ROUND ABOUT MAKAREWA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 33

ROUND ABOUT MAKAREWA.

BY-OtJE TBAVELJ-rKG* COKB.ESPONDENT. • All old timers tell us that the river most 'liable to floods in the southern part of the Southland province was the Makarewa, and ',as it had no fords worthy of the name it was naturally regarded as a most undesirable obstruction by travellers. Neither roads nor bridges were to be found in this part of the •country, but 1860 saw the first apology for a Railway , laid in Southland, being what we - .would call to-day a fairly good tramway. "The rails were wooden and the gauge was , Jbroad, while the sleepers were put down just Any way, but were packed with clay, while ! Ihere and there a little gravel was used for j formation purposes. On seven and a-half j miles of line being completed a locomotive ,-was procured, and named Lady Barkly, while -a day was announced for celebrating in grand . *tyle the opening of the line to Makarewa. -. An excursion to the terminus on trucks drawn iby the Lady Barkly was well .patronised, - nearly everybody participating in what was - tfehen a unique celebration in the province ; J>ut the homeward journey was a failure. A shower of rain had so wetted the wooden jails that the engine was unable to ascend the ■ .grade at Lind's bridge, and althoxigh several • -willing ' hands w*alkcd ahead, of the engine " /throwing- sand on the .rails, it, -was- all to no ■ jpurpdse, co most of the passengers put •-.IShanks's 'pony into use, arid *. tramped oft to • JLnvercargilJ. , '-'..,_ Financially the construction was~doomed to -failure. The Provincial Governmenb..was ' finable to meet the - expenses, the 'oreditor,s Seized the goods and chattels, and so l ended v • .the career of ihis unfortunate public work. .'A railway bridge now joins the banks of the , , Makarewa, but it is very liable to damage in time< of flood, so much so that no side failings have been put up, and nothing affixed ,to the bridge which would in any way -catch /the rapid flow of the stream i$ flood time;.

.Across rhe_ bridge is the junction of the,Riverton and Winion lined, and station building-? , with an officer in charge. jSTo telegraph , communication is attached to this office ; j why cannot be explained, but it would be very j handy for the public travelling by train. Tiie local school is taught by Mi Mackay, with Miss Murray as assistant, the attendance averaging about 100. Religious bodies have all some sort of 'habitation, and several other institutions are fostered; even a temperance t society winks in the dismal flicker of a misguided light. Although the population is only 250, present indications point to a rapid increase. There are three brickworks here, owned respectively by Messrs S. liodgkinson, Buxton Bros., and T. Judge. The clay seems well adapted for bricfc and tile purposes, and at West Plains also, where Messrs Thomas Todcl and Sons have extensive pipe iaetories. Wallacetown is close at hand, and there are located the Southland metropolitan sale yards. Fortnightly auctions are held, and I are always very numerously attended. The ! Southland Frozen Meat Company have exteni sive works here, where most of the slaughtering work is done prior to reaching the freezer. Near here also are the abattoirs through which, sll Invercargill-consuzned meat must pass. The site is along the line near West j Plains, and -a more convenient 'locality could ! not be selected. The Underwood Dairy Factory is along the main road, where Mr Murray condenses milk in enormous quantities, (working summer and -winter. The Charitable Aid Home is part of the Lome farm, i and is managed by Mr and Mrs Cutsf.-orth, while the inmates peem a happy family, having the occupancy of a splendid demesne and access to fine farm land.