NERRIVALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2171, 3 October 1895, Page 23

NERRIVALE.

Septembhr 30. -It appears that the high values put on Merrivile are not due to the valuations put ou \h » ground by the uon olFi^iiil lncubers of the liud boird. The=e are M pra>'Mcil men »iid I h(3<\r tli;\t 'heir li^uivs were up to h- inevhiii'f lilct* j£Jt for the pick of the countiy aid d ,wn w lOi for the bairen VVaiiu Flat. It is the lo id.ng that will run up the rent to such an extortionate price. This loading is to pay for lands taken away for roads, reserves, etc., for making roids and surveys, aud the cost of putting the Li'id on the market, etc., etc. 1 h.ivo been careful to get my information from the bust sources available, but in a country district this is suinewliat diffisult. The price I have given hitherto— viz,, j£(s 10i— was the figure mentioned by one of the members of the liiid bo ml to two different individuals, and I hud no hesitation in giving it. From another person who saw two member* of the lpn I board I give the information as abov» — viz , £1, plus ab ut 50 per cent for loading. This is such an appalling figure that I have hesitation in mentioning it Yet there seems to hi no doubt but that the price, unless altered in th'- meantime by economies, will not be less than £t> 10s for tin best ground, while for the wirsl ground, which is de.tr at v gift, it will b« ab ut Iss. ll'imour Rays that the nonofricial meinb-i'3 of the land board regret tho high value at which the ground will st*nd. As they are. all practical and honourable m«n it cannot be otherwise In conversation with one of the best fanners in the di«.trii**, I am told that it is an impossibility for a man in an average of prices puch an have prevailed for the l»^t dozen v<!<v-h tn m >ke more thati lO\ pev acr.». Of t'ii«, ON 0 I wo ild luva to go to the Goverirueiit fi>r rent and iM for lix<m to the county oouiicil A man's cipicul and l.vbour w.'U d therof >r<J have t) lie recouped out of 2< l)d per acre -in other words, ht would, auppoung mthiui? to be allowed fvir iutort'st on liis capital, have about £15 to £20 per aunum There ia to be a dairy factory on the estate ; but we have seen many ! l:j in prices of «li kinds of produce, and diiryiug st<cniA like y ti follow suit, tir.d a m\i\ may find himself with a stock of dairy cows on h mil atirl have to t-*k a -iiuil (irico per gallon for hi« milk or sell out at a loss. If any one would gtianmttit n f l x c i prico f-u* milk fur a term of jeir* the <round might pay well enough ; but, .ig»iu, y/h i would guamnteethe gimranton? (Jropping is i-ut of the qiifhtion, as the ground is from 14 miles to IS miles away from Otautnu.

If this particular rouot-y is ontrasted with Maerewh'-nna it will be at oiice .wen that tlnso who have taken up tdat •H't^leim-nt are put on far better terms than i hoy are likely to meet wi'Ji at Mer. iv.ile. In the first instance, MiorowhiMjusi is on the line of railway, having thioij stations -viz., Duutroon, Birtoi's, aud Blivk Point. Merriv,<le it, from 15 to 24 miles awny from 'thu nearest practicable btation. Mttorewhunua is r»t its furthest not m >r.-. than 29 miles from tho groit; ocean .it'!ainer«. From Slvrnvule to the Bluff, the neatest point, is m.ire than doub'e th-tt distaii'e, wh*lc it runs aw.»y back another i 0 mili'g, nl though a sh >rter road is being mailu v/h ; ch will C)inul«rably rediiiv the route. UaeriwlKinu.l sivti wheat of the finest quality, and everything that Me- riyale produces will gr jw better in North Otago, with perhaps the exception of turnips. Who it will grow on Merrivale, but of a much poorer quality, ns though the soil in the best parti cannot be oxcjllel, yet the climate is not favourable in thr generality o f seasuiis. Even (iota'oe< on Me rivale ht«ve beea fr >sted down time after time. Two years ago, al* hough the cropi at the beginning promi-ed well, they wore almo.st utterly ruined, and the quality was of the very worst Merrivale u-ed to shoir about 25,000 sheep. Certainly much was bush, but Ellerslie and throe reseives were also included, which would go far tow-mU neutralising the area thiu'iutpi ofi tably held. This wo.ild be abo it one sheep to the ato A fa-mer ou his bi-nt pirt, by the liberal iwuf guino and fr>quent laying dow-i in gr.us, run; hi; d mble that quantity, and also keep a few cattle. Ou pai tof the ground, however, sheep will not live at all for long together, b-iug aff<.cte.l with what io loo^lly called the " \V«iau dose." This i>«*vails moro or less pi! the way up ontho east buik of the river from MyrrivAle to Manapouri. Ie corresponds with what is called on the B inters " pining," and is due to the want of nutriment in the wia-^soi.

Under the^e eiicum3t»nces it i-. robe hoped that the Government will hesitnt« before op ning the land at bucli h : gh figures. Tlie pros r erity of the State cm only be assured by the prosperity of the unit. The Hon. J. G. Ward ouly a few years ago, at a meeting of the Inveroargill Chamber of Oommerca, deplored the unhappy btate of the f.trtniiig omumnity in Southland. The Minister for Lands stated to me when he was g 'ins through this veiy property th-il th.-; value of Itud in North OUgo win such that a year's iv.nt.tl there was rquivitleut to the va'u-s <>{ the freehold here, and hr! was ri<ht. That being tnecaie, how is it that M»> rowhenua, with a better clizntfce, betfcereoilon the whole, aud easier comiuuui''atiou with the outer world, is only valued at about three shillings per acre mow than Af arrivals ?

The prce at which the ground was tak-n up was right enough, and if rigid economy had be in practised farmers raiilit htve lived comfortably enough on it, but the loading is killing it. In the old country thore is a law which makes it compulsory to put a mark on the sidaa of a vessel : beyond th.it the waiter must not rise. The Merriv.»le eitite, an-1 the Ci if don country too, wants a Plimsoll mirk, or in both whole families miy be involved iv the flood of bankruptcy.