A THRIVING SETTLEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1246, 30 September 1911, Page 18

A THRIVING SETTLEMENT.

Soddon is a thriving township on the south-cast bank of tlio Awatcrc River, near the State nursery. When the Starborough Estate was purchased and sottled by tho Government, the town of Seddon sprang rapidly into existence in the vicinity of tho old homestead of the estate. The situation is a very pretty one, and in Ihs business ccDtre and tho neat, well-tilled farms which surround it there is an air of general prosperity. The approach to the towif from the Blenheim side is over a magnificent concrete and steel double-decked bridge, one level of which is used for vehicular '!>.nd horse traffic and the other for tho railway. The

cost of this bridge was about .£22,000. For many years Soddon was tho terminus of tho railway lino, and a coach ran from there to Kaikoura twico weekly, .but the line has now been opened to Ward, a further distance of fourteen miles. Tho township sections, as well as tho farm lands, are all held on Government lease, and substantial buildings have been erected. Since the estato was first cut up a great deal of it lias changed hands, tho priccs paid for tho goodwill running as high as £10 per acre. There have, in fact, been instances of original selectors making a competency out of the disposal of their goodwill in a comparatively short space of time after taking up tho land. The soil and climate are peculiarly suitable foT barley, and large areas of this cereal are grown each year. Tho principal store is kept by Messrs. Fuller Bros., sons of Mr. James Fuller, ono of tho old settlers of Marlborough. Blenheim gets a considerable amount of trade, wholesale and retail, from Sedclou, and the experience of tho Starborough settlement has made the business people in the chief town of Marlborough anxious to have other large estates in tho province acquired by the Government and settled.