MUNGAROA SWAMP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5325, 22 April 1878, Page 2

MUNGAROA SWAMP.

Eather a large party went to the Upper Hutt on Saturday morning by a special excursion train provided by Mr. J. H. Wallace, auctioneer, to enable people desirous of purchasing lots at the sale of laud in the Mungaroa "Valley, to be held on Thursday next, to see the land. There were a good many land speculators, land agents, and intending settlers, and doubtless a few went to get a day in the country. The train stopped at the No. 3 line platform, and the excursionists at once set out for the land which they were to inspect. The road soon leaves the flat, and winds along the side of a steep range, from which many beautiful views of the Hutt Valley were obtained. From' the summit of the range a view was gained of the swamp which is to be sold. It seems to be about three miles long by one mile or less in width, and is surrounded by w elltimbered and sloping ranges. The laud has been so laid out that most of the farm sections contain 51 acres, with a frontage of 10 chains to the line of the main valley road by a depth of 51 chains. Thus each section has a fair proportion of hilly land, and plenty of timber for the purpose of making improvements. On gaining a view of the swamp one excursionist exclaimed loudly “ Eden,” which called forth the brief but significant query, “ garden or city V To this no reply was deigned. The road soon reaches the level of the low land, and a short cut by an old tramway leading to the sawmills was used by a few who wished to be in advance. This zeal caused them to make a fast, they had to observe Lent against their will. On reaching the commencement of the tramway, orders were given to the driver of a springcart to stop. A murmur ran round that lunch was to be given at once, and the operations of those who unloaded the cart were rather anxiously watched,'for the trip by rail and the walk over the range had made some hungry and all thirsty. Possibly part of the commissariat had gone astray; at all events, that was the general opinion, for although the drinkables were in fair force, the eatables were represented by a tin of biscuits. If the manufacturer been present he would have been a happy man, for never before has anybody seen so many men eating biscuits at once. Coffee, oatmeal, wine, fancy, water, and captains’ were equally relished, and a feeling of pity was entertained for those go-ahead people who had missed the lunch.

Theauctioneer’splans, whichhave been freely circulated, show the various sections, but they omit the most important landmark, namely, the deep ditch which runs along the line marked on the plan “Main Valley-road.” This ditch, although not yet quite completed, has proved a most successful work for draining the ground, and a good stream of water was running along it. Of course this flow will be greatly increased as soon as tributary drains are cut. The excavations made prove the whole bed of the swamp to consist of decayed vegetation, mixed with pieces of trees more or less decompsed, and there appeared to be a great depth of - this peaty ■ formation. Numerous discussions were held as to the value of the land and the means tor bringing it into cultivation. A warm argument was carried on between two old settlers as to what would happen when the swamp had been thoroughly drained. One said when the deposits became dry the whole place would burn if it once caught fire, and he instanced cases in the old country where peat kept burning for years. His opponent, who insisted that he also knew all about swamps, said it would not burn, and cited the making of a railway embankment out of such stuff on the west coast of the other island, where in order to test whether the embankment would catch fire from sparks from the engine, forty tons of rata had been piled up with a lot of the peat, and the latter would not burn. Possibly it will be found that the truth is somewhere between the extreme views of these disputants. To the unpractised and non-agrioultural eye, that is the eye of most of the Wellington visitors, there seemed to be a great depth „of stuff, that would prove rich enough to grow anything. No doubt it will, but the ground will require a considerable outlay in cash, and the owners will have to wait before they enjoy the full fruits of the earth. It may be taken as certain that intending buyers have made themselves well informed as to the nature and value of the swamp land, and the means of extracting a quick return. The best advice to those who think of buying, aud have not yet seen the ground, will be togo and look at it. This can be easily done by taking the train to the Upper Hutt, and then going to the valley either by the road or by a track over the range. On Saturday some returned to the Hutt Valley by one route and some by the other ; but all who came by the long road wished they had taken the short cut, and those who kept to the bush track regretted that they had not followed the road. This information will not help people to make up their minds as to which line they should take; but they had better not do as a small party did, strike out a middle course, and find themselves stuck in a swamp. The party reached Wellington at 5 o’clock, having enjoyed their outing very well, for the day had been beautifully fine. Those who went all over the land expressed their thanks to Mr. Wallace, and to Mr. D. P. Davies, 0.E., for the information they had given them, for both these gentlemen were most untiring in their efforts to explain the position of corner pegs, boundary lines, and the'nature of the soil in the swamp and on the range*.