A SNAPSHOT OR TWO.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 667, 18 November 1909, Page 10

A SNAPSHOT OR TWO.

.-■." TAKEN FROM THE SADDLEi ,;- Excellent dairying land: (says': our <travelling correspondent) hits the eye' all' the way from, tho valley of the Mangahao, though, on lifting, the crest of the hills towards Mangamaire, aportioa of tho country is more; pastoral. I would advise anyone contemplating this tg go-by motor,.as the metal on this road is nq.jqke. At.least, not just now. Prom Matignniaire and on-to fiamua there is excellent' dairying land, Tho Mangatainoka River winds through.tho country hero, and as it occasionally ..overflows its banks it vastly enriches the 'adjacent lands." With such low banks, however, it seems surprising that this gain ; is not, more j than counterbalanced by'.- damage ; done. _ Onci -of the Dawson bridges. span's .-• tho Mangatainoka, and another runs 'over 'the M'akakahi ..near: Hamua. I am' told .that these bridges are, erected at a much less, costithan' ordinary; bridge's. As far, as'an outsidofcan see they-seem quite : np to all requirements.'..After cro.ssing the last bridge the road stead-, lly winds up-hill to'n high, saddle', and then rwwds dowii again to Ra'upunui, where, at the 'junction'of jthe roads, there is a creamery. Here again there is some good dairying land on tho flats, while 'tho adjacent hills are splendid sheep country. Mr. J.-P. Lowes has an excelloht„ ruh—nicd rolling dowiis, a good; part being 'the plough., The■'homestead is'.situ-, nted on an,eminence rising out of the I 'lower lands, and it is -well sheltered from tho ."westerlies" ,by fine; belts of trees. Mr. Lowes .told ine that ho ; has had an excellent lambing,; his two-tooth owes averaging 88 per cent." Away, from here tho road'passes along the Pa Valley.' Though l this r valley is not of very great extent, yet-'in-timoltoCcomemoro will bo heard'of, it. I should imagine thatwhon thdse fine flats are brought under tho plough they will be grand agricultural! land, and they should grow j jfcSo'd wheat. A-friio stream rnns through tho vallej?. i.lt will .have, to bo straightened .in places) and jfilearM; of ;l(igs,',a3 ,it '-.showed::sighs of fioodin'g -in heavy weather.' - ":, ; .;':. .' At .the. end-of tho.Pa Valley'is Mr; Bridge's homestead, iTeep-o'-Day,'' nestling at thrfoot ,of-the,hill. Jtero-wo. strike: tho,. .Alfredton-Weber. Road,::with'-its abomination—a'»'toll.-bar,- : . '■),,.■;■ -':'<•