THE BATON DISTRICT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13971, 29 December 1915, Page 6

THE BATON DISTRICT.

(Contributed.)

Many years ago the Baton Valley, lying under the "spurs of Mt. Arthur, was a scone of great mining activity, and a very large amount of goid ,w won from alluvial workings. Gradually the industry dwindled as the limited area of ground was worked out, and the district, quite isolated and with no country beyond to induce through traffic, was given over entirely to tn» .nastoralist. The old accommodation house stood at the far end of the val-. ley up to within the last years to receive a very occasional guest, but finally when in the last stages ot decrepitude, fire swept away the buiidin»- which had witnessed so many scenes of fun and frolic whon diggers and settlers met for a jollification, which at times, with ' sports, cricket matches, etc., lasted a full yoek. After the fire the surface of tho ground on which the house had stood was "washed," the return of gold being sufficient to justify the work, so it may be truly said that in tlie good old days the diggers threw their gold around, for it was what had been spilled and dropped about that was thus recovered. In the general improvement in tho condition of the rtastoraliafc tho settles of the Baton have shared, and the district has gradually become more accessible, so that by use of the suspension bridge over the Motueka riv^r it is now possible to motor to the head of the valley. From the Tapawera end also access has been made much better, and a bridge or two will makevehicular traffic from this end possible at all times.

The settlers themselves have moved with the times, and done their part in pushing the district abead and improving their own conditions. Among ro. cent changes aud happenings it may.bo mentioned that Messrs. Faulkner Bros, have purchased a half of Mr. Lublow's large estate, and they havo lost no time in putting the nlough into a considerable area, while fencing is being put up by the mile. Mr LnbJo 1-. top, has been busily engaged in the same class of work, and bringing his holding into a highly improved state. Mr. E. H. Eromell's fine ne-w residence is another evidence of the improvement that is being effected, and1 it is at this spot that tho settlers arc brought into touch with the outer wo^ld by . telephone, Messrs. BroraeTj and Liiblow having contributed half the cost, the Department providing tho balance, to secure this valuable convenience for the district. Messrs.) Price Bros., at the lower end of the valley, also within recent times erect-

Ed a new residouco on their iiiio property. Taken ;:11 -in all, these1 tangible ovidences of progress are to the .credit of i.ho settlers, who for so many years laboured undor severe handicaps in the way of isolation and the difficulty of access, accentuated by unbridged rivers. A transformation has ' been made, and the district is now coming into its own. ,