THE WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 4462, 3 October 1883, Page 2

THE WEST COAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND.

No. 2.— FROM NEW PLYMOUTH TO PATEA. In my last letter I showed some symptoms of sentiment. I think it is occasionally excusable when speaking of the land, with its wonderful possibilities, when rightly dealt with, in producing and sustaining life. It is brimful of humanity. Does not the old book tell us that man is but the duut of the earth, with the trifling addition o£ the breath of life assimilated with the raw material ? This also accords with modern analysis. The chemist detects the dust in the human anatomy as he separates quantitatively each ultimate particle, be it bone, or muscle, or nerve, or blood, or brain; and tells us the same old story, that practically, man is but dust when the breath of life, which his chemical analysis cannot detect, has mysteriously disappeared. Land, therefore, involves humanity — its hopes and fears, its joys and sorrows — and as a consequence involves, in dealing with it, sentiment of the highest order. We have often been told that Taranaki is the Garden of New Zealand — so often that 1 verily think the residents believe it. On looking round this garden in the vicinity of New Plymouth, I thought to myself, there is a trifle too much fern and furze for a wellkept garden. On the route to Waitara by rail t was struck by this abundance of furze, and was told that it was principally due to the land being native land or reserves unoccupied. If this is the case, the sooner a change takes place the better, as large patches of golden furze, however beautiful to look on, is not quite the plant that ought to be grown in a well-kept garden. The soil, too, looks a trifle hungry ; und I think I could write a recipe that would, if properly applied, improve its productive power, viz., take of superphosphate of lime, chloride of potash, nitrate of soda, of each2cwt. per acre; sow with turnips, and eat off with sheep. It would then be in a better position to be laid down in grass and produce good milk, butter, and cheese. I also observed for sale in New Plymouth prime Oamaru potatoes and flour, also Californian preserved fruits. This looks as if the garden was not sufficiently productive to furnish tho necessary supplies for the people, or else that the term " Garden of New Zealand" had lost its old significance. In passing through the wide belt of forest land which separates New Plymouth from Hawera, I saw more of man's identity with the land. Here the hard hand of labour has left visible marks. The influence of man — that is, of civilised man — on forest is very apparent. Where once stood the gloomy, impenetrable bush, now appears the verdant carpet of grass, supplying food to cattle and to man. What vast labour, unproductive mainly, to make homes in this wilderness. The labour of months and of years uncalculated, never recovered in m o ney value at market price of labour, yet valuable and productive to the State, is here exemplified. These toilers in the forest truly earn their land. Is it not a part of themselves, inert matter blended with muscular fibre and mental anxiety. Any family inclined to live on and beneficially occupy these back bush lands ought to have them at low prices easily paid. They are worthless now, and it is only the hard work of years that can make them of any reproductive value. The land did not impress me as of a high class as regards quality. I would say easily exhausted, though kindly if liberally treated. Being in the volcanic basin of Mount Egmont, it appears deficient in the more fertile clays, and consists mainly of volcanic products in a more or less state of disintegration. But with a heavy rainfall and a good climate it will no doubt be a good grazing district and nothing more. As I progressed towards Hawera the land appeared to improve in quality after leaving the Ngaire S tat ; on. There is no doubt more clay in the soil to account for its acknowledged greater productiveness, as shown by the greater abundance of both sheep and cattle. One acre of the Hawera land would be at least equal to one and a half of the New Plymouth-Stratford land, and the prices its realises appear to support this opinion. But even here winter feed is required, and turnips will have to be grown more extensively if advantage is to be taken of the English market to ship frozen mutton. I was rather struck with the abundance of cattle in the Hawera district, and sought to ascertain the cause of such ii preponderance as compared with sheep. After a great deal of enquiry I found that lambs did not do well. That sheep over the first year did well, but before that period the result was not satisfactory, as great mortality took place among lambs. This no doubt a drawback, but it is often the result in good grass lands where the climate is wet, and the only remedy is to buy in other districts, and fatten, if such a course is possible. The capacity for fattening stock in this district is very apparent, and if tho harvest weather could only be more depended on for saving grain, it would, or ought to be, a profitable farming district. I think Hawera as a town is rather overdone, especially in hotels. I should think two would satisfy all the reasonable requirements of the most thirsty people, but apparently treble that number is required. But it is the same in all small towns ; " hope tells a flattering tale," and with accommodating Banks tho town Boon assumes an aspect of progress that sometimes is not as real as is desirable. In tho matter of main roads I cannot compliment either the Hawera or Pateci Counties. I found them good in tho Taramiki County, but when I arrived at the good land I found the main road metallcss, and iv the very heart of the district between Normanby and Hawera in a hopelessly bad condition. If they make money in Hawera County they evidently know how to take care of it; at any rate they do not spend mveh on roads. The coach yet runs on the gap between Hawera and Manutahi. The years roll on and the gap is getting gradually less. The Government, I am informed, are aghast at tho formidable pace at which the line of railway has progressed, and are very angry when any doubts are expressed as to its velocity. An average of six miles a year does not impress one as giddy speed, especially when we are told that in America — on, o£ course, a favourable country — that two miles a clay is being laid, and one section of a hundred miles is hoped to be finished in three months. It is to be hoped that I this line will advance before next winter, 'or that the main lino of road will be attended to during the present summer, or winter traffic will be absolutely impossible. Patea is almost avoided by tho railway, as the station is a considerable distance from tho centre of the town, which is to some extent an incovenienco. It looks rather desolate all by itself on the river side, but the powers that be evidently believe in the latent capabilities of Patea, as they have provided a station to meet the requirements of apopulationsome ten times the present one. It is at least double the size of the New Plymouth station, and I am told the population of Now Plymouth is larger than the population of the town of Patea, so that it would seem that tho future ot Patea is secured on tho opinion of the highest legal authority in tho land, viz. — the Attorney-General. This ought to ttssui'o the people ; but I found

that the money market was tight there, and consequently general depression prevailed. _ This tightness of the money market is to me a mystery. lam told the money market is tight, no money to bo had if I wish tv have a bill cashed that I have inconsiderately taken for valuable consideration, but if I wish work done, or buy a town lot, or deal with my butcher or baker, or even my washerwoman, I am required to pay the usual consideration, even when cash is tendered. If money is tight I ought to get more for my money, but I don't, therefore I can't understand it. If those people who complain of the tightness of the money market will onty confide in the cash holders, and give a valuable discount in exchange perhaps the tightness would cease. Traveller.