NEW ZEALAND WINE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 32, 29 May 1914, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND WINE.

As a wine-producer Xew Zealand is not regarded seriously on this side of the Tasman Sea. To demonstrate that the Dominion can produce very good wine, Mr W. It. Blow, the Xew Zealand Government Agent in Sydney, secured some samples of Jisrlit wines, such as hock, Madeira, claret, and frontignac, and at his invitation recently a number of x-a l : Jg nen in the wine industry tested them. Mr Blow explained that he was anxious to show Xew Zealand's capabilities as a wine-producer. He looked forward to the time when reciprocity would be brought about between the two countries. At present the duty on wines was sufficient to keep it out. The general opinion of the experts after the tasting, appeared to be that the sample showed that Xew Zealand had the material for making good wines, but the winemakers had a considerable amount to. learn in the art of manufacture. . If the dutywere removed it was held that the Dominion would bo able to produce wines very suitable for oleniiag with Jthe product of Xew South Wales -vineyards, says the "Telegraph."

RECLAIMED LAND

The engineers are doing excellent work on the east coast of the Xorth Island in draining great areas of swamp land and making diem fit for settlement. The Piako swamp reclamation has proved suceessfri beyond all expectations. Xow an area almost as great is being won from the waters on the shores of the B-y of Plenty. For more than a year the engineers have been engiged n the work of diverting the Kangitaiki River by cutting a new outfall, wite a Priestman dredge, fo • the purpose of drawing off the waters wVoh n ate the lower portion of the Kangitaiki Valley a vast mars'i. Afe v days ago the sluic a -gates 'it the mouth of the outfall wore opsaed. the great o:\i having been compleied and the tremendous rush of water r weed the level of the river -ki;l the lagoons aid creeks in the loeaiitj by more than six feet within a lev hou-s. 'J his means, that many thouval-, of a<res of land will bo won for settlement, and that cattle and sheep and crops will flourish in the olden haunt of the . eel and the swamp-hen. The country all around is admirably adapt", ed for dairying and maize growing, and these industries no doubt wi'l turn the erstwhile swamp into a ver table gold-mine, far more profitable than even a. Waihi. The work cot: over £30,000, but this charge will fall upon the settlers, by means of ;. special rate levied according to the benefit nerved by tlem from the txpenditure of the ironov, says the "Lyttelton Times. '