A NORTH AUCKLAND ESTATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15061, 2 August 1912, Page 8

A NORTH AUCKLAND ESTATE.

FRUIT AND DAIRY FARMS. [IIT TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. Mr. Richard Keene, of Wellington, who at one time was very largely interested in the Island Bay Estate, which on being cut up for residential purposes realised a large fortune, and who recently acquired the whole of the big Parenga, Estate of 80,000 acres, situated near Mangoßui, Las been all over the estate during the last month, and is enthusiastic over the prospects of the land in the north of Auckland.

"I have made investments in land in nearly every part of New Zealand at one time or other," said Mr. Keen© to a reporter, " but for some reason I cannot explain have always looked askance a*; North of Auckland lands. My visit there has changed my ideas completely, and I believe there is a great future before the place. In the Parenga Estate there are 20,000 acres, or thereabouts, of splendid dairying country as good as anything in Taranaki, for which people axe paying from £40 to £70 an acre. Then there are about 30,000 acres of good gum land. About £20,000 worth of gum. was taken out of the estate last year, and. there are 400 Austrians desirous of taking up leases of blocks lor gum-digging now. It is an ideal place, too, for, fruit-growing. Grapes, peaches, apples, anything you like, will grow freely —thanks to a generous climate. The hilly i country is of white clay formation, which i does not look too good, but the paspalum pass is going to do wonders up there, and it will be all excellent sheep country. Save for an occasional shower, the weather has been very fine, and the country is looking grand." Mr. Keen© added that he intended to cut up about 20,000 acres into 20, 30, and 40-acre blocks for fruit farms, and to cut up other portions into dairying farms and establish factories hero and there. At present, he said, Mangonui is 24 hours from Auckland, but later he would get hold of a boat that .would do the trip in about 14 hours.

Mr. Keen© purchased the Psrenga Estate from the trustees of the Yates estate, the patrimony left by the late Mr. Gustave Yates. Ono of the deceased settler's sons, Mr. G. Yates, is at present managing the estate on Mr. Keene'B behalf. Mr. Keone is largely interested in Bay of Plenty lands and in tho Tanranga gasworks.