JOTTINGS FROM THE COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1974, 19 September 1889, Page 37

JOTTINGS FROM THE COUNTRY.

(By Oub Tbavellin<j Reporter.)

The Tbaneraki Distbiot — Eich Fabm Land — An Asoient Sea Floor — Windsoe Park and Eldbbslib— A Political Railway— The Ngapaea District— Celebrated Tablelands — Magnificent Wheat Country— A Valuable Gravel Deposit— The

Tokobaki Estate — Livingstone.

Passing inland from Western the next distri3t is termed Teaneraki, of which Enfield is the postal town. The extensive Totara estate bounds the district on the south side, and Teaneraki shows its close relationship to the very best land of the" Oamaru district. The soil is a rich limestone, which grows wheat to perfection, and potatoes that cannot be beaten. The farms for the most part consist of low ridges, with here and there steep limestone faces too rocky for the plough, but in general all the land is arable and equally rich in quantity whether on the top of the ridges or in the valleys between. Along the northern side of the Waiareka Valley a long line of limestone cliffs bears witness to the action of the waters of some antediluvian river, and the whole immense limestone deposit of the wide Oamaru district indicates a time, in the remote ages of antiquity, when what is now splendid farm land was sea bottom, for everywhere the evidences of the marine origin of the deposit aye apparent. In the Teaneraki district, in general with the rest of the surrounding country, the drought is beginning to tell. Now, however, that the frosts have broken up, the grass will start, and a very little rain would soon alter the whole appearance of the country. After even a slight shower the change in the colour of the fields is seen next day, so rapid is the growth after rain. September is the month which heralds the hot wiDds, so that rain is the more anxiously awaited.

Still following up the Waiareka Valley to some short distance beyond Enfield, the magnificent estates of Mr E. Menlove and Mr John Reid are reached. It would be difficult to say which estate would excel the other, for rivals they appear to be, with only the district road between them. The homesteads are both surrounded by immense plantations, which make them look like oases in the desert, for all around for miles and miles, till the eve wearies with the prospeot, there is nothing but an endless succession of bare sheep walks. The houses are very palaces in which these wool kings dwell, surrounded by every luxury that art can command, the treasures of forest and stream being alike at their feet. On viewing these palace homes of the runholders, so cosily situated among a dense forest of lovely trees, and then passing on into the brown, bare country, behind one is constrained to feel that honours are somehow badly divided. What a grand piece of country this Oamaru back couniry would be were it laid out in handy sized faims, each with its comfortable homestead and plantation of trees ; but instead we find nothing else but bare ridges relieved only by long lines of wire fences. Some of these fences are built of iron throughout, as though, for the next century to come sheep were to dispossess men of their heritage of the soil.

The Waiareka branch line of railway connects this part of the country with Oamaru. A short distance above Windsor Park, the estate of Mr Menlove, another line branches off to Livingstone. The Windsor-Livingstone line is one of those political railways of which our unfortunate country possesses too many. The construction of the line to Ngapara is justified by the increased traffic done in the grain season, but the line to Livingstone cannot command much traffic unless the large estates surrounding it are cut up into farms. Undoubtedly the natural route for a railway to Livingstone and the Dansey Pass road is by way of Duntroon up the Maerewhenua river, — a route quite level all the way and along which the line could be taken without earthwork or bridges, or a.t any rate very little of either. The aspeot of the country does not alter much till the inland township of Ngapara is reached. The township stands in a nice sheltered valley, and should a visitor travel no farther his impressions of the country would not be altogether favourable. On every hand he would see limestone cliffs and rugged ridges ; but when the cliffs are surmounted and the celebrated Ngapara tables brought into view, what is perhaps the finest stretch of agricultural land in New Zealand is seen. For miles all around these level tablelands lie, varied here and there by sloping country, but in general terminating abruptly in limestone cliffs. The soil of these tables is just perfect, and with occasional showers grows the very best wheat crops the colony is capable of producing. During the season an enormous grain traffic is done on the Waiareka branch line of railway, which finds a terminus at Ngapara. Closo to Ngapara is the Maerewhenua portion of Mr. Menlove's estate, part of which has been sold in farms. Of these Messrs Aitken and W. Seth-Smith hold the pick, but there are many splendid farms yet jn the hands of Mr Menlove which will find purchasers at even the high price put upon them, so good is the soil. The little | township of Ngapara is like many another inland town, only that it is more favoured than many others. Railway communication ! and telegraph are civilised conveniences which many of the up country tow-na have to do without ; there are two hotels, a public school, a nice athenasum hall, and the few business places necessary to the well-being Qf the residents. Eeisg a railway terminus Ngapara has a larger business than it otherwise would have. Most of the farmers around make this township their place of call, so that on the whole it is a thriving little place. Just below the township, and quite close to the railway, there is the best gravel pit or quarry north of Dunedin. The gravel is almost identical with that at Greytown, and is used by the railway people fpr laying down railway platforms, &c. The gravel binds like cement, and makes the very best roads to be encountered in the country. The universal water>worn coarse gravel found here and in Canterbury makes horribly rough roads, though very good for ballast on the railways ; but the %apara gravel makes

just a model road for either light or heavj traffic. If the railway rates were lowered this gravel would ne used extensively all the way down to Oamaru, but for some unaccountable reason the railway people prefer to run baok to Oamaru empty daily to carrying gravel at a cheap rate Leaving Ngapara behind and crossing the tables, a large block of equally fine country is passed over till Tokoraki is reached. This estate belongs to Mr E. M'Master, and includes a large area of first-class land on ,the Ngapara side. On the other cr Maerewhenua side the laud is more broken, though still excellent for either agriculture or grazing. When Windsor Park, Elderslie, and Tokoraki are cut up into farms of handy size, what is now a long line of almost unbroken cheep walks will form the very best area oE farming country in the colony. I do not envy the wool kings their rugged hills and mountain tops, butso far as these magnificent stretches of first-class farm land are concerned I hope the day will come when sturdy yeomen will rule here instead of these New Zealand barons.