A TRIP TO CHRISTCHURCH.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 97, 20 February 1897, Page 4

A TRIP TO CHRISTCHURCH.

(Concluded). SUMNEIi. Tins, I suppose, is the finest seaside resort in the colony. The steam trams counect it with Ohristchurch, and in the summer months the fares are reduced. By the first trains in the morniug they charge Gd for a return ticket, but after that the fare is Is, consequently the first morning trams are crowded to e\ce3s. When at Sumner I paid a visit to our old friend and well wisher, Mr Henry Buttle, at the Mute Asylum, which is about a quarter of an hour's walk from the place where the tramway stops. He was very pleased to see me and have a chat about the Waikato. He has about fifty children uuder his care, aud, with a very few exceptions, it would be a difficult matter to find fifty sharper or more intelligent looking childreu in the colony. The gardens ure kept in splendid order, and the whole of the work is done by Mr Buttle and the children. The deaf and dumb children are not taught bj the old-fashioned signs made with the hands. Air Buttle merely bpeaks to them and they understand what he says from watching his lips ; and although called dumb, they articulate the reply, not so plainly perhaps as most childi en, but still sutficienoly clearly to make themselves understood. I also went to New Brighton, another seaside resort, but it is not such a nice place as Sumuer, being very dusty when there is any wind, but it is very pleasant in calm weather. TUB ADDINGTON BUTTKE FACTORY. The central butter factory at Addington was a placo that interested me very much. It is stated to turn out from 65 to 70 owt. of butter per day, which means that the daily supply of milk cannot be far short of 18,000 gallons. Much of this is separated in other districts and the cream is sent on to the central factory, as is the case in Waikato. The Babcock test is used, and I was" much surprised to find that their best milk only gave 3*6 of cream, and some went as low as 2'6. When I saw that I thought Waikato was not as bad as it is sometimes painted. The manager of the factory was most obliging and gave me every information. If he thinks he has made a mistake with the test, he repeats the test again next day to verify it. FREEZING WORKS. I saw Messrs Nelson Bros.' new freezing works which were being erected at Hornby, and was told that 500 tons of Mr Firth's pumice insulating material was being used, which cost £lO per ton delivered at the works. ASIIRORTON. I stayed a week at Ashburton, and visited several farms there, principally those belonging to Messrs Cochrane Bros., Cox, Lloyd, and several others who have farms varying from 400 to 800 acres each. Some of the land is very good, and the crops were looking well then, but wanted ram. Turnips, rape and young grass that had been just put in and were coming through wanted a shower to start them off. The she?p and lambs also looked well, but of cattle there are virtually none, for ouly here and there a cow is kept for householu purposes. Cattle would not do upon the ' plains for want of water, for there is very little except what is in the rivers and what is supplied by irrigation. WAXKR RACES. There are no less than 1100 to 1200 miles of water races or open drains to supply the farms with water, made at a cost of Is Id per chain, and the yearly charge for maintenance is 9d per chain, whiuh many think is excessive, but they cannot do without it. ' THE BOADS. The roads on the plains are excellent, and are founded on what I consider a gocd plan. They form up the whole width from fence to fence, and gravel the centre with metal, which is plentiful and good, all waterwashed gravel. The forming of the whole width of the road is done for 3s 6d to 4s per chain, and the gravelling for BJd to lOd per yard. The gravel is measured in a frame on the •read and not by the load. Between the spring-sowing and the harvest many of the small settlers have not much to do with their teams, and that accounts for the road work being done at such a cheap rate. THE WOOLSTON TANNERY. I also paid a visit to the Woolston Tannery, where from 80 to 100 hands are employed during the busy season. I saw the methods of tanning and dressing the leather and pelts, and it was wondern ful to see a hide split by means of rollers and a belt saw or knife. Hundreds of dozens of pelts are exported to England annually, where they are turned into leather for book-binders, upholsterers, coachbuilders, boot aud shoe and glovemakers, and other purposes for which a leather with a perfect surface is essential. Wattle bark and also certain kinds of berries are used in the tanning. mr iiowe's pig farm. Another celebrated place that I visited was Mr J as. Rowe's pig farm at Richmond. Mr Rowe is a most genial man, and he kindly showed me through his establishment and gave me any information I desired regarding his pets. His chief breeds are Berkshire, Tamworth and Yorkshire. Anyone going through Mr Rowe's establishment can hardly wonder at his success. His show pigs are fed every two or three hours, from 5 a.m. till 8 p m., with new milk, sharps, etc. That he is successful was demonstrated at the Dunedin Show, where he exhibited 25 pigs, took 10 first prizes and 3 seconds, and sold 16 animals. His price is £3 3s per pig f.o.b. train or boat, and at the price he does a. big trade all over the colonies. He was also very successful at the Christchurch Show, but I did not notice how many prizes he took. MISCELLANEOUS. One of the first acquaintances I ran against in Christchurch wa3 Mr G. W. Russell, who formerly ran the Waikato News in Cambridge. Down there he is generally known and spoken of as Riccarty Russell. We had a chat on politics, and at that time he was very sanguine that he should be returned for Riccarton by a much larger majority than on the previous occasion. He must have had somewhat of a surprise when the numbers went up. The concluding part of my trip was made—as I have before stated—in the Takapuna, but that time the briny ocean was as calm as a duck-pond, so I landed in good condition aud returned home having spent the most pleasant holiday I ever had. Many will perhaps think I have returned dissatisfied, but 1 can still say : Waikato with all thy faults I love the still 1 Those who took up land in Canter} bury 20 or 25 years ago and were f=atisfied with from three to six huudred acres have done well, and are uow independant, but those who had the land fever and mortgaged what they had to obtain more have been struggling ever since, and many ha\e gone to the wall. Thi3 I am afraid has also been the case in Waikato. Rural laud in Canterbury varies in value, according to quality and position, from £8 to £lß.' One great featvire in which Waikato excels Canterbury is in being able to grow swede turnips ; down thtra they have to be content with soft turnips and rape. One matter that surprised me at Ash! burton was that they had not a Farmers' Club. I strongly advised them to form one and compare notes with other clubs, and thus gain information. 1 do not think the Waikato farmers are any too progressive, but they can and do support their club, although much of the adjoining country is unsettled ; while in Ashburton, where every acre for many miles is under cultivation, they do not appear to have even thought of forming such an institution.