IMPROVED FARM SETTLEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 24

IMPROVED FARM SETTLEMENTS.

ROAD WORKS IN SOUTHLAND AND CANTERBURY.

With a view of mitigating the unemployed difficulty at Dunedin arrangements are now being made to start bustifelling operations on the second of the improved farm settlements in Otago. It is located on the Catlin's River, and probably about 20 men will be sent up to it within a week. Then the road works on the western side of the Waiau, near Clifton, will be started as soon as the necessary engineering surveys have been made. This may oocupy some two or three weeks, after whioh about 25 men will be put on the road works, and these men will most likely ba drawn from Invercargill. The surveys of roads through the Cheviot Estate are now in hand with the view of enabling a party of men to bo taken np from Christohuroh to construofc a road from the Hnrunui to the Cheviot Homestead, and from the homestead down by the river Jed to the port. A curious difficulty has arisen to delay the commencement of bushfelling operations on the improved [arm settlement between Oxt ford and Rotorua in the Auckland distriot. It is situated on an elevated plateau, and although there is an abundance of waterfalls, the soil is so porous that the water quickly disappears. Investigations are therefore being mode with the view of determining how best to find and retain a supply of water for stock an<S household purposes — whether by means of hydraulic rams or tanks. Until these preliminary investiga* tions are completed no steps can betaken in the direotlon of sending men up to the wonosed eettlemeefe