IN SOUTH WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1921, Page 4

IN SOUTH WESTLAND

COMMISSIONER OE CROWN LAND'S VISIT.AIK. GALBRAITH’S VIEWS. Mr R. S. Galbraith, Commissioner of ('row'll ills, returned on Wednesday 1 from a tour of inspretion in South Westland primarily fur the perpnse of classifying certain pastoral runs through ui t tlq, district. In the course of an interview with a representative ol the “(ilia: dian". Air Galbraith stated he was .accompanied on the trip by the two other members of the Commission appointed for this purpose—Ales-rs 'A. Clayton ami R. Adamson, c.ml by Ah- C. Alaefarlane. Crown Lands Ranger, and Mr W. Scot l. Stock Inspector. The trip which was made entirely on horseback, ovtciided as far South as Jackson’s Bay. and including several necessarv excursions from tlic man route, occujiicd in all nineteen da's. Oi the return journey a day was spent ii .(ding up the Haa.st valley to the 1 .aiid'horciiigh and hack. Ihe weather conditions ihrotighoiil were exceptionally favourable, and owing to lhe dry >p> 11. the rivers went vi ry low ami tfie ford-, read- and track in good cmidit ion lor travellers. Air Galbraith expressed himself a: very much impressed with the qualit) of the Hats of tlm larger river valleys Waiho. Cooks, Karallgarna. Mahitalii Haast. Okiirii etc., which he consider! ecpia! to any land in \\ ,--oland Distrie duel "’as greatly taken with tin* spleti did condition and quality e.l the cattle (mostlv well-bred Herelordt seen diirin; tip, trip. Mr Galbraith stated that, as in thi northern part of the district these rive pats contain all the most tortile lam and were tliev in ;l more accessible hi eality uoiild provide ample scope fu a dairv factory in orohalJy each wl tli valleys named. the settiers at Okur' where sea communication is more regu lar are already arranging to start on of these factories but the difficulties <> land fommunicntiuii are very great tlicr , being long distances of more or h-s broken and unfertile country betweethe rivers. While not so heavily timbered a parts of the northern end of the distrie there is a very large amount of vnluabl milling timber more or less sentterei along most of the route from Wnill to Jacksons Bay, with on,, or two close ly timbered blocks but good timber i more patchy I hnmgliuut than was anti ciliated. Outside the settled lands in the rive valleys tiler,, are large swamp area lying hetweejn the foothills and tli coast, at intervals practically Iron Cook’s river to Jacksons Bay which ap pear to he drainable and which will ii all probability become useful land ii the future and add greatly to the pro duetioii and prosperity of the South. All the party were very much plea sec with their trip and particularly grafi fi«d at the kindly hospitality extended t< them by the settlers cm route and tin excellent fare which was always in evi ■ deuce throughout.