THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1923, Page 4

THE WEST COAST.

SPECIAL ARTICLES. ■ Christchurch Press). OBSERVATIONS SEALM ARISED ! I. The Coast offers a very extensive ; field for the investment of capital 1 and the employment of improved farming methods. Whilst there are large parts paslornlly useless there are extensive areas of good and medium land. -. The Coast is lo a very large extent unsuilal.de for farming in big blocks—i.e., the abundance of blackberry and other weeds over a wide area and the stimulus given to their growth by the heavy rainfall make its settlement in small holdings, where personal attention can be given to their eradication, the best method of increasing production . It is essentially a cattle country, where there is great scope for the expansion of dairying, fouler up-to-date methods of husbandry, principally in the providing of root crops for winter feed,- the present dairv herds of 11,0111) could comfortably reach 50,000. I. On the drier areas in Northern' Westland and nil the old rivet beds and Hals generally there it scope for a substantial expansion in sheep production. .j. The climatic conditions are generally against cereal crops being grown to advantage as the heav\ rainfall would render ripening uncertain. whilst conducing to the dedevclopmcnt of cereal diseases incidental to wet climates. (>. Mote adequate stocking up with cattle in order to keep rough hush growth in cheek and combat the development of wood growth. 7. The employment ol np-to-dale drain age methods and facilities for securing cheap lime. -Many thousand; of acres of indifferent producing country would he made to greatl' increase its production by the-,' aids. The State acquisition of ;• lime kiln should he deemed of aliiuell importance a- that ol a coil

mine or a water rare. 8. Smaller holdings quite as mueli ii 1 lii*. mtere.'ts of jr.iocl I'arminn aI | closirr m’U lenten!. - ' !*. A revision of the areas set apart In:

scenic purposes in order to o.xelud' those with no scenic merit an. which would make good milling am subsequently grazing country. Its. A vigorous prosecution of hridg construction, in older to bring in'direct touch w ith I lie railroad tie

'• .sniii hern hinterland of the (‘on-l. >• 11. A provincial drainage scheme base i.n tilt* line:!- demonstrated by tin t-iil lura I Depart meat in it 'I experiments with “Bakihi” iattdI- ami ail extension of those cxpcri <• mi'll is to ascertain tile most suit f . tilile gras-es lor sttcli areas, s l->. l.ast, Iml most important of ail tear on the blackberry, in whici >' the (Invert!incut and local bodic should take a part. The sticces: of all the loregoing suggestions ar e vciv largelv dependent on tli. i- CoinpletetieSs '.vith O. hit'll blnekben'v " desti i let ion is undertaken. '■ cox< lesion. ’ 111 concluding the si ■ 1 1 agmrh Ia r\ on '' .-ei va t ion s, the writer apologises to the omission of nianv districts. To *' Coast is a hie place, even with "tl'c mountain's took away," and lit iit more titan main routes could b ' traversed. there are many by-way-with very definite, ii limited, polontal ilies which could not be visile!. .tins; s of all it is regretted that the 1011. ‘ stretch of country from the tVaiho 1.. Ukttru■—t here is settlement the whim ■' vay —could not he included m th Itinerary. The Coast has boon described as "a ' second Taranaki.”' While it hnuntouched resources, it has not til ■ area to I»ri 11 tx it into productive lin ■ jj at least from a dairying viewpoinl with the ni.irvellons province aero* the Strait s. , The “occupied areas” of the tu. provinces ate. practically similar, bill Taranaki is carrying .Til'.fd.') cattle. ' and the Coasl 11 .-'Jfio! In the northern province I’ll'. Id cows per HUM) acre - are being carried; in Westland “3.31 a difference of nine to one. That dis I parity ini;ilit easily he reduced l'.\ ~ one-half, for over the whole of tin Coast, tbere are probably from .‘100.11(f) to !(>0,(>()(> acres of what might b.called flat land. There is therefore. |. seopc for great advancement willin',P . aspiring to Taranaki's figures. Those who hold the most decided views about the future of the Cons’ . are men trim have fanned elsewhere. Kxperience permits them to make comparisons, and it is largely by compari ' } sons that, the relative merits can o J measured. The insularity which h;o : in the past distinguished a by no I means inconsiderable body of Coasters. | is rapidly disappearing, and the move- ; ment will he given a stimulus by the ' opening of the tunnel.