GENERAL.

Southland Times, Issue 620, 18 January 1867, Page 7

GENERAL.

On the whole, I cannot but conclude that Stewart Island will prove, and that shortly, a very valuable and important portion of the Province. There are many industries which, dormant at present, will, when quickened into life, prove remunerative. Irrespective of any mineral wealth which may exist, of which I can only form a conjectural opinion from the singular appearance of the different strata of rocks on the soulh and west coasts of the Island, I am of opinion that it will be well adapted for the small class of settlers —say 50-acre men! From the peculiar configuration of the land, a large extent of it is rendered available by its frontage to the water. Its being covered with timber and scrub cannot form a very serious impediment to its settlement, inasmuch as many parts of the North Island, heavily timbered land, meets with ready sale, though in the interior ; while the densely- wooded shores ol Blueskin, Port Chalmers, and the harbor up to Dunedin, is the Province of Otago, were bought and cleared long before the fictitious stimulus to the price of land consequent on the discovery of gold. One of the most serious difficulties a young settler has to contend with in a new and sparsely populated country, is the carriage of his provisions from the town to his land, pending his being able to raise sufficient produce to support himself and family off the ground he has purchased. He must either buy a team of his own or pay the heavy rates for carriage consequent on bad roads. These expenses, to a man of small means, are very heavy, and not infrequently so crushing as to seriously retard his advancement. The means which would have enabled him to cultivate and improve his land with rapidity, are dissipated in the expenses of carrying his food. On Stewart Island, much of this will be obviated. His fishing line and gun will supply him with one of the necessaries of life ; and, if he has a whaleboat, he can obtain the rest at no expense, so far as carriage is concerned, from the main land, or, if he has none, at a trifling cost, both in money and time, in comparison with land carriage. He. will thus be in a better position to devote his energies and means to the clearing and cultivation of his j land than his compeer, settling fifteen miles inland from Invercargill. I believe the sale of the timber would more than pay for the clearing in most of the bays. The admirable water communication would enable the logs to be floated or shipped to where a saw-mill might be established, and if it will pay to saw timber anywhere, it will at Stewart Island. At Port Pegasus, the splendid spars, and the knees, ribs, &c. of the rata, will always command a good price for shipment to the Mauritius — a trade with which is already established in Dunedin : vessels from the former place would only too gladly load with such on their return. Thus the cost of clearing the land will be less than on the main, while produce once obtained, the facilities for exporting it are greater. The Land on the shores round the harbor, and along the banks of the river as far as the Rapids, is tolerably level and very good ; as also along the numerous little inlets and creeks running into the river. Some of the latter are of considerable depth and width, making available for cultivation a breadth of good land which would otherwise, be useless from inaccessibility. It is not by any means heavily timbered, there being comparatively few trees of any size ; but is cohered with scrub. The under-growth is light, and easy of clearance, from the absence of tough creepers, such as the supplejack. Tihbeb. — Principally red and black pines and totara/ the rata, or iron wood, growing here, as elsewhere, luxuriantly. Wiid Fowl of every description common to the main land are plentiful ; as are also fish of the finest description, and shell-fish abound. i The Sceneby, especially at high water, when the extensive mud flats above the Narrows are covered, is very pretty, though tamer than in most of the other harbors. Reserves. — I would recommend a village reserve of 100 acres at the south side of tlj.e harbor, the frontage commencing at Observation Spot, running in a westerly direction to the west end of the third beach, as per sketch. This is a beautiful site for a village, perfectly sheltered, having a northern aspect, with gently sloping lands to bright sandy beaches, at which boats can land in any state of the tide. I would also recommend a reserve for a pilot station of 30 acres at the north-east end of Surf Head. The Land along the coast from Lord's Harbor to Seal Point is flat, and for some distance inland may be described as undulating rather than hilly, and covered with low. scrub. j The 'Toetoes boat harbor being the only safe one between the two points, a small landing reserve of 40 acres ought to be made. j