MAPARA SETTLEMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 329, 18 January 1911, Page 6

MAPARA SETTLEMENT.

I GOOD PROGRESS BEING MADE. DAIRYING NEXT YEAR. The Mapara Settlement which was put on the market by the Government nearly two years ago for the benefit I of landless men with families is making good strides. The block consists of about (>OOO acres, and is sub divided into thirty-two sections, averaging about 170 acres each. With the exception of about five or six sections which are hold under the 0.R.P., all the rest of the farms are endowment lands, and are held under the renewable lease. When settlers first went on their farms they had a trying time for want i,f roads, as well as many ex- | periences in crossing the Mokau river. However, that order has changed, and a bridge across; the Mokau ;s rapidly approaching completion, and it is , hoped will be officially opened next i week. The cost is slightly over £SOO, ! Road works have also been proceeding ! apace, and with the exception of a ; few settlers, ail have outlets. The , balance of roading is being proceeded | with, and another six months will see very little road work to be done. All the selectors with but one or two ■ exceptions, are on their holdings, : and I was agreeably surprised to note i the improvements that have taken | place in practically twelve months. | There are a few sections which are all ! fern land, and the balance are fern ' and bush. Good progress is being made with breaking in of the fern land, and settlers are satisfied that i the country is good and will grow : grass well. There are fully 0000 i acres of fern land, all of which is I ploughable. Many people, especially outsiders, who come across fern land such a-i this, think that it is poor country. It is a mistaken i lea. The soil is' generally light, but not poor. I ", is only fern sour, and wants ttjrning over with the plough in order that it may get plenty of sun and ba sweetened. 1 This has been proved by settlers in the block. Those that simply burned ofi' and disced and sowed the grass seed have not had the results in comparison with the ground that was ploughed. In all fern lands a depth of three cr four inches of a very fine mould forms, which when surface sown, becomes very hot and scorches the seed, with the result that it perishes. This dry mould wants turning into the ground and mixing with the subsoil. This has been the experience of settlers in the Mapara Block. The country and soil is good, as -all the gardens around the different homesteads demonstrate. These flats, cultivated without manuring of any description, are growing vegetables of all descriptions, besides occasional : patches of oats and hay. In the bush country grass has taken well, and some pleasing results are to be seen. Cocksfoot, rye grass and the clov-:rs are principally grown. In the fern country clover is thriving excellently, and promises to be a great success.^ Although settlers have been working i a good deal on the roads they have not forgotten to carry out their improvements. About 250 acres of bush has | been felled this winter, besides a ! large tract of land covered with fern and manuka. Fencing has also been carried out to a fair extent, and almost all settlers have done more or , less of their work. For the time that the families have been on their sections they have also done remarkably well in the making of their homes A few have already : houses built of sawn timber, some of iron, and others of split palings. The homes are all comfortable, and under the ciruumstancse settlers are to be congratulated on their industry. Well-laid-ont gardens are to be seen everywhere, Flowers ornament them, and vegetables in abundance are there growing for consumption. Dairying promises to be the great industry in the settlement. Already some of the settlers are milking and selling butter. Nearly all that I have spoken to, and tiiey wepe about twenty-live in ail, said that if was their intention to take up dairying next year. It is reckoned that each section will average 10 cows for milking for the factory, and that will mean that the first venture of dairying in the Mapara will make a commencs- ! merit wit!' about :JOO cows. The home separator byuttm will be the one ' umf, as'ivti!••>•:« consider u«at much tini" mi'! {•irpt'iiPc wHi he saved by ' atlopiii's. 1 : that plan. Although the number oi cuvv* to bo milked in Ino blue!: wuirld warrant a skimming -.itation, settler:; eons'idcr it would bo a preitt v. ;u-;te of tiw in running daily with the nulk, beau;- it wunid mean a man ami a hr.rse and ea>-i fen i.w ioad for seveia I hours daily. Besides the waste of time settlers recognise that being able to feed their caivej and !!>;/,; with the fresh skim milk, they

would -have n:ore beneheial results, as well as check any isuejibood of disease, which might at any time be brought homo from the creamery. Arrangements wilt i.• e i)iad? with the Pio Pio ('o-operat:ve Company to collect the cream where possible, wiieiei-s others intend to take then' cretin: 'o the factory on pack-horse. ibis thickly- ' setikul district will, in another few year?, be producing a hi-; quantity of milk, and will be a valuable asset to ' <ho i'io Pi:) factory. It is considered that it a!) wcl! next year there | is every hope that the herds will be j doubled the year following. Dy that

time settlers will be fairly on their feet. The settlement has got a post office which is of much service to the settlers. Educational matters are also exercising the minds of parents. A school will be erected as soon as the site i 3 decided upon. There are about forty children of school age. There are many people who are not aware how near this settlement is to Te Kuiti. So far it has been practically isolated no doubt due to the want of roads and bridges. Now that these matters have been got well in hand more will be known of the place and settlers and their wives and children will be at any rate convenient to civilisation. I heard no complaints when travelling through. Everywhere they seemed to be thankful for their opportunity of getting on the land, especially under such favourable conditions as were being given to them by the Government. All are confident that their efforts will be successful, and I don't see why they should not, if they continue the industry which they have so far displayed. Dairying is their great ambition, and enthusiasm as regards the prospects prevails.