“THROUGH NEW ZEALAND."

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 867, 17 April 1903, Page 4

“THROUGH NEW ZEALAND."

Under the above heading a traveller has been contributing illustrated sketches to JJalgety’s lie view. The following reference is made to this district: —

A run of 2d hours from Auckland brought our travellers to Poverty Bay, and tne ship east anchor in the open roadstead about a miie from the Gisborne breakwater. A considerable sum of money seems to htivc been spent over this work, but it has sufficed to provide harborage for vessels of any but very moderate draught. The frozen meat from the meat works lias to be conveyed alongside the ocean boats in insulated lighters constructed for the purpose. At Gisborne our travellers were met by Hie representative of .Dalgely and Company. and after a rapid inspection of the oilices and stores of that Company, and of the comfortable rooms of the Gisborne Club, a start was made m a well-horsed vehicle for an afternoon’s run into the country. The laud in the neighborhood of the town is a deep black alluvial soil, and its richness is evident by the- enormous growth of the willows which line the roads, the luxuriance of the pasturage, and the huge crops of wheat and turnips which were everywhere to be seen. The hills which He behind this rich Jlat country have originally been covered with a dense growth of scrub and fern and forest trees, but this has been got rid of by burning, and the English grasses which

have been sown give a carrying capacity on these bills of about two sheep to cue acre. The Hats arc used largely for dairying, for which they appear to be omhieuLly suited. About the town and all along the roads in the r.-igkkurhocd a good many Maoris are to no so n, dressed in English costume and driving well • appointed buggies or sulkies. Many of these arc landowners who have a..t iheir lands to English tenants and are living mi the rents which they receive. Some o. them work at shearing, which they teg it'd as a genteel form of labor : and ;t is said to be not uncommon to faitel the Maori landiOiCi shearing lor his own tenant and to see nothing h congruous in toe situation. They are cheery good-humored follows, who do their work ianhfuiSy and Joyaily : there arc no Shearers’ Union delegates amongst ibe Maoris. Altogether the Poverty Bay district is a | very live one, and its prospects in the future - with its rich k, good rainfall, and miln climate —appu.it' to be most b ope kb. A hours ran in m Poverty E-tv brought the ship alongside the pier at Napier, anti in re again our travellers were taken in charge by the representative of Paigety and Company. The town of Napier is older him. consenuentiv, more substamially bruit and more fully appointed than that of Gis-

borne, but in other respects the conditions of the place are somewhat simi.ar. In either ease there is a rich fiat of considerable extent, backed up by hills, mostly too steep for agriculture, but all capable oi carrviug English grasses and depasturing large numbers of sheep or cattle. The export oi frozen meat and dairy produce from both places is very large.