NOTES OF A TRIP TO INVERCARGILL.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 120, 12 February 1879, Page 2

NOTES OF A TRIP TO INVERCARGILL.

( Continued.) After le wing Balclutha, with its melancholy gazers looking after the train—perhaps, with a sigh, exclaiming, “Happy souls ! they have nothing to trouble them.” It is easy for them to enjoy a hojiday ; they have no protested bills stareing them in the face. The world seems to favor some people.” This is a form of language very commonly used by many who forget that a good many of the then-holiday-seekers are glad of an opportunity for escaping from the worry and cares of business—perhaps hurrying to escape those very miseries which the unfortunate Balchithians seem to think are peculiar to them. Here we are drawn back *~o the remark of a great ono who knew something of care and trouble ; Who are the happy 1 Everyone lias a black sheep-in his family ; could we but get a peep behind the scenes we would stand aghast at the discoveries made. This man, with two, three, or four thousands a year is tormented with some bodily disease which gives him neither rest by night nor ease by day. That man has a termagent of a wife whose scolding tongue rings in his ears day and night ; discontented with everything, and never happy. We recollect a case in point which drove the unfortunate recipient of a handsome income to seek advice from a friend exclaiming, “I have made up my mind to go to an un naraeable place or to New Caledonia, and I have to ask you for your ad ■ vice.” The kind friend very wisely advised the unfortunate one to try New' Caledonia first, to see how he could stand the heat there before lie risked a -warmer climate. We are ever ready to think others are better off - than ourselves, and doubtless our much afflicted fellowsettlers who were so lately visited with so sad a calamity think there is no sorrowlike their sorrow. We were seated beside some fellow-passengers who were smarting under domestic affliction of another kind, and some of these drowned their cares in a good dose of alcohol, and soon became as merry as crickets. Others, whose shadows at times passed ns, were smarting under a feeling of wounded pride ; they had somehow lost caste, and the proofs of neglect which were so clearly exhibited on every occasion cut them to the very heart. Income was nothing, houses and lands were nothing, while this or that wicked Hainan was having all the honors of war bestowed upon him. Man is a strangely constituted animal. A trifle, a look, a cold word, will sometimes sink deeper into his heart than the loss of fattier or mother, or houses or londs. Pride, the ruling passion of the reputed father of lies, swells up within them till they are ne uly bursting with wrath,, and ready at any moment to draw' the sword to slay their fellows. A run down east—alongside the swelling Molyne.nx—for about a quarter of a mile gave us the last look of that picture of wreck and ruin to be seen all round the hitherto beautiful little island of Inch Clutlni." Well do we recollect the happy Sundays spent crossing the riyer to reach the neat little church to hear the Rev Mr Standford expatiate upon the happy millenium times just at hand. If the late visitation was an introduction to the happy period we guess the Inch Ciutha settlers would rather have the good, old times back again (when they had to trundle along to Dunedin to bring home a supply of flour to the family while their grown up daughters were being yoked up to the plough to prepare the soil for next season’s crops) than have a further dose of Mr Stanford’s promised milliuium. Turning a corner the train keeps ascending higher and higher above the level of the sea, passing through a magnificent country of fine agricultural land stretching from ten to fifteen miles on either side by a gentle ascent until it reaches the summit, where numerous homesteads with the ever-present blue gum trees stand out in bold relief. Threading our way up (his beautiful valley, which nature seems to have prepared for our modem railways., or perhaps some speedier mode of transit in the earlier period of the world's history, evergreen fields of luxuriant pasture tell us w r e have left the parched and brown shingle plains of the Canterbury province. A twenty-mile ride brings us to Clinton, a neat little township in the Popotuna district, but destined to plav an important part in the work of colonisation. After we leave the Ciutha the land may bo termed a heavy loam with a good yellow clay subsoil and the richness of the grasses testifies to its fertility. We were told that so high as 120 bushels of oats to the aero had been obtained on land well up to the Downs. A short stay to give the iron horse a drink, and away we went again like a real thoroughbred, anxious for the race. Near by is the junction of the Tapanui branch with the main line. This branch leads away to the north for some twenty to thirty miles through firstclass agricultural land. We bear’d more than one Canterbury' man say that the Canterbury plains were completely put in the shade by such a largo breadth of good sound laud, all or nearly all free from shingle. On inquiry as to the value of the lands hereabout we were told that some sections all fenced and good part in English grass would realize some L 6 to LS per !i.<to. and we had no hesitation in

saying it would be a bargain at the price. A few Canterbury settlers who have settled in or near this, and who obtained good holdings lately at some L 3 10s to L 4 an acre must have their heads rightly screwed on. The summer drought seems to have had no effect on this district. One remarkable feature in connection with the sown grasses is that the cocksfoot does not bunch out in bundles as it does in Canterbury, a fair and equal sward prevails throughout Onward wo went, through Ontario, Waikakaka, and other large blocks of prime land. What surprised us most was the large amount of improvements and English grasses, seeing the settlers were so far from any market, and roads being in many cases very indifferent. A few miles more and a pitchfork curve of a mile or two up one ridge and down another —hitherto we had been travelling in a nor-west direction, now we turn due south —and enter upon what may be more properly termed Southland. East Gore, with its stirring little town, comes into view ; we have no hesitation in saying this will be one of the most thriving townships in Southland very soon, surrounded as it is by tens of thousands of acres of the best grass lands in the whole country, and with an abundant supply of the finest timber to be had cheap. * North of this district is a large block of land leased on the deferred payment principle. The healthy appearance . of these settlements testifies to the soundness of this system of disposing of the Crown lands. Hundreds of families in Otago are now comparatively wealthy, who had only their pair of hands to depend upon to start with. The good of this system is only beginning to be felt. For many years large revenues will be derived from these settlements, and when once the Gatlin river district is opened up there will be a great rush in that direction. There is no denying that the Otago Province offers the best field for settlement in this island, and we may expect a great drain from the other provinces very soon if something is not done to settle new comers on the soil here. The vast amount of Crown lands of good quality yet to be disposed of in Otago is what few of our Canterbury settlers are aware of. As lime passes on it will more and more be seen that our boasted Canterbury laud laws will be found not to be so perfect after all, and that our canny southerners have got the best of it. It has been usually believed that Otago possessed only goldfields, and that Canterbury province, with agricultural settlers, would give a more permanent prosperityIt will scarcely be believed, yet it is true, that Otago possesses twice as much good agricultural land as Canterbury, and that a large portion of the best of it is yet unsold. Coming towards the little town of Gore, as we approached the bridge, the engine gave an extra snort and a rush was made to the windows. The cry went out that a man had fallen off the train. Everyone who recollects the startling cry, “a | man overboard,’ 1 can easily understand j the state of excitement that this cry caused. Poor Conyers, as is now univerI sally known, was the unfortunate victim, j "When we saw him lying prostrate, with a ! hole in his temples, and blood flowing I from his ears and nose, few, if any, would j have been prepared to insure his life oven I at 80 per cent, premium. It will, wo are j sure, be good news to all to hear that ho | is now out of danger. As a matter of ! course the jollity ,of the whole company i at once came to an end, and after about j an hour’s delay the train started for j Invercargill, passing the Mataura river with its beautiful little waterfall cut out of the solid rock, and if we recollect right the paper manufactory now again at work close by. We next entered upon the New Zealand Company’s lands, v.nere a considerable expenditure of aroney has doubtless taken place, but it is a question how judiciously. It may safely be said private enterprise would Lave done much more with the same amount of capital. It must be admitted, however, that for miles as beautiful a sward of English grass is to be seen as can be found in any part of New Zealand. Here, however, the rabbit nuisance is prominently brought before us in the wreck and ruin of the fences, not a yard of sound fencing is to be seen. Tire whole seems perforated and tunnelled like a multitubular boiler. Possibly these fine lands may soon be in the market, and if once these large blocks are cut up into ordinary-sized'farms the rabbit plague will speedily come to an end. We were told that the company named owns some 30,000 to 40,000 acres of freehold land in this district. It is good sometimes t-i have a wealthy neighbour, hut in the long run real bona fide settlers are the best These lands would at present bring perhaps from LlO to Ll2 an acre, as they are all well laid down in English grass, and -would for some years bear excellent crops. After passing the Mataura bridge there are on the right hand and on the left large masses of native bush extending for several miles, all converging towards Invercargill to which we now move on in an almost direct line. Numbers of beautifully settled homesteads present themselves to view here on every hand, but the holding of so much land by one company prevents the country having that thickly populated appearance which we meet with in Canterbury. An interesting picture here presents itself ; all along, as far as the eye can reach, are to be seen crowds of blackpolled cattle, with their jet black glossy sleek skins, and with their little black moles of calves at foot. This picture cannot but be interesting to Scotchmen at least. They are some of the pure-polled Angus breed, so highly prized in Scotland, while their beef commands the highest pHce in the London market. The carcase is smaller than that of the shorthorn, but with them thej' make an excellent cross, which comes to early maturity and of a large size. As we draw near to Invercargill the landscape view does not improve. A few miles out from the capital of the south little or any improvements are to be seen. The suburbs form quite a contrast with the beautiful environs of Christchurch, Oamaru, or Timaru. On tiie south side the aspect is really forbidding, the whole frontage looking like a space that the tide had just left. An attempt at a public garden is the only evidence that appears to have been made to improve nature. We have often been told that Southland, and particularly Invercargill, is a cold place ; we do not wonder at it The sight, to anyone coming from the north, must lead him to confirm that opinion. On careful enquiry along the whole Line, however, we learned that the c.vm *ry not s i cold a 8 it is wet, an I i!iii t.iio i.ooii frosts that visit Canterb.ii > ■■■> ■ not, fob rhere, that the

plcngh is seldom »™C h and that even the snow ' oes not Jfe A ,, upon the Downs-. We can rea i y hehev this. There is more moisiure, doubtless but not the intensity of cold that is felt ii a Canterbury winter. Many, no doubt would prefer the keen frost to the con tinual soaking- wet. Southland as a con sequence may not be so suitable for whea growing, but the oat crops that we sa\ along the line, the heads of grain oftei nine to twelve inches long, were quite surprise to us, and well account for tin marvellous productiveness so often re of Southland’s oat crops, hh doubt as the land gets more cultivated sub-divided, and even partially drained the climate will improve. The differenc in latitude is not so great as to cause sncl a difference in climate as is reported We predict that there will bye-and-by bo a great exodus to the Clinton, Gore Tapanni, and Matanra districts, when one district railways are pushed more into tlr interior of these large and fertile plain and sloping downs. We just heard of i good farm of 500 acres, and with con siderable improvements, changing hand at L 4 per acre, and another of equal ex tent at L 5, all good land but a littb swampy. It is not likely that farmers ii this or other parte of the Middle Islam will continue to pay LlO to Ll 5 an acn for land that is only superior to this h that it will grow a better crop of wheat The grasses here are not equal to those o Southland. The following description o Invercargill, taken from the ‘ Otago Wit ness,’ will give a good idea of the towi itself : No one who visited Invercargill, as die the writer of these notes, after an interva of sixteen years, could fail to be strncl with the remarkable progress of the town It has gone through vicissitudes, and at one period was at a very low cbh ; but the railway era has been coincident with it! rise from a state of stagnation into one o: activity and importance. Probably nc better means could be adopted for gauging the progress of any municipality than ar examination of the assessment rolls. The following information, obtained at the Town Clerk’s office, will show the peogeess in sex years. Assessment 1873-4 .... ... £13,84C ~ 1876-7 31,245 ~ 1879 ... 47,52 S I question if any town in the Colony car show greater relative progress than this. The first building that strikes the eye on arriving at the very plain railway station, is a red brick one, faced in cement, of considerable dimensions. This is the GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, lent forms only one wing of the complete design. It includes Post and Telegraph Office and other offices ; but a very great need is that of a Supreme Court, which, it is expected, will be shortly provided {< by building the other wing and its cornier tions. Passing up a short street from tl: station, we arrive at

DEE STREET, which is, or will very soon he, a magnificent street, containing as it does the chief buildings. It is two chains wide, and already contains some very handsome buildings. L is intersected by another -•"'iqually wide street at right angles, called _ TAT STREET, - JiSfee flatness of the town, of course, its streets. It is like Christchurch in this respect, but infinitely snpmior to Christchurch, considering its relative size, in the appearance of the business portion of the town. D> j e street was on Wednesday and Thursday in gala trim, with flags across it and on every principal balding, and the fineness of the weather and the holiday crowds made it look its best. Where illuminated by the excellent gas from the Corporation Works, with stars, and Prince of Wales' feathers and other devices, at short intervals, it really looked remarkably well. The electric light, from the summit of the Athenaeum, when directed along the street and on the crowd b'low, had a very fine effect. I cannot name ail the buildings, but will name a few of those which strike the eye as not unworthy of Princes street, Dunedin, and as far better placed to show to advantage. THE ATIIEX/EUM. with its tall statue of Minerva on the top, is one of the most conspicuous buildings in walking up the street frrm the station. It is a fine square block of buildings, with shops below and handsome rooms above, including a tine reading-room, library, ladies’ room, and a small museum. I was much impressed with the arrangements of this very creditable Institute, so much superior, at least to the casual observer, to those of the Dunedin Athenaeum. The whole building cost, I believe, some thousands, and is partly supported by subscriptions and partly by Government endowment, the rentals of the shops beneath paying interest on the debt, which is still considerable. In another paper some further particulars of buildings, &c., will be given, and I will onty now add that every inhabitant of the metropolis may learn a good deal by visiting the risin" city of the South, which is evidently peopled by a race of the true mettle. To continue my description: Opposite the Athenaeum is the Albion Hotel, a very effective building in the French style, with turrets at each end like those of the Louvre in Paris. At the junction of the Tav and the Dee streets, the Bank of New Zealand has nearly completed a building with a semi-circular front in bluestone cemented, and large windows the whole height of the building, about 30 feet, which give it a bold appearance. The ornamentation of the banking-room ceiling is very handsome, and the strong-rooms, which are in concrete, in two storeys, are entirely impregnable to fire. The Union Bank is building next door with Oamaru stone front. Mr Bufwell the architect for both buildings, informs me that Oamaru stone costs here 2s 6d per foot. It is brought by sea to the Bluff. I may men (lon in this connection that the architect informs me that all the ironwork, _st*f)ng rooms doors, &c.. Ac., for these buildings arc made in Invercargill. Further along Dee street than the Albion is a very fine block of buildings in the . Italian style, embracing a range of shops .jat one end, of which Messrs Ekenstein Hall have in course of erection an immense building, with tower, which forms the projecting and prominent wing of the main’block. When a similar building is placed at the other end the whole symmetrical design will have the effect of one building, with broken skyline and turrets at each end, the whole facade being five chains in length. The property belonged, and s'ill partly lelongs. to Mr Langlands. of Dunedin, „;.d the- bud on which Urn building stands

lie £SO per foot 01 , is P^i( ' now two of the shops g chain Iwk. One <--* -t me this block which i entereu n geen ! -.vior to anything I hau W snp t _ For instance, .a butcher’s Dunedin. :+ h a large marble slab i was fitted wxv. ’w; a chemist’s wit front of the ’mnplete with glas a gallery, which, wlien o>- will have , cases and lamps all round, Rogervery handsome appearance. Mr * i stationery and fancy goods shop has .. , extra depth, and is something like 10G feet in its entire length, All have great height. This block system has “ taken” i in Invercargiß, and Mr Burwell courteously showed me a plan of a magnificent pile of buildings which lie expects to put : up some day for tenants of Mr J. T. Thomson on the other side of the street. We have nothing in Dunedin to compare , with this extensive and palatial block, which as yet is, however, only on paper, one small portion of it only, whch abuts on Esk street, having yet got as far as a contract.” The population is about 7500, business is good, and money, as we were told by some of the business men of tire place, is in fair supply. The principal streets are two chains wade, and in the business part of the town most of the buildings are two storeys high, built of brick or stone, and very tastefully finished. On the occasion of our visit the town was in high holiday .attire every inhabitant 1 seemed to bo out to see what was going on. One common feature of such demonstrations was remarkable for its absence —not a single case of drunkenness was to be seen except amongst those who presented themselves as specimens from the Northern boroughs. Another remarkable feature was the number of small men hanging on to tall women. We wondered if the climate had anything to do with it. Possibly the great exposure to the cold atmosphere outside had something to do with it, but then again there was not w-anting proof that they had it hot enough at home to make up for this. The way these better halves whirled their small appendages about the str-eets, even at the midnight hour, showed that they were masters of the situation, and meant to exercise their power and authority. We should have liked to give a few more particulars or rather peculiarities of the town, but we fear we have already wearied our readers. We also apologise for any mistakes that may have crept into the description of the various localities, as we had no intention of writing such a a narrative. We took no notes, and consequently had to draw wholly upon our memory, which in some instances may have deceived us. On a future occasion we may give a description of the far-famed Lakes and the country bordering upon the west coast, but sufficient for the day is the evil done.