TAPANUI PLAIN—(CROOKSTON.)

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 419, 19 April 1877, Page 3

TAPANUI PLAIN—(CROOKSTON.)

It is now twelve months since this part of the Tapnnui Plain was sold, and since that time the progress made in settlement would astonish anyone that had been over the Plain, and knew its condition in former days. The greater part of it is now fenced, partly sub-divided, and a considerable extent broken up. The crops sown on ground only once ploughed are really first-class, being on an average five feet in height, and I am happy to say the whole has been secured in th? stack in good order. Potatoes are a splendid crop, dry, and of large size. Turnips have every appearance of being good. The buildings erected throughout the plain are really substantial structures, and would do credit to older settled districts. Most of the dwelling-houses contain from four to five rooms, the principle material used being timber. The only drawback to the future prosperity of this place is the want of roads, Through the energy of some of the settlers. a subsidy of £2 to £ 1 (not to exceed £100), was. granted by the Provincial Government towards road making. Besides this, about s£6o was raised in the district and Tapanui, which bridged the creeks from the plain to the township. Thus something has already been done, but still the main outlet wanted from here is through the Gorge to Lawrence, where there is a railway by which we could send our produce to Dunedin. Should the County Council not do something soon to open up communication in that district, I do not know where we are to get a market next year for the large extent of wheat to be sown this year. The leading Tapanuites draw a long face if you even hint at having any connection in any shape or form with Lawrence. I think this is a mistake, for the distance from here to the Lawrence railway via the Gorge is only twenty miles, while the distance from here to Waipahi is greater, and in winter the road is a regular quagmire, and the only marketllnvercargill. On the other hand, the road from Lawrence to Beaumont is nearly all metalled, and the amount, viz., £6OOO, according to Mr. Arthur's estimate, to open the Gorge road with an easy, grade, the steepest being 1 to 12, is not much when we take into consideration the benefit to be derived. If our Council have not the money to do the work at

on£e, why not borrow it ? But I alniosi forget, our Councillor for " James Riding " is to get a railway for us ! Let. us hope so ! Only I should like to see roads first, and railways in their Bruce Herald.'