THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10289, 21 February 1895, Page 6

THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTHLAND.

By J. P. Young,

The western district used to be considered the Ultima Thuli of Southland, and west of Biverton as tbe special playground of Aeolus and his deciples. No doubt if gome of the white men who first saw it were to revisit it now they would be very much surprised to find it so changed. To gst from Riverton to Orepuki 30 years ago the traveller had either to wait patiently for a fair wind to get round in a boat—an exercise calculated either to make him one of the most patient men in the world or drivo him to despair, aocording to his particular temperament—or to "hump his swag" and find his way through the Longwood Bush, and over or through the swamps of Paihi Flat, the jouruey often occupying two or three days, with possibly a night or two in the bush. One favourite camp was known as " Mantell's bed," where Mr Mantall in his early peregrinations in the interests of his. proteges the Maoris, is said to have passed as comfortable a night as might be under the lee of a gigantic granite boulder with a smaller one for a pillow. Fortunately, in those days one could generally count ou knocking over or snaring a woodhen, so that extreme hunger was not often added to the other troubles of the journey, although now and their some unfortunate who was not a very good bughman found it hard enough to satisSy the cravings of Nature. One notable instance of this was the case of Mr Donald Monroe, manager of the Ermedale property, on the edgs of the Longwoed Forest, who, in crossing ttirough the bush from one part of the property to another, a distance of only a few hundred yards, managed to lose his way, and

WANDERED ABOUT THE EDSH FOB SIX DAYS, keeping himself alive with robins, which he knocked down and ate raw, having, as so often happens in such cases, although a emoker, left home without matches. He was found on the sixth day by one of several search parties, who had been looking for him for some days, very little the worse for his adventure, having become very expert in knocking the robins over—not a very difficult feat, as they are certainly the tamest bird 3in the bush.

As a contrast to this picture one has now only to get a ticket and step into the train at Riverton, and in the course of 75 minutes accomplish a journey that at one time took days and even weeks. Bufc even durinj? the 75 minutes, certainly not quite " express " speed fur a railway journey of 18 miles, I have heard much louder and more grevious complaints about the trip than those we use to laugh at in the early sixties. When the train emerges ftoni the Wakapatu bush on to the open Paihi Flat, with its swamps, peatbog, and morass, smiling homesteads are seen all round the edge of the bush, sleek and lazy-looking cattle in the paddocks with here and there a patch of oits, rye, or turnips, bat grass is the principal crop on Paihi, a6 it is in the whole of the district. Two or three of the early settlers, after spending years of hard labour and the whole of their capital, had to succumb to the difficulties of their position, the ground requiring a considerable amount of money spent in draining befoie it can be ploughed or grass grown upon it.

Fortunately nearly the whole of the most swampy portion of the flat has now fallen into the hands of

ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST MENf IN SOUTHLAND,

Mr George Printz, who cot only has plenty of capital but alsoithe courage to spend large sums in improving the land, although ho is quite aware that it will be many years before he can expect to get any adequate return for the money expended. Mr Printz owns a lot of good land adjoining the swampier part, tbe estate of Ruaaiue comprising upwards of 2000 acres. The house is situated close to the Puihi railway station, but the principal farm buildings, &c. are at the other tnd of the estate, whete most of the erop3 have besu grown. He also owns about 300 acres of tho best land in the district near the Orepuki station. There are SEVERAL OTHER LAEOK FABMS on Paihi. Mr A. M'Phersou, who owns and ocoupies over ICOO acres, is one of tha oldest and most successful settlers in the district. Having combined butchering with stouk-raisitg, he has been able to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest, which is the acme of desire to every commercial man, no matter what his special business may be. Mr M'Pherson is well known for his hospitality and kind-heartedness, being ever ready to assist anyone who has met with trouble or misfortune. Garden Brothers' farm of 350 acres is perhaps one of the best on Paihi. At all events it was taken up amougnt the first selections by their father many years ago. Mr James Fitzgerald has about 270 acres of good land, a considerable portion of which was covered with bush, but most of it is now in grass. His homestead is the oldest on Paihi, being the site of the home station when tbe country was taken up a3 a cattle run in 1859. To show that THE CLIJLATE is nob altogether Siberian, I may mention that Mr Fitzgarald has a grape vine growing in the opnn air, on which there are several bunches of grapes, which promise to ripen in a week oc two. Paihi is separated from what is considered the Orepuki district proper, by the " Mile Bush," so named because in the earlier days the circuitous boggy track through the bush appeared '

to tho weary traveller to be quito that length, although tbo railway engineer's uiiain hn.3 since proved it to bs very much snorter. When the iron horss steams out of thfl Mile Bush with its freight of passengers behind, it is at ouco seen that tho land to of a different nature to any previously paseed over. Tho surface is of a kindly warm nature, and the nnbsoil an open BMidy clay, making tho Dataral drainage perfect, with the result that the crops giown are hard to beat. In fact for grans and turnips it oau't be beaten. Unfortunately ttera is not a very grwat extent of it. However, »s tho bush land is being cleared it is found to be equal to the opon for grass and turnips, the latter when surface sown after a good " burn" growing most luxuriantly, especially if it has been possible to geb the deed aowu before Christmas, which is not often the case, January being generally as early as a good " barn " can be obtained. In the courße of a few years there will be 20,000 acres of grass land that will carry as much stock as auy block of the sama eizh in Now Zealand.

Wbeu clear of the bush Mr Hirst's house first catches the eye of the traveller, beiug only a few chains distant from the line. Mr Hirst may almost be termed

THIS KIHST SETTLER,

as although the country was originally taken up as a run by Mr Green, a tent erected, and a track cat across the Longwood Range by his sons. They very early in the "sixties" sold out to Mr Hirst, wbo has lived almost on the samo spot for upwards of 30 years. He represented the district in several Parliaments, and al»o in the county council, of which he was chairman for many yews, and is at present member for the Orepuki Riding. About a mile aud a-balf after leaving the bush at Orepuki Station and the present terminus of the railway is reached. When the line was first started it -was ths intention of the Provincial Council of Otago to curry it on to the Waiau river, about eight miles beyond Orepuki, and eventually along the coast to Preservation Inlet; but unless a considerable extent of mineral country or a payable goldliuld is discovered in that direction we are not likely to see the line extended beyond the present point for many years to come. Close to the station is

THE BAIEY FACTORY.

A little over two years ago Mr A. M. Dawson came to Orepuki to sea if there was an opening for a factory. On seeing the district acd its capabilities he felt so satisfied that without asking for any guarantee of a regular milk supply, or sesking any local assistance, he immediately purobased an acre of laud close to the station, on which has erected a comfortable cott»g«, and the factory buildings which, with the necessary machinery and plant, have cost him just on £1000. The plant is capable of treating 1400 gal | of milk per day, but if necessary by working double shifts twice that quantity could be turned into cheese. Last season as the cottiers were not prepared to supply milk only II tons of cheese were made, which was all sold locally. Of course that quantity did not pay what a miner t«rms " tucker," but this year the settlers have proved that Mr Dawson's opinion of the district was a correct one, by sending to the factory up to lOWgal of milk per day, no that the season will produce between 50 and 60 tons of cheese, which will no doubt realise a good prico in the Home market, where it is being sent, as Mr Dawson is acknowledged to be one of tho best cheesemakers in the colony. Just as be had mada arrangements to start at Orepuki he was offered £6 a V7eek and found by one of the factory companies to take charge of their factory, but he preferred the more independent position he now occupies. Aa eighthorse portable engine supplies the power required as well as Bteam and hot water. Mr Dawson, being a mechanic as well as an economist, has erected a circular saw driven by ' a belt from the engine pulley, ati which he pats ia bis spire time catting up boards into the 12 sided pieces required for the ends and division of the cheese boxes, as well as the side pieces. He also utilises the saw for cutting up all the firewood required for the establishment. I believe this ia the only factory where they cut up their own box timber. Although Mr Dawson does not make the slightest claim to the position of a philanthropist, yet while trying to make a living for himself and family he has done a great deal of good to the district—in face, the establishment of the factory has given quite an impetus to the settlement of the bush land, and next year, no doubt, the very handsome sum of £300 per month, now paid regularly (like our M.H.R.'s honorarium) on the Ist of every month, will be largely increased. Tnis season Mr Dawson is paying 3d per gallon; next year, i? the quantity increases, he hopes to ba able to pay something more—either a higher price per gallon or a bonus to the milk suppliers— as he is quite willing to carry on the factory on the co-operative principle. A very busy scene presents itself to anyone visiting the factory between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, when the milk is being delivered, all sorts and conditions of vehicles being used by the 26 farmers who supply it. No doubt in the course of two or three years one or even two factories will be required to convert into cheese and butter the produce of the numerous milk producers that will be necessary to consume air the grass grown in the district.

Leaving Orepuki and travelling north across the Waimeamea stream towards

THE WAIAU

river, several very fine farms are passed. Mr Cornelius Barry and two of his sons have places adjoining each other. Then Mr Michael Fitzgerald and his brother Patrick have very fine farms, a portion of each being bush. The JFitzgeralds are very numerous about Orepuki, there being no leas than six brothers, of whom Michael is the eldest. All have beea gold-mining for the best part of a lifetime, and came to Orepnki many years ago in pursuitof tbe precious metal. Some of them have been very successful in exchanging the produce of the surface of the earth for the precious metal in its coined state, haviug combined farming and stock-raising with gold-digging. As all the brothers are married and have mostly large families it may be safely prophesied that the Fitzgeralds will be long known in the laud of their adoption. Beyond Fitzgeralds1 the land, with the exception of 300 or 1-00 acres is oil covered with bush, nearly 15,000 acres of which have been taken up by 4-5 settlers. About 5000 acres have already been cleared and laid down with grass. Of course in describing the land as cleared it must not be underotood that all the timber is cut down and burned. The usual way is to cut down and burn everything up to 12in or 16in in diameter. Some o£ the settlers, in addition, lopping moßt of the branches off the trees left standing to let the nun in, and thoroughly cle&riDg the surface of the ground, making a complete job of the burning. Others prefer to cut down as many acres aa possible making a nracb less complete job of the burning. I quite agree with those who do the work thoroughly as I feel certain they will get the best ratums, especially the first season when the turnip crop is of ve>y considerable value. As the settlers are of the right sort—hard working, industrious folk, and generally possessed of sufficient capital—there can be no donbt about the future prosperity of the " Waiau blocks," Of course ho matter how good the bush land may be, it can only, for many years, ba used for grazing purposes, as it will cot be possible to plough it except at a very great expense, until the majority of stumps and roots have decayed sufficiently to be torn up by the plough. So no matter hew profitable grain or other crops may be, or bow low stock may be, the bush farmer must stick to his stock-raising and fattening— in fact, he must keep to oattle, as sheep do not for come reason thrive on bnah land, every experiment made in this district having turned out moat disastrously, involving a serious loss to the sottlers who have tried them. He cannot, without great expense, grow winter food for his stock except after "he first burning, when turnips do well. He can only keep as many cattle aa tbe grass will maintain in condition all the year round. Nevertheless, as butter, cheese, and begf are always in demand, and the bush farmer can produce these to perfection, I think his chaDce in the hard struggle for a living, which Beems inevitable during the next few years, will \a quite as good as that of any other class in the colony. Across the Waiau on the west side the experiment of STATE FA3MS is in full swing. The Stale farmer has a decided advantage over the lessee in perpetuity or any other class of settler. Should the land turu out poorer than ho expected, or the grass eeed first sown fail—which is a very serious matter to the bush farmer, as the ground becomes consolidated, and the weeds get a start bsfore any subsequently sown grass; or should the cattle market fail—or, in fact, should any failure in his possibly over-sanguine expectations take place, the State farmer simply draws tbe money he has earned in road-making and clearing his land at schedule rates, which are always very liberal, packs np his traps, and leaves tbe land to bs taken up by some more necessitous oc industrious settler. On the other hand the perpetual leaseholder has to take all the risk on his own shoulders, probably losing all the savings of a lifetime. It will take some years to prove whether tbe State farmer is to be a success or otherwise, but the experiment has everything in its favour on the west side of the Waisrn, and the land is good and the bush not too heavy.