BACK COUNTRY LIFE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 August 1938, Page 3

BACK COUNTRY LIFE

CONDITIONS IN CANTERBURY. A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. (“Times-Age” Special.) Some Wairarapa visitors to Canterbury last month were particularly interested in the life of the farmers and runholders in the back country during the winter months, when farm activities are somewhat suspended. The party left Christchurch, the Cathedral City on a beautiful sunny morning after a heavy frost and enjoyed an entertaining motor drive of 50 odd miles to the west. Hagley Park was in its winter garb but the trees were already giving indications of the beautiful spectacle they would present when spring gave life to the foliage. En route to the Riccarton racecourse there are many beautiful homes, and further on the renowned cropping fields of Canterbury gave ample evidence of the great revenue derived from wheat. Passing the famous Racecourse Hill estate, the ex-champion racehorse Limerick was observed enjoying his retirement. It appears that Limerick’s late owner left a certain sum to be spent annually on the gelding’s upkeep. Besides plantations, there is a rustic shelter to give protection from the severe winter weather or intense heat in the summer. The wideness of the country roads is noteworthy, and most of the fences have gorse hedges, well trimmed, and in many cases the hedges form the fence. Darfield, Coalgate and Glentunnel are successively passed, and the tussock country becomes very apparent as the height above sea level increases. In the distance the Southern Alps appear majestically in all their glory, and the temperature of course gets noticeably MANY PLANTATIONS. On our right is observed a plantation of many varieties of trees that have been planted by an enthusiast. It occupies a portion of the property in an awkward gully, and is no less than 50 Seres in expanse. This is one of the show places of the province. Further on, a Canterbury Board controls a number of plantations which are about one chain in depth, and extend for miles on the boundaries of adjoining farms. One of these plantations is now considered to be ready for commercial use. It contains 350,000 trees, including pinus insignis. It is proposed to take the logs into Christchurch where they will be cut up for boxes. Immediately one end of the plantation is cleared fresh trees will be planted, sb that before all the trees have been felled, a new forest will be growing up. Apart from the box timber, many thousands of cords of firewood will be available. The Rakaia Gorge and extensive river bed makes a wonderful sight. In the distance the headquarters of the Lake Coleridge scheme can be faintly observed, with the Southern Alps as a back ground. In this locality, Windwhistle, the settlers appreciate a fall of snow and a succession of frosts, as skating can then be indulged in.

SKATING ENJOYED. On arrival in the district the visitors noticed a large pond (in an undulating paddock) which had formed owing to heavy falls of rain just previously. That evening a good fall of snow was experienced, and after three frosts—including one of 18 degrees the ice on the water was thick enough for the children of the district to skate upon. There are several recognised skating rinks in this district and probably the best equipped is the one on the property of a farmer which was at the outset prepared for a summer swimming pool. This is placed in a picturesque setting of native trees and bush as a background, the water coming from a privately owned supply. In the winter the pool freezes, and to make the skating surface doubly safe, the owner hoses the surface to thicken it, the water freezing immediately. For evening skating the rink is illuminated by electricity—a private installation—and visitors travel many miles from adjoining districts to enjoy the fun. An impromptu fireplace is made in a bank and huge • log fires provide warmth when the skaters are having a spell, or during the supper interval.

An outsize in kettles is used and hot cups of tea enjoyed, together with toast hot saveloys, mutton chops, or similar savouries. After the night’s skating the owner, who is a generous host, personally scrapes off the rink all the rough pieces of ice that have been cut by the skaters. Then he proceeds to rehose. to again consolidate the ice for the following evening’s sport. It is very' important that the ice be “safe,” and an experienced skater always tests it first, as the depth of the water would provide an awkward situation if the surface collapsed. The skating rink is situated on a plateau surrounded by bushy hills, and the approach from the residence is tastefully planted, providing a very pleasing sight in the summer, when the foliage is radiant. From the windows of the residence on this property, the sea, which is well over 50 miles distant can be seen on a clear day. RIGOROUS CLIMATE.

The elegant house is built of stone, obtained in the farm, and this material provides a cosy home when the climate is most rigorous, as well as a cool haven in the summertime. It is found that sheep thrive on the tussock throughout the winter, pushing the snow aside, and horses also hold their own. Cattle are not so independent, and bullocks in fat condition before a heavy snowstorm, have been known to go' back to the store class, as a result of having to forage for their own food. To show the influence of climatic conditions it may be mentioned that the children of the country school attend skating practice on Friday afternoons in charge of their master, instead of football or basketball as, say, in the Wairarapa. The settlers’ homes are well protected with established plantations, that were established before the residences were built, and the hospitable wood fires in the living rooms are supplemented with coal to increase the warmth. Here the winter is accepted as “one of the seasons” and a golf club a few miles away has a live membership.

GOLF POPULAR. Full day tourneys are held and if necessary, the day before, a working bee attends and clears the links for play. Golf club balls and other popu-

lar dancing functions are largely attended but the owners of motor cars, if a frost is being experienced, have to go out and turn on the engines at regular intervals to keep them warm, to prevent the water in the radiators from freezing. In'the summer a characteristic Canterbury season is enjoyed, and cricket and tennis are freely indulged in. The sheep bred and grazed by the farmers are of the typical jjigh grade of the Canterbury district, and constitute the chief income of the men bn the land in this locality.

At present a mail is received only three times a week and the rush for letters and the newspapers can be well imagined in mail bags. Occasionally the newspapers are received one other day per week by a lorry service. Since this visit was made a very severe snowstorm piled up snow to a foot in depth even on the flats, and it has now remained on the, ground for over three weeks. The skaters thoroughly enjoyed the extra opportunities afforded them for skating and also tobogganing.