HISTORY OF MOA FLAT STATION.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 8

HISTORY OF MOA FLAT STATION.

The following historical sketch of this weil-known property is contributed by Mr W. Quin, of-'Tapanui, to the Canterbury A. and P. Association's Journal for August: — • "Since my last paper c'oseT settlement has still further progressed in Tapanui district without Government aid, and the celebrated M-oa Plat property has come into the market In the early part of the y-ear negotiations for the disposal of the 64-,000-acre freehold wero opened between the Union Bank of Australia (Limited), as vendors, and a syndicate comprised of Otago men and others. Mr Donald Macdonald. of Edendale,- Southland, is the pushful chairman of direotors-sfvf^thf concern, and he is acquiring fame by hi 3 successful methods of acquiring large estatee and disposing of then 1 , in sections to farmers. The Heddon Bush property, in Southland, Mr Macdonald has disposed 1 of, and it is only » question of time for him and his coadjutors to settle Moa Flat with a band of farmers. "The history of Moa Flat is briefly told. It was first selact'ed as a run in the fifties (about 1853) by Messrs Chalmers Bros., who later on stocked it and then mortgaged the place to ' Big ' Clarke, of Melbourne. The mortgagee foreclosed and put the late J. F. Kitching in charge. This proved am expensive business, as Chalmers brought an, action for illegal seizure of his run and stock into court, and secured heavy deinages against Clarke. Mr Kitching continued in charge of the estate for some years, and the owner bought the freehold from the Provincial Government. When Olarke, sen., died, his son Joseph came into possession of the property, excepting the Bland Block in the Molyneux, which went to William, the elder brother. In the lato seventies Mr J. F. Kitching, in company "with Messrs Driver and Larnach— the trio are all dead— leased Moa Flat from Olarke, and ooinmenced improvements on a wholesale scale, ploughing, fencing, and buildjng; and every acre of land, either freehold or leasehold, that came into the market in the vicinity was secured— even

hotel property. At one time che holding was almost 60 miles long — from Beaumont to the Fraser River, — and the area, eluding mountain runs, must have totalled near a quarter of a million acres. In 1878 the record shearing of 120,000 was reached, and then tbe deluge, or, rather, the snow, broke up the syndicate. From May to August in that fateful year enow fell in such quantities that some mountain gullies were filled level, and even on fiat ground snow remained until summer sunshine dispersed it. When the spring thaw came at the end of September and beginning of October, record floods devastated the country, and at next shearing the Moa Flat 120,000 had dwindled to less than half the ramber. Then came the rabbits. Clarke again resumed possession about 1880, and scon after Mr J. K. Cameron becaaic manager under Mr Joseph Clarke's attorney iv New Zealand, Mr Sprent. With the mccming of the rabbits most of the mountain leaseholds were abandoned, and a clearance was made of most of the pedigree stock accumulated during th© late Mr Kitching' s management, and Moa Hat wa.s simply worked as a sheep run once more, and improvements were few. Mr Cameron died during the late Mr Joseph Clarke s ownership, and Mr J. W. Cunningham, then clerk on the place, took charge— a position he has held ever since. The owner of the property died a few years later, and. the ulace being mortgaged to the Union Bank of Australia, the mortgagees took possession. For the last 10 _ years Mr Cunningham devoted his attention to extending cultivation, keeping down the rabbits by wire-netting, poisoning, etc., and improving the flock. In every branch of management Mr Cunningham was successful and he raised the standard of the sheep to the top of the tree in New Zealand. This year tb& wool clip again topped the Lordon market at Is 2£d for greasy, and averaged a fraction, over Bib of clean staple. The freezers off the place, either lambs or wethers, always bring extreme prices, and the east- ewes a.re invariably keenly competed for by both Canterbury and Otago bi«eders. Th& syndicate has now disposed of something like half the property in farming areas, and the pastoral lots are being retained until after next shearing. "The position of Moa Flat Estate is haifway betw3en Tapanui and Teviot districts, and the bulk of the grain produced there goes to the Molyueux Valley goldfields, also a considerable shave of the fat stock. Bluff is the nearest seaport— 9o miles; Edievale, on Tapanui branch railway, the nearest railway "station, four mike from Moa Flat homestead. Climate on the freehold, temperate — maximum summer shade, 90deg. ; winter frost seldom registers below 25, or 7deg. of frost. The west side of the country is sheltered with high mountains runing up to 5000 ft above the sea. The ocean can be seen in fine weather from the hilltops, and it is owing to the relatively short distance of Moa Flat from the sea that makes the climate so temperate in comparison to Central Otago, where the extremes of heat and cold are felt, and drought also puts in an appearance occasionally. The rainfall at Moa Flat is ample owing to the high ranges in the vicinity, and the country is beautifully watered by perennial streams. None of the freehold suffers from , snow in an average season, and the death rate is remarkably small, as there are few swampy creeks to endanger either sheep or cattle. "From a sportsman's point of view Moa Flat is all right, the lordly red deer being established on its mountain boundary. Tii« fallow deer country' is within a few hours, and hares in sufficient numbers to afford sport without' being thick enough to cause damage. ' Bunny ' is there -in places, but never in sufficient numbers to cause anxiety. Trout-fishing in th© Upp&r Pomahaka. RK'-er on the borders of the freehold is of the very best, the fish in that part of the river being heavy and of superb quality. The mountain scenery on th© Crown lands west of the freehold forms a beautiful picture. Snow-capped mountains, with silver threads of waterfall glistening through the greenery of the virgin forests. Th-e native shrubbery on the Pomahaka Rrwjr is exceedingly fine and choice, and the variety js large, and the foliage exceedingly beautiful. "In one spot, known as 'Manuka Gardens,' the eye oa-n travel over some f f the choicest * bush and river scenery in Otago, and tourists who visit this earthly paradise declare that it is hardly equaled in Maoriland. "Although Southland is attracting many Canterbury farmers at present, very if-w oomc up the Tapanui branch to southwest Otago. The few Canterbury settlers here, however, are doing remarkably well, aud they like both soil and climate. Th*-. extrems of heat and cold are unknown here as the plain is only 450 ft above the sea level, and the ocean is only 35 miles distant as tho crow flies. Tapanui district graziers get the highest prices for crossbred wool in London, and their fat lambs and wethers are an easy first as far as Otago is concerned."