POMAHAKA DOWNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 17 April 1901, Page 29

POMAHAKA DOWNS.

April 13. — A few days ago I crossed the Pomahaka River to visit our old friend, Mr Chapman, in his mountain home. I was not long in finding him, for his house is the only one in the neighbourhood. Here h? was m a. nice comfortable house, with s smiling wife and three children. Away to the south-fast he has a fine view of the Waiwera and Kaihiku ranges, with the homesteads at their base. At his back are range upon lange of manuka and birch-clad hills, with deep, dark, wooded gullies. This is where he turns out his sheep to feed on the native pastures. Verily, he nnist be a man of great faith, for I am not sarprised at all to hear of sheep being lost on the mountain. What surprises me is that they are ever found again. They have the urn of the whole mountain, as there are no fences. Mr Chapman has fired the tops of a good many of the ranges, thus giving the sheep ?.n opportunity of getting through the manuka in searc'i of food. I see a good deal of road-making is going on along the baso of the mountain. One will soon be able to drive right through to Tapanui by crossing the river at what I might call "Chapman's Ford." From the ford there is p good track along the river bank, 'until it strikes the new road. This is in the Clvdevale riding, but the track along the river bank in the Pomahaka riding would require a little attention, as two ot three culverts rte required. In tbi3 new road I saw some heavy rock cuttings. The ford certainly requires attention, and when \that is done I should say that this drive would bscome a favourite one with tourists and picnic parties. Agricultural. — Crops ere, I think, row all secured in the stack. Mr Trussler's mill is busy threshing. At first it was grass, and I was glad to hear from one of the mill hands thit the sample was good, which is very satisfactory after the very rough weather there wrs at time of cutting. Roads and Bridges. — The met?llmg on the Clmton-Pomahaka road is being pushed on most vigorously, and very soon there will be a metal ro«d tip to Mr W. Mitchell's gate. Money has been voted for still more metal on this road, and I expect to see a metalled road as far as Mr Howe's gate at any rate. If the Government would now vote a loan for the metalling of the roads through the Pomnhaka estate, it would universally benefit those who are still on the estate, and be ? great factor in inducing further settlement. I should like to assure the Right Hon. Mr Seddon that it is not for my own self that I thus ple-\d for metal, but it is for the gooi of the settlement at large. So much ha 3 been said about a bridge over the Pomahaka River that one feels backward in believing all one hear 3. However, the latest piece of news is that £850 has been voted for this bridge, and that the Government have bsen inquiring as to the Co3t of hiulage of building material. Theie must be a great ceremony on the day of the opening of this bridge ' It^would be very nice if it were zeady m time to be oxoened by the Duke of York. Ecclesiastical. — A meeting was held last TEuTsday evening m the Clinton Church to take into consideration the various services to be held in the parish. A good few representing the various districts were present. Mr Beafctie, schoolmaster at Pomahaka, hid interviewed all the settlers on the matter, and he was empowered to plead for a fortnightly service. At the meeting a syllabus of the services was' laid on the table by the Rev. Mr Blair, and after considerable discussion it was decide 3to hold by this syllabus for the first six months. This gives the Pomahaka Downs one service every four weeks. As winter is coming on we could not expect more, but m six months' time things will be different, and it is expected that we shall 'then get a fortnightly service. The first service iE to be held on Sunday, 21st inst., ?t 11 am., m the schoolhouse. Rev. Mr Blair will officiate, but he said that he would endeavour to visit the district before that date. The School. — Harvest holidays have been in force here for some little time past, but the school will be again started on Monday, 15th irst. It is pleasant to know that more pupils are attending the school now. -