OUR BACK COUNTRY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13331, 21 March 1911, Page 6

OUR BACK COUNTRY.

THE WANGANUI DELEGATES VISIT. . Some Jottings. The greatest trouble from the noxious weed pest in the Waimarino is going to come from the native and Government Lands. Within a radius of three miles from the Eaetihi butter factory there are fifteen thousand acres suitable for dairying. There are already some 200 -to 300 acre sections making .£SOO to £6OO a year from cows. (Mr Bennett). ■ The geographical position assures a great harbour for Wanganui when once the depth, to admit ocean-going boats to enter, is obtained. (Mr Harris, Eaetihi). The members of the Chamber of Com mere® party who wont up to Parapara on Saturday remarked on the plentiful supply of metal to be seen out cropping along the road formation, especially on the upper end sections. The metalling difficulty exh' perieneed in some places should not be 'a source of any anxiety oh the Parapara Road. '

At the present moment about twenty-five men are engaged on construction work on the Parapara Road, the majority being on the lower end. It was the opinion of some of the delegates that twice ’ this number should have been employed through the spell of very fin© weather lately experienced, and could have been with the money voted last session.

“Wanganui, having discovered that Eaetihi is now a town of some importance, is wooing her,” said Mr Allan Robinson in the course of his remarks on Saturday night. “Yes,” replied Mr Harris, “and Eaetihi welcomes Wanganui’s advances as a young lady welcomes the advances of her prospective husband,”

Speaking of the importance of the timber industry in the ' Waimarino, Mr Bennett mentioned that some twenty-five or thirty thousand acres of milling bush land would be served by the branch railway to Eaetihi, Calculating fifty thousand feet to the acre it would readily be comprehended what traffic would be put over the branch line in timber alone, not reckoning on posts, rails'; slabs, etc.

The Bank of New Zealand has just completed ! fine bank 1 premises at Eaetihi, and at the gathering on Saturday evening the “Banking Institutions of the Waimarino,’ ’ coupled with the name of Mr' Butts, the popular manager of the Bank of New Zealand, was n. toast enthusiastically honoured. Mr Butts suitably replied, outlining the great advance the district had made during the past five,years and expressing the bank's confidence in the future as evidenced by the fine premises they had just erected.

“Raetihi has other suitors besides Wanganui,” 'remarked : Mr W. Tustin. “Wellington and Auckland are putting in big claims. This week I received a catalogue from a Wellington house offering to pay freight on goods as far as Taihape, and Auckland firms are offering big inducements too. We are now in close touch with Auckland, and Wanganui mustgive some tangible evidence of its desire tc be the chosen town.”

“Wanganui doesn't want something for nothing,” retorted Mr J. H. Burnet. “When we get our harbour we will save at least 6s freight, and that. will give ua all the advantage we want. Wo only ask for fair business treatment—nothing more.”

“The timber and’dairying industries of the Waimarino,” was a toast proposed by ‘Mr Allan Robinson, coupled with the names of Messrs Punch and Bennett. The latter, in the course of a-reply, mentioned that Eaetihi had the world’s champion butter-fat' test. It was 14 and the weight of milk per day 301bs. Another test went 10.7, and the weight of milk 291bs. Both these tests were made at their recent A. and P. Show and although protested against, were ultimately upheld.

Mr C. M. Cresswell was very enthusiastic and emphatic as to the possibilities of the Raetihi-Parapara country for sheep raising. Already the Wanganui Breezing Company had had some lambs from, that dis-trict-one line averaging 361bs—and they hoped to have many more such in the near future. The season in the Eaetihi and Parapara was later, than the lower country and that was a : great advantage, as it enabled the Freezing Company to deal with the inevitable early season rusb and the up-country sheep coming a little later could he better handled.

“Eaetihi people need never be afraid of being included in the Wanganui Harbour Board rating area—-it will never reach to you. Before it can reach you it will have to spread over the Wanganui County/and the farmers there will object to any rate; in fact, they will ‘kick like mad’ if asked to.”—Mr Allan Robinson.

In the Waimarino there are 21 timber mills, paying away U4OOO a year each in wages on the average.

Mr T. B. Williams, president of, the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, wants the chairman and members of the Eaetihi Progressive Association to come to Wanganui on an official visit. He promises them a royal time. We want to be friendly to Wanganui, but, before they can expect us to be friends I think they should do something for us.—Mr Peter Brass. Discussing the possibilities of developing electrical energy . from the Mangawhero Palls on Saturday night, Mr Allan RobinSon threw out a suggestion which appears to’be worthy of some consideration. He referred to the present low condition of the Wanganui River, to the impossibility of the steamers carrying up settlers’ stores and'of the settlers being compelled to resort to'the expediency of using the parcels post. He suggested that if about three, good locks jwere'built in at i convenient points between Wanganui and" Pipiriki it would not only > enable, steamers of very much deeper draft to trade with ease, but the overflow from each lock could he utilised for developing electrical power. A magnificent sheaf of oats, grown on what were popularly supposed to be barren plains at Karioi, was to be seen at Halgety’s store. Mr Geo. Powell (Messrs Dalgetv’s Eaetihi manager) was very proud of his sample, and he had every reason to be. The trials of the pioneer. Mr Pemberton brought in a range for his homestead, just 'beyond tho Ohotu township. The range was carted about nine miles in from Eaetihi; then it was sledged for a mile or two, hut the last couple of miles it came to manual labour—a number of

men caTi’yjng it.on a specially constructed litter;' A" ’sewing machine was :similarly treated. . .. r .. ... . . .. . Several good substantial swing-bridges now span the Mangawhoro. Tlicy . are simply made—a number of strands of Np. 8 galvanised wire doing service for the main cables, white pine shingles formed the decking and sides, and they prove very useful for foot traffic or for crossing sheep, and even pack horses. They ate nearly all privately constructed, and are only another evidence of the energy and resourcefulness of the settlers. Pheasants appear to he very plentiful through. the Ohotu, and the members of the party who went through on Saturday saw quite a number along the road sides. Mr Allan Robinson, a gentleman who has had very considerable experience in road construction, estimates that the cost of construction of the unfinished 13 miles of the Parapara Road will be nothing like so much as that already done. The grades are remarkably easy, and the country through which it passes presents practically no apparent difficulties. In many places it is level 'going. ■ ‘ 1 The land surrounding the three pic-, turesque lakes just , this side of Kakatahi has been leased, and the bush will probably soon be felled if some steps are not immediately taken to preserve it. The lakes are prettily situated, and their very distinctive colourings add a charm. It would ' be a thousand pities if the bush should he felled. . “Tins is the first 'time I have seen , the Parapara Road, and i must say that the best country is on your (Raetihi) end.. You should have had a far greater expenditure of money on that end of the road than you have had.”—Mr J. H; Burnet.

“Tire Eaetihi people are looking forward to the establishment of a grading'port at Wanganui. It would suit us admirably, because if wo can -get the same freights Home from Wanganui as from Wellington it will mean; a big saving for us on. our butter—probably 7s per ton.”—Mr Bennett.

Some of the best frontages of the Ohotn Block were let. to Maori farmers, and if any further evidence were required to convince the authorities that they never will make practical farmers it may be found here. Where a little bush has been felled it is now a wilderness of undergrowth and thistles, and never a sheep to be seen. This sort of “farming” is not only wasteful—it is harmful to the district, as these wildernesses will soon become nurseries for all the noxious weeds far and near.

The ,ford over the Mangawhero where the r'oa’djrom Matahiwi (Wanganui River), known as Karkeek’s Track, crosses it is a dangerous one, and Mr Forsyth is interesting 'himself in the matter of a bridge. He wants a suspension stock bridge, costing about ,£3OO, but the other setttlers cannot come to an agreement about it, and so it appears likely that it will bo hung up for a while yet.

Raetihi has received a fine grant of land from, the Government for A. and P. show purposes. It is quite close to the township, felled and burnt, and is hounded by the main road on one side and a stream on the other. The area is 20 acres, and it is quite level. The Society has .surplus monies in hand, and they intend to log-up and get it in order at once. Their recent A. and P. Show was a great success.

Tlie Wanganui delegates . were greatly impressed with the advance of settlement, all along the Parapara track. Large areas which but a few years ago were .standing bush are now well-ordered sheep: rnns.producingspJciidid stock. The whole of ilie land between Wanganui and BaetihjSyill soon be cleared and turning ' off fmndreds of thousands of sheep, and it must be-.ap-parent to anyone who realises-’What this means to trade how vitally important is the construction of that great arterial highway—the Parapara Road. There is but one gap of 12 miles to complete it, and 12 miles of the very easiest formation, and every- effort should he made by the public men of Wanganui to urge on its completion. Then Wanganui may again woo Raetihi—and with every chance of a glad and welcome acceptance.