Folding Farm Homestead Association

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 4, 5 July 1893, Page 2

Folding Farm Homestead Association

A meeting of members of the above Association was held at Short's Hall last night for the purpose of receiving Mr Bo water's report on the result of his trip to the Waimarino. There was a good attendance of members. Mr Long (chairmanl presided. ' ■*. • The minutes ,of the , previous meeting were read and confirmed. MESSRS BOWAXKE AMD GlIMJTx's BKfOKT, Started for Waimarino dsrjthe 19th i un . e '.^. ia Wanganui Biver, tiw&oe to Pipmki, where they got a hor«e,*but found the road so bad that they vft, unable to carry their food. Thence v the land is broken for about seven miles, after which it is mostly level. At Montgomery's camp they were. advised to go to Ohakune, and proceeded by a rather bad track through the Eeabiti Block, which is set apart for military settlers. The former is a' good block ; the latter is good at the lower and upper portions, but rather wet in the ceutre of the block. The road is well graded, and fairly level. The Nahina and Maturatura streams are bridged with good bridges. Tb<> land about here is well timbered with rimu, maire, matai, totara, silver birch, &c. It'fs thought about 9000 acres are obtainable in this block. H would be advisable tp ask the (fa 4

f vernment to lay off a township in the block, through which the Main Trunk line passes. This block joins the Marton Nos. 4 and 5 Blocks. The northern and eastern boundaries are the Waimarino Block, the southern and western boundaries being the Nfrahuina and Manganui-ote-ta Rivera and the Marton Nos. 4 and 5 Blocks. The land is principally flat bush land, well watereq, and splendid soil. The prtygnecta of j rapid settlement and increasing **lue are encouraging : I firstly, frottt the nature of the land itself, being easy of access and suitable for either sheep or cattle; secondly, from its central position, being midway between Hunterville and Taupo, having outlets by either road or rail j thirdly, from the proximity of similar settlements. There is every reason to believe the venture would be a decided success. The freight to Pipiriki is now L 2 5s per ton from Wanganui, but as soon as traffic increases there is certain to be a great reduction on this figure. Mr Bowater then answered a number of questions to the entire satisfaction of members. It was unanimously resolved to take up the block of land inspected by Messrs Bowater and Gillett ; also that the Government be asked to reserve a site for a township. The names of Messrs J. C. ThompG\ Webb, Christensen Bros., W. Beck, junr., and J. Robinson were added to the list of members, and the Association now embraces 36 members who have applied for 6,550 acres. Resolved, That a meeting be called for this day week to receive deposits and forward applications. A levy of 10s per member was made towards the necessary preliminary expenses. The meeting passed Messrs Bowater and Giliett's expenses for payment, also Mr Giliett's remuneration account of L 6 17s 6d, being for 11 days at 12s 6d per day, voted Mr Bowater L 5 12s 6d, being on the same scale for nine days absence, and adjiurned.