A PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12378, 11 February 1911, Page 6

A PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

VIEWS OF MR W. H. FIELD, M.P. Mr W. H. Field, M.P. for Otaki, accompanied by Mr P. Bartholomew, of Levin, returned last evening from a brief visit to Motu.Interviewed to-day, Mr Field stated that he was very favorably impressed with the district, he really did not know it was so good. Proceeding to Motu he travelled by the ''front road." It was a terrible road, he declared, and could have been improved m places. The first few miles of country were disappointing, but after passing 'vVhakarau the land was really good, right up to tho tops of the hills. Around Motu, and beyond, the country was very line. It was even better down through Matawai. Mr Field, who is himself a successful farmer, declared that the hills and flats of Motu were splendidly suited for dairying. There was one thing he did not understand. He was informed that notwithstanding the wet climate, the growth of grass only stopped for two months of tho year, July and August, "the quality of the land surprised me," declared Mr Field, "I did not. know there was such fine land m Poverty Bay. And they tell me that the land is of equally good quality for many miles around, and that north of Gisborne it is even better. I believe this place must "have a wonderful future. They are only scratching the surface at present m opening it up. I was delighted and much surprised." Mr Field expressed deep regret that the timber had been destroyed. The waste was bideOus. There must have been millions of pounds' worth burned, tt was a great pity they bad not waited for the mills. The milling should have gone before settlement. Tho difficulty, of course, was to meet the demand tor settlement. People would not wait for tbe mills to come along. When the timber was destroyed it was not, he recognised, tne asset to the country it was to-day. batches of good timber were left around Motu that should be milled. It was magnificent rimu, as the remaining tree trunks showed. They were so close together. <t his rimu was . probably unexcelled m the Dominion. Right back, as far as .he went, the whole valley of the Motu was magnificent. The Motu falls' were a fine Bight, and would become a tourist attraction. vVhinray park,' adjoining, was a magnificent reserve^ This, he understood, was reserved, on the initiation of Mr Whinray, who undeniaoly deserved much credit. "It is a great pity the railway was not constructed years ago," declared Field. Regarding the Poverty Bay flat, he understood its quality was a little patchy, but from the crops of maize, etc, ne saw, it was quite apparent" its quality was very high, probably unexcelled m New Zealand. It was a great asset to Gisborne, even without the great back country. He had never known such country existed. He was sure that great prosperity was ahead of the district. Improved communication was required. Gisborne had only recently become I known, and many were hindered from coming here for want of better means of communication. The building of the Gisborne-Napier railway would be a great thing for tho district, but an improved steamer service was required first. '.'I am very desirous of purchasing a property m the district "concluded the member for Otaki, "but I will decide that on my return to Wellington." Messrs Field and Bartholomew return south by to-morrow's steamer.