that these bush sections would be readily taken up by Te Puke settlers if the conditions were other than cash. The matter has been , brought before the Crown Lands Board, but

in the meantime the sections are being denuded of the timber, that alone renders ' them of value to the settler?. The whole policy of the Government in selling? land in the district is to sell for cash,, and.nothing but why this should be the case - is what no one can understand, as in other country districts settlers are allowed the fullest privileges under the provisions of the Land Act). The same complaint is made all down the coast, and the Te Puna- and Te Puke land sales are by no means'singular instances of the way the Government, instead of lending auy assistance to the settlement of the district, really obstruct it, as people who come to view the land on the expectation of getting it on easy terms for settlement, go away disgusted when they find it is cash, and nothing but cash. GETTING TO MARKET. One other chief question that is at present troubling the minds of the Te Puke settlers is the getting of their produce to Tauranga for shipment to the Auckland market. The distance to cart it from the township is about 19 miles, .and the state of the roads has been worse this winter than for some seasons past. The present means of carting are quite inadequate for the requirements of the district. A tramway from Tauranga to Te Puke has been mooted, and also the construction of a canal between the two places, but the latter , project has received its quietus at the hands of Mr. Hales, the District Engineer, who estimates tbe cost at an amount that places it beyond any practical hope of ever seeing it done. If "the district progresses as it has done for the last year or two, the question (if better transport facilities will be the burning one of the day. In the meantime Messrs. Chaytor Bros., who are going into the flax industry at the Kaituna river, have introduced a powerful steam launch on the Kaituna river to run between Canaan, the landing place at Te Puke, and the harbour of Maketu. The launch is to be used in connection with the flaxtnill when erected, but will also be utilised for the conveyance of Te Puke produce to Maketu, whence it can be shipped to Auckland. A project has also been mooted to bring a large sailing vessel round to the Maketu harbour, and there load her up for one of the Australian ports with Te Puke produce. However, at present the fact remains that it is imperative something should be done to expedite the transport of produce from Te Puke to, the nearest port, and if any feasible or practical project were submitted the Government ought to come forward with a liberal subsidy, as, for all' the revenue they have received out of the district, they have expended comparatively nothing. DEFERRED PAYMENT SETTLEMENT. Some three miles beyond Te Puke is situated the deferred payment settlement of Rangiuru, established a short time after Te Puke. The settlement of Rangiuru was laid off and disposed of at the time in consequence of the unsatisfied demand of land for settlement that was experienced after the Te Puke settlement got fairly established. It was all eagerly taken up at something like 2s per acre rent on an average. It contains about 2500 acres of gentlyundulating land, of good quality, and has been considerably improved, the * settlers being all hard-working men of very small means. Rangiuru was progressing very creditably till the disastrous Tarawera eruption, when so much damage was done as to dishearten many of the settlers, who threw up their selections and left. The deposit of sand and ashes was very heavy, indeed somuch beyond even that at Te Puke, and in one night the flourishing face of the settlement was turned into a desolate wilderness. The grass was almost completely destroyed, and nothing could be kept in the place. Since then the settlement has slowly recovered, as the deposit got washed away, but the effects of the eruption are still discernible. In consequence of the havoc suffered through the eruption, the Government remitted the settlers two years' rent, but something more should be done, for, independently of the eruption, the rents are far too hieh, as the land was taken up in the good times, and a reduction of at least one-half should be made. This year there has been a very fair amount of crops grown at Rangiuru, especially of maize, for the cultivation of which the whole country seems exceedingly well suited. There is little or nothing, however, to export, owing to the severe check the settlement got at the time of the eruption, and it is now only fairly recovering itself. When the settlement, does grow enough produce to export, it ,will have to go via Maketu probably, as the distance to cart it to Tauranga would be too great to render it payable. Rangiuru is in the same position as To Puke with regard to means of transport, and the difficulty will be more felt as the district progresses, and produces more freely. Just beyond the Rangiuru deferred payment settlement is situated TIIE MATAI RUN. The block, of which the run consists, contains GBOO acres of land, and the proper name of it is Rangiuru. It is better known, however, as the Matai, which is the native name of where the homestead is situated. The run is also known as Vercoe's, who were the original owners and occupiers, and who had the management until a few weeks ago. The property is an exceptionally tine one, but like many other fine properties bought from the native owners, cost the original purchasers moro than it was worth, owing to the numberless difficulties and expenses incident to all native land negotiations. The final result is that this fine property has fallen into the hands of the] Bank of New Zealand, who are working it on their own account, and have lately replaced Mr. Vercoe, who has been identified with the property since the beginning, by ajnew manager. The run is situated between the Waiari and Kaituna Rivers, and is acccssible by small steamer, which can go to the Qanaan landing on the Kaituna River. The block is some three miles across, by seven miles from the main road to the bush. It slopes gently from the bush towards the sea, and is of equally as good quality of land as Te Puke. Compared with Te Puke, the area of land fit for settlement at the Matai is about the same, but leveller, and not so broken. Like Te Puke, it is intersected with gullies, but not nearly so bad nor so deep. An immense amount of work lias been ,dono •on the Matai run, which is all in grass with the exception of a few hundred acres. The grass is very luxuriant, and carries large numbers of cattle and sheep. The run was used more as a cattle run than anything else, but latterly sheep are being recognised as more suitable and profitable. The run is all fenced, and subdivided into paddocks so as to facilitate the fattening of the cattle. There is a comfortable homestead erected with all the necessary enclosures. During the past season a considerable area has been in crop with turnips to be used as winter feed for the cattle and sheep, the latter of which have latterly been found to do remarkably well. The crop of turnips this year was an immense one, fully proving the capability of the land for cropping, and the purposes of settlement for agricultural pursuits if the run should ever be cut up. Other crops raised for home consumption, such as oats, maize, and potatoes, do equally well. The run carries about 1600 head of cattle all the year round, and some 2000 sheep. Previous to the present year the cattle have been fattened up and sent overland to the Thames for disposal, where they readily sold. This season, however, owing to the alteration in the management, an entire change of policy seems to have taken place.' The cattle, instead of being driven overland as hitherto, have been shipped direct to Auckland by the steamers of the Northern S.S. Co.'s line. The Northern Co. have a contract to ship away 1000 head of fat cattle and 2000 sheep for the Auckland market, which will give some idea of the capabilities of the run. So far some 400 fat cattle and 200 sheep have been sent away, and shipments are made regularly every week, if the weather serves. The quality of the animals is evident from the fact that the first shipment brought 12s 6d per head more than the best of the Wast Coast cattle. The sheep are of equally good quality, and bring equally good prices. So far the run is free from any sheep or cattle disease, and even ~ at the time of the sheep and cattle disease at Te Puke, the Matai escaped scathless. It seems a great pity, that such a fine property should be so crushed down under the incubus of debt as to fall into the mortgagee's hands, and it would have been far better for the whole district if it had been cub up into a flourishing settlement like Te Puke, rather than to be left as a cattle and sheep run. The land is equally as fertile as that of Te Puke, and the area available for settlement is somewhere near about the same, so that there is ample room for quite as successful and progressive a, settlement as that on the neighbouring block of Te Puke.