THE TAHORA COUNTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2101, 29 January 1908, Page 2

THE TAHORA COUNTRY.

THE NATIVE MINISTER VISITS THE BACKBLOCICS. IS AGREEABLY SURPRISED AT PROGRESS MADE. IMMENSE QUANTITY OF TIMBER GOING TO WASTE.

On Sunday night the Hon. James Carroll, Native Minister, startod on a journoy into tho backblocks, with a view of seeing for himself how settlement is progressing ill tho Tahora country. Ho was accompanied by tho Hon. Wi Pere and Mr. Fred Hall. The party spent Monday there in the district referred to, and, making a long stage yesterday, arrived in town in tho afternoon. They found the roads generally in fair condition, with the exception of two stretches of about 31 miles and 4 miles respectively. Seen by a Times reporter on his return, Mr. Carroll said:— “1 was simply astonished at the great amount of work that has been done by tho settlers in clearing tho hush and grassing for .stock. Four years ago there was not a settler in that locality: to-day there are many, nid there are thousands of acres in grass, and fresh land is being broken up every day. It is estimated that next season from 30,000 to 40,000 sheep will lie shorn in tho Tahora.” “The country is all good; in fact one could scarcely conceive better grazing country, and stock are up to their knees in feed. The soil seems light, but it certainly produces tho feed.” ‘‘Then there is the timber! It' seemed a shame to see tho magnificent timber that is going to waste there, being burned by the settlors for want of a means to get it to market. Rimu, matai, and piue in abundance, enough, I should say, to handsomely pay the cost of any line opening it up.” “At present the settlers are greatly inconvenienced by the faulty means of communication with the outside world. It costs £7 10s per ton to get goods to the most distant parts, as they have to be packed a part of the way. This is rendered necessary by a stretch of about 3 1 miles near the Wharekopae crossing, which is unformed. If. this were properly roaded, drays could go right through, and the cost of transit of goods to the most distant block would be reduced to about £3 10s per ton. At present all the wool has to be packed, and afterwards re-baled, which is naturally a very expensive proceeding.” Mr. Hall was also greatly impressed by the quality of the country that bad been inspected. Said he:—“l have never seen better, and the bush was really wonderful. As far as the eye could reach there was an immense area of grand timber, enough to keep Gisborne going for years to come, tremendous trees they were, too, that made one’s neck ache looking up to the tops of them. It seemed a sin to .see such timber being destroyed.” According to Mr. Carroll, once the railway gets through the Waihuka Valley’it will be a comparatively easy matter for a few short lines' of tramways, say 7 to 10 miles in length, to tap several fine blocks of timbered country, and thus to connect with the railway.