SETTLING THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15251, 14 March 1913, Page 4

SETTLING THE LAND.

,THE MORI NUI' BLOCK. '<>>:' . [ffEOM OUR TAUMABUNUI CORRESPONDENT.] ' - A little over two years ago the present ""'-">* ; Surveyor-General, Mr. James McKer&ie then Commissioner of Crown Lands, for ' Wellington, accompanied by members of "-'K-A ' the Land Board, made a tour through the Crown lands in the northern part of the •'.•>'! Wellington spending several - ' weeks in visiting the Crown tenants oa '"•"- their farms. Not the least interesting portion of the trip was a ride of some 20 miles through the Morinui Block, then being surveyed for settlement purposes. The block lies in the extreme south of ' the > Kaitieke County, the north-west corner of it being near the junction of the-.Ret*,' ruke River, with the Wanganui. The -PM route was simply a surveyor's slash-track-' r \ through the bush, and it was then, for j the first time, traversed on horseback. . Every trig station on the way was visited • and it was an impressive sight to see frora ;vt ; those points of vantage the vast extent of ;S . untouched forest. ' - Towards the end of 1911, the block .was , ballotted for in 30 sections of areas varying from 440 acres to 1600 acres, and within a few weeks some of the success* '-,; ful applicants were already at work on ' their farms. ••'.-.'". Quite recently I again visited the Morinui block, and found that a great amount . of work had already been done in spite ', of exceptional difficulties. The great bulk of the settlers are young men. During my ; visit I heard of only three married ones.M ' The bulk of their supplies they get via the Wanganui River, which is five miles from the nearest part of tho block, and the \ wire, grass seed, etc., which are indispensable to initial settlement have to be carried on pack-hoTses by rough tracks t» I' " the various sections. It may be remein. ->.' ■ bered that when these were allotted' a"- • report went round that two young Eng ' lishmen just out from Home and withouti/:Xvexperience, had got the two best sectifenj in the block. This was not accurate, as the young men had been in the Dominion *i for a year, and had been farming all then- '•.'■-" lives in the Old Country. One of thttecarried grass seed for 150 acres on hfj ; back in 751b parcels for nearly a mil* - through a track where not even • horses could travel. imj£'" ■ The road from Raurimu is gradually'' approaching the Morinui settlers. K% ■ . a continuation of the Kaitieke Vallsj. Road, and is formed for some 15 miles. For the remaining 15 miles to the river - landing there is a narrow bridle track. The signs of occupation are not very anparent as one rides along the narrow path. • way, but at intervals one notices a port in the ground surmounted by a kerosene '•■ tin, which is the mail-box for the settlars; living on a by-road, leading from that £.',* point inwards into the depths of the forest.. '. I turned into one of these by tracks' to visit the home of a Mr. Dempsey.a.' - ; married man. I rode for over a mile j . through cleared country, the logs " still ' black from the recent burn, and found some difficulty in keeping to the fll-defmed i track among the tree stumps. I pissed , several tents on my way, these being the homes of bachelor .settlers, but on turning a corner I, came on a delightful little home* stead, mostly canvas, but with wooden §' patakas or storehouses, built of roughhewn planks. It had a splendid garden,' both of vegetables and flowers, and a ''• crowd of happy children were playing : about. Near by were grassy slopes ■ ana' ;„■?' y cultivations. All this alter littleJmbroivlfl than a year's occupation. It was the home of the Dempseys, who are already ;',* milking seven cows and are now supplying -y/,^ , Butter and milk*' to the neighbouring ■ settlers. Of the 649 acres on Mr. Dempaey's section 150 acres are either felled ■ ■/• or in grass. - Fruit trees to the number ';'-£■ of 100 nave been planted and are flourish- '..\' ing. The soil "is "clay, resting on a papa ■"}'•, bed. The bush is heavy and costs attont. '■■' 30s an acre to fell. Cocksfoot is believed' ;'.' to be the most suitable grass for that" country, and most of the settlers seem to have gown a mixture containing 81b of l " • cocksfoot to 171b . of. various 'other seed*.':■';'. The Denvpsey's are now having timber pit ... sawn for the weatherboard house, which ;v : they intend to build in a short time. / •'■'.- (| .As there are 10 children in this family, ■•;.; ' and there are also a good number; of chiF-||sf| \ dren in the two other families, a school is already underway. The whole popular : tion, married and single, turned out and- : .'■■,;•■ ; cleared a'site, arid timber and iron aw V': . already at the river landing, ready for. /; i transportation to the spot where the build* .- >;