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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22852, 6 October 1937, Page 14

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AUCKLAND PASTURES PROGRESS IN 35 YEARS WASTE TURNED INTO FARMS EARLY IDEAS DISPROVED Memories of South Auckland 35 years ago, when rich pastures of to-day were wastes of fern and manuka, were revived yesterday by Mr. E. ,I'. H. Burbury and Mr. O. H. Howell, who, about 1902, were employed by the Assets Realisation Board of the Bank of New Zealand on large properties near Putaruru and Okoroire respectively. Mr. Burburv is a large sheepfanner in North Canterbury, and owns the Sherwood and Glynnwye Stations, near Hanmcr. Mr. Howell, after farming successfully for many years near Timaru, now lives in the Taihapc district. In the course of a motor tour, they have been revisiting some of the country on which they worked, or with which they were acquainted, as young men. A "Garden of Eden" "It was hard to believe that such a complete transformation could have taken place in half a lifetime," said Mr. Burbury. "All the way up through the centre of the island we passed mile after mile of beautiful green pasture land, heavily stocked with cattle and sheep. After what 1 remembered from my young days, it was a veritable Garden of Eden. Only patches here and there still under native growth were a reminder of what it used to be like. Parts of South Canterbury used to be compared with England, but it seemed to me on this trip that the northern pasture lands were much more like the Old Country. At times I could almost fancy that I was in Devonshire; only the stone walls and hedges were lacking." Praise for the Farmer When he looked after sheep neai Putaruru, Mr. Burbury continued, the general belief was that land in that district could never be brought undei close cultivation; in fact, it was valued at only a few shillings an acre. The Thames Valley Land Company, an English concern which had taken it up, had sent out hundreds of tons of ma_nures, Apparently these were unsuitable, foi the plough revealed white streaks ol fertiliser still lying undissolved in the soil, and this led to the conclusion thai manuring was useless. The falsity ol the notion had since been proved many times over. He could not give too rauci praise to the men who had wroughl the transformation. Land at a Penny an Acre Mr. Howell mentioned that while he was working at Okoroire he was offeree 60,000 acres of land at a penny aE acre. "It was thought to be absolutely worthless," he said, "and it actually was at tjiat time. If I had taken it up it would have broken me; only a i millionaire with the requisite know- ; ledge could have made a suejeess of it ' The other dav I saw it dotted orei ! with homesteads and being brought I into profit." Life on Thames Valley lands at the I beginning of the centurv was very • J different from that of to-day. The twe | visitors said that they used almost tc ' live in the saddle, looking after sheep on great areas of practically virgin country. The properties carried nurnI bers of well-bred horses. Now in the i same district a horse was a rarity; cows and motor-cars filled the picture |instead.

Cars Versus Homes , Mr. Burbury liad one criticism to make. "I do not think I ever saw so manv fine cars as on this trip," he said," "but it seemed to me that many farmers cared more about having a modern car than a comfortable home. I noticed numbers of good farms, fully developed and well cared-for, with farmhouses that were quite unworthy of them —small four or five-roomed cottages standing in bare paddocks, with hardlv a trace of garden or orchard. They * did not look like homes._ It was odd to notice a £4OO or £SOO car standing in front of a dilapidated shed in which it was housed. I cannot help feelinf that there will not be real stability in North Island dairy farming until farmers learn to make real homes for themselves and their wives and children. When tliev do Ave shall hear less about the hardship and drudgery of dairying."