THE LAND IN SOUTHLAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1181, 22 May 1884, Page 3

THE LAND IN SOUTHLAND.

The following interesting letter has been received by a residaut in this district horn a friend in Southland, and handed to us for publication : Riversdale, May, 3884.

Dear Friend,— According to promise, I now take the pleasure of writing my opinion of Southland as a field for' settlement by farmers with moderate means—or with larger capital—and can say that it is much better than Canterbury—the land, generally, is superior ; the value of farm produce is more in Dunedin than in Christchurch. I have been working in the harvest field for an old friend, Mr R. A. Watt, from the Temuka district. He is farming about 500 acres on the south bank of the Mataura River, about 800 acres of which were under crop this season, the yield from which, judging from that already threshed, will be 16,000 bushels. The land requires more care in its tillage than that in Canterbury, it must be ploughed, sow J n, etc., when in proper order, otherwise it will not yield a profitable crop. The natural drainag« is not so good as on the Canterbury Plains, and the land is what might be termed sour, but, as there is plenty of strength, cultivation will improve it. I handled some wheat, the stalks of which resembled "young willows," and, as I remarked, were more suitable for basket making than cutting into chaff. The harvest here, as in Canterbury, has been about a month later than usual, and in some cases the wheat crop has not ripened favorably—the frost has affected it. The climate is colder, but one does not feel it disagreeable after the firßt week or two. There are none of those sickly nor', westers here, and without thorn a person soon becomes able to stand the extra cold temperature. But lam drifting from the subject. Turnips grow very well here. They are a grand fertilising crop, and that—with the stubble it is profitable to leave on the ground—confirms my belief that the soil will improve by judicious cultivation. Riversdale is a small township situated about the centre of the Waimea Plains—the whole of which at one time belonged to a company named the New Zealand Agricultural Company—some 100 square miles. About five years ago it was all, or nearly, all in its native state. Now there are smiling homesteads springing up in every direction, and little townships—i.e., a public house, blacksmith's shop, store, baker's and butcher's establishments, church, 3chool, etc. —every here and there. The company cultivate the largest estate—except, perhaps, that of Longbeach—in New Zealand. They are open to sell any part of the property, on reasonable terms, from £lO per acre—the same quality of land in Canterbury is sold at from £ls to £2O an acre. They give easy terms, and every encouragement to bona fide settlers in the way of advances on growing crops, etc. If you, or any of your friends, are inclined to try your fortune in farming, I would advise you, or them, to take a trip to Southland. There is what is termed the "rabbit nuisance," but I think it is exaggerated. Poor bunny will soon be a thing of the pastlie is fast disappearing aa the country becomes settled. The Company generally fence and break up the land, grow turnips for perhaps two years, and then lay it down in grass. I would advise intending purchasers te take this land, as it is then in first-class condition. In one instance a settler came down from Marlborough and took up a piece of land, and a few months afrerwards cleared £1,500 by the sale of grass seed. The representatives of the company, Messrs Austin and Donald, are most obliging, and do everything in their power to help buyers along. Better men could not be found for the position. You will have seen by a telegram that the owners of land in the vicinity of the Waimea Plains Railway are to be rated 3s 4d in the £ to make up the deficit in the working of the railway. This rate the settlers are resisting, and it will bo tried in the Law Courts. However, the company have posted notices along the line, stating that land bought during and after May will not be liable to this late, so this need not act as a determent.