WHEN THEY SOLD THE KAIRANGA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 863, 8 July 1910, Page 8

WHEN THEY SOLD THE KAIRANGA.

AND THE CHANGE SINCE THEN. Says our travelling correspondent:— I had a view round the Kairanga district. it only seems about- ten days ago when this block of some ten thousand acres was sold in tho old Palmerstoil Town Hall, at tho corner of 3T-itz-herbort Street, where the Occidental Hotel now stands. What a crowd t-liero was! The room was packed! At the back of the stage there was a large ma-p of the block, showing every section. I think .Mr. Rolleston (1 am subject to correction) was the auctioneer. He, or whomever it was, Jiad a fishing rod, with which lie pointed out the particular section under offer. Of course, it wa-s freehold land.

When out* particular section was put up, it- was soon evident that somebody intended to have it. The bidding went merrily, and at last- the section was knockcd down at £5 per acre—all standing busli: The auctioneer callcd "Name, please?" The reply was: "John Gillespie." John Gillespie was om on!} policeman at the time—2B or 29 years ago. Ho still oiyns the land, I believe, and is still in the force. J.G. was a plucky man, aaici well deservyj til" fine section winch lie has hod tlio sense to keep.

When the next bushfellimg season set in, a large number of men found work ill tho various bush camps. It was an awful place—practically a white pi-lie swamp. It was no uncommon tiling for men to see buslifolling while up to their knees in water. That bush was felled for as low as 255. an acre. And what a time tho settlers had when they began to go on their sections!. As one told me the other day, the water-t-able was the driest part of tho road. Today, I suppose, the- .Kairanga is on© of tho finest blocks in the Dominion, and O'et it lias (so to speak) hardly been proved yet as far as. its capacities aro concerned. It is at present grand dairying land, and carries a large number of cattle. Some parts are still wet in winter.

And that reminds me of another old Palmerston man—Duncan Poolo—who is now farming in Taranaki. He it was who took tho contract for tlie big drain which lia-s done so much towards .getting rid of the surplus water. When one looks back over 30 years, and then sees the beautiful farms which to-day stud the Kairanga, it is simplv wonderful!