IN THE UPPER RANGITIKEI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 10

IN THE UPPER RANGITIKEI.

SuIvEYED - LAINDS 'LOCKED UP,

Across River, which runs in a deep' gorge,- there is . a nice block of land (writes our travelling correspondent), which has-been, cut ujj. into 6mall farms, chiefly ."'dajrajng sections. . Some years - ago a proprietary dairy factory was erected by a Wellington firm, and was afterwards acquired by the. settlers, and ■ turned' into a ' M-opcrative concern known as the ; Torere iCtajjany.'.* The suppliers'seem to be very' i&ll-satisfied, with their, venture, ■.The. company l turns out a first : clars article. ■.: •• Mr,. AVilkie; . : js'one of''the principal sheop r bree<lers.'here, and has been well knowr. 'for a number ot>'yeah for his. Eomnev. flock.■ Leaving Torere tho road gradually' rises . fiver •a. ~hi gh. point into 6omc ' grand / ' .'couiitry. - ; Mr. •M'CrackenV p."iddo6ks 'Were looking splendid, and there was a growth of grass. Th« paddocks had boon pre*yiQU^ly': well'fed/down, and at the time of my visit had putqn.a vivid ; coat of green*. That'lthis- good ,oiis for,,.the cultivation of oiiioYUV-was evidenced' by the fact that Mr; had. taken e.bout nine tons ..from half 'an acre. ''

Rolling Sheep Country; A littlo. fui'tlier' 1 -on " another ■•'Mr... Wilkie has a fine block of rolling sheep country, backed by high hills, , well grassed right up -to the top. Mr. Marshall, of; Turakina/ hasr'another very good sheep farm,,Managed.,by.,Hugli ]<oss. There.lnust-hove-been a-fearful landslip at otto tmio'.lhcre, as. the land is heaped up in one place in-a most, amazing man- ■■' •'•■■.■;/..■ r':H .

A little, further and the Moawhango River is crossed. It is a perfect canyon: the sides, are almost • perpendicular: and Of; a stupendous height. "The river flowing at-, the.'bottom looksl.like a- narrow ribbon. Across and up . 'the othei l side is the Taoroa ■ country.- 'It is qui to a revelation,' there: .are-- hundreds' of acres of flat l®ud,,which carried a large- totara bush. Messrs. Gardiner- Bros, had tho. milling rights from the Government, and the bush has all been cut out, and is now laid down in-grass*; <^Near-where tho mill was the Kahgitikei ;Ki.vor comes down past the.Awarua Block. 'Opposite: the mill Mi'. Law hiis.soine nice Hats; he keeps the post and telegraph office." iNext to him is Mr., Brown's ..farm,' and . here is tho beginning of the ;-']imestono country, a 'high ridgo on the west of the Kangitikei.

Pests Preferred to Settlers. : Across the river from Taoroa there is a large area of Crown land. This has been surveyed for many a year, ■ but, in spite of requests from Mangaweka and Taihape settlers, it is .withheld from the ballot, the' alleged reason, being tlie milling, timber in it'., But when these milling rights were.offered some years ago, and when there «ers lots of, mills about Utiku, no one would look at it. It would have been too: expensive to hav6 got., out tho timber; In the meantime it is lying idle,.'and yet if it was put oil the market it would soon all bo taken up. It is full of thistle, and getting worse every year. It is depreciating in value all the time on this account. When the! Government does throw it open tho unfortunate selectors inll have a ghastly, job ahead of "them. The class of country is not fit for small holdings, and the expense of coping with the thistle will be more than the land is worth. I was told that rabbits are also making their appearance in this .block—another menace to all tho district. However, it is wonderful what hardships would-be' settlers arc prepared to face, and yet they are denied I acc«s to this land. ! :