No IV.

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

No IV.

Homeward bound. With reluctance I turn my

back upon the fertile and flourishing district in which I had seen more signs of progress and hope for Southland than in my most sanguine imaginings I had ever pictured. . I repeat I turned my back with reluctance, feeling that I had left much unseen that I could have desired to have seen, and many acquaintances who I could have wished to have longer remained with, acquaintances from whose conversation I gathered much practical information, combined with an unrestrained hospitality •which we town folk seldom enjoy. Still necessit y has no law, and necessity called me away. The first station I halted at on leaving Morton Mains, was the Flemington Estate, an adjunct to Morton Mains. It would be only a repetition of former descriptions to minutely review what I saw, suffice it to say, that the sub-manager's house (Mr Napier) with its tastefully laid out garden, and numerous out-buildings was such as many Home country squires might envy; In every direction the same energy atd skill that characterised the other of the company's clearings was conspicuous — all seemed as active as busy bees, and as earnest in their work as men could be. A few miles on I drew rein at "Woodlands, the last purchase of the company's. Here again the power of energy and capital was plainly manifest, cultivation of every description abounded, but the short time I had to spare was chiefly devoted to the inspection of a new and gigantic flour mill that is in the course of erection. This building is being constructed of ' wood, and ihe timbers used are of a size' and strength that is seldom met with; the machinery is ! of a most massive description, combining strength with the most recent improvements that mechanical ingenuity has devised. With my usual inquisitiveness, I wanted to know where such' splendid timber was obtained,— that the engine i and iron-work were Glasgow make could be seen ■ at a glance — when I was immediately invited to trot over a mile and a half of a tramway that ran through a beautiful belt of bush, that brought us ; to a grove of splendid timber, close to which was ; a powerful steam saw-mill, • some fine trees had been fallen, and some splendid boards were being cut. The tramway especially attracted my attention. • It is well constructed, and, l understand that its cost was only £125 per mile. It would be folly ; to argue that such a tramway would be adequate l to the requirements of public traffic, but I am! bold enough to state that a double line of a much ; more substantial description could be constructed; for little more than £400 per mile. If such a line ; was made to the Mataura, great benefits would ' arise. Invercargill would be become the business ; place of a vast number of settlers who now are • compelled to take their produce to Dunedin.; There is no question that Southland for its size is i progressing, more steadily than any other Pro-! vince in New Zealand, despite the drawbacks that : have arisen. There is one other station that I : called at which demands notice. It is that of Mr T. Hamilton of the Long Bush. This is a private; farm, cultivated on the same ; principle as the company's. There is English grass, clover, &c., ' on a small scale, like to what I have mentioned, before. There is, however, a new feature ; this is : a cheese-making establishment, and I may state that what I tasted was of a very, superior quality. This must finish my description of the ' places I have visited. It will now be my aim to draw deductions from what 1 have seen, and- the ; influence that the systematic cultivation of the' land is likely to have upon Provincial progress. I Having given an imperfect description of the Eastern District, I shall apply myself to the; task of consolidating my previous comments. It' has long been known that some companies existed that were carrying on extensive operations in the interior, but no one appeared to ; realize what these operations were. The shipping columns day after day chronicle* large importations of every description of goods' to CochranJ Granger, and Blackwood, until it 1 "became a matter of wonderment what they did with them. The problem has been solved. The companies take up most that they import, as the goods arrive, and not unfrequently grumble that the steel wire rope for the monster ploughs, or other rarely seen materials are not always in stock. But to return to the main subject, and place in a simple form the operations of the company's estates. To begin,l shall commence with ihe _ land, ' (purchased) occupied, the quantity under cultivation, . and the probable extent of futuie operations. It must be understood that what has been commonly called the Company's Stations, included a number of blocks-bf land purchased by home capitalists ; that although separate purchases they were by mutual understanding to be worked in unison, the superintendents of each" station td aid and assist ela^h other, and work together -'for the -benefit? of the home capitalists. it '^arises- that? in <ahy previous writing^ X have mentioned the names of several parties, as representativea of the Company. The satis*

faction which the progress of theae Twum* stations have given, has led to afarther arrangement, ana all the stations I have mentioned are to be amalgamated, and increased capital invested. The. new company is entitled the "New Zealand and Australian Land Company, (Limited)" capital £2,000,000; in sha«Jß of £100 each. lamin a position to say that this enormous capital ■■ has been subscribed without the > company having to resort to the .'. Change ' for assistance, and that notwithstanding that the Company's operations are not restricted to Southland, almost all the purchased land they hold, and tho chief cultivatory operations going on are in thi» province. The following is an approxomate statement of the land already purchased, and the quantity already under cultivation : — QTTAimiY OP LAH3).

There may he some slight discrepancy m thii list, but not'of material import. I may say that it is the intention of the Company to dace the; whole of R this land under -cultivation /with the least possible delay. It has also been decided tb erect aD extensive malting establishment and brewery in Invereargill, that barley is to be laid' down in large quantities, the : climate; being, deemed admirably adapted for. the growth of this grain,. and malting purposes. .^, these, ap-, pliances are once in operation, it is more ;than' probable thatthis Province will be able to, supply the Auetralias with malt. The average quantity: now imported from England exceeds 1 2,000,000---bushels. The intentions of the company : and the power they possess to carry them out will form the basis of my next letter. , r _.' r ' __... .■ r : . : -.. . -. ... » ' ■'' : ' J" ' . '"'

Morton Mains 4000 acrei Flemington 3500 „ Woodlands ... ... 4000 „ Mable Bush , 7000 „ Waimumu 30,000 „ ; Finlay's block, (qr) ... 4000 „ , Halls block, (qr) 4000 „ Edendale 12,000 „ Mataura Estate ... ...25,500 „ Seaward Downs ... ...17,000 » Oteramika Station ... 12,000 » Totai ... 123,000 -. .