THE WILD BUSH LAND.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 902, 23 August 1910, Page 8

THE WILD BUSH LAND.

SETTLING BEHIND, WAVERLEY. - It always, seems, to .mo (says our. travelling, correspondent) a rather remarkable thing that there should ba,ve been, up'to quite recently, so 'much'.'standing'bush laud away behind AVavcrley district, especially, when one considers - the constant demand for'land for settlement. However, this • land is-now rapidly coming into grass, of which it grows an amazing . quantity. Tho formation ■is chiefly blue papa, which contains quite a considerable, auiouut. of. lime,, so, that all tho clovers are encouraged to a most luxuriant growth. .Any amount of this land .carries from two to two and a half sheep' to the acre, and does them well.

"It is wonderful nowadays'to the class of .country eager'settlers are willing 'to take up. I don't remember to have seen more broken, country anywhere than lhave in some parts'of the Waverley back lands. I used to think there was some- pretty hard country the Waitotara Valley, and so. there is. There are some districts not far away from the :Main Trunk line which are also pretty steep, but of all which-I have yet seen, 1 think a portion of the land on the Okotuku Road takes the'premier place as the* roughest land. In fact, I think such land had far better be left in bush, as scenic reserves, or any-purpose other than settlement. It is not ; worth the 'cost of felling, and. grassing,, let alone having to be purchased from tho Government.

! However, as I have.said before, there is such a demand for land nowadays,' that' some ; men will., take it under any 'conditions..' '• If; only- soniei;of. the'.men who are entering • such land with, big 'hearts could lift..the-.veil and'see the trials and" struggles which they .have: to endure; they .'Would' faint at the very., idea. . After all, it is a good deal the saine spirit of adventure that brought us from the Old Land ,to. these southern skies, 'which animates the hardy, pioneer settlers who take up and,subdue the waste, lands, of our-fair Dominion. It it like gold-digging: "We shall strike it rich-to-morrow.

The' many"friends' of *'Jfr. ' H.* H. lleredith,':wlid "has-'beeii"-manager"' of .the OtSki Dh'iry Factory for tho past two years,Mvill -be pleased; to learn that, he has received an appointment of manager to the Helensville . Dairy, Factory (north of Auckland)., ' ,