ADVANCE OF THE NORTH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 6

ADVANCE OF THE NORTH.

(bi TE t.EGR APn.-—SPEC! AI COItI!KSPf>N - nRyT.J 1 , Auckland, February 10. ' Part of the country traversed /by. tho Milk ister for Public Works: (the Hon. 11. M'Kenzio) yesterday morning was . what, is .. now called tho Bickerstaffe Estate, wliich belonged to Captain'Colbeck prior to. its. being cut up lor closer settlement.-This '-'estate.; at tho ; time consisted of about 35,000 acres of land, :' lying about. 15 miles from Wellsford. - The -■;' Government bought 10,000 acres ami threw it open for. selection, in .blocks''varying-: in : area : from 120 to 300 acres.The Governmentre- : . served 1500 acres for an'.experimental farmland practically. tho whole of tho remainder,:, has been taken .up. -The. land is.'loaded ..withpermanent- improvements to tho extent of . from: £2 los. to: £7 10s. per' aero, and is nearlyi all .cleared. . Evidence of . the conquest - / of.what has been orroheotislj: called "the (loor:; : : north'.' is apparent as 'one goes through this estate. .. The sheep and cattle of the holders of blocks are all in.'remarkably : good cqndi. -'- : tion, and tho occasional' cultivated patches - met with are fine growths. Mr.; M'Kenzie- ; seemed pleased with this tangible proof of; tho advance of the north.