PIAKO SWAMP.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 383, 27 October 1874, Page 2

PIAKO SWAMP.

RECLAIMING marsh land, rendering 'lismal, uninhabitable wildernesses and dreary w&mpi fit for the abode of man nnd capable of producing in abundance everything necessary for his subsistence, is certainly one of the moit noblo and legitimate uses to which capital can be applied. By uuuh reclamation land uliicb up to that time has yielded abso lately nothing (o iwell the general wealth of the community, Hnd has been so much lumber in tho general assets of the country, ta transformed into a valuable property, ami affords subsistence and employment to numbers of consumer? and producers, who are then enabled to settle upon nnd cultivate it. A capitalist muy use his uionev in gold-mining speculations or in float iug bubble companies, or in a hundred and one different speculative wa.\s, and lie may have the good fortune to succeed in adit in;; by these means to his capital. But he Una not benefitted the communi'y at large in the mime way that a capitalist does who whilst making profit by the sale of his swamp land when reclaimed, renders it po-sib'e for lubour to add enormously to the general wealth. Capital employed in this latter manner is undoubtedly applied to its natural and legitimate purpose. In a country like the Waikato and Pinko districts it is impossible to overrate the importance of turning the attention of capitalists towards reclaiming marsh land. These dis tricts aboutid in swamps of all descriptions. Once satisfactorily show that an enormous profit must accruo fiom dram ing them and rendering them fit for habitation and cultivation, and the Wiukuto and Pinko must rank second to nn district in the colony. One of the largest entcrprisi sof this description in the colony is the undei taking by Captain Steele and company to drain tho larue swamp between the Horotiu an 1 Piako rivers. This enormous block of land comprises between 80.000 and 100,000 acres, the pxnet dimension* not bem-; accurately ascertained. It extends fiom the Mauiigawliara creek to the Muungatcawa mountain in tho on« direction, and from about 8i miles beyond Hamilton Ea.-t lo within a few miles of tl.e Pnko river in the other Across this larue tract of swampy country the ennipunv are constructing two road* — one from Hamilton to wlrnt is known as tie head of the Pmko navigation, and the other from tlokonu , n sett lenient stunted htlf-w.iv between Hamilton Kmt and Newcastle, to Tanpip pi's settlement, about 10 lniU'i b.-low the In aI of the navigation. It is impossible to over-estimate the inipirtanec of the3e two ronds to the public generally, connecting n» fiey will the j»ttli»mMits w<*icl« are rupi Uy spanging up along tin* Pmko rirer and thoae already established alonir tlie Horotiu, nn I opening up in their coiino communication with tin* thousand-) of :wres in om-S' of ivelmwutn by the company Considerable | <rogrei>s hi-* l>eon mi.le in t 1 c formation of these roddwi s nn 1 i urn informed that it U tho intention of the compmv to push tue whole of the -rorks aneiid vigorously during tlie ensuing «unvn<>r. Tend k rs have recently been lulled f.ii* tKe c.ins'rucri'm of twelve ud litional miles of road, and on Thursday they were o ened and the work let at a very rcnsonnble ra 0. There hare been completed up to tio present time, some thirty miles of ilrwnige biu a eood deal yet remains to be done before th«s j>r at undertaking is brought to a satisfactory (delusion. Mr Wainult, one of th<» pontraetors for th» l»<-t lot of work let, 19 making very satisfactory progress. Ido not know what the intention of the company with resjie. t to the Lin I when reclaimed may be, but, doubtless it will be cut up and sold to small settlers at fairly remunerative prices. If this be done, tho company will have fairly earned the gratitude of all interested in tho progress of tho Waikato. Instead of a howling wilderness, almost, impnjs ible, and ulterlv unpro ductWe, the Waikato settlers will have clone at hand a busy thriving poijuiation of industrious settlers, pouring their produce throutih the towns and villages down to the great market of Auckland. And the fertile districts beyond the PiaUo S«amp and lying in the valley of tho Pmko, will have been brought by means of the energy and pluck of the promotors of this great scheme, into close communication with the lino of railway which will traverse tho Waikato country. It i» a pity that more of tho capitalists of Auckland, in place af hazarding their money in perilous mining speculations and doubttul joint fctock companies, do not turn their attention to similar fields of enterprise. The profits are sure, anJ largo enough to satisfy the most s&nguine expec- ■ tntions, and they would hnvo tho gratifying satisfaction of knowing that while hrgelv adding to their own resources, j they would bo conferring an inestimable and ponnaneut benefit upou tho country to wh.ch th-y bolong.