The North Island

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXIV, Issue 4249, 23 February 1921, Page 3

The North Island

SOME IMPRESSIONS.

It is probably well within the | mark to say that the one thing that strikes the southerner most forcibly when travelling through the North Island is the immense areas of country that are still unsettled or only partiaii.y settled. -.A run through by the Main Trunk train is sufficient to convince anyone of the fact that between Taihape and Te Awamutu there is sufficient high-class grazing country to provide good farms for hundreds of farmers, yet this is only part of the land that ac present is lying' unproductive. It is true that a great deal of the land is bush and fern covered, or requires draining before it can be brought into cultivation or made into ideal dairy farms, but there can be no doubt that there is money to be made by 3'oung men who are prepared to go back and work hard for a few years. The farmers in the North Island seem to be experiencing a good season, and everywhere there is an abundant supply of feed for stock. To Palmerston North still belongs the distinction of being the third largest town in the North Island, though there appears to be a strong probability of Hamilton advancing into third place before many years have passed, Palmerston North, of course, is a much older place than Hamilton, and is a well laid out borough, but the district round about is not so rich and does not offer the same possibilities for development and closer settlement as the Waikato. The countryside for a radius of many miles around Hamilton comprises some of the richest dairying land in New Zealand and everywhere one sees signs of prosperity.- The number of motor cars to be seen in the main street at Hamilton at any hour of the day is indicative of the measure of prosperity enjoyed by the people. The main street is very wide and the footpaths are quite-half as wide again as those seen in most other towns. Frankton and Hamilton are now one borough and many buildings have been erected along the road joining the two places. When' in Hamilton the writer dropped into the "Waikato Times" office to see Mr E. Hooper, the sub-editor, who was associated with the Guardian many years ago. Mr Hooper is a brother-in-law of Mr W. J. Wylie, of Southbridge. The writer also had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with the editor, Mr R. J. Gwynne, who, according to a telegraphic message received on Monday, died suddenly in his chair on Sunday. On Wednesday last Mr Gwynne looked the picture of good health. A trip was made up the Thames line as far as Paeroa, a borough which apparently owed its rise to the growth of mining many years ago. Mining is now not what it used to be, but the town is surrounded by a large area of good grazing land, and dairying and stock raising seem to be making great strides. Paeroa is situated adjacent to the great Hauraki plains, a rich stretch of country that will be very valuable when it is drained arid a road is made through. This should bring a large amount of business to Paeroa in course of time. Morrinsville seems to be, a prosperous district. Te Aroha is a fair-sized place. It is hard for the observer to believe that only about 12 years ago Te Kuiti was a very small backblocks settlement. It is now a fine, progressive borough, with a wide tarred main street and many splendid buildings. It should advance a. great deal in the next few years. Te Kuiti is on the northern border of that belt of country called the King Country, Taumarunui may be a good place to live in, but the fact that it is built on what is known as pumice-country seems to be rather a drawback. It is difficult to maintain the streets in good order owing to the absence of the right class of metal. From a well-informed sawmill hand with whom the traveller got into conversation it was learned that this industry was in a very flourishing condition. The mills were*-all working at full pressure and in most cases had orders in hand that would keep them going for the next two years. The sawmill man took the trouble to explain in no uncertain manner that he had no time for Red Fedism, Bolshevism or extremists of any brand. He said that some of the henchmen at the mills were making as much as 48s per day, while other hands were being paid proportionately high rates of wages Thus there appeared to be little need for any Bolshevik interference in this industry.