A TRIP TO WAIMIHA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 326, 7 January 1911, Page 3

A TRIP TO WAIMIHA.

(Uy a Special Correspondent)

Waimiha, a remote rising village close to the Main Trunk line, and about 26 miles south of To Kuiti, promises well in the way of progress, although very little of the place can he seen by the casual passer by. Much can, however, be said of the surrounding country generally. Several months ago invitations were sent rue to visit this place to enable your humble scribe to spend a few days in the country. Waimiha is at present i blessed with no less than three j stores, all doing a fair amount of business. That of Mr Binns claims to be the pioneer store, and for a country place, ranks first in up-to-date lines. The amount of business done during the festive season is quite encouraging, said Mr Binns, despite the that many of the settlers are either holiday-making or spending their Xmas with their families in various parts of the Dominion. Mr Binns informs me that owing to the rapid increase in connection with his business he has been forced to erect a branch store in the new S3ttlement, called Tangitu. A native school is also established at Waimiha, thus enabling the native children to be educated in the English language. The present number on the roll is 30. The children are taught under the able management of Sister Alison (laumarunui), and the school is, I believe, under the sole control and is supported by the Presbyterian Mission. Another acquisition to the travelling public is the establishment of a livery stables, carried on by Mr J. Melton, thu3 offording travellers an opportunity of securing a horse to ride into the country. The lack of proper accomodation in Waimiha is causing serious comment, and the wonder is that some cnterprisinng person has not long before "taken it on, ' ihc necessity for the erection of a boarding-house is shown by the fact that scores of people who are on fishing expeditions, have been compelled to bring their own camp and stores. Waimiha year by year i 3 becoming a popular place for those who feel fit to come and spend a few days fishing in the Ongarue stream, but the majority of visitors (mostly from Te Kuiti) feel greatly disappointed at the lack of accommodation. We all prefer our meals ready, and a good bed to lie upon nfter a strenuous day's sport. Some difficulty may be experienced in getting a proper building site, but I feel sure if the application went through the proper channel this could ; be overcome. Having been introduced to Mr Lovett, who, by the way, is engaged in packing stores to the settlers, and has the title of nyailnyan, ii] conversation J learned that amongst the items carried were those for the erection of a boaruing house. Mr Lovett said that in the near future it is his intention to erect an up-to-date boarding house at Waimiha, his present hoiTse being far too small to meet the growing demands of the public. He has almost completed arrangements for a building site. Ivli" Jiovett, by the way, is very popular here, and is over ready to impart to intending anglers the information sought, as being an expert angler himself, he delights to meet visitors with the rod. We found Mr Lovett full of geniality and thank him for his unremitting hospitality to us. Whilst discussing matters he strongly advocated the urgent necessity of having a butcher's shop established as they were put ta siioh inconvenience. At times a parcel of meat arrived in an interior condition. Perhaps these remarks may catch the eye of some enterprisingperson. One special feature was largely noticeable and is much appreciated by the public. It is the new-ly-erected and spacious goods shed. No doubt the Railway Department has its eye on business in this direction. Proviqipg the country grows as it has of late, J predict the present building will, in the near future, tie far too small to meet the growing Fernanda of the district. Bejng invited to vi3ll several settlers resident in the Tangitu (a new settlement just opened), i was grateful for that invitation, as I had great ideas about seeing this special settlement block. We speedily made haste to the livery stables and from there we secured t\yo line hordes for thc> irj [u Armed with a few cartridges manufactured by Andrew Usher, wo lpft Waimiha in the early morning in a thick haze, but afUr travelling about two miles from Waimiha the heavens gradually cleared o. inl the sun with all its splendour smilingly shone U poij lls ; About one and a half miles, from Waimiha a halt was made at Messrs Parks Pros.' newly-erected ! ;--a\v, the firm bavinr eccqrec! the inillj i»ig' righto of a thousand acres of heavy nulling bush. They con te ululate having' eight years cutting, although the firm have not ; menced operations proper yet. They • informed me thai every tiling will Le I in full swing about the 20th of this 1 month. The erection of tim mill was successful':' eamou out LiyMr Jas, i Ciimo, from Obakune, who, I can confidently say, possesses large experience in the erection of swmills. This industry will be a boon to the district, and should command large support

generally. En route we made another halt, this turn 1 at tb? residence of Mr Ellicot. This farm consists of t ; 00 acres of really first-clsss land. No thing could possibly be better for sheep-farming purposes. Although Mr Ellicot has only opened this farm since last year, he has, during that time, erected an up-to-date dwelling of six rooms, and built wills all modern conveniences. The site chosen for its erection commands a splendid view directly overlooking the main road from Waimiha to Aria. Mr Ellicot informs me sheep-farming will be his future occupation. "I have worked very hard," he said, in reply to a series of questions, "but one honour I claim: that I'm the first to grow grain and potatoes,'' and so I think from the amount under cultivation. I can only conclude that Mr Eilicot has "toiled," rain, hail, or shine. Having lost some time at the last-mentioned place, we spurred our "prads" along, and scon got on to the main road to the new settlement. On our way we found tents pitched here and there. Many of the tents are occupied by large families. Asking as to what all these tents were erected for I was told that these families were anxiously waiting to get on to their individual holdings. Immediately entering the bush proper we saw some of the finest country possible to see. The bush consists chiefly of giant rimu and matai, with a light sprinkling of totara. Dozens of the rimu trees we saw measured four to seven feet in diameter. Further information elicited the fact that Government intend to place the land on the market about next March. This block contains something like 3000 acres of heavy forest, and the size of the sections from 300 to 500 acres each. 1 should not be at all surprised in the near future to find half a dozen sawmills erected in the block. The country I refer to is, I understand, far superior for closer settlement than that at present allotted for settlement purposes, being specially suited for dairying purposes. (Concluded in our next issue.)