THE OHURA VALLEY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 331, 25 January 1911, Page 6

THE OHURA VALLEY.

ENORMOUS GROWTH OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY. DAIRYING MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. For Hi-5 comparatively short period of settlement the Ohura has advanced from a pastoral point of view with great rapidity. It certainly shows signs of becoming a great and prosperous district. Situated right in the heart of the King Country with the land both for sheep-farming and dairying makes it a district with enormous possibilities and potentiaities The great drawback at present is the want of good roads. The present ones which are only good in the summer could do with a lot of improving. There seems to be something wrong in tint line. The Ohura County Council arc doing their best in the midst of great odds They are doing ail that it is possible to d'i. The Public Works Department are very siow in making their grants available with the result that fully ten weeks or more have passed without anything being done, and from all appearances there is evidence that more time will have passed without any tangible results, and that there will be very little move good weather for the making and improving of these clay nr:d'i. It is only money wasted to try :~md deal with such roads; when the good weather has passed. The position in the district i 3 acute, road works are stagnant and dissatisfaction prevails all round. Thi3 important district will some day be tapped by railway arid I hope at'the earliest possible date. There has been two routes in question, and some solid work has been put in by the advocates of both ways. The generally-accepted line is the Strat-ford-Ongarue one, whilst there are others who shake their heads knowingly and say that through Waiiewhena to Aria and Pio Pio will be the line. Whichever way the railway gees it is a matter of great import to the ciistiict, and a speedy policy of pushing it on through fine country is required. The great progress which has taken place during the eight years of settlement is but a small item in comparison to what would be clone were there good means of communication.

The recent: decision of farmers and those interested in the district to form an agricultural ai;d pastoral r.ssociaticn is w.ji-thy of congratulation. It will have a far - reaching effect. Farmers will be brought into the competitive area. The result will be a healthy spirit of competition. More interest will be taken in the breeding of stock and the production of crop 3. An association such as this will be of incalculable benefit. Farmers will have the opportunity of seeing the best, results of each other's efforts. It will mean a more intelligent interest being taken in all departments of farming and will be an education all round. Besides the competition amongst farmers there is every likelihood of a fair amount of outside competition in the pedigree line. The promoters are worthy of the greatest commendation for their interest in such a matter. No doubt their efforts will be rewarded, and as far a3 things have gone there is every likelihood of it being a success, and, in fact, there is no doubt what the ultimate end will be.

The steady improvements being carried out by settlers in the form of bushfelling and grassing arc indicative of the present activity in the clearing of their lands. The sheep irakirUry is reaching an enormous magnitude and it is estimated that there are 100,000 sheep in the district, and that the wool clip produced almost 1500 bales of wool. Facts such as these speak for themselves. The country is capable of carrying even more stock than at present, and it is hoped that next year » considerable advance in numbers will be made. Large areas of bush have been felled during the past season, all of which in the course of the next six months will be carrying sheep. The adaptability of a great area of country in the Valley for sheep-farming will warrant the industry growing to an enormous extent. It would be hard at present to .form any definite conclusion as regards the final issue. The country is good and has splendid carrying capacities. In many instances two to three sheep to the acre can be wintered, whilst during the summer months six to seven sheep can be grazed comfortably. Farmer? on the whole are carrying sheep up lo their winter limit, and to the stranger it might appear that the country was greatly under-stocked. That is so at present, and is no doubt due to bad means o'communication. At the time when farmers would want to take their surplus summer stock avva ' with a profit to themselves the mads are bad and unfit for stock to travel on. When roads and railway have tapped the Ohura the sheep output will he a big one,and will be in a fair way U> challenge the production of much older established sheep cer.t;-e«. The Valley has a great j future and i- : certainly destined to be I carrying a great numb'.'r of sheep in j the future. ! Pesiues :!- . :.v,en ie ;,. -try, which is ' chifny (..... ]: i nut oil the iarger hokl-i.'.-ii.' \ i:'e i: i < J.- ;■::;■ l-.i ha\e ajso j a great The indu.-lry as yet is only in its infancy and like the sheep industry it is hard to estimate what time wiil bring forth.

The industry is making great progress. Two factories are running steadily, one at Niho Niho and the other at Matiere. There i 3 also a large a#iount of butter being dealt with by the local stores the surplus of which is being put on the market. Toki-rima settlers arc also conidering the advisability of erecting a factory. Both factories report steady progress, and that for so far anticipations this season have been exceeded. The outlook is considered bright, and the output of the Valley next year will be double. At the Niho Niho factory there are 31 suppliers and the district operated on has a radius of about 20 miles. This is due to the favour which home-separation has among farmers. In all there are about 700 cows being milked for the factory. The estimated output for the year is 50 tons of butter, and if realised will be seven tons in advance of last season. Last month A". HOD was paid to suppliers on a basis of eightpence per pound for butter fat. Next season the directors hope to be able to pay more to suppliers. The factory at Matiere 13 a proprietory one and is giving satisfaction to its patrons. The manager there reports that their season is well in advance of former ones, and that the prospects are particularly bright. The supply of next year, it is anticipated, will be doubled. Besides those who are supplying the factory a large number of settlers are making the'ir own butter, and it is estimated that one ton per week is made. Several farmers have milking machines installed, and a good many more are hoping to do likewise for next season. On the whole the class of dairy cows are very fair and undoubtedly as the industry advances better milkers will be in all the herds. There are about 0000 head of cattle in the district.

The town of Mangaroa is doing well, and bears evidence of the importance of the district. It is the headquarters of the Ohura County, and has already two banking institutions operating there. It is not many years since the area en which the township stands was covered in bush. The ■ place certainly shows signs of great progress and activity. The approach of the railway is being eagerly looked forward to, and as there is no uncertainty about the line, eventually coming to Mangaroa, speculation in town sections and the establishing of various businesses has been going on for some time. The town has without doubt a splendid prospect ahead of it, and will before long be a very important centre. The new stockyard-i for sales when completed will also add to the future prosperity of the district. The first stock sale is to be held there in temporary yards at the end of the month. _ Another township in the district — Mntiere--is also making good progress. Farming in the vicinity has also been making good headway. The business people there all appear to be doing well, and I should take it as an indication of the progressive farming in the surrounding districts. Its situation is good, and is in the centre of many coming districts. This township has had stock sales for some time past, and, in order to cope with the increased accommodation for the yarding of sheep the owners of the yards are having them enlarged. Matiere is placing much hope in the railway running through there to Ongarue, and if it does take place it will be a good town. I am inclined to think even if the railway does not come that way that »ta situation will always command a considerable amount of business.

There is no doubt that the Ohura will b? a magnificent district in the near future. Proper roading facilities will be a big assistance in tending to develop the productivity of this splendid area of country. Means of communication must be given to settlers otherwise it is impossible for them to attain their full limit of production. The great cost oC freightage for the transport of goods makes the man on the land hang back until such times as the road 3 aie better with the consequent result that every year that back blocks districts such as the Ohura, are without roads a very big loss is sustained by the country at large. Ohura has got the country both for sheep-farming and dairying, and these two important industries are without doubt being severely handicappped at the present time, and will continue to be so until such times as the farmer has proper means of communication.