OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 22.
[BY OUR SPEC-AL reporter.] THE HON. RANDALL JOHNSON’S RUN, TE ARAI. From Mr. A. C. Arthur’s run at the Willows, I proceeded to Te Arai, the extensive run held by the Hon. Randall Johnson, and managed by C. Evans, Etq., I called in at the ROYAL OAK HOTEL, Matawhero, where I found Mr, J. Cohen, the new landlord, who is effecting a large number of very necessary improvements in the hotel, which had become very delapidated. Mr. Cohen showed me over the house, in which there is ample accommodation for travellers and for pleasure parties who should feel at auy time inclined to take a drive that easy distance from town, lunch there, and return in time for six o’clock dinner. The bar is well stocked with all kinds of liquids, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. At the rear is a good garden, teeming with vegetables, and containing a number of excellent fruit trees. Mr. Cohen has already become very popular as host, and is sure to command a good share of public support. At MR. T. E. R. BLOOMRIELD’S RESIDENCE. I noticed the work of cultivation going on. In a very short time a vast transformation will be effected in the surroundings of this palatial home. It is certainly a most picturesque spot, rendered more so by the monuments that stand there in memory of some noted natives who once held possession of the land in that vicinity, but who have gone the way of all flesh. So much has been written about the erection and appointments of Mr. Bloomfield’s home that it would be superfluous on my part to recapitulate the descriptions already published. At this spot there is not a very large area of land, but here there is retirement from the outer world such as any country gentleman of independent fortune might well be proud of. Mr. Bloomfield’s principal station is The Reay, some miles distant. In a line facing Mr. Watt’s store runs the road leading to
mr. Johnson’s run. The homestead occupied by Mr. Evans is about a mile distant, in reaching which the visitor passes through several gates and along some flat paddocks which are laid off. Here is situated a narrow, but pretty little valley. Behind is a string of hills. The estate comprises 10,000 acres, and is credited with being excellent land. Only 7000 acres have yet been made available for the business of sheep and cattle rising. At the time of my visit Mr. Evan’s was absent, so that that I found it impossible to gain sufficient information to make my sketch of this splendid locality sufficiently interesting. Of one matter, however, I can write with confidence—which is that Te Arai station adds annually very materially to the exports of Poverty Bay in its large yields of wool. This year no less than three hundred bales have been exported. There are on the station 20,000 sheep and about 250 head of cattle, in addition to which there is a large number of horses. The surroundings of the homestead shew that there is a general good system observed in the working of the station, and that no expense is spared or energies begrudged to turn the holdings to profitable account. The run extends back a distance of seven miles, and is bounded by Te Arai river and the Pakawai block. Personally, from a conversation I some time ago held with the manager, Mr. Evans, he will not feel sorry that my visit was a source of disappointment to me, because he is not in the least enthusiatic about Te Arai being written up in the newspapers. “ However, said Mr. Evans, by all means come; I will give you a shakedown and make you otherwise comfortable* At the same time I feel that all you write is not gospel, because you make statements about land and crops utterly wide of the mark, an instance of which I give you in an article of yours in the Herald some time ago, having reference to what you term good land, and good cattle and sheep you said you saw in the Patutahi district. I venture to assert that the stock you saw there was only second rate. Another thing you said was that you saw a very fine field of oats, and you commended the land as being adapted for oat or corn growing. Such statements are misleading. I may, perhaps, be hard to please ; but nevertheless I give you my opinion.” I told Mr. Evans I was glad to learn his opinion, and for that reason would most assuredly pay him a visit to Te Arai, because I always liked to hear the two Sides of a question. However, as to the oats, the wheat, and the stock at Patutahi, I still feel that Mr. Evans is not absolutely correct. I have paid another visit to the locality named and since more confirmed than before as to the truth of my orignal assertion. On matter I certainly very much regret, and that is not meeting the energetic manager of Te Arai at home, for I verily believe he has some specimens of good stock on his run that are specialities and would fairly astonish me. It is the special pride of the proprietor, the Hon. Randell Johnson, M.L.C., to keep good stock. His run has long been celebrated for it, and for the constant stream of importations kept up. A big price is never regarded so long as the breed is good, and the pedigree untarnished. Nevertheless, in a fine piece of country like Te Arai run is located, it would be a misfortune to absolutely lock it up as a sheep and cattle station. The requirements of Poverty Bay and of the colony demand something better. . How nice it would be to see that lovely valley smiling with crops of oats, wheat, maize and potatoes. It is said that to cultivate such necessaries of daily life does not pay ; and another assertion put forth is that the land is not adapted for agricultural purposes. Put a hundred farmers upon a ten thousand acre block, with a fair amount of capital to work it, and, like we have seen in the case of Mr. Ewen Cameron they will soon turn it to very profitable account. The Hon. R. Johnson, as a capitalist, has done good work in taking up the land he now holds here. Placing upon it cattle and sheep has prepared the way, let us hope, for something better to follow. But why should I tire my reader’s patience in discussing such a subject. As water finds its own level, so will the growth of Poverty Bay necessitate that much of the land now yielding a very poor percentage —land untilled—shall yield to the plough and bring forth other food than beef and mutton for the service of the population and for export. That the district will grow wheat, need no further proof than that given by Mr. Clark, of Opou, to whose station I next wended my way. (To be continued.)
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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 111, 21 April 1884, Page 2
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1,185OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 22. Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 111, 21 April 1884, Page 2
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