HUNUA TO PAPARIMU.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 191, 14 July 1916, Page 4

HUNUA TO PAPARIMU.

(.Continued.) (By Our Travelling Representative.) The main rc-ad fioui Hunua to Paparimu follows the Wairoa Stream and is for the most pait a nice easy going well-graded foiniation. The farming country on either side, though to suuie extent broken, is of good quality and carries large quantities of bheop and cattle.

A call was made at Messrs Btokes' McConnell Bros', Anderson's, Lily's and others, where general fanning operations were being carried oa and vaiioue improvements were being effected. A by-road turning' to the light brought me after a 6hoit ilinib on to a beautiful tableland and on calling at the first homestead I fouuu an old friend and schoolmate, Mr G. Gallagher, liere Mr Gallagher has secured a few hundred acres of something special in high land. The bulk of ihe farm is level and is a contrast to a great deal of the surrounding cuuntry. A large dairy herd was being served with, a liberal ration of green maize on the occasion of my visit, notwithstanding the fact that there was an abundance of feed in thepaddrcks, but the owner is a firm believer in generous treatment \p his etock and the results he has attained certainly justify this treatment This farm is the homestead portion of what was originally a very large section and which now is divided into several farms A kindly invitation from Mr Gallagher to stay the night was gratefully accepted and in the morning the adjoining farms were pointed out and the various short cuts noted.

I passed through some good country towards Ararimu as far as Mr Ceiling's. It is possible to get out this way into Ararimu but the Hunua road is the better one and is the route of the cream cart so nearly all the traffic goes that way. After calling at Mr Hatrick's, where a toirential rain caused me to take shelter for some time, I made out on to the main road again. In passing, I may say that Mr Hatiick has laid himself out to conduct a pig farm in conjunction with his other farming lines and has secured some leading and noted strains. I was shown some breeders from such well-known herds as those of the Mental Hospital and Costly Home, in many cases champion prizetakers or the offspring of such. By careful selection Mr Hatrick is building up quite a name for bis stock and so soon as he is able to get into the show pens will doubtless be heard more of.

Before reaching the Paparimu school there is a road running to the left, which leads to Moumoukai and Otau. As v time was limited this country had to be left for futute explorations. I understand there are several new settlers there and that remarkable improvements are being made atd just recently tome very necessary road alterations have been effected. A Government letUr-box on the roadside announces the fact of a post ottice aud the name of Paparimu and a little I'm ther on the school, a small one-roomed building, is passed. There are several very tine farms in this locality those of Messrs Beale, Wilsou and Mathiesou being notably prominent. A short halt was made at Mr Nobbs' homestead, where the weary traveller always meets with generous and hospitable treatment. Furth* r heavy downpours of rain causid some considerable delay, but at Jait notwithstanding liberal invitations to stay, I decided to push on as far as possible whilst it was da) light. HAPPY VALLEY. Just'about here the road leads into what is known as Happy Valley and happy and prosperous is the man who has been fortunate enough to secure a farm in this valley <>r at all events he should be. Happy Valley only consists of about 1000 acres of flat laud, oiiginallya big kahikatea swamp, but there is no question as to its fertility. One has only to rida through to see that, lor there was feed everywhere and on the selections that were taken up' abundance of stock. Unfortunately theie-are a few selections belonging to absentees which are a great drawback to the industrious settlers adjoining, for on these absentee lots there are rabbits aud noxious weeds galore. Just at dark I landed up at Mr G. Ross' farmhouse and a cheery good evening and the salutation " are you bu&hed ?' and to my affirmative answer, " well off with that horse's saddle and come in " left no doubt as to the speaker's good intentions and no further pressing was needed, 1 wasparticularlyquestioned as to the certainty of my having shut the gate which 1 learnt later was on account of Mr Ross having all his place

rabbit-netted, inside which there was not a living rabbit, and any neglect at the entrance might result in many finding their way through during the night. However, experience teaches travellers the advantages of being scrupulously accurate as to such details as gateshutting. Some idea of the Happy Valley land may be gauged from the fact that last winter on his 53-acre holding, with 10 acres in crop, Mr Boss carried right through the,off season 26 head of cattle, 23 bheep and six horses and every one came through in the very pink of conditio']. The cows are Holsteins and J orb eye ; Holsteins froimWinstone's Canterbury stock, and Jersevs from Eelected prize-takers of Mr J Taylor's and the late Capt. A. E. Wilkinson's, and they had averaged the owner over £2 per head per month for milk alone There are several new settlers coming into the Valley and I expect at nu distant date to see a very large output of cream and stock from this small area. The only drawback is the tiip over the Paparata Hills to Bombay, but this is gradually being improved and with the good road now through Hunua to Papakura the bulk of the traffic will probably divert in that direction. It is just 17 miles from Mr Boss' gate to Papakura station and as everyone seems to be well supplied with good horses the journoy does not trouble them greatly

A large drain was being dug towards the Paparata road aud when the road formation is done this will greatly improve the outlet in this direction and be greatly appreciated by the cream carter Lr the present track is a very primitive one.