AROUND ORMOND.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 251, 3 October 1884, Page 2

AROUND ORMOND.

[Contributed.] Fruit growing, bee keeping, and wine making are industries which have for some time received attention at Ormond, and a large area of land is now devoted to fruit culture. The Ormond district is undoubtedly celebrated for fruit growing, and therefore there is reason to anticipate that a very good thing will be made out of this speculation. The manufacture of grape and peach wine has also for some time past engrossed attention. Last year large quantities of grapes were converted into wine. A large quantity of useful produce may be annually depended upon from Ormond. A good dairy farmer is now wanted in the district for the production of butter, cheese and bacon.

Mr. G. Bruce, has been a resident of this district for some years. His house is a respectable distance from the main road, on an eminence overshadowed by a low hill, surrounded by a variety of ornamental and other trees. The stockyards and woolshed are on the opposite side of the road, and are very spacious. The area of land held by Mr. Bruce is 900 acres, 600 being flat, the remainder composed of low undulating hills, His sheep are principally longwools and his cattle number over thirty head. Last season Mr. Bruce produced 2,000 bushels of grass seed. In previous years he has had as many as 4,000 bushels. The export of wool was sixty bales. Fruit trees are scattered all over the estate, some portions of it having once been a Maori settlement. Since he has been here, most useful work has been done on his land. Mr. S. McKenzie’s station lies about two miles from the township of Ormond, and is a very pretty and attractive spot. Mr. McKenzie is an old settler in the district, and takes a special pride in the propagation of Lincoln rams.

The settlers of Poverty Bay and the East Coast as far as Waiapu, have, through many difficulties and obstacles, proved themselves the backbone of the district in turning the land to profitable account by becoming producers. The knowledge I have gained of the settlers convinces me they are men of the right stamp, and a credit to New Zealand as a colony. The result of the enterprise of our setttlers by undertaking so much pioneer work will be the success of Poverty Bay, and of Gisborne as a port—a success that will not be equalled by any other district in thia colony.