RAMBLINGS NORTH

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1929, Page 3

RAMBLINGS NORTH

, NOTES BY THE WAY. Thu railway towards Murchison js being pushed on very actively at present. There are several camps of workmen from the Cowan to the Owen busy with construction work. The route follows the road generally/ and the latter is being improved considerably in places by reason of the widening necessary to make room for the line beside the road.

it is perhaps not generally known that coal is being mined on a small scale at Murchison, and there are hopes of larger developments later ween the rail head is nearer. An excellent seam of coal has been located at the Owen. The drive was in a considerable distance at the, time of the big ’quake, which wrought havoc with the tunnel. The tunneT is now being cleaned out again under fresh prospecting operations. The quality of this seam so far as revealed is excellent.

At the present time Murchison is on a very fair wicket in respect to transport. The railhead now is at Kawatin, but shortly will be at the Cowan. The Government transports all goods and passenger traffic by motor between tbe rail head and Murchison at railway mileage rates. This concession applies also to excursion traffic, so that the Murchison folk are not under special hardships even if the railway be somewhat delayed. Mention of wicket in the foregoing recalls the fact that the Murchison people are budding cricketers. At' inqst of the. Public Works camps .there tire good grass pitches' aiid cricket is the vogue on off days and holidays. Matches are held regularly between the camp teams.

At Kawatiri the Tqphouse road junctions with the Coast main road and the new route shortens very greatly the distance.and time for the journey into Marlborough. Last week Christchurch motorists covered the journey from Christchurch to Murchison, 311 miles, in twelve hours—travelling via Tophouse route. The new road shortens considerably the journey from the Coast to Marlborough, avoiding the long round run through Nelson. Roads generally in the north are very good. The main highway is being improved rapidly. The roads ■ ve- the Saddles are all much better. Winding i\»»ul< are receiving S|i'e ,,, al. atte ’'ion at bad corners. These are being Improved out of all knowledge. Despite the liability to quakes, many small concrete bridges 5 are being put. in and concrete abutments for the larger abridges; The Public Works camps "are also well established and beam the impress .of pif usual bush'-comfort; In places families ate housed in more commodious liutmeifts- than those "provided for the single hlen/ o:■ ‘: 1 1 here is tbe promise of a 1 good fruit season pp Nelson' way, the late rain being specially welcome. Stock did not look as well as the Coast herds, nor the pastures'as attractive looking. A good deal hr done in the way of subdivision of' paddocks, to protect the grass as much as possible. Where paddocks- i)ro topdressod, the stock is not perinitfed.tn pasture all day, but only forum limited period, and then moved to .another ' enclosure. ‘ " the top-dressed paddocks are well husbanded in this way, Yiljtd the stock' are not slow to eat their fijl vdiile the opportunity serves, realising that they must ruminate later in a"leks succulent field. All the dairy factories are increasing their output the excess being attributed to topdressing. Murchison will produce from ■ 280 to 1300 tons"of butter this season according to the ; present promise.