NORTH AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 8

NORTH AUCKLAND.

CHEAP FARMING COUNTRY. DAIRYING AND SHEEP. GREAT CHANCES FOR SETTLERS. MODERN TRANSPORT FACILITIES. [BY OUR SPECIAL COMIHSSIONEE. ] It has been a common thing during recent years to hear public men declare that farm land in New Zealand was far too high in value. This was the case no doubt during the land boom which followed the war, but it is by no means the case at present. During my recent trip through North Auckland I made special inquiries regarding the price of improved, partly improved and unimproved lands, and came to the conclusion that there were many opportunities open to secnre very promising holdings at a cost which should give the buyer everv chance of getting profitable returns. This applied to both dairying and sheepfarming properties, and, if anything, the latter offered the best chances. Not onlv can land be obtained in North Auckland at a moderate cost, but it has to be remembered that in the two greatest branches of farming the North, owing to its mild climate, offers better returns from land than any other part of New Zealand. Old Handicaps Removed. Undoubtedly what has prevented a wider extension of farming in North Auckland in the past has been the absence of railway facilities and good roads. Railway facilities are now almost as good in North Auckland as in any oiher part of New Zealand and are improving yearly. There has been an actual revolution in roadmaking in this district during th« past few years, and within the next two years certain gaps in some of the main roads will be metalled and there wiß be good arterial highways through the greater part of the Northern peninsula. It is therefore a good time for enterprising men to make their way into this part of New Zealand, for ifr is beginning its career as a great farming district, and among its 2,000,000 acres of idle country there are many fine prizes to be won. On my return southward I took the public works train at Waiolira, and for the first time used the new railway which now crosses North Auckland from east to west and will soon link up the Northern Walroa with the present main railway system. Country Crossed by Railway. This railway goes through excellent country, much of which is already in cultivation. For the most part it is easy hill or rolling downs, intersected by beautiful river valleys with extensive 9a!5Much of the soil is of volcanic origin, but there is an intermixture of limestone in places, and the hols of it is admirably suited for small farms where rich pasture and an infinite variety cf crops could be grown. The terminus of this railway is now a*. Pukehnia. but a bridge is under construction over the Wairoa River just beyond this point and earthworks are in progress on the west side of the river, well up j toward KirikopoaL As Pukehnia ana on the opposite side of the river are great camos where the hundreds of workmen are "housed in small bat snug dwellings, so the Government is evident** pushing on this important work energeticaftv and the iooc-aegtected western o*stncts will scwa Save little grounds for explain* so far as public works are concerned. Optaiag Op Rids Territory. This railway I have just mentioned wdi Ihav- an imccrtaci bearing op the antral S districts and cn the western side of North i Auckland- It- will form a new outlet tat | the'great Mangakahia Jailer i as it is to ce connected with the .f* 3 *??, s vsSe-Kaiha section o£ railway it *«* I benefit all the western side of the penm- • sula as far as Hofciaaga and make the f new hiafbwar of the west now being cosI struct a useful link with the v*3u- [ able country between the MauEgsnm BtuS and H-rkiarca. , : Whether the railway wili_ be earned 1 neetfenord e£ Kirikopam aad form, as was ' crigiaaGv intended, t£te real North Ac&s- ---| land Mam Trunk line is a problem ot' the f future, but- there can he iso «itsabS that ; when the present * works are _ completes! j ther will have very wide-reaching effects | arxs give a great stimulus to isettlessest f and productive is this- very premising part f el North Auckland. The country between Bargaville aud r Hokiansa is at ureseafwy far frcm ceraf " developed- There are stiff great, tracts e: j country in the wilderness- stage and much ! cf it fcotds premise for new farmers. There f are large areas ia bush- and here is to bf | found "the last great source of- kasrt t timber, the Waxpo-oa State forestSomcas cf Foisatxii Wealth. | Ti»se wk have for so tang been ia. the f habit of calling North Au-rxlacc poor <viI dently have ts& conception cf wfeaa tats. | portion of it has produced in tee past- Ik | timber and pc, Sax . and other raw t materials is has yielded wealth to be I counted by nliora of poinds, aad n is f sow beginning to show what :t can da ia l she way d agricultural praducSioo- ! There are on the watershed of the Ssci them Wairoa ahost a quarter of a \ million acres cf river Eats coefeKJES? l some of the richest sod to she rtemiatecI. There is a series of. large vaEeys* warm < and fertile and well watered* capable st E growiag all manner of crops. and there i :s a large extent cf hill land which tarr.es ; excellent, sheep pasture. ■■ Tfcsse sources at wealth wilL wfess d»f Teksotd. benefit the whole Dohkewo. but \ -.hey will particularly benefit Dargaviiie. j which is cow the seeeed largest town in | North Auckland, and which may well be | called the canting metropolis of the Wess. t With its new railway and read facn'rtres- £ and its old river and harfeccr ccmnrumca- | it-cm and its central positaax among saek. » I large extent of good land. Bsrgvrle cae- | not fail to srrcw rapidly in She future ami i become quite an aspcc&Hife town..