THROUGH THE WAIKATO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 11 December 1907, Page 3

THROUGH THE WAIKATO.

(By a ".News" Chronicler.) In Taranaki ouc often hears am knows of settlers taking up land ii the Waikato district—sellinj; out tlieii Taranaki farms at a rise and purchasing large areas in this Northern district From what I can gather ,these farmers have little reason to regret their change. They seem to have done and be doing well. The train journey from Penrose June* ■ tion to Morrinsville gives one a very poor and misleading impression of the Waikato land. The railway traverses Hie very worst part of the country. The country around Jlorrinsville, for instance, is particularly rich, but you have to go away from the train line to see the best of it. One can almost imagine when in this district that one is in Taranaki again. Green paddocks, well cleared in some places, with cattle grazing thereon—a real Taranaki scene. There is certainly a fair amount of • vamp land thereabout*, but when drained the land should be hard to beat for fattening purposes. i

The settlers in the past have been handicapped by having to clear away stretches of ti-troe, which is hard to clear anil keep down. The farms along the Hamilton road are a treat to see. The majority of Taranaki farms nnijst in appearance take second place to these. The grain crops—what there are of ■them—give promise of providing an excellent yield, while the grass in one locked-up paddock passed must have been from four to five feet in height. Thin result would not be obtained without the liberal use of manures. The road from Morrinsville to Cam-

bridge passes through some fine land. Hautapu, three miles from Cambridge, where is situated the Cambridge Dairy Co.'s factory, appears to be essentially

a dairying place. The grass flourishes splendidly there. So it does, for that matter, right through to Cambridge, where it has all been and is being worked. This land, as well as the land all over this district, has had to be drained. The most prosperous town in the Waikato is Hamilton. It is making rapid strides. New shops have been erected, whilst others are in course of erection. Houses—and some fine ones there are among.4 them—are going up in all directions, and the place seems full of life and progress. The hotels are all fine buildings. The post office building would do credit to a larger town, as also would the courthouse. A fine new library Is in progress of erection, and a block of new offices is about to be built near the centre of the town. To the visitor there are numerous places of interest. The Waikato river, with the willows planted along its banks,

is a treat in itself to sec. Cambridge excels its neighbouring town in point of beauty, but not in business. A row of fine oaks runs down the centre of the street leading to the town, and ornamental trees of all do-

scrintions grow in profusion in the majority of private gardens. The domain is an ideal place in which to spend an enjoyable afternoon.

The roads out of the town are almost destitute of metal, and in places where holes have made their appearance titree has been put down, and then covered with earth, which makes travelling somewhat dangerous. While the roads are now in good order, wet weather would have the effect of soon making them in places almost impassable. Flaxuiilling has been gone into pretty considerably in these parts, several mills working full time.

There should be no scarcity of water in this portion of the Waikato, for springs are all over the place. One or two of these even are in the main road. i

Sport is to be had in plenty. Babbits are very thick. Deer-shooting is also available. In the season some good specimens are secured. Feathered game ■o also plentiful, duck and pheasants being in abundance.

The weather this season has been excellent. One farmer told me that for

thirty years he has never experienced such fine and warm weather in the Waikato.