CHATHAM ISLANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20168, 9 June 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

CHATHAM ISLANDS

ADVANCE IN DAIRYING AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS. An interesting time was spent at the Chatham Islands by Mr G. W. Wild, Government agricultural instructor at Hamilton, who recently returned. Mr Wild iiad an opportunity of studying agricultural conditions on the main island during his five weeks stay says the Auckland Herald. He noticed that a steady advance had been made in .dairying, and that the output of the island cheese factory had increased from 35 tons to 43 tons in the last year. During the current dairying season about 2oU cows were imikud to supply the factory, and it is intended by the settlers to increase the number to about 400 for next season. The cheese was forwarded to Lyttelton, and when graded compared favourably with cheese manufactured under more modern conditions in New Zealand. A number of progressive farmers were importing high-grade Freisian and Jersey heifers with a view to laying the foundation of pedigree herds. During Febnqyy and March the pastures at the were in fresh and healthy condition, and provided a striking contrast to the parched paddocks of Waikato. English grasses do wel-1 on the Chathams and are freer of weeds than similar grasses are in New Zealand. Top-dressing was adopted last year, and the results were very beneficial. Speaking of the nature of the land on the islands, Mr Wild said there were large areas of sand dunes and limestone, but there was much arable land of a chocolate brown and volcanic nature. Many thousands of acres consisted of peat of from a xew inches to 50ft. in depth. The total area of the main island is 250,000 acres, of which 160,000 acres, including the peat land is capable of being used for grazing. A great proportion of the land has as yet been untouched. Among the stock at the Chathams are 2000 head of cattle, including 500 dairy cows and 83,000 big-framed Romney sheep, which give a relatively high wool clip averaging BUb. The total population of the Chatham Islands is 580, and of these 260 arc white people. The remainder are Wellington and Taranaki Maoris and their descendants, who migrated to the Chatharas in the thirties and forties. The only Moriori left is Tommy Sullivan, who is married to a Maori and is farming some 2000 acres on the island.

Until recently no crops have been grown for the sheep, but soft turnips and swedes are now being cultivated and fed to them. This has had the effect of reducing the mortality among (.he hoggets, wi : • has sometimes reached 50 pur cent. The death rate has been >due to the flush of feed causing scour, a trouble root crops have to a large extent corrected.

Algerian and dun oats do well on the island. From a climatic point of view the Chathams are extremely well favoured. The rainfall averages 35 inches and is well distributed throughout the year. Heavy dews fall at night. Flowers grow profusely on the islands and every homestead is surrounded by a beautiful garden. The Chatham Islands may be rewarded as the sportsman’s paradise, said Mr Wild, who said he spent a very interesting time hunting wiki* pigs and shooting wild pigeons, pukekos. swans and pigs- Mutton birds could be obtained in April when they burrowed into the higher lands overlooking the cliffs. There were innumerable flounder in the Tewhanga Lagoon, where they could bo speared from horseback.