LAKES WANKA AND HAWEA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5949, 5 March 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

LAKES WANKA AND HAWEA.

(BY OUB.BPEOIAI. BEPOBTEB.)

, - Before going into the description of my tour, it will not be out of place to state on what Anthority the information here retailed has been obtained. All statements of fact will be 'given tinder the anthority of the names of my informants,: to which course their assent has been obtained, and in no case will anything be admitted which was not verified by more than one informant, or,by my own inspectioD. The Estimates of acreages of the several areas •described are given from my own obaervations, subjected to comparisons with those of gentle- : iinen well qualified to judge in such; matters. than this, the estimates given. under the dread of a Royal Commission on the same subject are brought into agreement with measurements taken from the Official Survey Map of Otagoi 1871. r : : - In a tour in which lake and mountain scenery forms bo important an object aa it does in the parts visited, a reproduction of its general, character in as pleasing a manner as . possible.vi deemed indiepensable, yet nothing is farther from the writer's mind than to strain at effect in attempting to describe what he S»W.: ;' ' .-'■'■ '•■'■' ' ■'-'.' ■ ;•■ ■: ..-'.■

" About the beginning of February last I set out from Arrowtown on a tour on foot through the country round Lakes Wanaka and Hawea, including the Makarora Valley and Haaut Pass.! From the favourable description of the .state of the road, and the accommodation to be met on. it through the Pass as far as Jack.Bon's Bay, I conceived at one time the idea to <go through as far as the settlement there ; and -although the information furnished me was •correct at the time it was given, I found cir•cumßtanceß, which will' be related in their iproper places, against me to carry out the project when I arrived at the Haast Biver.-- ... .■:.-.- -:" ,: •:.-, .- .. :;.:> '-, "■■■

The weather on my departure was very hot and sultry, and the road being steep, I found my coat supeiflaous, and that Colonial mark of civilisation, the paper collar, an insufferable Incumbrance. Divesting myself of the former, and throwing tbe latter into the dust, I was prepared for the journey. Leaving Arrowtown the road ascends the Grown Terrace, and as a view of the Arrow and Shotover flats is gained, the little town Bhowa to much advantage. Its trees and gardens present a very pleasing pioture, and by the extent covered with foliage, as compared with the 'Surrounding barrenness, shows what may be attained, by the efforts of a few in the item of tree-planting, if energetically undertaken. ,■■"•■;..

: Some laborious climbing brought me to the summit of the Grown, a mountain 5673 feet above sea level; and after enjoying a spell, and a good look at the fine view which my elevated position commanded, I descended by Blackman's Spur to the Oardrona. , : • ' Like most settled mining oommunitiei, the Cardrona is very quiet, and thing* have long since been allowed to get into a groove of easy.1 going carelessness, whioh st'flsd enterprise, and leduced speculation to btlowziro. Thug, with only one-half of the valley worked, and a large •extent of terraces fUnkiDg it on either eide, no iprospecting is going on. Tempted by the fertility of tbe soil, the miners devote more of their attention to farming and cattle-raisiDg than to prospecting for gold ; and by develop. log into an agricultural and bucolic hybrid, the digger of tho Cardrona Valley has passed into a new phase of existence. There are few localities in New Zealand which offer a better field for mining enterprise than the Oardrona— a valley upwards of thirty miles in leDgth, Scarcely one-half of which has been worked, and although proving highly payable, apd in places even enormously rich, nothing haa been donetotrac9 the lead, which beyond a doubt continues throughout the length of the valley. The terraoes flanking it on either side also are of a promising nature, and although water is. quantity is easily obtainable, nothing has been .done to test theit auriferous nature. Sluicing <■ on a large scale is carried on at Branch Greek, ; a tributary of the Oardrona, nnd proves fairly Several parties have for years past .earned average mining wa:es, and there is -every "probability that as sluicing operations rare becoming better understood and appliances for its profitable prosecution era. introduced, vthe returns will be still further increased.

.In about fourteen miles from Cardrona THE TOWNSHIP OF PEMBROKE"

'is reached, situated at the southern extremity -of Lake Wanaka. No town in New Zealand

•can boast of more beautiful surroundings, or of

■a healthier o* more salubrious climate than Pembroke. Lake Wan»ka. which baa been described by Captain P. W. Hutton aa the most beautiful lake in the world, and to whose dictum I humbly subscribe, differs widely in the charter of its scenery from both Lake Wakatipu and Lake Hawea. Unlike the general formation of mountain lakeß, the hilia enclosing them do not run round Lake Wanaka in a solid wall, dipping precipitously to the water's edge, but are ranged in spurs like the Bide wiDga of a stage, running far out into the l»ke, ending in bald yet charming headlands

and promontories, giving quite an enchanted aspect to the scene. Very fine and imposing scenery may be viewed from Mr M'Dougall s reeidence,situated on a terrace commandingan extensive view of the lake and surrounding mountains. The lake here winds about islands and promontories mingling together in the most pleasing profusion. To the i ight a bold and precipitous rock, rising to a considerable height, forma one of the lips of the mouth of the Clutha, the' outlet of the lake. To the left, Mount Niger and Black Peak are seen across the Motatapu and Matukituki Valleys, and although situated at a great distanoe, and as it were placed in, a: recess, convey by their long stretches, of spurs and valleys a fair impression of their.bulk and altitade. The foreground is dotted with" islands of graceful outline, one of which—a' little isle to the right —suggestß the well-known;site of Loch L'9ven Castle, and beyond spur after spur, with wonderful perspective effect,1 run up like mighty buttresses the far-receding mountain maßses,; which furnish a background'to a picture that can hardly be excelled. . •'.. '.-..:.; ■- ! , ; The road; rrom -Pembroke, to Glendhu;leads through scenery,of marvellous beauty. ..One; view in particular, is deserving of a short description. As you are rising the highest point of the road, a little pa'Bt Mr Campbell's station,, y'ou'eome in view of one'of those fairyland-' scapes which upon a stage always look impossible, but here it is not only verified but excelled, The ground at a gentle slope dips towards the lake, but rises at its border in low. billows of regular and wave-like foria, through •the depressions of whioh the limpid;waters of, the lake glint at regularly repeated, intervals, as if through filigree-work. Atalittle distunce, in . the centre of the scene, mountains rise in iibarply serrated and fantastically cut outlines j while to the right and left, at really magnificent distances, richly, carved arid deeply furrowed mountains in blue remoteness close in the view. Column upon column' might be filled with description of the loveliness of the soenery in the i neighbourhood: of Pembroke,-but. as I have other important itemß to communicate I must,. though reluctantly, dismiss this subject: by ; stating; that weeks may be spent in the neigh " bourhood of Pembroke, and something' new and interesting could be seen every day. The township 'of Pembroke oonsists of but: few buildings. Mrs Ruseell's Wanaka Hotel, whioh is furnished with all modern-oomforts, offers every- • convenience to travellers; and tourißts who 'intend; -to make a lengthened stay; and Mr M'Dongall'a general store, from whioh; the-wants of j the somewhat widely scattered .population.VoT the. district are supplied,-form the ohief business, premise.'. Other prominent .buildings are: the'; schoolhou'se and :Mr M'Dougall's handsome1 and pibturesquely situated private residence/ During the last few years the town has been1 making decided strides in advancement, land' it appears that the great future whioh is in store for it is beginning todawn upon the residents. After a tour of inspeotion as to the capabilities of the adjacent country, I have no hesitation in, sharing the opinion of many competent tp judge that Pembroke will become in a short time the most important and wealthy inland" town, not, only of Otagb, but of the South Island: It's geegraphioal situation, its climate, its soenery, the extent and fertility of the valleys and plains whioh;surrqiiind iton al! sidesf all: point to Pern", broke aa the dentre oi a district unsurpaesed for natural beauty and inherent, though dormant, wealth.1 -:/ .-.-. ,:■.. .■. ;•■.; :.•,■•:■•■,.■..,..; ,

'Having made so deoided a statement in,an ofihand manner, it remains for me to support it by the evidence which led to its conception and assertion.. First, then; as bo the land fit for agriculture ia the neighbourhood of: Pembroke.'. On toe Pembroke Flat proper, extending ;from the footof the Cardroha Range to Albert Town in one direction, and from the southern shores of the lake to Mount Barker in the other direotion, we have at leasti 4000 acres of first-olass agricultural land, excising all land of doubtful soil .Next comes Glendhu and the Motatapu Valley, with about 4000 aores of land of unex. . oeptionable quality. Then we have the Peninsula and Hospital Flats with. 2000 aorea, and the Matukitubi Valley with ,12,000 acrea of land that cannot be exoelled for fertility in any part of the world; Enst Wanaka with about 2000 aorea of land of first-class description, the Makarora and Wilkin Valley with 6000 acres, and the Cardrona Valley with at least 3000 aores—making a total of 35,000 aores of land of the best description fit for. the plough, necessitating no clearing or other expense but fencing, and all of which land ia perfectly level, on which the machinery of the present day could be brought to bear without the least difficulty. Of this area at least one half is of a quality which, for fertility and sustaining permanent oropping, is unexampled- anywhere. All" the land mentioned consists of a rich loamy marl, and in many cases is overlaid by a layer of vegetable mould in some casen several feet in depth. This, taken together with a climate in which frosts are unknown, may entitle one to the assertion that the future yeomanry of Pern-, broke -_ may compare favourably with the. wealthiest yeomanry of the world. In addition to the land mentioned there are at least 12,000 aores on Hawea Flat and in the vast valley of the Clutha—with its hundreds of thousands of aores—all of which will go' to increase the trade of Pembroke, which, .with Cromwell, is destined to become the emporium of the inland grain market. '

■■■- ■. _ ' THE CLIMATE r-.... '■ ■;■-■■':■■ of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea is euoh as to considerably widen the range of agricultural production, enabling the man with little capital to utilise with benefit to himself and to the country at large email isolated patohee of land for the_ production of grass seeds and. an endless variety of grains, for which there is a'constant market.; ..".'. ' ;; ... ~, -

THE BCENEKY

of the lakes, which represents a value to the place, ia of euoh a nature as to require only to be known to bring a not inoonsiderable passenger traffic to the plaoe. '

THE GEOBBAPHIOAIi POSITION OF PEMBROKE, is such as to centre in it the moßt important inland^ trade. It is situated in the.' centre of a fertile dietriot, on the only practicable high road throngh the Island from coast to coast. The traok now in course of formation from -Hotritika'to Lake Wanaka via the Haast, Pass, which opens up all the low country between the main South Island range of mountains and the West Coast mountain chain, will open a traffio with Pembroke which, as the country through which the traok passes is settled, will go on ■increasing,^ The low country between the ranges averaging from five to six miles in width, it will be eeen that there is room fora considerable population, who will, when communication via Pembroke with Danedin is established, look upon the latter aa their only safe and practicable outlet; ''' ■ ' ; : '■'■ ;;

(To be continued )