TE WHARAU PROGRESSING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1016, 4 January 1911, Page 8

TE WHARAU PROGRESSING.

BIG STOCK SALE ORGANISED. From Jlasterton to Te Wharau Settlement, on tho East Coast, is a drivo of about thirty miles. After crossing tho Maungaraki Range, ouo descends into a .valley made, up of table-lands aud low hills,- which 'figures on the map as - the Wainuioru District, and it is in this district that one drops upon tho Te Wharau Settlement. It is a purely pastoral country, ■ arid sheep, predominate. Tho carrying capacity of tho laud is about one and a half sheep to tho acre. The rabbit population of the district will very shortly be materially reduced, for tho time for. poisoning is approaching. It is an open question whether the rabbit will ever be exterminated from this part,of.tho country. |:The conditions are very much' in favour -.of. the pest— thei£ is''plenty of-. excellent cover, and plenty- of feed arid 'water. :l ' ■•Tho' country is' in the-"log stage"— fallen: trees are strewn about the hillsides, with here and there some excellent clearings. It is over twenty years ago that tho : land ' was taken up, and the dense bush has been cleared. In 1891 a-big fire swept a part of the country, and aboutS'eight years.. later thero was ,another;;treiriendous bum'.' last year there grass and-log fire, which did a'fair amoufit"of damage, but these, successive fires have turned out for the best. The settlers are a plucky, hard-working, and contented lot, taking their pleasures as they come, and very easily pleased. The homesteads are far apart, becauso the.runs are all large, a thousand acres being regarded as just a payable proposition.'- This is good country for store sheep. The sheep find ready sale, and coming from hard. country they fatten well and quickly on the rich pastures on the flat lands | around Jlasterton.

Stockdealers visit the, district, and •contract to';take ,sb many sheep at a future "date";"thai is"to say, forward sales are made. It is proposed to hold a sale at To Wharau on February 9. The proposal has received very hearty support,and. it is anticipated that about 10,000 to-12,000 sheep'and 300-head of cattle will be yarded. Had not' many of the farmers already sold for forward delivery the entries would . have been very much larger!,'Messrs.'.Dalge'ty and Co., Ltd., the New. Zealand • Loan and Morcantilo A'genty.' Comj)any, , '"S'nd': Messrs. : Abraham and' Williams .are -supporting, the settlers respecting tho sale.

The sale is to bo hole! at Vennel Bros." yards, Te Wharau, whore there happens to bo a store, post, and telephone office, and two accommodation houses. Furthermore Te. Wharau is' centrally sitWtcd,' and is"the meeting-place for Hoinowood,. Kaiwhata, Glenbnrn, Flat Point, Land's End, and other largo runs. The lambing in the district has been, up .to the 'average of years, but the wool clip this season was on the light, side.. Tho.lambs are looking well, and have grown splendidly in this ideal sheep' country. Most of the settlers will offer' their wethers and*' wether lambs and culls at the sale. It is not unlikely that in the near future ..permanent saleynrds will be established here,- at any rate, this sale is .a.. and-'marks a nicasuro 'of progress;';'"• '-, '" , ;