SOUTHLAND

Progress, Volume VIII, Issue 2, 1 October 1912, Page 75

SOUTHLAND

The Southland District may be stated to comprise the Counties of Fiord, Stewart Island, Southland, Wallace, and part of Lake, and is bounded on the north and east of the Otago District and on the south and west by the Tasman Sea. The total area of the district, including Stewart Island, but exclusive of Solander, Ruapuke, and the other small islands enumerated above, is 7,583.892 acres, of which 2,405,040 are covered with bush. A considerable area in the Fiord County consists of wild alpine country with scrubby bush reaching to the snow-line. This little-known country extends to the western sea, and there presents the remarkable indentations of the coast-line known as the West Coast Sounds. The whole region is a paradise for the artist, and, indeed, for all enthusiastic lovers of nature. The bush land suitable for timber lies in the neighbourhood of Forest Hill, Longwood, Hokonui, Waikawa, and on Stewart Island. The timbers of commercial value are totara, rimu, miro, matai, kahikatea, rata, towhai, and kamahi, in mixed bushes; but Fagus Menziesii” and other beeches predominate on the high lands. According to the Report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the number of tenants in Southland

has increased by 756. The total area held is 2,170,365 acres, as against 1,862,042 last year, the annual rent payable being £39,989 as compared with £26,434 last year. The gross revenue received was £56,664, being an increase of £18,766 over last year receipts. The large increases in tenants and revenue are mainly owing to the taking-over of the late School Commissioners ’ leases, there being 722 such, tenants, holding 318,745 acres, with an annual rent of £12,855.

The Various Tenures Under the heading "Lands sold for Cash" the area purchased from the Crown shows a decrease of 918 acres, but the revenue received is £1,216 greater

than last year. Under the occupation-with-right-of-purchase system the selections show a decrease of 5,900 acres as compared with previous year. The total number of holdings has been increased by seventeen, but the area held is 3,773 acres less than last year, owing to the freehold acquired exceeding the area selected. The increase in annual rent payable is £4B. The freeholds acquired during the year show an increase of 6,748 acres over last year's purchases. Under the renewable-lease system the area selected during the year is 585 ■ acres more than last year. The total number of holdings has been increased from 93 to 123, the area held from 8,969 acres to 12,599, and the annual rental payable from £360 to £5lB. Under the perpetual-lease tenure only seven tenants exercised their right to acquire the freehold, while sixteen tenants did likewise under the lease-in-perpetuity system. The remaining tenures are practically the same as last year. Freehold Titles The number of provisional titles issued by the Receiver of Land Revenue, compared with last year, shows an increase of 59 with an increase in "area acquired of 10,469 acres. Lands Opened During the Year The demand for land is still exceedingly keen, and as soon as a block is placed on the market large numbers of applications are received. The following table shows the number' of applicants who applied for land at four large ballots held during the year, which might be of interest and which goes to show that much has yet to be done to satisfv the demand for land in Southland:—

Block No. of Sections No. of Applicants Winton ... 9 104 Forest Hill ... 10 ... ... 193 Longwood ... 5 ... ... 23 Spar Bush ... 10 156 Totals ... 34 476 The Terepa Estate, containing 5,505 acres (an education reserve), which was purchased by the late School Commissioners prior to their abolition, was also offered in seven sections during the year, and 3.357 acres representing five sections of it were selected prior to 31st March. Lands Proposed to be Opened for Selection during the Year During the year the Commissioner of Crown Lands hopes to be in a position to place about 25,000 acres in the market, and states that he has no hesitation in saying that the majority of the sections will be selected the day they are opened for application. The surveys of an area of 5,685 acres in Campbelltown and Invercargill Hundreds, and 1,626 acres in Aparima Hundred, have been completed and some of the sections already advertised. Surveys of 6,000 acres in the Longwood district and Jacob's River Hundred are almost completed, and will be dealt with as soon as possible. Further blocks in Campbelltown Hundred, Aparima Hundred, and Longwood and Mokoreta districts will also be available for settlement. The majority of the lands under survey are worked-out bush areas and well suited for settlement, and this area should assist to cope with the demand. Land for Settlements There have not been any new settlements purchased during the year. In the eastern portion of the district, where dairying is the chief occupation of the settlers, there has been an abundance of feed, but the cold and unsettled weather has somewhat operated against the yield of milk. Still, it is generally agreed that the season's returns will more than reach those of the past. The white crops, generally speaking, are very good, but the root-crops will, as a rule, not be up to the usual standard of excellence. The settlers in this part of the district are keeping their holdings in a high state of fertility by the application of lime and other artificial fertilizers coupled with a judicious system of cultivation. This year an area of 2,770 acres of new grass has been laid down. The settlers in the western portion of the district are chiefly occupied in mixed farming and grazing, and the high prices ruling for all produce have been of material assistance to them. The climatic conditions have been very suitable for the light lands in this district, the result being that there are some really excellent white crops, while the root crops are looking healthy and of good promise. An area of. 1,682 acres has been laid down in new grass. Taking the settlements as a whole, it may be said that the conditions of lease are very well carried out, there being only a few defaulters; and the settlers now appear to be in a very satisfactory position in every way. The required amount of improvements is £60,477, and the value actually made is £94,477.

The Timber Industry During the year sixty-one mills out of sixty-three were working mostly full-handed. It was the busiest year that Southland sawmillers have had for the past twenty years. These sixty-one mills produced, approximately, 60,000,000 ft. of sawn timber; 400,000 ft. were shipped to Australia and England, and of the balance, 27,000,000 ft. were delivered inside, the Southland District, and 32,000,000 ft. delivered outside the districtviz., Gore to Christchurch. About 50 per cent, of the timber produced was manufactured into mouldings and dressed lines of different kinds. During the year about 1,100 persons were engaged in the industry, and £125,000 paid in wages. The Invercargill Tramways Invercargill is the sixth town in the Dominion to install electric tramways, and the townsfolk may well be proud of the result of their enterprise and the efficiency of their service. No doubt by this time the few that voted against the tramway scheme are quite satisfied with the way things have turned out, and are enjoying the benefits of the progressive policy of the far-sighted majority. The service is good and frequent and perfectly adequate for the present needs except occasionally, at rush times, but in the near future, with the rapid expansion of the suburbs and population a much greater service. will be necessary. Extensions and new lines will be called for, and then additional rolling stock will be required. The authorities foresaw this, and in building the car-shed wisely provided accommodation for more cars than were built, and made provision for extending the shed to twice its present dimensions. In addition to providing power for the cars, the plant which is driven by three engines of an aggregate of six hundred horse-power, provides light for the streets as well. The lighting system is most complete and up-to-date and equal to the best in New Zealand. So far has Invercargill journeyed towards the goal of municipal excellence, and it is carrying its progressive policy still further. It is now turning its attention to providing private lighting, power for industrial purposes; and tenders are now being called for a plant for this purpose. A great fillip will be given to local industry when this clean, cheap and ever-ready source of power is available. Tourist Resorts of Southland Stewart Island (in the Maori tongue "Rakiura" —the isle of the "Glowing Sky"—) is probablv the pride of Southland from a scenic point of view and as a tourist resort. This beautiful island so detached from the rest of the busy world, is, with its bush-covered mountains and lovely land-locked harbours, like Scottish lochs, a perfect haven of rest at holiday time to tired Southland business men, and, for that matter the Northerner as well. In fact "Rakiura" has admirers and visitors .from all over the world. The principal place on the island is Oban, in Half Moon Bay. This little village, nestling in the bush is just twenty-two miles across Foveaux Strait from

the Bluff wharf. Good accommodation may be . had at most of the settlers, as well as the boardinghouses all over the island. Close to Oban is Paterson's Inlet, one of the finest harbours in the Dominion. It is a splendid sheet of island-sprinkled water, about ten miles in length, with a maze of land-locked coves and bays and hidden creeks. The entrance is sheltered by groups of islands. Ulva, one of the beautiful islets

in Paterson's Inlet, is the home of Mr. Walter Trail, brother of the celebrated scientist, who conducts the most southerly Post Office in Australasia. There is a fairly extensive settlement of Maoris at the Neck near the entrance to the inlet. Most of the natives spend their time fishing and oystering, and in March and April each year they go catching mutton birds on the rocky offshore islets. Port Pegasus, William, Adventure and Lord's Eiver are all beautiful and worthy of a visit, and many happy days may be spent exploring and fishing in these charming harbours. In the early days they were the rendezvous of hundreds of whale ships, and many a battered New Bedford Whaler staggered into their placid waters with a good right-whale in tow. P. T. Bullen has many pleasant memories of Stewart Island, and sings its praises in his famous " Cruise of the Cachelot." Stewart' Island is approximate-

ly triangular in shape, its coastline is about 130 miles, and it is in area about 655 square miles.

Lake Manapouri The loveliest of all the lakes of the Dominion is undoubtedly Manapouri in the Southland District. Manapouri has a surface of nearly forty square miles, but through the extreme irregularity of its formation one is never very far from land when cruising on its waters. It is dotted over with lovely little islands, all richly wooded, and is bordered by snow-capped mountains and dense luxuriant bush.

The bead of the lake presents some exceedingly grand pictures, walled in as it is by precipitous mountains, broken into peaks of wild and jagged outline. The Tourist Department runs regular trips with their steamer, which is comfortable and well appointed. Manapouri is reached by a coach journey of twelve miles from Lake Te Anau. A portion of Lake Te Anau is in Southland. It is reached from Invercargill by rail to Mossburn, the terminus of the railway, 62 miles, and thence by coach about 50 miles. Te Anau is the largest of the Cold Lakes and runs nearly north and south for 38 miles. It varies from one to five miles in breadth. At the head of this lake Mount Anau, from which it takes it name, towers to a height of 7,000 ft., rising from the vast forest of pines which surround its base and climb high its sides.

Motor Car Body Building

Motor car body building is a recent industry which is making rapid headway, owing to the tax

on imported bodies. It is now not necessary to import the whole car, the chassis being the only

part that cannot be easily made in New Zealand. Intending purchasers can have the car bodies built to suit their own tastes, and to any style compatible with the design of the chassis, while the price of same compares verp favourably with imported work. In Invercargill, Messrs. J. Bath and Sons have a plant capable of turning out almost any kind of motor body. They have recently completed the body building of several of the New Zealand Express Company’s new motor vehicles, and quite a number of torpedo and phaeton motor bodies for various owners. There are some excellent examples of Messrs. Bath’s work illustrated on page 78.*

The question of the uses to which we will put the product of our new petroleum industry will shortly be engaging public attention in' New Zealand, and these makers are introducing a traction designed to burn this fuel. Altogether, the Fowler engines have a wonderful record of work