Nerth Auckland

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2452, 4 May 1915, Page 3

Nerth Auckland

GREAT FUTURE OF

FOLLOWING ARE A FEW EXTRACTS FROM THE NORTH AUCKLAND COURT SOUVENIR-(BOOKLET) ISSUED IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUCKLAND EXHIBITION; 1 INTRODUCTION. So little is the district north of Auckland City known in the Southern Proviuces, and so many are the misconceptions held concerning it, that t the Executive appointed by delegates from the various local bodies holding jurisdiction in North Auckland to promote a North Auckland Court at the Auckland Exhibition, has deemed it desirable to issue this statement of facts in the hope that it will dispel illusions reading the district under consideration, and at -the same time prove not uninteresting to the reader. This series of articles has been prepared under the supervision of a committee, the members of which vouch for the accuracy of the statements conlained therein. A YOUNG n MAN'S LAND. With in the last few months a young fellow of twenty years of age took up a farm of 600 acres, with 300 acres in surface-sown grass, at 10s. an acre. It is a fertile area, suitable for mixed forming, and when brought fully under wav will carry two .and a half sheep to the acre In ten years time the railway will pass within six miles of the farm, which, by that time, should be all grassed and undor way, though not stumped. It will then be worth at least twelve pounds per acre. The youth paid J3IOOO cash down, or, rather, his father did for him. During the ten years he will be able to earn enough from the cleated portion of his land to pay the interest on the unpaid balance of purchase money, to keep-himself, and probably to pay back the inoney advanced by his father. At the end of ten years, at the age of thirty, he will probably be worth seven thousand pounds. The back blocks of the North are essentially a young man's land Xhe. i increment is there. No voune man willing to work need fear to take up virgin, partially improved or wholly improved country in North Auckland. It is quite safe to say the great bulk of the rural land is, compared with other parts of Now Zealand, ereaitly undervalued.' Indeed, competent .judges from Southern districts go s, far as to assert that quality for quality land can be bought w North Auckland fully fifty per cent, cheaper than in almost any other place in the country. Ana that is the case, thc-y say, when all factors, such as roads find distances, are taken into consideration. It must- not be forgotten, itoo, that the roads are gradually improving, and that the railway is steadily making its way northward. A SOUTHERNER'S EXPERIENCE. A settler from one of the Southern districts-a very well-known and reliable .man-bought, three years ago; a partially improved farm of 3000 acres at three pounds an acre. He has spent another pound in improvements, and now values his place, which is well back from a largo centre, at nine pounds an acre. ■ A RECENT SETTLER'S VIEW. * ■ Many farmers who go in systematically'for grazing do exceedingly well, often making from 20s. to 30s.'an acre from land that is valued at about ten pounds. Indend, most of the country just and sown in grass is used for grazing cattle and sheep, and grazing may be called the chief industry of the North. The • experience of a Southern farmer who came into the North; a year ago will give some idea of the productivity of the district he settled in. "I bought," he said, "a "year ago a partly improved farm of 3317 acres at 17s, gd. an acre freehold. At that time there were 1500 acres in grass and stocked, which was carrying 2000 sheep and' 300 cattle. Last winter I felled GOO acres of bush, and sowed it in the autumn in grass. There were, I should live-told you, '200 acres in grass that had been eaten close down, and was carrying no stock when I bought the place." I now have 2300 acres in fass, and carrying 4100 sheep, 310 catitie, and 12 horses. I reckon that when have' put up a big house with all modern conveniences, have felled all the bush, and brought the whole, land under grass,it will have cost'me altogether ss. an acre. *and that it will carry then two sheep to the acre, besides rattle, lam more than satisfied with my bargain. Land not far from mine, on a L.I.P. tenure, and not so well improved, has quite lately been-sold ajt X 9 an acre * for goodwill. My land-so far has cost me about 53. an acre, and I would not sell at less than riBB One thing that has struck me very forcibly since I have been m the district is the splendid crops of.rape and turnips and oats grown by_6ome of my noighhours, My farm before many years are ovr will be worth Jjl2 an acre,. It nas pi-id me handsomely from the day 1 bought it.'

. GRAZING. raising of fat stock for the market is one of the leading industries of the North. The warm sheltered valleys have been found iparticularly suitable for the purpose/and so have the volcanic lands and alluvial flats. Most of the prizes for fat stock at the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Show for the last two years came North—a factwhich affords conclusive evidence of the fertility of Northern Lands and of the favourable conditions under which grazing is carried-on. Indeed, on at least two farms in North Auckland a bullock to the acre was earned right through last winter and fattened without any artificial feed. This statement is. in no way an exaggeration. , It can be verified by indisputable evidence. A SETTLER'S STATEMENT. I have never grown.-any winter feed, and Ido not rugmy cows. I havo done no ploughing at all., 3fy"whole:income has been earned by surface-sown English grasses.- I consider that the climate of North Auckland' is one of its most valuablo assets. i " CHEAP; l'ands. ; If what the- land will produce may be taken as the measure of its value, then most of the land in New Zealand has already-.'reachad its highest value, "ortji Auckland is one of the few districts in the Domuuon where land is cheap, ihis is evidenced by the large number of settlers from - Southern districts, who have settled in the North during the last five years. For many years there was almost no land movement in North Auckland, but duung the last hve years a decided change has taken place. CONCLUSION. . The above are only a few extracts from this valuable book, which closes with the following comment:— . .. .. . ' , The foregoing account of the prospects and possibilities of North Auckland, every statement of which can be verified, will convince residents in, other districts that a bright and prosperous-, future is in 6tore for settlers within that area. North' Auckland will well repay a visit by anyone contemplating a change of residence.- Land is cheap and fertile, the climate is mud and genial, the resources are varied and abundant. North Auckland possesses the facilities and conveniences of,- modern civilisation. The farmer, the fruitgrowers, the industrialist, and the miner can find full scope for his activities within her confines, and feel assured of a more than satisfactory material reward for the labour he expends therein. All people in search of a delightful place to live in should visit North Auckland. The great needs of the North are development and close settlement. When the real facts concerning North Auckland become generally known these defects will speedily vanish, for it is unlikely that a region- so highly endowed with natural advantages can long remain x but sparsely settled and partially developed. A great opportunity awaits the settler who establishes'his home in the North at the present time. An.almost boundless extent of land ' but partially developed, suitable, for all kinds of farming, with. spacious navigable waterways and extraordinary natural advantages, stands waiting the labour of the husbandman. Whosoever settles in North Auckland must succeed. ; The sooner he does so the greater will-be the measure of his Toward. , ' CORRESPONDENCE. . ,1 have opened a* special Correspondence Department, and will be pleased to correspond with persona requiring, full information regarding the North. A / free copy of the North Auckland Court Souvenir will be forwaraed on application. No obligation will be placed on persons seeking information, and you will not be pestered with propositions. My desire is to bring the lands of the North under notice. The North Main Trunk line is steadily forging ahead, and should in a few years connect with the second-best' paying railway in tho Dominion (Whangarei-Northwards section). The big Wairua Falls Electric power scheme is neanng completion. All through the war troubles families have been waiting for houses in Whangarei—surely a good indication of stability.' The awakening to North Auckland's prospects is surely ,and steadily coming. All possible information will be carefully supplied to correspondents. Write without