Upper Taieri Plains. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 18

Upper Taieri Plains. TO THE EDITOR.

StR, — In your issue of the l c >t inst. a lritor appeared over th-e alluring norn tie plume of "Lover of Facts" contradicting some stote-mpnti made by me in a letter published -some* two months ago. Weil, fa<:ts aro raid to be granger than fiction, aud I suppose tha<t is the reason that they are not always believed when presented. My object in uviting at t\i& time was to correct ?osn& erroneous remarks made by the reporter commjssion-e-d by the Daily Times and Orago Witness Company to investigate into the climate and resources of Central Ofcago, knowing well th?'t such were the impr^'ions prevailing -even among people reading in the \ieinity for such a longth of time and who ir.ay iiavo lidden over the ground «s often as " Lo-vcx of Feint," may have, done over tho Upper Taicri Plums. '1 lie reason be has been so loi.g in replying to my lett&r.h, J presume, Hut ho was waiting for a suitable season for mi example to bring forward as damaging evidence against my .statement*, and lie cortamly could not have been more favourably accommodated than ho has been by thii winter, which for s&verity has r.ot been surpassed within the memory of the oldest bfr't'.er. " Lover of Facts" may liavo ridden over the- Upper TaK-ii Plains as often as l.c states, but, if so, he is a bad juclpfe of area a? we!! ?i3 of the capacity cf land when lie estimates the extent of the plain at 10,000 acre". Ido not suppose- that he men -aired it lvi'h the chain more than I did, but if bo rode the di tance between TannahiU's n'id the Canadian Flat ot a gcod brLk pace it would take him two hours or more to cover the distance, v. hich would mean at lc-a-jt 15 mile-, and it ii at least eigbt mile-? across from T.inira'hiH's to the bpsc of tho Rough Ridge, or on an avenge- the wholeplain is about four mile 1 ; wide, giving an area of 60 square mi!?*. This, with a slice of tke- l.ills on e?ch <ide of the- plain, after deducting for lagcons, swamps, etc , wou'd leave- an acreage fully up to my o-timate. Anyone settling down on tho Upper T.rcri Plain would not expect tropical produce to grow O't h t-\\ an Novation. When th? piound is so suitable- for fattening stock during .summer, 'what more suitable produce would the owner wish the land to pioduce for winter ired than turnips, parsnips, carrots, and cabbages, wliioh. I still maiwtain, I hd\e seen grown on Canadian Flat to such

perfection as not to bs surpassed in any vegetable garden about Dunedin, and I saw all the- vegetable gardens about Anderson's Bay when thoy were at their best. " Lover of Facts" doubts whether ever I saw the Upper Taieri Plain. For his further information I can state that I was over evry mile of both Maniototo and Upper Taieri Plain 10 years before his time, and; that I wa3 also, as Lite as this year, on tho surrey staff which surveyed the Patearoa. run, so that I ought to know pretty -well about what I have stated in my letter. "Lovor of Facts" may have noticed that I did" not allude to tlie mineral resources of the Upper Taievi Plain or Cam-adian Flnt in my previous letter — only ito th© reaches liigher up the river. But be states that the Canadian Flat, Pile-np, and Bone! Creek have get a prat history that speaks for itself. Well, yes; and probably lam as intimaio with that history as any other man, at least as far as regards the Canadian Flat is concerned. lam among the heaviest losers, and the victim of the bungling that was nude. Yet, from my wide experience of mining and from my intimate knowledge of tho mineral resources of the- district, I have no hesitation in saying that the Upper Taieri Plain, and the Canadian Flat in particular, is a field for mining operations quite equal >to Upper Wninori; ar.d when that field is exhausted, alon^ with other svoilable alluvial sources of goldfields, the investor and mining speculator will shift his plant further inlaad, and find profitable investment for his money. Still, it would bfe a pity 'to see such valuable land as tho Upper Taicri Plain destroyed and sacrificed for ilia sake of gold, which pcrishcth. Biff: there kno occasion for alarm. Should tho Upper Taieri Plafn bo open for close settlement to-morrow there is no one likely to take up laud merely on my rceonunendaition. without first satisfying himself is to its capacity and climate, and in the absence of any prospeots of an outlet for their produce there is no one who would be mad enough, to do so. Yet, while the cry for more land i 9 heard from one end of tho colony to the* ether, end people are eagerly taking it up whenever it is ope.i for selection or bailer, and settle down on dry, ridgy, scrubby ground, witfh very little iv?,ter for stock, and nona at all for irrigating purposes, or on heavily timbered country where it would tike the individual energies of a man's lifetime +0 clear a section— as theland pressure in future becomes greater and railway communication more developed the Upner Taieri Plain, with its wellwatered slopes and rich, loamy soil and a climate equil to some of the best farming districts in Canada, will, I predict, in future becomes covered with the closely-studded homes tead 3 of many a thriving farm, notwiastanding what Is 6aid to the contrary against -all its drawbacks. — I am, etc., P. C. Geant. Miller's Flat, August 9.

Tho annual meeting of tho Gore A. and P. Association was held on Saturday, Bth. The President (Ifr G. Milne*}-, in moving th adoption of the report and balance sheet, stated that if fine weather had prevailed the show would undoubtedly have been a l-pcoi'd one, but, under the circumstances, the balance of £112 was-£atisfaotory. There was a mortgage of £200 3n the property, and as there ivcre sufficient funds in hand it was proposed to pay it off. The improvements now 'reached the cum of £636. The* report and balance sheet having bscn adopted th© following offios-b&arers were elected:— President. Sir T. Logan; vicev presidents, Messrs C. Cooper and 51. Dickie ; committee — Messrs G. Milnes, T. Ileron, T Green, F. Wallis, D. Davi3, S. G. Inder, T. Telfer, W. Latham, and James Aitken.

The Government balnealogist has taken samples of water from tho springs at Ohaeawai, north of Auckland, which are believed to contain mercury. If the analysis beaT9 out this supposition the spring*? will bo of great therapeutic value. They are situated on piivate property, about 21 miles from. Kawakawa. Dr Wohlmann has also paid a visit fee tho springs at Kamo, Whangarei, which are rich in carbonic acid gas. These springs, which resemble those at Manheim, Germany, are to be found over a largo area from, Whangarei to Kawakawa.