TIMARU TO RANGITATA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 239, 4 March 1880, Page 2

TIMARU TO RANGITATA.

LOWER CHARI AVJ MILFORD.

Adjoining slr Angus McDon dd’s proip rty, we come upon a blo> k oi ia d of ’(equally g -o1 qu di'y, consi-tmg of SOU j acr s. b- 10-'ging to Mr Eollest u), lately .-piircliased by this g ntl- in n from Mr JtlcDuiiald. 'Mr Rolh ston has a’so other -.two sections, maki g, in alMbbO a r s, ia large proportion of it superior land, but nvith°a considerable amount of swamp. 'Tillslldtfor is h w. ver, being r pi lly im ]pr.»v d, a ;d, we understand, Mr Ko e t>m .riot nils to build a residence on t is p;o- ---; perty and reside upon it. As yet, howAever, the principal improvement i are ifnneiug. draining, and a.p irfion -laid down iiiqgr.-.s.s. Th ■ grain crop of abmit 300 unres this sen so ; is lieavy, ;as itds alm-st (everywhere. Tln li'iad B *a*-d hav. .not *;’])•-mi liegh-ctfu' of this district, goodi '■roads h .vi g ben made at cousi lerab e (expense This has"a Iso helped to drain ' Lie land as wed Much yet needs to be done ; but the excellent qnrity of the j ila.id warrants th • outl-y. 'lliis esfa e •]■ ing v\it : dn the i fiaen eof the s.n breeze, enhances its vahv* considerably as ;a stock farm. Bss ng fro u fis station, bis we ride alo g through Seo'smen, ni.g rlieads, fern, and fl x, w co .e 'n s’ghr of Tsewliiods—the hemtifu! resi len e of Mr i Uaxuack. T.is froeho’d is wll ; situ tel, cun oa (ling g*»od roads every-j wh'Te, good substantia’ fences, a.id ac<m- I ! siderahle part l.dd down in E gbsh gras . j <Considering that Mr Camack has be n ' 3 little over throe years settled down h- rc the progress in the way of impiw nm nls ; :is very great indeed. Everyth!..g is done in g >od tast -. The en'rance g tes ar ■ • m ssive an I iuat, the fli'iv ■ an arid th ■ : gronn Is, plan ed with skil ; a cons'ierjdile amount of bluegum, w.tt.'e, pine,and i ■'other forest tree plant dion, which, a-| it .o gh only a little ove t coy ea s in ex b eacevih-ive m.ute more prog’es- tli n m a«y place we have yet cam; .acr- ss Some oflite tr ■> s .re over t reive f > h u;h', :md;vnh a few iu“r- years o'" r their l eads, this will be a glorious li tie cover • -(mi the s'.orui ; but we would recoin mum 1 an ahli'-ion 1 p'ant.ug eastw.rd ; from th- r- sr-le.nc •, in tlie form of a h .IF juoou., 1 this were d ; n-. a do n* ot t'o *f mi.aiiis op*e"i d i ! i h-a nr mn Is, tin.* qiict o■ w mid he com i eta. Aao. er i - ,pi*ov .me i* w«mld 1-e plantations An the ciu ■ • of t.n paddocks. It

well icn.i'.v ; tlru tre s dr.iv t..e jiAid .lur-e. Tavi' !-uul lijjt-j Wnjt in s .me

places fig it soi l would stand liv amou ■ :i ~f rain. Near Mi cu'f -nco gate ts '<> b** ( s e■ a v«r' r f ncifnl greenhon -whi ■ adds \ umo!: t ’lie plea atii-i «< of tit ntaco A f lidto die non ho' t s, and ■■ ist of th- . plan 'fioii is built . very p"'t. y ■ -tt go >f ! .* 0110 stor v, nut on a i ow- g and plm, . ; v : drn*r mivlii accommodate n. .lie •niirtin) I i iri bui't Hi' the prin iple too much in vogue j i i Canter 1 -ury, <f bavin r d nb ero -r’s an 1 several u .j.*e'iu J g bi. s._ In citis c. s . j i lio'vi"'-'r, a very well tint ■ •> • vcr *1 h j put i •I'-itio the ide of two iioiis- ■ joi n*.l ! t ,;eth r, wlvch i : v ry urn h tne C 1 ti-d | fa- ion. oil ther s -prov u.eiit st it ilie j !u; ;dbig is r;ii e l a bfctl from tin- groun >, 1 t'na gjv' g a tin ■ view "f th ■ oomiirv, ami 1 !e ving tin* bn ressi >u rliat iim re-ddim e ! is of two ston-yo Wo nig > nmn’i ii "ia' I oiv of tli ■ ha dso n-si cottage- we -or lift with, anywhere was Uni 1 upon piles sxf et vein t'f ground. The visitor ascended hy a, flight of s eps with an .urn i inentat railing, and a verandah \v tea serv< das an entrance h 11, whole i 1 fioii; j the beautiful flow- r lots slo md gradnad i up to near tlte lev iof the fl" lh ' p(,r----•io . '-etwee, th • flooring and the ground W a found tt ’>e UK's! tts-fu ! for inanv onr-p,,-es, A.’ .Ncwl uds, the slalne and ont- ■ ]ji ii-,,s s and a lit'ln to the oast of the re r d tie ce. and a litt e further eastward "re tin* won* sli d and sheep raids. B -t*v. e- this ihe o-eaii Mr amimk has ovm g,ot'o acres of nwrnific-nt land, part, of which is a M ott r serve. Altogether, No lan 's cnnsis sof nearly 3,000 aco-s. M si of the upoer block is laid down in English «r s-s. LoO acres or so in wlmat and oats, and th i rem md t is in its n inval slat-. Rip 'his las' is not letist, a«the native tnss ok in this part of Uie district is no rty .1 spl ice I hy the E ironeail usurper, white ch.ver Acon-idora* part is swamo, but not so ba l as to deter stock front feeding mpnuii'. If tin* ower is as liberal a M aerge ic in expend iur money on thi t s fjtrk land as In- his been Upon the lig-'d Soil, and if he nan in the lat er case nvke t! e. alnios* tiarr ti desert blossom as the r< se what myy he expect from a liberal outlay on this fertile land 1 In a year or tyy> it would <rr- z'' a I nge ampunt of sioofc We | would Tk- to visiti, NiWi'l 'nds %** years' jli- c.v hinder Mr Gamn«k> <eV - ;h { taste and 311 'gnV"'t we pro her tEW it w-M i he a iViiiji i-nt-tsfh At |We>s,ont sheep 1 farming is more oc&npnt'mn tlian grain g|o\vi"g. but uvnclli.nf thfe latifV newly aQtptir d is more sniW’lftfor-ofltEe graxing, j S-mth from Nh-w4and& is Mr Greenaway, jWth 1 not) acres, nearlv all of which is the ipi le of the 'and. It w s pnrehas d ofigi- ' nally from the G..vernm -nt A boundary j fcii'-e has he‘ii put up all round, but tlm l i extent of the other imomvements are ir>t gr"t. Tir- land in its original state is capable of grazing a large numb -r of stock j Cattle ar° moo sirtaMe, as th -re is a !o' of biiggv land th >t waiMs consolidating. A novelty in some () f die live feces is worth observing. Eern is growbig, whether p'a t d or md, in strips alternately with the foi'se and po -lar. N tin runs largo j stmn° s of trees are met with everywhere, and b.-intifnl stsearns of wat r ru ni ig I through the land. The ro -ds are staumed jby w ,l od n and coneret ■ bridges We are I q'-i't- sa r e in saving t his is one n‘ the tiicst | blocks of land that W‘ have yet come 1 across. Much of it is sup rmr to the it rfaned Seadowm Estate. M" Greenaway’s 1 residence is near the River Oran", and ho ! mast hnv ■at times r elt uneasy when tat i x'i -er was in fl 01. It is also vry nwk- : wardly situated for roads, as theri'eris is ift.‘ and uncertain. C t’le farming i seems to occimy most if Mr Greenwvay’s ! attention. Fr cattle grazing the land ;c- lt d scarcely be surpassed. l|.dwegp M‘ ' Gre.enaway’s and the sen lies Uiv rtdoa, Mr i AlT’ed Cox’s es'nte. Ta;s estate consists of over ;3,"»00 acr 8. What sh ill \\\e say of | this ungnilicent block of land J. V. c are t compelled to adopt the '' Cheap ,fohn’§ I h wking style, and say all tin* ot ! (*.rs 1 unde by the jenrn ymen and appr uitie-s, hnt tins estate was in mnfaeti.ir.ul hv tk • m stor hims-If. Jn ill onr ttvifels. fn the Middle Gland we have npd s t fool ow its e pial. ’Tis true the T ieri E ains an* good, but th y are liable to floods, and the bant-B | of the Glutha ba-sfc some patches of most P’-oduetivc soil, b,\g+ to find a block of fr m ,3000 to 40®') a&res all good land, v\ r e have .not-se&ia -‘wy eny.a! that on Mr Cox’* esit -,te.

I" sfinjC it'll* 1-wl at nil ; if the sheen alone were bn.n» rt-t bef.vrc us, it wmiM bo euoygh. o'•>. w’hius you will no-, ;t dug but grass. gr*§g-, stfW t grass, j not a pa'je.'i ,«f soyy da-nd ?fcw'be m-t with. < Wr cannot pm iso it too much ; a deep •b a-k loam., noting upon a marfy subsoil ; tJi‘. very spring of the earth as 'mo (r ads upon it, must cmivmce anyone *.vho knows laii'l from watel;, that fie quali y s is superior,ami the auv>\-atbGf soil nn'imited ■ snrings k '6 > bubbling tip, and creaks k ep wi idingiround thoi-v- beguiling circloe in £ ir toittnous route toward (ho o e:ISa in the uncultivated, as well as ti e culu vited B Ids grass ig luxuriant, stock slock and fat. Wnat amount,of stock tins 3500 ~cr„*s would pasture it is hard to say Tlmre is just now 9000 shetp and 350 head of cattl •, besid s a nmqh *r o r horseman I ithis flo s not appear to Reap the feed in heck. On t 1 e.roiigU tnsgock jfi.nd g ms ■ s of all sorts are abivtvfian', wh-re never dlonghor or sower ha I been at work. I i the cultivated fields iqp ami fcyrui s are a'l sad of any we have yet seen, exe p in . small fi dd of tnrii'ps b dop png to At • Ei hard B rker, which cevtitinlv were a noli cn p le ving not an inch of gramd f a-,the su to slipe ijpop. ; bnt at Bi er-, s ! i; the run we remarking upon,' the tape s'aljc-' are like you a 7 edihage ire Tie field h s pype already been e t n down, but the qeivgifnp seemsg'olier than ever. The turnipifi ‘lds have a most beautiful and healthy app-ara.ne.e, and on : a friable soil. A few W'“t>l-:.s wijl .jgake ih - crop nma itcliable. Jti-is Qjhpngt sincredible the amount of sheep that .is pa,s-> lured that not u'i v look li-ab jjybhut fat,F a licre lln-y have little hut • roihp tbgn to| : pars ea h u h-r. T>< any o :e wh ■ wants to see prune lan I. we s pv go and h iv a :ook at Rivers.i . T ie cstat*, for oio part lies a'uiig the c asi, ext-ndi* g inward for about two to three iui ! es. Tlr- , c e sprey, ia some parts, after a s'orm, is a gr -at he! ■ to give it go id i ceding qn ditie-. Sou e tie'ds of ikcs a"e a noli crop, as m iy lie ex pec ed from such soil. The w icat crops would be, on this run, in 'MI in danger of tiring to i rich. At th • ti ne o: oor visit the tl ck o s'-eop, as stated, » ere eiws and whether-* .alike,in high cmd'.iion. Woen .Mr Cox sold the Rak qmica Run, sinii‘ci;h, yea* - * ago, lie took along with him a lot of cn Is from his 11 ick of ineri ios, such as « it ■ not. s iL able. lie j took t .'.-in 'to Rivcrsii' 1 , au 1 by crossing j with rum iy marsh, lias lie’ n alihp, from ! tln-s- outlasts, to pr since the finest 11 c : | of nearly pure r uiuys th t is to be se j i j

anyw!i“i' • tt ’ii lie ree-*1 le fe ;in 't >1 C X - 1 took o ..loriuo •. w.i n m tli- k- 01

pn ;a Sr -tn>u, w ere ■■ li'• 1• • ! | svimn try a id ilue i| ii 1 ty ‘f 'eol. s ->ell j as la g-’ frames, T :s. no don ■ , ha.' j soiii t hi., to do wit h Mm dim symmeti j and <i i oitv -a too rl -k .n pros -nt t«. b j seen at Kiversli Only mm hi- el o 1 i. ,, tri ■i-to ii ■ 1 lie I wi u 111 a pad 1 ok | near the mdn od, ■ iiioh I ■ els to the j sta ai 1, one o. Lae ti 0 w sig it • is t• ( h.. 1 in t with. An v one -v o nos 1 fancy | f j- „.ood .-uerd can fix ins eves on none | b f-r 81nr of he hn st no fords in h ti se n m..* w ere, p rfect in form, as quiet as lambs and so gl sv witli t... ir B-lk-n c-i-ts. d . oes one g-od to stirv -y t run. H i el*s, pictures for -canty ; fon.--y.. r oh: Imilo -ks, lit, lor 1 Christmas .(inner for Her j sty, short legged, dep m f r .me, with <lmv laps bulging out and hanging do 111 nearlv to the grouty.*, and ho li.--s as nmi das naryel,,. c»i, run 1 di-lp.dw.elUn r ii|>o»vth-‘ sight —.'Vd nci liind this do -s nothing to keen tli ; pasi him iiiow'i. W.h it could net l*e done here if a 'market for fit stock n -ni lb- got 1 \ll who wish. w*dl to.Na v Zn il aid must de sir -to see tlie S:'a 1 ideveii ex "U‘iim.;nt tmi only a s.-cees^ t hut ex-‘ended to Nh*w Z mliud. Tis is all th .t is nee i-d to gesture prosoeri+v to our 'ittle Br tain- of the Smith; and it i■* to he Imped that a company wil soon he foir d that wiT hr tig to us this b.>oii Before 'eavin r this gar.l m of Smith C 1 it-rhnrv, we w 11 me iti.oll timugn th- R iid B.iir! Ins dope wonders in ti e wav' of reads, it IS;, a p't* th it it sh nilo st/m co!.n t ’l|iti"'g the work A dii - -ct of r-i-nl from, the. Mp-nch-nter and iMilfm-i m/i’ia r©;tds is my-ded to reach the (J j-i Riv r. Oily a mi(e,nr so lias to be formed to mve r r 'i outlet hy lids road from the Lower Cad land, 11 ar the lr-a--h. Aheautif'tl .-reek su'T"ii ids the gromi/G and r -i----deiice of Mr x,. whiyh always WVe 'ho an tv of api me., 3pi • gruiujuta wed hill out, and the carri-ge <lrivo an i wa'ks ar-' very last, fn 'y laid on 1- , btr there is rm d living t ! i\t more p autumn Vfoul 1 1 he an inv r is about, a mile an. I a half 'ro/n th * mesfead, and the cattle yards a 1 it.‘i l * fnvtlmi Eland still. Tim,, is. lined for' 11

sh-arers. Tim wedd. of tne tl mes tli -v i were taking ,tTi<* bpcks of-VkH sei \' on * ! lanfln w;«x iSstmiycVi “X-. vy.'iyl- tly. c tro. * , os besp-ak lliy vof 11 10 pastin'*. !|t is j i)fit ti» b- w'in l -K. I % 1 -lit the Ltjij-o iy- J si iire delcgat s said of the best laud th-y_ V'd ye f s;-n The j next pbme that w- \flnted was Mr Tims. | P.irk-s’. in th(‘ M’flowl (I.strict. His f .rm consists <>f 340 acres of re d'y grp I bind, indo-d the same kind of lan 1 from tlio Ranch ata to the Hpihi, vfith this dyf. 'feren-e—that nearer fclie foruym - I'i' er the subsoi' is <»*’ a mar-Jy nn iini.i 'X'hifc tflOpilu it has a stiff■ yellmV e.!«J sn>o|l % Parkes his a good bio k of land l or. gras,-., in- - purposes bn a po'tioii of it lies, a life ds draining, h\f o mjticgfl., sonj- good cattle, and a flock of sli up pi good cunditior. a very large esmendL turn of imin-y, a good r* ad has been uadi throng’ this pr-perpy. N ■ less than fqnr woolen bridges are to be nr t wirh n the space* of half a tu:le. (Her these bridges a k-en hatt ! e was f n dit b-twe-n the Er f ineer to the Raid B or l and one of .t memb-rs. AVe think h-ss mo ev would 1 1 .ay- served the rar purpose Tm-ucx 1 faym iliftt ’odheaffl an old settler vvU' l has much hardship for want of road' fluking m-pty years. This farm consists of 300 aermi., fmsfljfld and 300 acres leasehold. 90 acr -s wheat, and 100 acres in oats. l\ dh ar ■ jgond crops, lint a nor’-w-ster reduced the yield consi ierab y. Se ’-val navigate creeks, 'Hk • small riv rs, ji temper*.- llm la id. Toes-at Hood times spieM <>v r a good deal of the farm, and mak ■ il look a iilth* swanr>y, bet it is really good land. T ;i‘s-, and the next farm of Sir J. Smith, form a western boundary to the now notorious Mi-ford Lagoon. Had liarh r .jyorks h-eu gone on with it w nil 1 have moved a fortune to Messrs Pikes and W lodhead in no time That this work w : ll some day b come, a rea it v tli to nee I bo MO donbt. M* Surth on’y farms 12 > acres in this distr ct, bn 1 he, has. with his sons S;V) icres near the W duo, on which he has. this seam, a very heavy crop of wheat an 1 oats.

T irning Tern ika wards we pass Mr Bar very’s little farm of 4b acres Formerly there stood here a publ.ichquse. but matvellSus to relate, it was given up, a occurrence in New Z-x ilaud •; ex> cptinthe ease of PI-isint Valley, we know of no otli u- lusts ir-o Turning the conv r of the road nortlrva’als agM't, we come in sight of a flour mill built by Mr J u>. Hay hurst, the owner of G 000 acres of land in the Milford district. At first Mr HayhnrsJ farmed 1 wge'y, and built the mill for eon_venie *ce of himself and other fanvie*g the distri-t. Yury shortly after h» let the mill to Mr Wood, brother of Mr Eob.t W iod,the late tenant, who,fr un ill-lie pith, had to give over the business to Mr Robt. W od, who carri *d on operation* for 12 or 13 years, and sold out to M • D ekenson only a few months ago. This gentleman now curries op tin milling business Mr Hiyhu r st also initialed anofctier business in the district about fen years ago. He erected a boiling down estald hxpeit, at-a Hun when sheep we t e t a di count. He con' 1 not m nage to uni;e this pay, however, an 1 sh u'tly after shut it up. A year or so afterwards M 'ssrs Eusor and iS ui'h leas'd the prouds s and the t'-nn attached, about 700 acres, and cmime-c ;d operations which they eppti mod until a few mouths ago, pvhep.the promises were aeci iental’y 'barned .dowfi, just shortly after he had sold thedease eft the Lf-iap tp Mr P. Wareing, who now.-farms; it .anfhjvi.s some'hca''y crops this yiiar. Mr Warning •also boughtithe resiflonce whicji form'ndv belojiged-t" Mr Wood, wi ! |i f>uua ,a res of land. T us rps’-bnice .is siluabM near the fl mr mTI andti-s a mos‘ healthy s’tuatiou. Tiie gr umds ar-‘ well 1 ud out and well kept. J i cnnivction with tlie ti■ 111 r milh Jlr W"od cstablislie I a flax m-mufaet ry. It is needless to state that by ih's bnshiess he lost money. Several snvdl farms, leased frmi M- 11 ivliur (pi'e in lie m 't wiMi h re, as also a market uai - d ni"r Mr Christmas, who supplies the t « \ u and di trid with veget iblas. A little farther oil are t w fanus of Mr J din M v. Mr B o cn, M ■ Ce 1 / and others, aT a portion of Mr H yhurst’s G'XX) block. Inlan I there i a large portion of it a deep s camp, but little i.imruved. On the south sid.- Mr S. Barker rents some 5! 10 acres On the north Mr A Civil'* rents a 9 ) acre f ,mi. Mr Mm thews, Mr Low and oth rs take up tlie iest, horde i ‘g on which is Mr An-t'n's flue farm of 4'K) acres with imat well-bmp cottage outbuildings and yards Mr W.id 11 *, Mr Wo. dll ad an I others al o possess sang 1 itle.i unns in this pari, of the

d' v ic r . W should have mentioned that M T.moos holds ■. large block of laud on i the ou r, i mid of Milford L • -1.011, lease <to ■; Mr <>l fin'd, Air 1 u 3°n te -s j T e ■ - pi-co ma wo snail noaeJ h the j Al Mr- Se-'ocd, winch, wi;b the teachers .o,i re, .-minds upon an acre of lan', Bio | gif' of Mr Hayhurst to the Education • B i rd. The fl-fis ostablisaud in .872 ' Al-:V'-nt was the Inst teacher, but for ) ~y. e seven year- back Mr D. B. Gr.d’g has i b-e.i ma Ter, assisted by a pupil teach r. j Tho aver me attenmince iu 18/9 was 39 ; this year, 41 ; on the roll. 93. Air Craig \or xvrmona ly complains that tlv' Board, bv its new rules, lr>s deprive him of £39 a-year, winch he would have as a bonus if In’* were under the North Oantebury l>- vr l. We agree with Imu that it was not a wise way of maii'gi g matters In the mitt r of ii -identals tin-S.mihGanterburv 'Byu-d Ins acied very nlnraUy with tins sciiool. Tjip hjM'ise, which con *t ins s x rooms, is very wMI tilted up, a d evry Coiivenieiiei; is provided. ITI' 1 playgroun I is well sheltered 1 min the sonth-Tve-t by a double row of Californian pines pianted several yea’s ago by Mr Or ig. It is to he regretted however that a larger block of land is not secured for country .schools, as a I fctlo paddock of a few acres pis. ii. Otago is a great boon to the An,aster, enabling him to keep a cow and some poultry, which is a great help m a family. W'- regret, ill-'t we omitted visirinr ip ■ • iSoutii Oran School when riding ihr mgb that district. The school is mulefire.C’large, of Alk.Su. uinors,and we hnun 1| [ is in a verv.-ound ’Tate and fairly act' uded f while.’ho* Ohaiimpi (Ms A. Burk r) ts I imh’fnri.gable in his elite ts to make it a ) snc-"-‘S. I c.'e h. v" now i-ede -uv'd onr promise to j civ ' a lescription of the coivtiy fr mi Ti I in.ini b> Rangitata. W e ha. e done onr I | lt!S |-, (■■ give afa r and truthful st’lenient I of the venous improvements that have taken pi ce during the last 12 ■>r 13 yejux Nbcwii sc niding Ihe m'iiy short co nines, ! in these sketches, we nave reason lo believe they have n t been, ir acceptable to onr readers. Encouraged by the eon grainiaii'.ns of our friends, and invited by them j Vi nub ish th ■ whole in one slrM or m, ! pamphlet form, we have msh ved, if su.ffiji cient orders are given to pay ex-. I pens'- of pri- ting, to do so, but inuiruling, j Tp-VW- 1 mixl south of Timaru making our. ( narrative to in dude the whole of S cath I ('juite.nbnry. We think, by careful revi!:K,jon iuvl corrections, it might bo made | fair.ly r-eadglde am 1 worthy of beiipr j s :ii’ Kotn.n (o our friends to let them see | whit, {city'i of a country we live in.