STEWART’S ISLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 2891, 25 May 1872, Page 2

STEWART’S ISLAND.

The report of Professor Slack, together with that of Mr W. H. Pearson, Commissioner of Crown Lands at Invercargill, which constitute one of the Council papers laid on the table the other day, contain a large amount of valuable information respecting Stewart’s Island, where it is proposed to form a settlement under the provisions of the Otago Settlements Act, 1871. We’ have hardly been able to do more, in the meantime, than merely glance over the matter supplied by the Commissioner, and , shall therefore confine our remarks for the present to the report of the Professor, in which will be found much to interest the general reader, while, to any of our readers who may be “on the 1 ok out ” for a prospect of better returns for labor or capital than at present falls to their own lot or to that of some of their friends, it will possess points of special attraction.

The report is devoted to the consideration specially of the two points of how far the Island “is adapted for settlement,” and “what industries are best suited te its resources and present condition.” It is not specially exhaustive of either of these topics ; and owing to the plan adopted of particularising the peculiarities of special localities, without supplementary generalisations of the whole ; and moreover to the want of even a tracing of the maps said to have been enclosed, and to which particular reference is afterwards made, it is not always easy to get the full benefit intended by the expidition, or the report. We will endeavour, however, to place before our readers such information as we can cull, and place it under the respective heads indicated. SETTLEMENT. From those portions of the report which deal with the conformation of the country, the coast lines, and the land contiguous to the shores of the various harbors, bays, and inlets, it would seem that there is no want of tracts of land of considerable extent ready for immediate cultivation, and that these may be extended by clearing, so as to adapt the several areas from time to time, as population may increase, to the increased wants of the settlers. The richness and productiveness of the soil, as indicated not only by its constituent parts, but also by the variety of vegetable life which it nourishes abundantly, from the various grasses to the forest trees, we may conclude to be at least equal to the general run of land in similar situations in other parts of the Colony. . As to the particular matter of climate, little or nothing is said, which is perhaps as well, as every day’s observation almost demonstrates the folly of persons paying a flying visit to any special locality, and setting down their temporary experience of the 4c., in general terms, as indications of the nature of the climate, Ac., of the particular place visited and described by them. From an extract we shall subjoin, however, it will be abundantly evident that Nature is not niggardly of her favors in this particular any more than in the other prerequisites of comfortable and profitable settlement. Speaking more especially of the district of Halfmoon Bay, the Professor says ;—“ A number of families chiefly Germans—have settled in this part of the island. They have already cleared 80 or 100 acres of ground, and are growing excellent crops of oats, potatoes, and turnips ; while their grass paddocks and vegetable and fruit gardens are scarcelty equalled is

the long settled districts in the neighbourhood of Dunedin# The colonists are the owners of a large number <>f cattle, that fhave been allowed, for the la-fc five 3_’ears, no browse in the bush ; traver. ing it m all Piroctions, eating up, treading down, and ijthcrwise destroying the undergrowth, and 'facilitating the labours of their owners in clearing it at some future time. I have never seen a population more satisfied with their own condition, nor better supplied with the real necessaries of life. There is a large extent of country in the rear of this bay that could be easily reclaimed, and that would, I think, in a few years amply repay the labour of clearing it. ” Speaking more especially of the land in and about Paterson’s Inlet, Professor Black says i “ The fruit in some of the ganens was equal in flavor to that grown in tne gardens of Dunedin ; and the vigorous growth of the English grasses, equalling anything I have seen in the Middle Island, showed the capabilities of the soil.” INDUSTRIES. In addition to the more ordinary industries generally appertaining that class of immigrants usually designating themselves settlers, and regai ding the prospects of which the Professor’s ideas <an be gathered from what has already been said, it would seem that if fisheries and fish curing should occupy a prominent, if not a primary place. For the purposes of drying, curing, or, tinning for exportation, we can scarcely conceive (rf a finer field for operations than that set forh in the following extract, which is given less the scientific names employed “ The teeming abundance of fish in the bays and off the coasts of Stewart Island, the excellent edible qualities of some of the species, and the facility with which they are caught, offer unusual inducements to establish here a tish-ouring industry on a large scale. The barracoota—a fish well-known in Dunedin—is very abundant on rocky bottoms all round the island. With no other appliance than a slip of wood with a nail driven through it, and attached by a piece of cord to a supplerod, we caught them in Kaipipi Bay at the rate of one every minute. The groper or hapuku frequents deeper water, and is found in large numbers off Stewart Island. Its usual weight is from 301bs to 601bs, sometimes attaining, however, according to Captain Hutton, a length of six feet, weighing 1201bs. We drew on board from GOOlbs to 7001bs weight of this fish in less than two hours, while becalmed one day between Port William and the. Bluff. It was no unusual event with ns, on raising our net in the morning, or late in the evening, two hours after setting it, to land 2001bs weight of fish of excellent quality, chiefly moki, trumpeter, blue cod or rock cod, and red cod. The flounder is very common on the muddy bottom at the head of the bays and coves, and at the mouth of the creeks all round the coast. In addition to those mentioned above, we caught without much trouble a large number of butter-fish and kelp-fish ; the latter in our nets along with the trumpeter and others already mentioned.” From the nature, kinds, and extent of timber, conveniently situated either for home use or for exportation, a large field would seem to he opened for the timber trade ; the operation of saw mills ; and probably in a short time at no distant date, ship-building, for which there appears to be some special facilities. In addition to the foregoing, the report supplies sufficient evidence to warrant the belief that valuable stone quarries and even important goldfields may ere long have to be enumerated among ,the industries of ;thia island. The existence of gold was demonstrated by trial tests, and although not discovered in large quantities, yet, fiom hints given as to the appearance of the rock, lay of the conntiy, Ac., we believe an ’ experienced prospector would feel encouraged to pursue his operations with fairly founded hopes of success. We have no information respecting a peculiar kind of granite, of which we hope samples have been brought for experimental purposes. We are told it would make an ornamental stone of very unusual appearance and great beauty and durability.