MARTIN'S BAY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1228, 24 March 1880, Page 2

MARTIN'S BAY.

Messrs. Edgar and Whitbourne, the leaders of the Martin's Bay expedition fitted out by the Lake County Council, report to that body " For a distance of about 40 miles from the ocean the level land of the Hollyford Valley runs in width from one to three miles. The soil is exceedingly rich, varying in depth from 3ft. to 10ft! Cattle farming seems to be the only industry successfully followed by the settlers. The cattle live entirely upon the undergrowth of the bush, which Beems to afford all the for fattening purposes. Comparison betweea

teat of the cattle in Wakatip and Martin's Bay would be decidedly in favor of the latter. Goldmining is occasionally followed by several settlers, bat with indifferent success, the average earnings being far below fair remuneration. Better results attend the prosecution of this particular industry in Big Bay, where there are about 12 men located. It may be said to be very doabtfal whether goldmining will ever be carried on with any success in Martin's Bay. From the information we could gather, we would suppose it is only followed as a means of acquiring a little ready cash. The only industp' that we can see that can be followed with immediate beneficial results is cattle farming. There are about tjO,OOO acres of land available for this purpose. In addition to this there is a large extent of country above timber level that would ultimately be available for grazing small cattle ; but the utilisation of the country at this elevation can never take place until the lower lands | have been sufficiently cleared. Timber abounds in all the varieties peculiar to the Middle Island. Bed, black, white, and yellow pines attain unsurpassed dimensions. Every facility exists for the carrying on of a trade in this line—water, as a motive power, being everywhere available. We are decidedly of opinion that the Greenstone track is by far the better road, and that it is practicable the year throughout, and would cost, for maintenance, considerably less than the Lake Harris track. In distance it is probably about 10 miles larger. The Lake Harris track, from its elevation at the saddle, cannot be practicable for more than seven months of the year."