OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 28.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 192, 25 July 1884, Page 2

OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 28.

[by our special reporter.] Beyond Ormond.. Following my visit to Mr. Chambers, at Repongaere, I made my way to Ormond, from thence to Kaiteratahi, where I interviewed Host Devery, who has succeeded Mr. Peters in running that wayside hotel. The road from Ormond is now a very good one. A bridge is now needed to connect the road now being formed by Mr. Boland on the opposite side of the river. If oil was struck at the South Pacific Springs, this river would be quickly spanned by a bridge, but until then or untill more settlers reside inland, I fear that travellers intent on journeying in that direction must be content to wade their horses through the river, unless the County Council get a windfall and can afford to place a punt there. The tariff board has already been fixed. This must be regarded as a beginning of greater thing to follow. Having accepted the services of a horse kindly placed at my disposal by Mr. W. Devery. I forded the river and proceeded on my inland journey. Mr. Boland’s road contract from Maungatu to Rangatira, with a bridge to cross the Wheau was being proceeded with. This bridge is being constructed of kauri, which has to be imported. People who profess to know something of the nature of timber and its durability appear somewhat indignant that the local wood, (matai), growing in abundance within 500 yards of the new bridge should not have been brought into use in this contract, instead of incurring the expense of importing kauri. They contend that matai is as durable as kauri, and can be obtained for about half the cost. If this be true, the sooner the County Engineer recommend the use of locally grown wood the better. I once knew a number of Printer’s Machinists who unanimously recommended the use of Fleming’s printing inks, and condemned all other makers. It subsequently transpired that Fleming paid those machinists a big commission on the ink they consumed. Such a practice as this, of course, is never resorted to in the colony of New Zealand. This en passant. The Willows. Two miles from the river-side stands the Willows, the residence of a very old and and respected settler, Mr. George Scott. The new road I have referred to is taken through his property. The estate is 1,500 acres, on which run 2,500 sheep and 250 head of cattle. It is bounded by the river at Kaiteratahi, by Mr. Kempthorne’s property on the other side, and by Mr. Knight’s and Mr. Norrice’s at the rear. There are 400 acres of rich flat land, and the hills are not mountainous. They are ploughable. The homo of Mr. Scott was named “ The Willows,” after a clump of those trees that surrounded the original house, which stands down in the valley. Mr. Scott has here a very desirable property, surrounded by most beautiful scenery. Workmen are at present engaged in clearing sweetbriar out of the paddocks in the valley, and effecting other improvements, preparatory for cropping with grain in the coming season. Last season forty acres were laid down in grass seed, and produced a very heavy crop. The export of wool was forty-five bales. The present residence, which stands in a commanding position, was erected about seven years ago. The land owned by Mr. Scott is well fenced. He has had possession of it about eighteen years. But during the early part of that number of years it was not a life of ease he enjoyed. When Te Kooti put in an appearance in Poverty Bay, Mr. Scott was one of the most plucky fellows who went in pursuit of him to give the rebel leader his deserts. Hailing from Northumberland, Mr. Scott originally settled in Australia, then came over to New Zealand, taking up his abode in Hawke’s Bay, subsequently coming to Poverty Bay, eighteen years ago, where we now find him engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits. He has proved himself a good settler during all these years. His holding has been transformed from a waste stretch of territory into a desirable station, capable of producing anything. Being absent at the time of my visit it was impossible for me to glean all the information I wished for, but I drew on Mr. Burns, to whom I am indebted for some of the above particulars, and courtesies extended. Mr. Norris’ Run. About a mile from Mr. Scott’s is situated the run held by Mr. G. H. Norrice. It comprises 4000 acres of leasehold and 1450 acres of freehold. The locality is hilly. About 2,300 sheep are now pasturing on this station. Westmere. This is Mr. A. Kempthorne’s estate, which joins Mr. Scott’s “ The Willows,” the homestead being distant about two miles, the road leading to it passing through a good stretch of bush, where I noticed a number of natives busily falling timber. The area is 540 acres, but previous to the sitting cf the last Land Court in Gisborne, Mr. Kempthorne held possession of a much la ger tract of country, on which ho had effected very many improvements. The uncertainties that, existed as to i) Hindarh'.-'. as I th;. 1 i;!.e.-:iii:;• ;fth ■ !?!.■: of Native lands prior to the recent Land Court decisions deterred many of our best settlers from making the w? --ary imgiov-m-'n:s i.) bring the land they held und -r proper cultivation, and the consequence was that the district was not developed so rapidly as it otherwise would. Settlers wore afraid of incurring severe losses by improving the land they held. Mr. Kemp'horr.n was no*. When the crisis came and the land was subdivided, the portions he had expended labour and capital upon were wrested from him, and tire new owners now reap—Mr. Kempthorne being entirely uncompensated—the benefits of his labour and capital. On all sides this has been considered a very hard case, and ruinous to a great degree. A•. commisseralion will not r< lure th • lan 1 to Mr. K mp thorne, it is “ useless crying over spilt milk.” The best plan is to forget the steps already trod and press onward in the work of turning to profitable account the land that remains in one’s possession. This is the motto Mr. Kempth- :ne lias adopted, and therefore it will not be very long before the hills of Westmere, hitherto barren of everything but native vegetation will bo well grassed, and yielding food for the maintenance of stock.

At present there are 1,800 sheep on the run. The wool clip last season was 23 bales. The only cattle kept are a few milch cows. Mr. I.’enp'hoin located at Westmere In January. 1865. He is, therefore, an old Poverty Bay settler, and consequently has seen many of the ups and downs and the rise and progress of the district. He erected his present residence, which overlooks a beautiful Jake, forming a circle, fringed by trees overhanging it to the left in a picturesque and romantic fashion, in Feb. 1871. The hike I refer to covers 30 acres of land. In the centre is a large plot of fiat land, which may, under certain restrictions, be called an island. The lake teems with eels. The Hauhaus made some havoc about Westmere just before the massacre. One night they hel l possession of the homestead, slept in an old rupo whare, and on taking their departure burnt it to the gronnd. About half-a-mile to the right of the house will be found the site of an old Maori pah, which was once considered by Natives to be an almost impenetable fortress. But it was ultimately penetrated and destroyed. It was certainly a splendid fortification, and the attacking party must have fought desperately to have gained possession of it. The situation of the old mound is a most commanding one, and as Mr. Kempthorne intends preserving it, there will be much interest taken in it in future years from an historic point of view, when contrasts are made by visitors of the .blessings of peace versus seasons of war an strife. Westmere is bounded on the north by Mr. A. Knight’s farm, on the west by Mr. Lambert’s, on the south-west by Mr. Earnest Knight’s farm, and on the South by Mr. Mclntosh’s farm. It will thus be seen that Mr. Kempthorne is surrounded at a respectable distance by a number of good neighbors whilst further inland will be found Mr. Arthur’s station and also Mr. Hutchisons. Westmere is a very beautiful spot. It commands excellent scenery, and is now easily reached by a formed road running through the estate, which branches from the new country road a short distance beyond the river ford. (To be continued.)