THE SOUTHLANDER'S OPTIMISM
THE HOPES OF ISG7. (From the South land Times, 251h April, . ISGS.) Some time since a gentleman of tlie highest respectability, and an old resident in lliis Province, received from a friend, in England, a letter, asking for information and advice as to the future prospects of Southland as a place for settlement. The following reply, which we publish in external, gives the writer's opinions on the capabilities of Southland as a field for immigration'—“lnvercargill, ISth April. ISGS—Dear Sir.— Von ask mo to state, in as few words as possible, my opinion of the future prospects of till;; Province. In reply, I have no iVsilallon in say big that there is a great and prosperous future in store for Southland, and that at no distant date. So much so that ; t will be matter of surprise to many, and of regret to not a few, who hove nad the opportunity, but failed to lake advantage of it, of investing in the Crow n lands of this Province. There are so many elements that necessarily enter into the consideration of lliis ipar-thin Hint it is impossible to comprh-o in a few sentences what should bo said in support, of my opinion. Southland has 1 vi' abundance the elements of future greatness and prosperity a fine, ciimnlo - - a " eat extent of fertile land —capable of •,reducing, in perfection, .all the cereal" ana root crops of Europe, and of maintaining, in comfort and independence, millions of our countrymen. It is intersected by fine stream;) of water, from the “wee burnie " up to the broad, deep and -apid WaiHu, which drains the lnrce-t area of Hake Country in Xew Zealand, and is the best in the colony for salmon and trout. We have also ever-g<-e< n . forests of full-grown timber, adapted fo- every possible purpose that timber is used for, and these at convenient distance;; in all directions. Limestone in abundance, and bituminous coal also ; the latter discovered only a few days ago, and both, singularly enough, quite accessible, and within' a few miles of,the terminus of the Bluff Harbour ami Winton Railway, now In course of completion. What an immense stimulus to immigration (now resumed) and to the purchase and settlement of the conn 1 ,! when these two | invaluable and inexhaustible sources of industry and wealth are in full working | order, which will IfC the case within 12 ! months. The discoverer of the con! inI formed me that freestone, lime, and coal j arc to be found in all directions I throughout the Province. Tbo'absence 1 of engineering difficulties, and the, large I extent of our agricultural territory, ren- | dor it certain that, in a few years, our | Province will be thoroughly opened up, with inexpensively formed roads, and railways giving every facility for rapid settlement. There could scarcely be stronger testimony in favour of my opinion of the importance of Southland, that tlie remarks made by his Honour the Superintendent of Otago, in his opening address to the Council of that Province, now in session, when lie suggested that overtures cliould be made to us for a re-union with Otago. In IS6I lie predicted the Panama route within a few years, ami was laughed at as a visionary. in the address alluded to, where he brings railways under the consideration of the Council, lie refers to a great trunk line, from Bluff Harbour to Cook's Straits of which we have already, in full operation, the first twenty miles, bringing the capital of the Province and its principal seaport within an hour of each oilier. Taking into consideration our geographical position too, it must be evident that all the'coasting and intercolonial steamers must call at the Bluff, being the first and last port of call, to report, by telegraph, their arrival and departure, and also to fill up with our bituminous coal. ■ When railways are in full operation throughout the Colony, the whole intercolonial passenger traffic will he centred in the Bluff, and, as a natural result, Invercargill, surrounded by a dense agricultural population, will be the commercial capital and metropolis of the Colony of New Zealand. 1 need scarcely refer to Stewart’s Island, with its inexhaustible fish banks and magnificent harbour, where thousands of “'Great Easterns" could ride at anchor- as safely as in a mill pond. Although the subject is not half exhausted, J must close by expressing a hope that enough has been said to remove any doubt your friends may entertain as to the desirability of making Southland their future home.”
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Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 17193, 12 November 1912, Page 8
Word Count
755THE SOUTHLANDER'S OPTIMISM Southland Times, Issue 17193, 12 November 1912, Page 8
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