PROGRESSIVE WAIKATO

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16152, 29 November 1924, Page 6

PROGRESSIVE WAIKATO

Shaftesbury’s early history is .analogous with that of the late Sir William ■ Herries. It is with pride the older settlers point to his original homestead block. In the early days Sir William held a very considerable area of country, which to-day is a wealth of production and settled upon by enterprising farmers. As stated in a previous article, originally Shaftesbury proper was settled by numbers of Lincolnshire farmers who came out to New Zealand. It was learned this week that they took up some of the “worst land in the district,” To this observation 'a remark was made that if the original farms were on the worst land what must be the value of other land in Shaftesbury to-day. .Good and all as the old lands are, those of more recent occupation are, to say the least, exceptional. Always Hanty of Feed.

There is always plenty of feed in Shaftesbury. The country seldom, If ever, dries up. Never by any chance has it the burned-up appearance which is so noticeable on qther lands during the summer months. All kinds and conditions of stock do well. The soil will grow practically anything, although swedes and turnips do not do so well as in other parts of “Progressive Waikato” the writer has visited. As stated previously, men farm their lands m the Shaftesbury districtThe general appearance of the homes, the arrangement of the sheds and many other items of vital Importance to successful fanning are to be seen to advantage In this district. There appears to he a spirit of wellbeing and, with one exception, the farmers and their families whom the writer had the pleasure of meeting appeared to be quite happy and contented. One can generally tell what a district is like by a casual look round at the homes and farm appointments. On coming into closer touch with the people the first impressions are generally found to be borne out by facts. So it Is with Shaftesbury.

dead for Olosar Sottiamant, Seeing the great wealth of the Shaftesbury district, it seems a pity that more use is not being made of Certain portions of the hereabouts. More settlers are needed and closer settlement should he much more in evidence. Riding along the road a few miles out from Te Aroha one comes upon a farm the proportions of which, in addition to other things is, to say-the least, arresting. For a mile or two the main road to Matamata through Shaftesbury and Gordon passes through this holding of 4000 lovely acres. Some of the finest of beef cattle to be seen anywhere are to be observed grazing in the paddocks where feed Is up to their knees. On other parts of the property hundreds of newly-shorn sheep are browsing, whilst fat lambs gambol on the green turf. Some scores of acres on this fine place are occupied by thoroughbred and other kinds of horses. In comparison - there is little or no dairying carried on; and the whole of those 4000 acres, lying within a mile or two of Te Aroha, are owned by one man. He gives employment to a few Maoris and another white man who looks after the thoroughbred horses. All of that large acreage is suitable for dairying. Instead of progressing, or helping the district and Te Aroha to progress, the fact that one man holds the lot tends to retard the general welfare of the whole area.

Look What Could bo Done. Look what could be done if this property alone was cut up into 100acro farms. It would mean that 40 extra settlers and their families would be able to come into the Te Aroha district. Such a state of affairs would not only add to the trade of the tourist and pleasure resort, but would undoubtedly be the means of adding thousands of pounds sterling to the earnings of the man who goes on the land. The cutting up of this property alone would enhance the value of ‘‘Progressive Waikato’s” production, and in turn add to New Zealand’s wealth and figures for dairy produce. Those 4000 acres of the best land would, it is estimated, keep olose on 2000 cows on 40 individual farms. At a low estimate on Shaftesbury land, those 2000 cows should return at least 2001 bof butter-fat. This means that something like 400.0001 b of butter-fat is being lost to this country. At the low average price of Is 4d per lb it really means that in the vicinity of £260,000 is not being gained when it could easily be otherwise done. The above figures are by no means out of the way considering the class of country under review. Even if one is sceptical concerning them, cut them down by half; make the’ farms oj 200 acres and allow the 50 cows to each farm to remain. Even then the amount of money which could be earned and obtained is in the vicinity of £130,000 annually. Is not this case alone one which is in favour of the argument that there is room for closer settlement round about Te Aroha? And this is by no means an isolated instance, though it is an outstanding ! on, \

SHAFTESBURY! A WEALTHY ASSET MUCH CLOSER SETTLEMENT NEEDED. LAND OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND ENTERPRISE. —— j (By Our Special Comm* stoner). No. 97. During this week the writer has spent some time In the Shaftesbury and Watrongomal districts. These two Pj*ce» are centred on the tourist and health resort of Te Aroha. The fcnoer Is some nine to twelve miles out on the road to Matamata, which runs at the foot of that range of mountains commonly known as the Kaimals. It is purely a dairying, grazing and fattening country Of a wonderful nature. . Here can be found one of the best moments In favour of close settlement. Thousands of acre* of some of the best land In all “Progressive Waikato" are held by one men, whilst other holdings are also comparatively large in proportion to the number of settlers the land is carrying. Sheep do exceptionally well In the Shartesbury district, but most of the oonntry t» ■ used for dairying purposes. There are some exceptionally good farms, excellent herds, and real good fanners. Here It Is where men farm their lands and do not allow their farms to farm them It is the flush of the season Just now, and some of the butter-fat returns are already phenomenal. One young herd of 120 cows gave over 40001 b of butter-fat last month, every pound of which was superfine. For years Shaftesbury has been recognised as a great fattening country and beef beasts look exceptionally well on eartniw portions of the district. Wairongomai on the other hand la, and has been, somewhat neglected. Long before Te Aroha was thought of Wairongomai was in existence. Here gold was discovered, and at one time some thousands of people were settled In this valley and ravine into the hills. All was Hfe and excitement In those days. There were hotels and all the things which usually follow in the wake of a goid-rush. To-day all is quiet, and the whole ' place puts one in mind of Oliver Goldsmith’s “Deserted 'VXtago.'* The only signs of lifie are a few old-looking houses, some stray i cows, and a huge stone-crusher crushing metal fdr the county roads. ‘ II is not proposed to tell the story of Wairongomai at this stag*, • and reference is only made to the place for the purposes of comparison with the rich fertile and highly productive lands of Shafts*- 1 bury close by. 1

Using Water Power for Pratt. ' •’ In article No. 61, which appeared on July 16, reference was made to farmers, not making more use of waste water power on their.farms. On ana farm, at least In the Shaftesbury dMrfot an enterprising man does make use of [water-power for driving htt nttng plant and all accessories, as wed as his electric lighting and otter poorer schemes. By the'utlDsatten of water power he estimates his saving in the oost of production at about £209 per, annum. His neighbours estimate that his savings amount to about half that sum. Even so, It is a saving, awl nMg one at that. Certainly his bouse and farm buildings are most favourably located for Hie purpose. TUe lean's place is situated up on the fMthßls about a mile and a-quarter from the main road. Just above him is' the famous Thompson's .Track, mentioned in article No. 91 of this series. ‘ On; the hillside he has damnied a saadß stream, which gives plenty •of water even In the driest of seasons. From the dam a long length-of- piping comes down the hillside to.wlthtn a few feet of the milking shed. Here the water enters a-2in. .pipe, from, whleh .it is played on to'a pelton-wheel through a threeqaarter-inch nozzle. That Is all that is needed. A valve regulates the flow, and consequently the speed of the machinery, which is the main and other belts. There Is not the slightest trouble —no dirt, nn stoppages, and no oil or benzine or. ether smells. The whole outfit is stmpDoity itself, and above all Is the perfect cleanliness of everything oraneeted with the milking shed.' Terure a common phrase, it is an as a new pm/’ I» it any wonder that this particular man gets a high tost rad K “superfine ticket" in his cans every morning. There Is nottring Berate round about a milking abed, and,plans* of it. It keeps things cool and oiean. (To be Continued on Du*. *4