ISOLATED SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1920, Page 4

ISOLATED SETTLEMENT.

PROGRESS IN SOUTH WESTLAND.

A WEST COAST SHOW FARM

'(Writleh for the Christchurch “Sun.”) Only in recent years has. it come to bo recognised that the West Coast of the South Island has considerable potentialities from an agricultural standpoint. The province of Westland, and that portion of the Nelson province from Jvaramea to Ikamatua, where the two provinces join, contains a very large area of useful river flats that are capable of considerable development. There is not a great deal of land readily available for settlement on the Coast, but it is in the development of the large areas already held that expansion may be looked for in the future. Rather it should be insisted upon. With the land hunger existing in the Dominion to-day, and tho necessity for increased production, the owner of land which is not being put to the fullest use deserves short shrift at the hands of the State, , • The transition from a community practically dependent upon mining, to that of dairying and stock raising, has been a slow process. There are many reasons for this. One of the chief has been that a large percentage of those who 'have acquirel land in days gone by looked upon -the land as a side line, Many landowners still do so. They were not farmers. Another factor in retarding development has been the titles to the land. Where land tenures are sub- - sidiary to mining rights and privileges, agriculture takes second place. Alining and timber rights are administered by the Wardens’ Courts. Tremendous areas have been reserved for scenic purposes and for milling, especially in South Wostland, with the result that the settlements are isolated from cadi other. From the point of view of the financier the land was often not good security. Want of capital retarded improvement. SOUTHERN SETTLEMENTS. South Westland is a country of distances. On the river flats south of Hokitika there flourish quite a large number of settlements extending 200 miles down the Coast line to Okuru. Some of the best country on the Coast is contained on these flats. The Government maintain the main road, on account of the fairly heavy tourist traffic, and vehicles can go as far as Waiho Gorge. The bridging.of three big rivers is all that is necessary to give the southern settlers good motor roads to the south, and the tourist an excellent motor road to scenery probably unequalled upon any road of the Dominion. Three cheese factories operate south of Ross, the furthest down being at Wataroa, some 50 to GO miles from the railhead at Ross. The . output is not particularly large, but when many more of the settlers embrace dairying as an occupation, expansion may be looked for. At Wataroa only about half the settlers supply the cheese factory. The value of the output from the three southern cheese factories last year was as follows: —

Tons. £ Inter-Wanganui 159 14,35(5 Waitalia 67 G,06(5 Wataroa 42 5,203 Totals 268 25,625 These figures promise to show a considerable increase in the coming season. This furthest south factory claims one enviable record, and that is the highest price for New Zealand cheese on the London market: BEEF AND MUTTON.

The largest industry among the South Westland settlers is the raising of beef for the market, and good herds arc noticeable, with here and there flocks of excellent Romney cross sheep. A draft of two-tooth wethers met with on the road to Hokitika demonstrated what the drier river flats of the south are capable of producing. A mob of 90 bullocks Irelonging to South Westland graziers after they had been three days upon the road was the most striking advertisement the. district could have. Practically a straight line of three and four-year wellbred Herefords, they were sold in the Arahura yards some days afterwards after seven days on the road, at up to £29'ss per head, some of which were bought by a Canterbury buyer. A more progressive spirit is noticeable in these southern settlements'than is the case in districts served by the railway, and even far soutli they appreciate what the Otira tunnel will do for them. The faith the settlers have in the district is evidenced by the remarkably small number of farms on the market. With the fillip that rail communication with Canterbury is hound to cause land will probably come on the market more freely. In the dairying districts subdivision will probably prove the salvation of the country. Too often 1503 and 2000 acres are held where 300 acres could be more profitably worked. AROUND HARI HARI.

A wide basin of country upon the Inter-Wanganui gives the widest expanse of country in South Westland. There are a variety of soils, much of which has carried a ribbonwood scrub which gives the best country on the West Coast—a soil superior to even the heavily-timbered country. Farming is making headway, but the absence of many young men at the war was responsible for it being retarded to some, extent. In common with all other West Coast lands, the land at Hari Hari requires lime. Unfortunately the nearest lime kiln is at Ross, some 40 # miles away, and cartage is a heavy item. A private company is making arrangements to lay down a line of railway for timber carriage, and will cart produce ami supplies for settlers to a point within a few miles of the settlement. The following table emphasises the need for lime. These figures were recently compiled following upon an analysis of soils: — Average tons of carbonate Number of of lime samples required analysed. District per acre. 70 Auckland 3.8 24 1 Wellington 1.8 6 Taranaki 2.3 8 Hawke’s Bay 2.0 9 West Coast 4.9 14 Canterbury 1.3 16 Otago A Southland 2.3 • From these figures it will be seen how much the Coast lands require lime. Burnt lime would be the more economical to use on account of the cartage. A SHOW FARM. Hari Hari possesses the show farm of the West Coast. Its proprietor is pro-

gressivc and. its value to the district j should be little less to southern settlers than ah up-to-date State firin' would bo. This is a farili of 1(560 acres, owned by Mr J. McLean, of Greymouth, who, on a property he acquired some three years ago, has placed a; sot of buildings, plant and equipment that would bo hard to equal on any farm of its size in tho South Island. Nothing has been done by halves. The land is a heavy swamp that will respond to draining and liming, and Mr McLean has engaged a manager from Southland experienced in the treatment of such soils. He has gathered together the nucleus of ai good milking Shorthorn herd and, recognising that the sire is more than half the herd, has purchased some fine young bulls. They include a nice red by Lincoln Carbine, a fine young Darbalara bull bred at the Ruakufa State Farm, and the proprietor recently purchased the fine young bull bred and exhibited by Mr Gordon •Stoddart, of Lincoln. On the female side there are some really good cows and heifers and a first-class herd of milkers should be the result. Air McLean has already got a big area under the plough and the swedes growing on the land demonstrate what will follow in the wake of proper treatment. Even tlie plough team on the farm are Otago-bred aristocrats, mostly claiming Baron Bold as their sire.

Tho virus of progress is abroad at Hari Hari and the settlers are interested in the experiments made on the holding. Though considerable capital has been spent, the farm is conducted on business lines and is to be made to pay.