MATAMATA PAST AND PRESENT.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8055, 13 November 1906, Page 2

MATAMATA PAST AND PRESENT.

THE HUNGAIIUN'iA. I DIVISION OK THE PIAKO COUNTY One of the mo-t energetic branches (f | the I'Vrii.erd Union is the Matamata | ' ranch, members taking a keen interest ia j all that pertains to thoir district. Without its existence many of the advantages iow enj iyed would at any rate have been delayed, perhaps never attained. For instance, the branch was instrumental in securing the goud eorvicoa of a good draught entire, for it was owing to the canvass by members that a support gurantee whs obtained to induce Mr N. 0. Hanks to purchase the well-known bay Clydesdale MacGregor, whose services are being largely availed of. Another benefit was i he introduction of an traction threshing and chaffing plant, in addition to the one already stationed there. The new p a'lt will be available in the coming season, and Messrs Foreman iiros, the owners, are certain to be satisfied with tiieir venture. The Union also brought up the question of subsidising a doctor, with the result that the settlers have nuw in their midst a qualified M.D., in the 1 erson of L»r. Endlitsberger. These are the matters in wlrch the Union has had a leading part,with i f course,the co-operation and assistance of the general body of hut there are many others m which the beneficial influence of organisation his been Mr, and the mterc >urso between members on topics i f agricultural interest has not been the least of the benefits derived. Mention of Macgregor naturally calls to miud the other stallions in the neighbourhood, among which may be mentioned Mr McLeod's bay Clydesdale Lord Vanley, and Mr W. C. Kino's dark bay thoroughbred Freedom. Of brood mares, there are some really fine specimens, principilly draughts, chief amongst them being those of Messrs J. McCaw, Bowler Bro«„ J.Cranswick, E. C. Bankß and J. S-impson. On the whole, the class of horse bred in the district should bear comparison with that found in any other district of a similar area. 1 hare is at present under consideration >it Matamata a question which should interest the whole of our Waikito farmers, for more than any other the dairying industry attaches to itseif the subsidiary one of pig raising. This question is that of collecting pigs for the factories on some what similar lines to the practice obtaining in laranaki. Briefly put, a representative of the bacon factory visits each farmer at stated intervals, and collects his pigs, each consignment being marked, and weighed alive at the collecting station. The owner gets a receipt for his weights, after deducting a given proposition for off il, and the animals are then forwarded to the factory for slaughter. This system has many obvious paints to reoommend it, not the least of which is that it Wuuld be much more convenient for the raiser to be relieved of all the duties of slaughtering and shipping; and, owing to the advanced hygenic conditions obtaining|at abattoirs, would be a sure guarantee to the consumer that there was no possibility of contamination through filth and neglect. Much has been heard lately about the Hungahunga drainage scheme, and while at Matamata our representative made some enquiries on the subject. The block abuts on the northern boundary of Matamata, ■>nd of which some GUUO acres is 11 ix-Deal-ing country of the best description. At a low estimate it will produce 1U tons of flax to the acre, cut every three years. This Wfuld .six mills going steadily and of such great value are the possibilities ot the country that there is every likelihood of the iudustry being placed on a fine basts. Negotiations are in progress for the erection if mil's and the thorough exploitatioj of th" iniustry. Tramways would convey the fibre to the mills and already offers of f ro ni XI lUs to X2 have been made for the flix ua tramway trucks. As good wat er absolutely necessary for turning ou t good fibre, the mills w. u!d have to be enct'd oa th o Waitou river, somewhere between the Gordon and Shaftesbury, but flax growing is not the only thing of which this land is capable, for it is excellent grazing country. If cleared and burned off some cf the land now worth XI an acre would be worth three times as much when drained, It would easily carry a bullock or a cow to the acre. The (1000 acies mentioned is the pick of the country and outside of this are the lighter lands, which would also be greatly improved and their value increased whan the drainage is ' completed- At piesent the average value is £2 per acre. Toere are about 21,000 1 acres affected by the scheme, which is estimated to cost £6:00 for the main drain, individual farmers of course putting in the subsidiary drains. There can be no ! doubt whatever that there is a great future before the country, and sett'.ers who purchase now and are prepared to rough it and not look behind, are assured of ample re--1 coiupense for their laboars. '1 he very large increase in the population ' of the Southern end of the Piako County has given rise to a suggestion that the ' County should be divided into two, in order 1 that the maintenance of roads, bridges ' and similar works might be facilitated. As 1 our readers are aware, the subject has been broached in the County Council by Cr. 1 McCaw, who is, perhaps, better acquainted with the needs of that part of the ' country than any other tran. His idea is that the division line should start *t the Waihou river from near the Stanley landing, following, roughly, tho GordonWabaroa road to the Matamata-Waihou roads, at a point about about two miles north of the Waharoa railway station ; theuce to the Waitoa stream. The new county would thus be composed of the greater part of the present Matamata riding, and the whole of the T.<atoaroa and I'aterera ridirgs. One advantage would be that the dry portion of the present country would be divided from the wet, this tending to a fairer rating of settlers for public works. As regards the Waharoa - Hordon road, concerning which so much controversy has of late taken place, it must be poiuted out that the worst por-tion-a distance of about one and a half miles - would' be severed from the old county, so i hat opposition to the proposal from the Waitoa end would lose much of its force; there can, of course, be no possible shadow of doubt that ratepayers in the Matamata end would be greatly benefited. The Whangarau native block, at present a thorn in tho flesh to settlers would also be in the new settlers' hands. As was mentioned in thesß c lumns before this block is veiy wet, affecting about 2UOO acres of i Matamata iu the direction of Turanga-o-I Moana ai d the township. The Government is taking stops to acquire the land, in order to effectively drain it—fro'n which large pecuniary profit should result, a3 the land is every bit as good as Hungahunga, which, by the way must not be oonf junded with the Hunga Block mentioned in connection with the Mangawhero Estate f-.,r miles separate the two and the conditions are entirely different. Ta king of Huugi brings to mind the fact that Mr L<\ W. Lang,.-pt' liinuera, has forwarded to the Minister for Agriculture ! ! a scheme he u&s formulated for eradicating | noxi us weeds by a gi /en method of tillage, I manuring and croppiug, whereby the land I is improve! in productiveness at the same | time that the weeds are destroyed. Until 'lie minist'r has pronounced on the Bubi jact, Mr Ling considers it advisable not to make publio any details of bis scheme, but that will nt decrease in any degree j the hope all farmers will have that a suci cestui remedy will he found against one of tho greatest disadvantages they labour under.