OUR NORTHERN LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 20

OUR NORTHERN LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) April 29. STRATFORD AND SURROUNDINGS. The "capital" of Stratford County, some 18 miles north-east of Hawera and 30 from New Plymouth — town of oil that never comes, ironsand- that will not flux, Cousin Jacks forever hearty — is the centre of perhaps the most thickly populated portion all around Mount Egmont, all the land being held and worked profitably by dairy farmers whose largest area dees not c-xceed 600 acres, and that, being volcanic soil of a porous nature, well watered by numerous perennial springs added to by a copious rainfall, and blesfc with a capital temperature, the growth of grasses, cereals, and ether crops is noteworthy, the Joimer remaining green all through the driest of summers. At the cheese and butter dairies and the creameries evidences are abundant of tbe good effects of all this in the very high milk rest?, the average beintf 4'o and as high as 54. In one factory I found, amongst I>9 suppliers, none under 4 0 for the whole year's operations. The weekly cattle sales, quite institutions in themselves, resemble fairs of the old country, and are well attended by buyers from all parts of the provincial district. The town of Stratford, shortly to become a municipality, stands on the river "Patsa, on high,- dry ground at an elevation of 1000 ft; above sea level, and consequently enjoys «. bracing atmosphere. Up above lordly Bgmonfc towern 8720 it. the apex being some 12 miles distant, the difficulties of the ascent to which are minimised by five miles of a gravelled road connecting with a. good packhorse track winding to a height of 4000 ft. You may also visit by a more direct route the celebrated Dawfon's Falls and other places of interest dear to tourists and mountaineers. New buildings are going up daily, the dairies are being enlarged to cops with increasing supplies, and an extensive area of capital sheep country is being opened up by the east road, so that both town and country is rapidly progressing. Stratford's principal industries are

THE STRATFORD CO-OPERATIVE DAIKY FACTORY,

the chairman of directors of which is Mr William Tiscb, who owns and profitably works Avon farm, a beautiful patrimony of 150 acres well situated on the North-east; Town Belfc, and producing daily from some 30 sleek Jerseys 90 gallons of 44 test milk. Mr Tisch was one of the first settlers, and came here in IJJ74. Leaving his native land (Manheim, in Germany) in 1851, he landed in Auckland, and endured varied and Eomewhat •'lively " experiences all through the troublous times of early Maoridom. The manager of the butter department (Mr John B&tly) is here hard at it to-day, and shows us all the capital works thereof,-' explaining as vie inspect that the 69 suppliers fetch a daily average of 3000 gallons of 36 test milk, for which they get 3£d per gallon, or 8d per pound of batter fat. In the cheese department, capitally managed by Mr Alexandor Beange, one ton of Cheddars (70 pounders) is being daily turned out, which took first places in the order of merit last year out of 19 New Zealand exhibits at the Normunby and Hawera chow. The initial power used here is a »ix-borse-power Crabtree horizontal engine, driving four Rurmeister separators separating 1200 gallons per hoar. The suppliers are so daily increasing that the company are extending the premises bo as, to treat at ' the rate of 5000 gallons per day. But now let ns step over to the adjoining works of Messrs Edward Burgess and Sons, who are successfully running the

PTBATFOHD SASH AND DOOR AND JOIHERY FACTORY.

The head of the firm (Mr Edward Burgess) is at his desk, and cordially receives and shows me all over the works. Down -below, running almost silently between the papa rooks, is the initial power— an 18ft water-wheel, emitting 20-h.p., and turning all the machinery used in the trade, which is comprehensive enough in joinery, turnery, mouldiug, carvings, cave brackets, casks, butter kegs and bozee, cheese vats, churns, and tho like. The firm, which is very successful, employs over 50 hands, and does the work of the provincial district.

THE CASTLE KNITTING FACTORY.

Down Broadway, close by the river, is the Castle Knitting Factory, owned by Mrs Blair, who used to employ some 14 girls attending on her two large-sized knitting machines ; but failing health is compelling her to cast aboub for a purchaser of this lucrative business and premises, oa which there are 14 rooms and two shops, well situated in the main street. Amongst the other business men of Stratford are Messra J. Masters, manager, and William Burrough, secretary of the Central Co-operative Store ; Mr R. Zinsli, saddle and harness maker ; Mr Duncan Maokay, popular owner of the Empire Hotel ; Mr E. G. Kennedy, manager for the Hannah Company's Boot Factory ; Mr John Petrie,~~ watchmaker (late of Aberdeen); Mr James Patterson, tbn first established cash tailor of Stratford ; Mr G. Hitchcock, cabinetmaker ; Mr John W. Warren, architect and building surveyor; Mr Harvey W. Scott, chemist, of "The Pharmacy"; and Messra Kennedy and Co., of the Stratford Boot Shop.

. .NGAIEE, a beautiful little centre en . the railway line from New Plymouth to Wellington, and between Hawera and Stratford, and distant tome four miles south of the latter. Ngaire, being surrounded by many dairy farms, boasts of a creamery and cheese factory, a post and telephone office, a State school and a church, two sawmills, and two blacksmith shops. The Crown Dairy Company's creamery is being capitally managed by Mr J. Thomson (late of Sawyers' Bay, Otago), who by the- aid of a 3-h.p. Crabtree steam engine 'and a 200 gal per hour Alexander separator, pufs through daily 400 gal of milk (produce of 14 supplier*), the highest te«tß whereof are 44. Mr Thomion, who has been in charge here some 19 months, keeps everything neat, clean, and satisfactory. THE NQAIBE CO-OPERATIVE CHEESE FACTORY.

The chairman of direotors of this factory is Sir E. O. Amoore, who owns a nice dairy farm away out on the Cheal road. Mr Manson J. West, the manager (late of Nova Scotia), is here bard at it, and readily supplies me with the following interesting data :— This factory is in its fourth season, and has now 48 suppliers yielding 2000 gal per day, from which we are turning out four tons of cheese per week, and on which manufactured article the Government grader reported us a credit of 98 per cent. We gained for this article at the late Normanby show two first awards for 701b Cheddar cheese. Our initial power is a 8-h.p. steam engine (Lake snd Sons, Wellington), and* we manufacture in one 800 gal and four 700 gal v&ti. The village blacksmith of Ngaire is Mr Thomas Hitchcock, who doeß the shoeing for the farmer! all around, and does it well, too.

GWYNNEVIIXB.

Well situated on the Mountain and Sole roads is Gwynneville Farm, the beautiful home of Mr William Gwynne (late Illawarra, N.S.W.), who has retired on his money to

devote his whole attention to making Gwynneville a model farm. A new dwelling house is going up, and the lands, which mostly are richly ' rolling braes of verdure, are to be finely "walked," "serpentined," and otherwise beautified. The present owner came from his birthplace to Obago in 1863, where he remained' till 1867, when he moved to Auckland, thence to Nornianby, and finally to hie present location.

THE DOUGLAS FARM,

Away up on 'the Taikatu road, outside the village of Otakeho, Mr A. W. Willcocks owns and runs the Douglas Farm of 340 acres ; strains daily 40 shorthorn cow?, which yield 90gal of 3 6 test milk per diem, and for which 3d per gallon is obtained at the Crown Dairy Factory. The grounds of Douglas Farm are nicely planted and the fields well tilled, and carry all the year 200 head of young cattle and 500 Lincolns. As evidence of the jichness of the land it may be mentioned that the previous owner grew 42 bushels of wheat and 70 of oacs to the acre. Here also is a nice orchard of two acres full of apples and grapes.