POREWA VALLEY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 591, 20 August 1909, Page 8

POREWA VALLEY.

I *. SOME TYPICAL HOMESTEADS. b . Leaving Huntervillo northwards (says our ij travelling correspondent)) one passes up i. ; what may be called • the Porcwa Valley, ; seeing that this stream 'runs .(l os *'" f-om iPtildore, winding hero. aiid there among the J. hills oil ; both sides. About -Rangatira -there is -a fair amount of 'dairying land of good " quality;whilo, tho hills which overlook tho ; valley aro purely sheep country. There is one-very picturesque featuro' near Rangatira i station; aiicl that is Mr. Dawbin's liomesto.id, ■ perched on-a low hill,in tho valley.- Just opposite-on Mr. A. G. Simpson's prqporty there is a fino stretch of. bush. This has i been wisely loft standing; and will, for many i a long year, be a charming, pieco of . scenery | to travellers on the Main Trunk line. I .va's . told that the chief reason' for it being untouched . is that it is. so much cut up; by. •, the'Porewa Stream that the land would. ' really bo hardly worth ' the experiso .of clearing. ■; A little further 1 on "Blair Athol" comes into view. This is the fino residence of. Mr. ! Dalziell, which stands on a : commanding site overlooking 'the : valley.. The grounds are beautifully kept, fences in good order, and all the buildings trim and neat, in their ; coat of red paint, whilo the handsome two story dwelling admirably matches ib's beautiful property. Round a bend in the road "Goo's acre" comes into view, nestling among • pines and macroparpas. Round another bend : and across on tho other side of the valley, tho homestead of Mr. R. K; Simpson, jun., is seen, cosily placod at .■ the foot of : a wooded hill.. Now the lulls beg : n to rise, higher till one reaches Pitkiore; whi!-i away and far ahead 0110 sees tho mountainous, country of Te Kapua, ' Passing further, tho ; end. of- the' metalled road, is reached near Mr. Bell's, residence, a fine.'house on rising ground. Since mv |last : visit this gentleman .has laid a skilful and vigorous hand mi. his "surroundings." Where there had been dense' bush, new'y:burned,. now stands a 'large woolshed and cAnyonient yards'. On for smother 'milo or; ■so; and then , there is ' an opening- into .1 valley, which runs away almost at 'a right angle. Oil tho right, and on a plateau, Mr Powell's beautiful homestead . conies intoview.! I had the privilege of looking over tho house, and it,certainty';reflects iliuch credit both on the architect-and'.! 011 _ the 1 builder. 111 it there are some, of tlurniccsfc . looking mantelpieces I have ever seen —evidences of those-: swoet little-'-refinements whioh inevitably follow the successful , battlo with''bush and. swamp. The-country abbut here rises to a, good , height, -.and , is ■ only ; suitable , for sheep. - ':;