AUCKLAND'S GOLDFIELDS AND GUMFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 598, 25 December 1869, Page 2

AUCKLAND'S GOLDFIELDS AND GUMFIELDS.

A VISIT TO THE WAIKATO. [by an itinebant highwayman.] (WRITTEN FOE THE WESTPORT TIMES.) Proceeding up the Horotu branch the next town we come to is Hamilton, occupying a space on both sides of the river, communication being kept up by means of a punt, for the use of which we paid 3d each. This settle ment was originally a military oneand many of the 50 acre selections are, yet held by those who got grants of them for their services in the field, in terms of an agreement which your readers may remember was made with the recruits in Melbourne and Dunedin about six years ago. Many of these settlers sold or abandoned their sections for a very trifling sum, and their properties united form some very fine farms, in the hands of bona fide agricultural settlers. Round about Hamilton, and from there to Cambridge, fifteen miles further on, the quality of the soil is very fine, and the road is lined on each side with fenced grass paddocks. The country, so far as I saw, has no natural grass ; ferns or bush occupying the land instead. This renders the process of settling more difficult to the occupier of small means, than would be the case in Canterbury or elsewhere, where, comparatively speaking, " all flesh is grass." But, on the other hand, it is asserted that the farm land can be improved for a very small cost, and when once the rye-grass and clover are put in the growth of the pasture is very rapid, and more stock can be fed per acre than on similar pasture in any other part of New Zealand. I cannot say anything as to the original cost of the land in this district, but I understand that in certain localities it can be taken up either from the Maoris or the Government at the rate of a few shillings per acre, while in others, more favored spots, it is held by speculators for from £2 to £5 per acre. I must not, however, say more on a subject with which I am but little conversant; and, as my tour was one of sight-seeing only I did not trouble to enter into any business inquiries. At the town of Cambridge my journey ended for the present. The same features of the upcountry towns are here repeated. One very large and comfortable hotel, and several of smaller pretensions, with stores, constabulary barracks, churches, &c, form a township, which from its natural advantages (being at the head of the river navigation on this branch) may yet assume proportions more worthy of its name. I have little to say of my journey down to town. Following the advice of my guides, I took a passage by steamer to Point Russell, taking ray horse on board with me, as in this way we can travel fully faster than by horse, while it saves a much needed rest to both quadruped and biped. The scenery on the river is beautiful, but not by any means of that " stern and wild " character which is said to give the best nursing to poetic children, and I must therefore excuse myself for being so very prosy. The country is undulating, and, I think, admirably adapted to maintain a much larger population than it can boast of at present. As we steam rapidly down the river, we pass many Maori villages and missionary settlements. Many of the Natives were busy at work in their potato fields, while others came to the banks of the river where we stopped to pick up what they could in the shape of a box of matches, a plug of tobacco, or even a glass of sherry, which one fair Waihena partook of on being asked to name her beverage. I am glad to have an opportunity of speaking most favorably of the treatment we received from the officers and crew on board the steamer Blue Nose throughout a rather tedious voyage of 24 hours' duration, part of which time we were stuck on a bank ; but I cannot speak equally favorably of the adaptability of the steamer for the trade in which she is engaged ; more power, greater carrying capacity, and less draft of water being qualifications much required to keep pace with the growing trade of the river - a trade in flax, wool, gums, grain, timber, coals, stock, and passengers—which I venture to predict will double its dimension within a very few years. In my next letter I will, perhaps, give you some account of the Thames district and Coromandel.