A PAGE OF HISTORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18346, 12 March 1923, Page 10

A PAGE OF HISTORY.

EARLY STOCK-RAISING.

SETTLERS' HARD TIMES.

SUBDIVISION OF TOWNSHIP.

The history of Morrinsville is inextricably associated with the history of the dairying industry of the Waikato. Its story is somewhat prosaic, and there are no features of outstanding importance connected with the town.

Morrinsville got its name from Messrs. T. and S. Motrin, the well-known Auckland hardware firm, who purchased 28,000 acres from the Maoris in 1870 or thereabouts. The estate which Messrs. Morrin bought was named Lockerbie. Soon after its purchase they mapped out an area as a town. Morrinsville existed on the map only for many years before it took shape as a. town. Until 1890 there were not more than half-a-doaon dwellings in the place. Messrs. Morrin retained Lockerbie for many years. They worked the land and drained the swamp, and put a a large area,, down in English grasses. Lincoln and Leicester sheep and Shorthorn and Hereford cattle were grazed on the estate, and in 1884 it carried 1300 sheep and about the same number of cattle. The number of stock was gradually increased as more land came in, and one season before 1890 as many as 20,000 sheep were shorn, while several thousands of stock were fattened.

In the early days transport was a matter of great difficulty. Occasionally a boat used to come up the Piako river from Thames, but most of the goods were hauled overland on waggons from Hamilton. Times were very hard for the few settlers who lived in the vicinity of Morrinsville at that time. There were no insulated ships to carry frozen mutton and beef to the world's markets, and the home separation of cream for manufacture into butter at factories had not been established. Farming provided a precarious livelihood.

In 1883 the railway from Hamilton to Morrinsville was completed, and a regular service was instituted. Morrinsville dates its beginning as a town from about 1895, when the Lockerbie estate, which had become the possession of the Bank of New Zealand Assets Company some years before, was handed over for sale to the Assets Realisation Board that had been set up by the Government. The area was subdivided into lots varying in size from 100 to 300 acres, and these lots were offered for sale on easy terms. A small deposit was required, "and five years was given in which to pay the balance. The sections sold readily, although few of the purchasers retained possession long. The value of tho land for dairying purposes was recognised and sections changed bands frequently and always at a profit. ~ Coincident with the subdivision and sale of Lockerbie, large areas of Crown and native land at Kiwitahi and Mangateparu and other localities in the vicinity of Morrinsville were released for settlement, and the population of the country grew. Areas given over to the raising of sheep and cattle were turned into dairy farms, and an era of prosperity was ushered in. A creamery was erected in Morrinsville, although a large portion of the cream produced in the district was separated on the farms and carried into the town for transport by rail to Frankton. Cheese factories were erected at Tatuanui and Motumaoho, botb within five miles of Morrinsville, and these factories made remarkable progress. The Tatuanui factory is now one of the largest cheese factories in the North Island, having ten vats. The Motumaoho factory which has five vats, cannot be enlarged on it* present site, and to cope with the abundant supply of milk that is offering, a second shift is worked in the evening for several months of the season.

Many local farmers felt for years that a factory should be built in Morrinsville, but no definite action was taken until comparatively recently. Three years ago the New Zealand Dairy Company contemplated erecting a dried milk factory in the town, but this project was abandoned. An effort was made the following year to have a butter factory erected by the company, but, owing to the financial situation, the company, while acknowledging the justice of Morrinsville's claim, decided to postpone consideration of the invitation. The company built a dump at the railway station, and at this point suppliers to the company deliver their cream for grading. This is an improvement on the old scheme, by which the cream was not graded until it reached the factory at Frankton, some hours after it had left the farm. A large section of the farming community at Morrinsville was not satisfied with this arrangement, however, and decided to form a new company. This has now been done, with very satisfactory results.