MARTIN'S BAY.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2158, 6 April 1870, Page 2

MARTIN'S BAY.

We learn from the Oaniaru Times tnat a meeting of persons who had subscribed for the purpose of sending a delegate to Msrtin’s Bay, was held on Thursday last to hear his report. Mr Page, the delegate, in the course of bis address, described the country about Lake M'Kcrrow, as follows :

The upper part of the river next the Lake, was deep enough to admit a vessel of large tonnage, and the Lake itself, which was a magnificent sheet of water, gave soundings of from 20 to 70 fathoms ; indeed in one part no bottom had been found. The scenery was very grand, mountainous for the most part, and thickly timbered. With the exception of the sandy reach before-mentioned, there was no clear land. From the township to the top of the Lake, there were occasional strips of flat land covered with bush ; but the most part of the land fronting the Lake consisted of hills and terraces, the hills varying from 500 to 50 )0 feet in altitude, the scenery much resembling that of Port Chalmers. The shore of the Lake was in some places a perpendicular wall of rock, with deep water to the very edge, and in others, a beach consisting of shingle and angular quartz. This quartz was of the kind usually found to bo gold-bearing, but he had not found any which contained indications of the precious metal. He had no doubt, however, that gold would be found there, for only a few miles north of the site of the set tlement, a party of miners had been at work on the quiet for some time, and getting good returns ; sufficiently so to enable them to pay for their provisions being brought down by steamer from Hokitika. While ho was at Martin’s Bay this party, consisting of three men, came down, and each took up a fifty-acre section. The site oi the township was w-11 chosen, free from swamp; and indeed there was a marked difference between this and most other portions of the West Coast; as although it was well watered by numerous creeks, a person could travel through almost any part of the bush, except on the higher terraces, where it was mossy and spongy, without being impeded by swampy ground. The climate too, appeared to be excellent, so that there was every reason to believe that the site was a most healthy one. The bush ton was not so choked with undergrowth as in some parts of New Zealand, and indee l almost anywhere mi<ht be traversed without difficulty. The timber was of splendid quality, consisting chiefly of white and black pine, birch, and totara, increasing in size as you went further back from the lake. There 1 was abundance of tall, straight timber, suitable for masts and spars, and for all other purposes for which timber could be used. Any quantity of pines could be found measuring 70 feet clean straight bole, and from two to four feet in diameter. He measured one magnificent birch 14| feet in circumference. A single pine tree growing close to where his tent was pitched was worth L3O as it stood. There were abundant facilities for shipping the timber, as in almost any part of the lake a 20ft. jetty would run out into water deep enough for a good-sized vessel to come alongside. During the three weeks he was at the settlement, he traversed the bush in different directions, following the course of the numerous creeks, going over a great part of the ground comprised in classes A and B. (. lars A comprised 10,000 acres, and class B (purchaseable at 5s an acre) 30,000 acres. Tae soil generally was light, varying from one foot to two feet in depth, consisting of sand, enriched by deposits of decaying vegetable matter during hundreds of years. It was fit to grow oats and all kinds of roots in perfection The soil of course varied in different localities, and ho saw several parts of the country where it was well adapted for wheat. There was no open grass land, nor any large patches of flax, though flax would evidently thrive there, as occasional bushes might be met with, strong, and luxuriant in growth. He ha I no doubt whatever that when cleared, the land would yield good returns to the agriculturist ; but any person going there must makeup his mind to clear his way. With such excellent timber, and such first-ra f e facilities for shipping it, sawmills should pay well, and there were two or three localities where water-power could be obtained. At the time he left about 1500 acres of land in class A ha I been taken up, principally upon the side of the lake opposite to the township, he himself being among the number of those who had taken up sections.