PROGRESS OF PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4537, 9 March 1923, Page 3

PROGRESS OF PLAINS.

rapid settlement. The settlement of the , Hauraki Plains now closely follows the qperations of the Lands Drainage Department.- At first the Department had to demonstrate the possibilities of the swamp, as, owing to the many problems that confronted the wouldbe settler and whajt seemed to be a natural prejudice against the place, there was little demand for the first sections offered at the upset price of 50s per acre. Since then the prejudice has disappeared and the problems have been solved. The demand for sections has increased wonderfully, and at one .of the land ballots held in 1915 there was a record number of 345 applicants for one section. Land that was originally bought for £2 10s per acre has recently changed hands at over £lOO per acre. The Plains are not all of first-class quality, but it is all good grass producing land. The land is easily worked, and if 121 b to 151 b of seed is sur-face-sown and given a little attention with a swamp harrow, the result is an excellent pasture with scarcely a weed. In fact, no better results have been secured by ploughing and manuring. With the above treatment two tons of hay to the acre have been cut. and in some cases, owing to the greater percentage of clover, the second crop has been heavier. The carrying capacity can oe gauged from ; the fact that there are seven saleyards on the ■ Plains, and nine sales of at least 200 head are .held per month. It is estimated that in the past from six’ to ten thousand head of beef were turned off the Plains every year, but nqw, owing to ■ the increase in dairying, probably only 5000 are fattened. ENORMOUS INCREASE IN OUTPUT. The Ngatea butter factory was built to cope with 800' tons of butter a year. The output for the first season was 25 per cent, in excess of this amount, and with some additions to the plant the 1922-23 season will produce 1650 tons. It requires approximately 19,000 cows to produce 1650 tons of butter. It is anticipated that a further increase of 25 per cent, in output; will take place next season. Returns from the Netherton, Shelly Beach, and Huirau Road cheese factories for the period June to January show an increase\this year over a corresponding period of last year of 17,8471 b, 31,9001 b, and 44,8561 b of but-ter-fat, respectively. / During the whole of the 1921-22 season these three factories produced butter-fat which, on a cheese basis output, would be equal to: Netherton, 263 tons ; Shielly Beach, 361 tons ; Huirau Road, 292 tons. In addition to the supply to the Netherton cheese factory quite a large number of suppliers in that district send in their, cream to the, Paeroa and Ngatea factories. During 1921-22 season 237,3591 b of butter-fat were carted on ’ the Nethertpn-Paeroa route for buttermaking from August to January, - whilst this ■ season for the same period the quantity was 242,6851 b, which again shows an increase; notwithstanding that 1 butter-fat from Pekapeka Road suppliers totalling this season 90,3661 b has .been diverted from Paeroa to Ngatea factory by special cartage service. The increase is therefore phenomenal. For the month ’ of January alone this seasno’s total was 13,0001 b of butter-fat over last season on the Netherton-Paeroa route. There is also a cartage contract : bringing, in cream from the Awaiti district to Paeroa, and this shows, an increase of 26,1861 b of butter-fat for the six months ending January 31, 1923, over the same period of last season. The total butter-fat carried on the Awaiti run for last season was 171,0131 b, or equivalent to 91 tons of butter. Being a new country, practically all the profits made are put into improvements, for settlers know it is a good investment and will show a return within a couple of years. Experienced men who have bought l land at high prices in some cases express themselves as being well pleased with their purchase, although they have to find interest on over £lOO per. acre.