No I.

Southland Times, Issue 620, 18 January 1867, Page 6

No I.

The agricultural interest of this Provinoe has not up to the present time commanded that consideration which its importance demands, and but | few of jour town readers at all realise the magnitude of the agricultural operations that are going on in the Eastern District. I had heard that there were great works going on, but I had jio conception that they even approximated to the extent I have seen. In a series of letters I hope to be enabled to give a fair, though imperfect, impression of whatlhave seen and learned, and I think it will tend to sweep away the cobwebs from the eyes of many who think there is no future prosperity, no opening for capital, or inducement for its investment in Southland. . In pursuance of your instructions, I, your accredited correspondent, in company with sseveral ' otter' " gentlemen, left Invercargill on an excursion to the above mentioned district. The ride up was a most enjoyable one, as far as companionship was concerned, and during my stay the hospitality was great to a degree ; still there was a hitch, that road — that notorious Blast Eoad — was the "fly in the ointment" that taxed my patience and considerably detracted from the comfort of the ride. To describe this road intelligibly is next to impossible. With the exception of a few patches, it was dry, but presented the appearance of a baked sea of mud, deep foot-holes and lumps being about equal. The consequence was that at almost every step the horse took, lie more or less tripped, being compelled, so to speak, to drop into a foochole or touch on a rugged lump of hardened clay. Thus i the ride was a series of joltings, as every step the hose received a shock that rebounded with a power calculated to seriously affect the nervous system of the rider. I regret to say that the horse of one of the party, Mr Cameron, tripped in one of the foot-holes, throwing the rider with considerable violence, and dislocating his shoulder. There can be no question that the East District road has nofe received due consideration ; it is triie that the government has been pressed for money, and could not do much, but it might have done something; generally speaking where there is a will there is a way. If the road is not deep drained on each side, and high-crowned early in the summer so that it may become consolidated before winter, traffic will be entirely suspended. The tripping and the jolting, however, did not prevent my scanning the clearings as I passed. The numb-r far exceeded my conceivings, and the amount of "work done, with" the fine and well kept horses, and the latest improved implements, led me to mentally ejaculate "the owners of these are men in earnest," with bone, sinew, and perseverance, such as is here shown, the province of Southland must progress in spite of the blunders of the past, or the indifferent legislation of the present. Arrived at the Waihopai Hotel, I found a number of settlers waiting the arrival of the town party. It appeared that a meeting to promote the Invercargill Spring Eaces was to take place. Robert Hamilton, Esq., Morton Mains, took the chair. He briefly stated the object of the meeting ; a draft programme was read by the Secretary, and discussed clause by clause, and at length unanimously adopted, and ordered to be advertised. The meeting having terminated, and afterpartaking of refreshment, the road was again faced. A. few miles further on we came to the suug homestead of Mr Swale, M.P.C., but as by this time it became dark, I could not inspect the crops or describe the character of the farms. The whole party upon invitation spent the evening there, and it was not till daylight we sighted the fence of the Company's chief station, the residence of Mr Robert Hamilton, manager of Morton Mains, Flemington, Woodlands, and ; Waimumu stations. Morton Mains, the chief of the Company's stations, and the residence of Mr Hamilton, demands first consideration. To do anything like justice in describing this valuable estate, considerable space will be required. I , shall therefore place it under the following heads, viz :— lst — The view, situation, and the buildings. ' 2nd. — The division of the land, the character of the cultivation, the stock, A-c. 3rd. — The number of men employed, the implements in use, the expenditure in labor, consumption of food by those employed, &c. The homestead is beautifully situated on a choice site, having a belt ef bush in < the rear that shelters the buildings from thei south-west winds. The Waihopai floats past it on the south side, and the Mataura on the north. The view from Kent Hill is magnifi-; cent. If you look round you see; what can only be described as a "gigantic amphitheatre, embracing a wide expanse; -of fertile lands — hills, valleys, and wavy plains.: Starting from the Toi Tois there i3 a chain of ; mountains reaching with scarcely a break to; beyond Stewart's Island. In the back ground rises the Ofcago mountain ranges, and Hokanuis; and if you look in the direction of the west, the snow tipped Takatimos rear their majestic heads, and give the finishing touch to the view. To look lower, the scene is mellowed but beautiful. As far as" the eye can reach the plains are undulating, just sufficient ir extent fo make hilly slopes, narrow valleys, and rippling streams. This view strongly re- . \ minded me of the famed Wimmira plains of Victoria. There is but little timber to be seen, but that little is light belts of bush so well placed that it adds to the beauty of the view, and almost gives birth to the idea that they are not of nature grown, but planted by the artistic hand of man. Fresh vegetation covers, as with a carpet, nearly all that the eye can grasp, upon which horses are frolicking, cattle browising, lambs bleating, and sheep luxuriating ; and, •to complete the scene, the bold outlines of the monster steam ploughs, with their comical appurtenances, throwing forth the gushing steam, and wafting afar, the hissing shout "at work." While upon this subject, although slightly digressing frem the letter of the text taken, I must ask my readers to trot with me, in imagination over about five miles of a snake-like winding road, fenced in on both sides with almost a garden fence, the whole distance ; and sniff the odor of the clover, the rye, and the other old " familiar ftdends" which in our earlier days, were our first delight. They are all here — grass like that we played hide and seek in, the flowers we used to patronise, : and many things that call back happy TOTnfim.lira.ii^' I1 ''- In-nflf ■fnnzntt&n. pion.ani'Pii. that are for ever gone. This ac : complished, there is another panorama to be viewed quite equal to the last. From the top of a^high hill, termed the Bight Hill, from its posi- : tion as overlooking the chief portion of Morton Mains, and the break in the chain of hilla that divides them from the Mataura Plains with their magnificent ever-flowing river, you can see nearly all described ; there is the river with its high banks on the north side and gigantic plains on the other, while the Otago mountain Range appears to have doubled bulk since you first made its acquaintance on Sent Hill ; again from this spot there can be seen some of the extensive operations of Messrs Duglass, Alderson, Hunte^ &x (the company's) and others on the banks of the Mataura, and by casting the eye in one direction downward there,, are waving wheat fields, Bhepherd's houses and a steam saw mill ; in another, fields of English, grass of wonderful growth, and in bloom, giving the whole scene a mellowed and almost poetic complexion. : . vTo return to Kent Hill, 'the spot from which I departed,: and- glance at ;the group' of buildings which constitute tHe homestead. - The most prominent is the residence of Mr Hamilton j it is a massive, handsome building,

two stories high, containing Wn'i-poms, and in the front there is a broad anil high verandah,, and the whole is surrounded by a well stocked and tastefully laid out garden. ,.; ; The next objpofc that more especially calls for remark, is a row of buildings comprising store, accountant's office, and last, though not least, a schoolhouse. The latter is deserving of marked attention. Ttiai very substantial structure, twenty-four feet long by sixteen feet wide, and eleven feet high. It is weather-boarded outside, and inside it is close lined with plained native cedar. The school is under the charge of a young gentleman, Mr Andrew Fleming, a student from the GMa«gow University. There are twenty-six children under instruction. I had the opportunity of being present during an examination, and do not hesitate in affirming that the scholars acquitted themselves well, and "reflected much credit on the ability and attention of the teacher. . This institution owes its existence to the 1 berality of Mr Hamilton, who continues to almost entirely support it. Besides paying the teacher a yearly salary, he" in every way treats him as one of the family. Such liberality cannot be too highly commended. If a few more country gentlemen were to follow so praiseworthy an example, the vexed question of Education would Boon be settled without legislative interference. Further on is large and comfortable single men's dwelling, which is followed by, at short distances from each other, four neat and well built cottages, which are appropriated to family men, and in the Tear are extensive piggeries, blacksmith's shops, carpenter's shop and cottages. There is also two extensive stables in this line which with another a short distance away give accomodation to over fifty horses. Almost opposite the spot from which I took the view is a very neat and substantial six-roomed cottage in which Mr Mitchell, the sub-manager, resides. In the paddock in front is ft large strong built warehouse of two stories ; it is eighty-four feet high and sixty-four feet long. It is so arranged that drays can be taken into it, and the loading drawn up to the upper story by block and tackle ropes that drop through a trap-door sufficiently large to admit of all description of packages. Further south, in the lambing paddock, is a good two storied house of considerable extent, appropriated to the chief shepherd, and a long range of admirably planned and constructed sheep sheds ; in addition to this. there are at the Bight out-station a large men's dwelling, two cottages, and at other but-stations, six more; of a similar character to those before described. In this sketch I have confined myself to a rough statement of the buildings which are all of a superior character to those generally erected. In my next I shall enter upon the task of endeavoring to give an account of the varied implements, the saw mills, the' quantity of ground under cultivation, the nature of the growing crops, the result (an approximation) of the produce already gathered, the cost of labor, &c. I may, however, state at once that Morton Mains Station comprises four thousand acres ; that all has been fenced^and ploughed, and the major part placed tinder crop, and all done in the brief period of three years— m short that the station has only been that time occupied.