OUT OF THE BEATEN TRACK. (By Our Special Reporter.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 13

OUT OF THE BEATEN TRACK. (By Our Special Reporter.)

No. II.— MOA FLAT. Sine© the legions of the Maori thundered through from the north on their way to astonish the dwellers along the southern coasts, Moa Flat has had a history in which the Clarkes, Mr Kitchen, ! the Banks, the rabbits, the " big snow" of '78, and the syndicate have all had a hand. Its future is in the keeping of some 20 ! settlers of the right sort, i Harking back: rabbits having been permitted to multiply exceedingly so thorough^- did their devastating work that shearing became a mockery, although the Moa Flat wool had made a name on the London market. When the "big snow" came the sheep were too weak to get out of t.he drifts, so the rabbits may be said to have eventually devoured the s.hcep as well. War has been waged unremittingly with brer rabbit ever since, and though he adopted guerilla tactics with considerable success he has now been decimated, and cornered by means of an excellent system j of rabbit-proof fencing on th© plan in1 vented for the final diseomforture of De Wet. Here rabbits are being poisoned, trapped, and shot by the hundred, and the hawks in consequence are developing the traits of an overfed domestic cat, and are becoming too fat and lazy to hunt for themselves. "* The station (it was one then) was leased by Mr Kitchen from the Melbourne Clarkes, to whom he was related. He took up his abode in an old rambling tree-girt place with a beautiful garden, situated at the foot of Dunrobin and on the banks of the Spylaw Burn. is now known as the old Moa Flat homestead, and hore, having succeeded in sheep, Mr Kitchen took to breeding prize draughts from imported stock, among which was the celebrated 'Lord Salisbury. He then turned |_ his attention to other things, and bred j prize dogs and prize poultry. Unforj tunately the estate produced prize rabbits, and subsequently prize snowstorms came, , and the station fell to t.he Banks, who, it is said, sold it as a going concern to the syndicate. This syndicate subdivided it, and, it ie reported, sold at a large profit. Other money-making deals have been made since on a smaller scale. It may be mentioned that the estate was offered to the Government, for closer settlement. It is rumoured that the Government sent a person who, having viewed tho place from afar, talked vaguely of " 6ton© outcrops'" and of "a sheep 1 country," and fled. Whether the person . ever told the Government anything* or i whether the Government ever wanted to \ know anything is a matter for conjecture, ! but the estate was not purchased, and it would seem as if the Government had lost a good thing. Of course, everyone knows where Moa Flat is, and everyone when asked point ; blank where it is changes the conversation. Imaginative people picture it as a ' grim and awful valley shut in by black cliffs, which echo at night to the cries j of a ghostly bird the size of a camel. Others have a hazy idea that Moa Flat is somewhere in the King Country. A few are aware that it lies between the Clutha and the Tapanui railway extension, but some of these associate it with nothing but rabbits and snow. Moa Flat , has certainly more than once been on the j fringe of a ponderous controversy, but as ■ it happens to •be out' 'of the beaten track ' of the platitudinarian' some persons who rush into rhetoric and print on small , provocation had only their imagination i and their ignorance to draw upon. j Moa Flat is neither " a smiling valley," a " pastoral paradise," nor the Garden of Eden. People may examine it from a safe distance through field-glasses for a month and be none the wiser. It is one of j those places that must be ridden over, or, , if posisble, lived on, to be understood. I Roughly, Moa Flat Estate is a triangle narrowing from its 18-mile base, along the Spylaw Burn between the Clutha and t.he , Pomahaka, to its apex, 14- miles north, where the river sweeps the base of Mount Benger. This is irrespective of 93,000 acres j of leasehold to the westward that went with the syndicate. | The approaches to the estate are all from the south end. The old road from Ettriok to Henot is so steep and dangerous that it is little use to anyone; and only two or three sections on the extreme ; north can be served by the RoxburghI Lawrence road, because the land drops so. j precipitously to the Clutha that it is only , possible to descend here and there by the most difficult, of bridle paths. The land on the west side sweeps steeply up to the t Whit© Combe Range and Mount Benger, so there is no meanr> of egress or ingress in that direction. This triangular conglomeration of fertile hills and hollows is almost bisected by a deen, winding gorge, which, entering by the base, oi- southern boundary, emerares on the downward slope on the flat by Ettrick. From this central gorge the land rises and falls again on either hand after the fashion of out c pread

wing 6, but is scored with innumerable steep ravines. The ridge of the wateiehed run 6 east and west about fhc miles from the southern boundary. This ridge at its highest point, is 1600 ft above sca-le\cl, and from it tho landscape slopes in a noitheasterly direction, falling about 230 ft tothe mile, - till the northern and eastern boundaries are reached, when the descent is steep and sudden. The lack of artificial shelter is apparent, but on closer inspection it is evident, that Nature has more than compensated for this by tho deep gullies mentioned above, which afford ample shelter to stock from every wind that, blows. Threading every gully is a 'watercourse, and springs abound. The side« of the gullies, though far too steep for ploughing, afford excellent pasture. In spite of two successive diy seasons the water i ipply is all that, can 'be desired. The rivulets and set of the landscapes lend themselves to tho making of dams, reservoirs, and sheep dips at trifling expense. In some instances pipes have been laid from springs to the newlyerected dwellings, so that the settlers are as certain of their hot and cold shower as though they dwelt in Dunedin. The estate also possesses two fine waterfalls — one falling 100 ft and the other 50ft. The whole place is veined with watercourses, which, in spite of the comparative drought, do not 6eem to have ever run dry. The formation consists of* a few inches of rich loam with a sandy subsoil, ensuring moisture, and this extends with monotonous regularity over the whole estate. Stone outcrop has been hinted at in connection with Moa Flat, but aftor riding over practically the whole property only two or three instances are to be met with. The stones are flat like flagstones, and can be removed with a crowbar. The visible stone is nearly all confined to the northern points, but there is not much of it, except on the steeps which frown over the EttrickLawrence road. Considering that the estate was only opened for sale by the syndicate in March or April. 1905, the output of the land seems incredible. Purchasers found the homestead blocks in the lea, and most of the other sections in tussock. The lea was put into white and green crops straight away, and the tussock land into green crop and grass, and though various agricultural methods were employed both grass and crops are now so uniformally good that it is difficult to make comparisons. There are at present at least 2000 acres under heavy white crop, which should go from 85 to 100 bushels to the acre. Ine green orop6 are wonderfully strong and fresh, perhaps a little more so than is the' case elsewhere. Altogether it is difficult to believe that the land is only just out of the tussock. No artificial manure has yet been used, and, of course, this squeezing of the soil is not likely to last. In time tho settlers will doubtless fall into line in this respect with agriculturalists of Otago and Southland, who have long ago realised hoy.- handsomely it pays to farm well. It is always a good sign in closer settlement movements when local residents are keen to take up sections. Not only has this been the case at Moa Flat, but on a neighbouring run everyone, from the manager to the cowboy, secured a piece of land. The cowboy has now cowboys of his own. Besides local farmers, there are newcomers from South Canterbury, Central Otago, the Taieri, and Dunedin. Moa Flat has been on its trial during the last two seasons, and it has come through the ordeal with flying colours. The general moisture has been sustained, the crops have been splendid, and the stock has not suffered in the least. Since 1878, when the Clutha bridges were wrecked, little damage has been done in this district by snow, which settlers from places like Nasoby regard as a negligible factor. There is, however, in winter any quantity of snow on the surrounding hills, but to the westward the best pasture in the neighbourhood sweeps up the Whitecombe Range right into the snow line. As to stock, about 60.000 shoep were shorn last season. The sheep look as well as any in the country, and contingents of fat lambs are constantly following each other to Burnside, where they kill from 451b to 581b and obtain high prices. It is a significant -fact that, in spite of the large areas under crop since the settlement, a larger number of 6heep are shorn annually than was the case when the whole estate was one vast run. The ■' following approximate list of individual ownership may be of interest, it being borne in mind that most of the settlers have alfo large areas under crop: — The Wilden Estate (R. Acton Adams), 25.000 sheep; H. Hay, 5000; D. Macdonald (Keppoch). 8000; Throp, 12.000; Cunningham, 12 000 ; M'Kenzie, 500 ; Paul, 400 ; Bunseli. 200; Brown, 40C; Love. 500; Knowles. 300; Smaill, 1500; Carmiehaol, 1200; Woollev. 1000; Duff. 500; Beaumont. 2000; O'Connor. 800; Haugh. 1000: Tonkin. 1500; Howell. 800; not counted in the foregoing, about 300. The result of last shearing ran into 1176 bales of wool. The syndicate has boon successful in subdividing a large estate into several smaller ones, but they ftre not nearly small enough. " Keppoch," for instance, comprises over 8000 acres. Then there are areas of 2000, 800. and down to 400, and 230 acres. The difficulty appears to have been the expense of road-making. Properly speaking, Moa Flat should be served by a good metalled road following the bisecting gorge ripht through the estate to Ettrirk, with side road« leading 1 up from it to the high lands on either side. The tracks were made originally by the bullock drivers hauling wool to Heriot or Tapanui, and bullock drivers avoid a watercourse and stick to

the n<lgos. Runholdors ant' farmer iwi-'\ ] improved on these tiacLs, and tli.^ >-,v.i n- ' cato put down metal in places and ei-vd ofV the giadient. The consequence b truit the oiip road by which the piopertj ma\ he i entered en the north is rugsrod. Vvii.dni!?. j and steep; crossing razor-backed rid'jos , with such unfenccd declivities on ci'her j hand as to keep the unhardened tra-v oiler j in agonies of apprehension. In «um;nei it is both exponsi\e and dangerous to haul a load up, and in winter the road in impassable. It is no use applying rho brake, as the wheels skid down the frozen incline > like sledge 6. taking team, waggon, and , load, over the edge. This approach is i seldom used, poople being content to go the 18 miles along the Molymnix rather than to take the "short cut" across Moa Flat. The approaches from the south are much better, but their soft surface must make them villainous in winter. Difficulties of transport will have a tendency to make settlers produce only that which can walk off the ground, and that is just the thing which for their own interests they ought not to do; for, after all, if it has to be the case of a sheep run. it is better to have a large than a small one. The object of closer settlement is to populate an uninhabited district with prosperous small farmers. First come the settlers and their houses; trees appear, fences and crops ; then there is a school, and a smithy ; two or three stores spring up, and a post office, and the telephone. But all this cannot be effected unless the way is smoothed and shortened ' for the farmers' waggons. When riding over Moa Flat one cannot help being struck with the thought of what an ideal site it would be for dairy farming, with its grazing possibilities and its abundant water supply. To do this, however, it would be necessary to split it up into much smaller holdings, and to afford the people facilities for sending away their milk. At present it is a long ' and weary drive to Edievale, and Dunrobin Hill makes the station of that name, i though nearer, out of the question. I Moa Flat, after persistent "agitation and putting its hand in its pocket, has got a < school. A settler offered five acres for , the site, and the others hauled the timber I at" their own charge from the railway.. I The secretary of the Education Board and ■ perhaps a member or so drove in, and the secretary pointed out "the corner where, the school should be." They then drove ■ away again, and are apparently so pleased with the part they played that they have paid no attention to frequent supplications on the part of the settlers for a fence to the school glebe. The reason for this fence is that the unfenced school shares a large paddock with some horses of erratic temperament and a few bulls, which can hardly be considered safe playmates for little school children. Moa Flat, which, . by the way, has become quite used to I ]3utting its hand in its pocket, would have [ erected the fence at its own expense long ago, only there is some difficulty about the survey, which it i-s the duty of the Education Department to set right or inquire into. Residentially, Moa Flat naturally presents rather an unfinished appearance, as the settlers' life during the last three years has been too strenuous to admit of building verandahs which they have no time : to sit on, or to plant flowers which they have not leisure to enjoy. The buildings that have been erected are all solidly built, and well-dosigned barns and stables, also solid, show that their owners have come to stay. Stacks, alwaj'6 a good standing aJ\ertisement for the productiveness of a property, are al°o much in evid-ence. j Moa Flat has two doctors, but the settlors are not too arrogant about it, becaus« one lives at Tapanui and the other at Roxburgh. Their medical advisers being over 18 miles away as the crow flies, the settlers deemed a telephone a necessity. and by putting their hand in their pocket (which must be getting slightly worn by this time) they are about to get it. This will be the first real link this lonely outpoet will have with so-called civilisation. and it is to be hoped it will by no means be the last. The settlers of Moa Flat deserve all they can get, and more; for a more kind-hearted, hard-working, neighbourly little community does not exist in the Dominion, which is saying much. Though essentially a practical place for practical people, it has its poetic phases, , especially at this season. And at even, when the binders pull up in the dusk that gently stays man's hand from his labour, the workers stand silently for a epaco amid the sheaves, as an unseen hand takes the whiteness from the wheat and turns the distant valleys into lakes of darkness. The sombre mountains don their mourning for a day departed and have almost gone when the full moon sails elowly up over the Lammerlaws, transfiguring all things. Jagged peaks flash out like silver, and the bright lances of tht moonlight come streaming over glen and spur till all is won, and from mountain range to mountain range all Nature lies revealed in [ glory beneath the radiance of the harvest moon. I The personalities, possibilities, aspirations, end other characteristics of Moa Flat will be the subjects of another article. I Fifteen boarders in a six-roomed home ! This *tate of affairs was brought under the notire of the Petone Borouph Council b\ a communication from Dr Frennlev. the District Health Officer. In reply to his request that the matter should be inquired into, the council decided to suggest to Dr Frenglev that he himself should take action, owinc to the absence of any by-law enabling its officers to enter the place and make an_ inspection. - "i^ -ris