WAITANGARURU.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 574, 7 June 1913, Page 5

WAITANGARURU.

. «. . Own Correspondent. Thousands of visitors and tourists from the Mother Country and other foreign parts annually visit New Zea land on a tour o{ inspection, and after completion of a detour express brilliant and lucid opinions of our native land; but in my opinion it iB very questionable whether they ever pause in consideration of upon whom the deserving credit should be bestowed in the making of what New Zealand is to day. Apparently they are even ready, lost in the fascination of our lovely cities, to couple all honour upon their governing bodies. They love to view the landscape only where access ia obtainable by the railway or the boat, and where they will constantly remain in close proximity to civilisation and luxury. Their praise is therefore absolutely mis placed, and a downright injustice to the men whose labours are responsible for the present flourishing condition of New Zealand. We in the isolated districts fully realise from whence the material came to transform this land, and as a consequence our praise does not extend to the centres, where bustle and show is rampant, but we unreservedly confer upon the pioneer heroes who, possessive of sterling qualities, dared to venture to the backblocks, where many feared to tread, and it ii the ataid and stalwart heroes who have provided the most interesting stories and formed the most prominent figures in the annals of New Zealand's history. Up to the present time we have descendants of this invincible type—men who prefer to do and dare rather than be subjected to being spoon-fed; and I can proudly affirm that our district U possessive of some of them.

The name Waitanguru is principality applied to the ownership which comprises 5 acres, all of which is cut up into sections and worthy of immediate inspection. The district surrounding it assumes extensive proportions, and the land, though being somewhat rough, is thoroughly adapted for dairying, the splendid growth of grass, even at this period | of the year, ratifying this. It is possessive of good fattening properties the dairy and other cattle appearing in first class condition. Ihe first sturdy pioneers, who moved in here to carve out for themselves a permanent habitation, felled the first bush about six years ago, and have since made marvellous strides towards the formation of a settlement. Their chief aim in view, and the purpose to which they desired to achieve, undoubtedly was to transform as much forest as they could in the time at their disposal into so much productive pasture in order to procure some ready cash by the fattening of sheep or stock, thus being able to maintain possession of their respective sections until such time had arrived when dairying would commence and they should possess a factory of their own. Their labours have been largely rewarded, and their purpose ulti mately achieved, for now, here in Waitanguru, is conspicuously discernible, in an advanced state of construction, the size of which alone speaks forcibly that our settlers have their eyes to business, and have commenced in the right way to make their district what in the near future will he a very important centre.