TARANAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 51, 8 May 1852, Page 3

TARANAKI.

(communicated.)

20th March 1852.

" With regard to the price of land here, the upset price per auction is L.2 per acre, whether forest, fern, or bush land ; this is of course uncultivated land, some miles from town with no roads : but as all Crown surveys are at present stopped, there will be no land in the market for some time to come. Some people here are letting out cultivated land, fenced, and laid down with artificial grasses at 30s. per acre. This land is adjacent to the town, but has generally no house upon it. I might, perhaps, as well mention, that about 13 miles from here land can be purchased for L.I per acre, in 25 acre lots, or even to 200 or 300 acres. This belongs to private individuals ; but small farms are not to be got here now. Land is up cent, per cent, to what it was, and even more. I gave L.G2, 10s. for a 50-acre section, and could get to-morrow from several parties L.300 for it, although there is not half of it in cultivation, nor yet fenced, and no house upon it but a raupo oue. To build a house here, 30 feet long by 14 feet wide, would cost at the least L.IOO, and a small stone chimney would not cost less than L.lO to L.15 ; my chimney cost meX.2O, and would have been at least L.2<">, if I had built it with lime. Timber costs here 14s. per 100 feet, and the scantling is running measure. Shingles are 16s. per 1000. Nails lOd. to Is. per Ib. Carpenters' wages 6s. to 7s. Gd. per day. To purchase land just now appears to be out of all reason, and will be until there is more land thrown open by the Government. People here are at present asking from L.ti to L.7 per acre for anything like cultivated land. As regards sheep, we are all just now sheep-mad ; every one is purchasing, for sheep-farraing is all the rage. This is partly owing to so much land being at present laid down in grass, instead, as formerly, in grain ; for our corn crops have latterly proved a failure, and we now find out that it will not do to grow Avheat after wheat for 5 or 6 years in succession. A good ewe and lamb is worth from 455. to 555. here now. A Sidney ship arrived here a few weeks ago with 600 ewes (last year's lambs) and they were all immediately sold for L.I per head. The ship was 14 days from Sidney, and lost 450 sheep in a gale in the Straits. She has returned to Sidney for more. Horses are high just now. A good mare is worth from L.35 to L.40 ; a heavy cart mare from L.60 to L.70. Geldings are not so high. Colts at 3or 4 months old fetch from L.12 to L.15. Cows with calves at their side are worth from L.15 to L.18 ; and calves about 3 months old 355. to 40s. each. Turkeys ss. each ; geese 55. ; ducks 3s. to 4s. per couple; fowls Is. 6d. to 2s. per couple. Labourer's wages 3s. 6d. per day from Bto 5. Wheat is now selling to the millers from 7s. to Bs. per bushel. A good cart made here will cost from L.16 to L.IS. Some of the Colonial wooden ploughs about 755. to 100s. each. A good iron plough L.lO to L.12. Natives will throw your bush or forest land at from 255. to3os. per acre ; and after burning off they charge 10s. more per acre for going over it again. They will clear fern land at about 10s. per acre, ready for the plough ; or they will work at either the forest or fern land at 2s. per day from 8 to 5. " We are here almost at a stand still for want of more land ; and money amongst ourselves is rather scarce. It is true Mr. M'Leau does reside here, but we see but little of him, or anyone else, to try to obtain more land for us : we are entirely left to ourselves in this matter. " By the last post, Donald M'Lean, Esq., was, appointed Resident Magistrate here, in the place of Captain King."