PIONEERING DAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17467, 30 July 1928, Page 8

PIONEERING DAYS.

MR COATES' EXPERIENCES. SPYINC OUT THE LAND. In my last I was staying all night at the National Hotel, Cambridge, then kept by Mr Kirkwood, and my impression wis that more ready cash business was being done at Cambridge than was then being done in Hamilton. That Was largely through the Maoris, who got practically all the Tamahero land awarded to them, and as Ihcy sold it they were pretty free with the cash. Captain Steele was instrumental in securing, with the aid of Ensign Crawford, several blocks for his clients, amongst whom were John and William Martin, who between them got 1000 acres. Mr Leslie purchased about the same amount, while Ensign Crawford secured a nice farm for himsclf...and Mr W. A. Graham secured another large block between the Tamahcre creek and Narrows bridge. Captain Steele aiso bought a nice block for himself (500 acres), which he eventually sold to Mr J. Shaw, who afterwards sold to the late Mr Main on the family's arrival in New Zealand. The cash thus received by the Tamahere Maoris made them nuite flush of money, and the Cambridge business people had a fairly rood time of it while the money lasted with the natives. The natives kept a block of good land which they tried to farm Lhemselves. 1 only stayed the one night in Cambridge, and went on next day to Ohaiipo- Noticing Hie kind of land as 1 went along I came across two men making a dilch-and-bank fence. 1 had a talk to the elder of the two and asked him how much he had paid per acre for that land. He told me 13s per acre. 1 asked hirn if he did not think he had paid too much, as I did not think the land very good; to my idea it was far too light and not enough body in it. in 187 1 I possessed the only sleam threshing machine in the Waikato and I threshed six stacks of wheat for the same two men, Messrs John and Robert Fisher, and I got the best yield 1 found in the whole Waikato. On most of the farms there was far too much fern in the wheat lo get a good crop, but not so in Messrs Fisher's crop. The land had, I think, been well worked before the seed was sown.

From there I passed through Ohaupo and To Awamulu to .Major Jackson's farm at Rangiaohia, but found that the Major was not at home, so f just, had a short look at the farm, which I thought the best 1 had seen in the Waikato. I, however, did not like the neighbourhood, it being too near the rebel Maori country. I started back to Ohaupo and got there in time for tea. The holclkeeper was away from homo and a boy of about 13 was in charge Thai boy was H. M: Trislram, as wellknown in Hamilton as I am myself Well, from Ohaupo I came back to Hamilton, but next day started for -Ngaruawahia, and soon after by the Waipa river to Whatawhata, ['hence to Hamilton. Seeing nothing to select I then made my he_dquarlers at Captain Steele's residence-