THE BAY OF PLENTY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 119, 12 July 1911, Page 5

THE BAY OF PLENTY.

A COMING DISTRICT. Mr F. Kemp, of the land agency firm of Messrs Kemp and Sawle, has recently paid a number of visits to th ; Bay of P.enty district, about the future of which he is very enthusiastic. Seen the other day by a “Post” representative, he said it was well known that people were going to the Bay of Plenty, and that quite a number of Taranaki farmers had thought fit. to change their places of abode to' the East Coast locality. He was quite satisfied, after numerous visits, t.o the district, rhit Die lend is of ti-ptop value. The Irani, which is flat, open country, could he bought for a third of the price paid in Taranaki. A great advantage of the land was that there were no stumps to take out. The soil was of excellent quality, there being about fifteen inches of sandy loam on a good subsoil A great feature was the maize-growing, one man taking 350 bushels off 31 acres of average land. In among the maize pumpkins are also grown. On one farm Mr Kemp visited sixty cows had been kept all last season on 91 acres, and the farmer’s return was £9 15s per cow. Dairy farmers got 10id for buttor-fat. Horae separation is much in vogue and a milk waggon calls at the settler’s house for the cream. The oat crops in the district are also very flue. The land Mr Kemp inspected was chiefly in the vicinity of Paengaroa and TV Puke. Comparing Taranaki and Bay of Plenty lands, and taking the prices into consideration, Mr Kemp is of opinion that the East Coast land at £lO to £l2 per acre is up to the standard of Man gat old land at £35 per acre. In the past the district had been neglected in the matter of railway outlet for produce, but a railway was now in course of construction. As to fat. bullocks, Mr Komp said ho had never seen beasts to equal those he saw in the district. It is great cattle fattening country. For sheep it is also good, and so long •is they, are not left on the land too long it is wonderful what can bo done in the way ol fattening. As r’oga.'ds means of communication, the district had previously been neglected by the shipping companies, but now the Union Co. has decided to send a boat regularly. Further, it is hoped that within two years there will also ho communication by train. The roads arc ail hard sandy ones. Compared with Taranaki, the rates are practically nothing. The climate was excellent and was highly suitable for fruit-growing. The land was good for all kinds of farming. The fact of being able to ripen maize showed' that there were practically no frosts, in the-past the district had been neglected in a number of directions, but at present there was an all-round awakening. “I do not desire,” said Mr Kemp, in conclusion, “to create the impression that 1 wish to run down Taranaki lands, but I would like people to know that there is still good land, in the Dominion which can he bought cheap. Nor is it to be presumed tint f hold the opinion that Taranaki land is priced above its value. Taranaki land is good value at the price paid for it. bur Bay of Plenty land is bettor value at the price. lu fact I believe that Bay of Plenty land could vim to the price of Taranaki land and still show good results.”