ARAPAEPAE ESTATE SALE.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 20 October 1917, Page 3

ARAPAEPAE ESTATE SALE.

On© of the most important land sales announced for some time is that by yvjiich a portion of the J. IR. McDonald estate is ito bo offered to public auction by Dalgpty and Co., Ltd., in conjunction with Wright, Stephenson and 00., Ltd., iiu (the Levin Town \HiaiLl, on Wednesday, October 31.

The Arapaepao Estate, which is <bo be sold in three large holdings, comprises ! ™ all 2553 acres of ideal sheep and cattle country. It lies about midway between Levin and Shannon, across the low ridge which acts aa the lad van©e guiaird of the Tararua ranges. On bath sides of tjhis ridge (the land slopes artvlay east and west in easy gradients and there are valuable flats offering opportunity for shelter and fattening. In situation Arapaepao has advantages no|i always possessed by country' given over to stock raising. The Koputaroa railway station, with ail necesbary trucking facilities, is lonly two and a half miles from the homestead pites on the western slopes of the ridge, iand the Arapaopae creamery, post office, and school are within a couple of miles. The main road from Wellington to' Palmerstom North also runs within two miles of estaite.

Due care has been taken in subdividing to provide the varieties of land neqessary for the" raising of prime mutton and beef, and on all uhree holdings there is a nice proportion of fiat stretches, making ideal topping-off ooumtry after the s/bamina has been put into the stock on the hillsides. Just now these splendid stretches of valley are sights that would gladden any stock-raiser's heart. Protected from the keen winter winds, there ''s never a shortage of feed, iand here the stock is 'always making beef and muttoai, even in the coldest weather. The pasture is firm iand surprisingly tlliiok, in the protected valleys and on the spurs. (Heavy mill, in, 2; bush once covered the whole property, showing tile rich quality of the land, and it is not surprising, therefore, to find that there is a superabundance of grass, even on. tttiie most exposed hilltops. All three holdings are well watered, streams, spring fed and consequently never dry, spreading over every part of the estate. Extensive fencing (has been ca.rried out, and there .is ample material on 'the property for erecting any further fences thait may be required'. Busihi has been reserved here and there for shelter purposes.

Of tlie three lots, No. 1 comprises 840 acres on the western slopes of the ridge, fronting a. magnificent streitch of flflrfb land l making an ideal fattening area, and a beautiful homestead site backed by thie hills and overlooking the (countryside, which fialls l&way fjentily towards the sea. No finer nor more healthy locality couild he found in >'Jhe province. A woll-metalled road runs to within a hundred yards of this hold_ inig and the creamery iand post office ate only aiboutt a mile away. On the southern boundary of this sectfiion is (Lot 2, the largest of the three 'areas, comprising nearly la. thousand acres and containing a .great diversity of land all capable of producing profit. The most notable feature here is the beautiful ■valley Itnown as Whare Flat, running east from the ridge a full mite in length and protected on all four sides from the winds of winter. Feed and water always abound, and the fattening conditions here are ideal. This holding also has access to the Main Trunk line via the "Wallace road which junctions wi/iih the road from Wellington ait the Arapaepae creamery. The home, stead site, which also is on the western side of the ridge, like that on Lot 1 the protecting Ms behind.. The third lot is situated on the eastern slopes of the ridge and nestles snugly between the ridge and the Tararua ranges. Its outlet 4s by the Gladstone road, which joins the Queen street ex_ tension from Xievin. Perhaps the ncn_ est part of the "estate, hut a® ye)b the least developed,' it affords splendid pro. j speots for successful sheep-raising. The ' pastures are new and luscious and water is abundant everywhere. Fencing is hi a forward state and there are thousands of feet of superb fencing timbers lying handy. _____