AUCKLAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 43, 29 March 1884, Page 2

AUCKL AND.

In the March numlu'v of L-mrJ Messrs F*. J Moss & Co. report :— The demand j'or city iirul suburban property continues active and pi ices have been well sustained during the pa->t month. Houses to be let sire very scarce and are generally taken before finished. The suburbs are growing more and move into favour with people coming from the South and from other Colonies in search of pleasant places for residence. The choicer positions have risen greatly in price in consequence of the demand. Large sums are being 1 spent in the building of private houses and places of business. The New Zealand Insurance Gompinyjiave jiust contracted to iinish their new building for .£%, 000, exclusive of the foundation and the work already done. The Evening {Star proprietors are putting up large and line premises for printing and publishing ofliees at a cost of over £10,000. Many other fine buildings are in course of erection, or will be so shortly. Among I them are the public library and art gallery, I the town hall, the extensive r clamations ! and buildings tor the II u hour Board, for 1 the Fiozen Meat Compmv, and for the New Zealand Sugar Company. A new railway station i.s also being built, and there will probably be, for all these, an expend. tur ioi hah a million during the next two yeais, in iddition to tlu ordinary outi.i) of tile Government ami local authorities. Country property is .still inactive, but cultivation and improvement aie steadily extending. The drawback to eountiy prop -rty has long been the low price of stock and pioducc. The export of fio/en moat and the establishment of cieamoiie-. and cheese factories for butter and cheese making oll'ei a piospect of a ready and Jail niiirkct and cannot fail to stimulate the demand tor country land. There is a gieat Held in this province for tin 4 prosperous settlement of families with small capital but trained to country work and a country life. L mil can be obtained from one or other oi the several eompinics avlio have among them a large extent of varying character and quality for sale on very easy terms of payment. Much of this land is fenced and improved, or partly improved, and capable of yielding a '-eturn without the delay attendant on the settlement of new country. Unimproved land of good quality may be bought at prices varying from 20s. to 50s. per acic, accoiding to locality and facility of access. Farms, fenced and in good cultivation, we quote at £7 to £12 per acre, buildings mcl uled. We quote, of: course, for good land only. Inferior land, 01 land in interior positions, may be bought for much le>s mone\ . Fi nit culture lias Jreceivod great attention during the last few yearn, and the result is becoming apparent in the iuciease of home grown fruit of. excellent qtnlity with which the market is now supplied. There is a large and growing field in the production of fruit for tho employment of skilled cultivators. Tobacco is now fairly started as an industry and is likely to llourish greatly, especially in the northern part of the province. Two companies are established for its manufacture and large areas have been sown under their auspices in different parts of the country. The quabty of that hitherto produced has been highly praised. And this year will see a large quantity brought to market. The limestone valleys and the volcanic districts ot" the North are considered peculiarly favourable to the tobacco plant, while tho temperate climate is nil that could bo de->iied. The low price that has so long ruled in the English market for wool does not seriously affect this provinciil district. Wool is one of its smallest exports. Its maun Pacturing industries, shipbuilding, carrying, timbei, and kauri gum trades, and 'the other varied sources of iv wealth have been prospeiom, and there is every present prospect of their continuing to be so.