PROSPEROUS SOUTHLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1926, Page 4

PROSPEROUS SOUTHLAND

Mr R. Nairn, of Christchurch, has returned home from a 1100 mile motoi trip to Southland, ■ travelling direct by the main highway and returning via Lumsden, Queenstown and Central Otago. In conversation with a Christchurch “Press” representative, he stated that the cereal crops through South Canterbury and North Otago, looked particularly well, and there were some- splendid fields ol oats to he seen in Southland. As for turnips in the southern province he had rarely seen anything better. The strikes almost without exception, were a success. the dry winter enabling the land to he worked into good condition, and the subsequent summer rains causing a good germination. Very lew wheat crops were to be seen in Southland, but excellent fields of barley were noticed in the Crown Terrace district of Central Otago.

Mr Nairn was much impressed with the scope for increased settlement in Southland, an interesting observation in view of the official statement of the past few days that settlement in the Dominion had about reached its maximum. The sice of the holdings was conducing to the spread of ragwort and Californian thistle, Mr Nairn’s eye being much offended by the prevalence of the former on large areas of line land. “Southland is a great province,’’ be added, “ capable of great expansion but it should bo in smaller holdings to enable the posts mentioned to lie successfully grappled with. It could carry a great many more people.”