A TRIP TO MAROHEMA (UPPER WAITOTARA)

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8418, 10 December 1894, Page 2

A TRIP TO MAROHEMA (UPPER WAITOTARA)

(By Our Special.) I saddled my mars Dorothy last Monday (Deoember 3rd), and left town on route to the Upper Waitotara. After'si two and a half hours' ride I reached Mr John Brennan's homestead at Mixwelltown j here the •bearers were bn»r at work just finishing [ the last ot • flook of 1000 sheep, ths remit i of which if that Air Brennan netted 16 bales of wool. "Jimmy" Freel. Mr Brennan't manager, kindly mpplied the want's of the nner man, and I then wended my way to (Taitotare, where the genial Pyemont wm, ki ntaal, in evidence. At the suggestion )f Mr Pyemont I accepted the company of ilr Jonathan "Beetle to aocompany me to Msrohems, and thii young gentleman's rompany wu very acceptable, as the \ jonrney is very monotonous without a companion. The firit building to catch the eye if tor' leaving Waitotara ii the oreamery, irhioh is about fire milei up the valley. Ibe settlors for miles aronnd bring in their milk every morning, for irhioh they receive 8d per gallon, and the cream when ready ii taken to the Waverjey Factor/. After leaving xht oreamery about a milo diitant I' drop in on an old Wangaouite— Mr John Annabel! — he has a nice compact farm of about 283 acres, which, is situated. on the rias of a hill.. There is a very deep gully between the stookyard and hit private reiidence, and to tare time and trouble he has ereoted a very ingenious oonttivance in the shape of a No. 6 wire rope aoross the gully, whereby milk and other artioles oan be sent aorots withoufsjthe slightest trouble. The affair can be worked from both ends by the, aid of a windlass; the whole contrivance was invented by Mr Ann&boll. After a ride of about seven miles I come to the jnnotion of the Waikari and Omahine Boadi, and in pissing X would luggeit that the Waitotara Boad Board erect a finger poit here, ai the unwary traveller is likely to take the wrong road. If you turn to the' left tbo road will take you to Herohema ; go straight on end you come aoron another old Wanganuite— Mr John Alexander (late partner of Mr A. McFarlane) who has a splendid farm of 1600 sores. The farm is appropriately named " The Lakes," as the beautiful sheets of water surrounding it are worth going a long way to see. The next familiar face was that of Mr J. Onllinane, whose farm ot 810 aores is exactly 14 miles from Waitotara; he has just finished shear,, ing, and ,he informed me that his clip this year has been a good one. The roads up to this point are very good, and a buggy can be taken as far as Mr Oullmane's. I was informed by " Jerry [' Tain, the Board's foreman, that the road through to Kaimanaka would be ready for oart tram's 'by about February next ; the springs on 'tho road give the roadmen an 1 infinite' amount of trouble,*s they keep the traokoontinaally moist and muddy, but "Jerry' 1 thinks he will be able to surmount this difficulty. Although the •. weather was terribly warm, the water in the oroe&s was ai ooid-as ice. The aicent of the " hill " is now commenoed —by the way the hill is six milei from top to bottom— and, after enjoying some boautiful scenery, I meet Mr John MoPherson (lato manager for Dr draco), and he informed me that he was perfectly satisfied with the country. About 300 y*rds further on the traveller meets Mr Dan McOonochie, whoso premises are near the bridge, at ths river side. San has just built a six-roomed house, and he can. now accommodate over twenty persons. He has'n good grazing farm, and the land is very fertile ; he »Uo runs a store, from which you oan get anything from a needle to an anohor. It ii very amusing to hear Oan relate his experiences of three and a half years ago— that ii, before there was'even a bridle track to his property— when he had to olimb the ridges and scramble through the bush to get to his present place. The poit office is here, and Mrs McOonochie is the postmistress, and the Government and settlor* should be proud to have each a painstaking and intelligent lady to look after their in* tereits. In conjunction with the post, Mrs McOonoohie hat tbe money order and savings bank departments to look after j postal notes can also be obtained here. After shaking hands with Mr and Mrs MoOonoohie, I come in view of the once famous Kuaringa Pah, which ie now deserted. Many a good story could this old place toll if it oould speak of the war in 1868, but alas nearly all the old warriors have gone to that "buurne from whence do traveller returns." A very narrow path of about tiro miles brings me to A W. Ourry and Oo.'s store. Here I meet two jorial fellows, Messrs MoLeod and Armstrong, and attar partaking of some refreshment (by the way there is no whisky in these parts) we lit out "ould dhudeens'' and talked of the future of Merehamo. One of the managers, Mr Jaok Armstrong, usod to carry the mail before the road was formed, »nd many an exciting adventure he had — on one occasion he bad to tie the mail on his head, swim three chains, and then walk over 12 miles. Young Fred Beid (son of Mr H. J. Beid) has also had some similar experiences when he carried the mail. There if also a Post Office at Merehamo. Messrs Joe Brown, (}. Braitkwaite, Haddow and Annabel! are all doing well on their respective allotments, and if the Government will only push on with the rosd, I have no doubt but that every vacant section above Merehamo trill be taken up before long. Q-reat privation was endured by the settlers last winter jwing to the bod state of the track, which i composed of papa rook and sandstone and n places is almost impassable. The traok ;o Mr Van Aich'a property, 12 miles from tferehamo, is very narrow, and in the wet leason is dangerous to travel on. The ootperative men are working 29 miles from tferehamo extending the bridle track, but That the settlers in this part want is a 12ft ■oad, so that they can travel with safety in ho winter. I believe that £500 is to be pent on a bridle traok from Kaimanuka [awn the rivor near Mr W. Hicks' property, ifr Hicks is doing very well ; he has a fine ■egetable and fruit garden, ' supplies the ettlers with those commodities, and also ;oes in largely for the butter trade. A anoe runs twice a week from Waitotara to ilsrahamo, and I heard that the settlers are ikely to have a bi-weokly postal service hortly. There is a great future before Tpper Waitotara if good roads oan be got, _nd are plenty o£ sections available. The land is all good grazing country and suitablo for sheep farming. Old Wanganuites will remember tho late Mr Beaton, of the firm of Seaton and Davidsoa, onttle dealers. I met his brother, Mr W. Seaton, who has a compact little farni in tho valley, and the gentleman look» hale and hearty.