TAPANUI PLAIN—(CROOKSTON)

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 143, 6 April 1877, Page 5

TAPANUI PLAIN— (CROOKSTON)

[FROM 01) a OWN -CORHKSPONDENT.]

It is now twelve months since this part of the Tapanui Plain was sold, and sinco that tims the progress made in settlement would astonish anyone that had been over the Plain, and knew its condition in former days. The greater part of it is now fenced, partly sub-divided, and a considerable extent broken up. The crops sown on ground only once ploughed are really firstclass, being on an average five feet in length, and I am happy to say the whole has been secured in the stack in good order. Potatoes are a gplen<Jid crop, dry, and of large size. Turnips have every appearance of being good. The buildings erected throughout the plain are really substantial structures, and would do credit to older settled districts. Most of tho dwelling-houses contain from four to five rooms, the principal material used being, timber. The only drawback to the future prosperity of the place is the want of roads. Through the energy of some of the settlers, a subsidy of £2 to £1 (not to exceed £100), was granted by the Provincial Government towai'ds road making. Besides this, about £60 was .raised in the district and Tapanui,. which bridged the creeks from the plain to the township. Thus something has already been done, "but still tho iuain outlet wanted from here is through the Gorge to Lawrence, where there is a railway by which we could send our produce to Dunedin. Should the County Council not do something soon to open up communication in that district, I do not not know where we are to get a market next year for the large extent of wheat to be sown this year. The leading Tapanuiites draw a long face if you even hint at having any connection in any shape or form with Lawrence. 1 think this is a mistake, for the distance from here to tho Lawrence railway via the (Jorge is only twenty miles, while the distance from here to Waipahi is greater, and in winter the road is a regtilai 1 quagmire, and the only market Invercargill. On the other hand, the road from Lawrence to the Beaumont is nearly all metalled, and the amount, viz., £6000, according to Mr Arthur 'a estimate, to open the Gorge road with an easy grade, the steepest being 1 to lii, is not much when we take into consideration the benefit to be derived. If our Council have not the money to do tho work at ence, why not borrow it? But I almost forgot,- our Councillor for' " James Kiding "is to get a railway for us ! Let us hope so J Only I should like to see roads first, smd railways in their time.