AROUND THE PIAKO AND WAITOA DISTRICTS. [BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.]

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1207, 23 March 1880, Page 2

AROUND THE PIAKO AND WAITOA DISTRICTS. [BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.]

It may be affirmed, with but little fear of contradiction, that in no part of the colony has there been sttoh marked progress during so short a period of time as in the Piako and Waitoa district, or that portion of the Provincial district of Auckland which lies between the Military settlements of the Waikato on the one hand, and the Waihou River on the other. But one decade since, the country so indicated was little better than a terra incognita to Europeans, the only advances, (and at that date they were but small) being observable atMatamata and Maungakawa, the properties respectively of Messrs Firth and Thornton, Shortly afterwards we find a few settlers penetrating further towards the Aroha, amongst the number being Mr McGlashan, and Major George ; but want of proper or even decent means of communication, acted as a great restraint upon their operations and the district still remained comparatively lockedup. Within the past five or six years, however, the strides which have been made in settlement, are nothing short of wonderful. That first of civilizers, — a good road — has been extended hrough the country, and to-day the eye is greeted with sight of prosperous settlements and holdings, where but a few years ago, the weka and pakeko wailed responsive to the sound of the wind, amongst the flax and reeds, and where the long fern uplands were only the feeding places for a few wild pigs. Five years ago the present writer traversed on foot— for there were neiftier roads or bridges — from the station of Mesßrs Morrin (then only a short time in occupation) to the foot of the Aroha. After losing aight of the newly cultivated fields, no prospect could possibly be drearier than was then presented to my view- The whole of tbe land lying between the Piako and Waitoa rivers was covered with fern, flax, and ti-tree, discovering no single pleasant feature. Trudging 1 on, wearily enough, through tangled scrub, and skirting as besb we could the intersecting stretches of unwholesome swamp, we oame upon some traces of cultivation on the picturesque banks of ths Waitoa, near where Major Gaorge was then erecting his house (since the residence of Mr G-onld, and lately burned down). Close by the river's edge, under the cool shade of the lofty trees— a spot which, by contrast with the surrounding country, was so beautiful that it seemed an oasis in some desert— we rested, footsore with struggling through the " devious paths" by which we had come. Beyond the river we stumbled upon some further traces of cultivation on the newly taken up land belonging at that time to Mr Maokay. Gaining the crown of the belt of rising ground running parallel with the river we beheld a prospect more desolate even than that which lay behind us. If I desired to present to my own mind anything in nature which would adequately typify Despair I should endeavor to recall to my mind the great Te Aroha as I beheld it on that afternoon, overshadowing a picture as lifeless, as comfortless as any I have ever seen. From where I stood down to where could be faintly traced tbe course of the Waihou River lay a flat swampy tract, to all appearances as unprofitable a 9 it was ugly ; nor, on crossing it, painfully and slowly, could I find any indications to lead me to alter my opinion. Once across on the Omahu side of the stream, the pretty extensive cultivations of the natives plainly indicated that there was good land in the neighborhood; but few indeed must they have been who would have dreamed of looking for it in the district through which I had gone, Sinco then

five years have, dne after another— too quickly, perhaps— taken unto themselves wings and fled away; and, although I knew that daring the intervening period the spade and the plough had been busy, I was totally unprepared for the ohange which had taken place. Obtained by various means from the original owners, a considerable area of the land lying between the Piako and the Waihou is now in the hands of a class of men that knows how to make the right use of it, and which is establishing in the midst of this one-time wilderness comfortable steadings, and the germs of what some day perhaps will be prosperous towns and villages. With the object of inspecting as much of this district as was possible in a couple of days to report on the progress made. 1 left Cambridge on the 15th of this month, and directed my steps to Morrinsville by way of the Victoria-road. This thoroughfare branches off from the Taupari-road, near Fen Court property, and continues in a northerly direction for about nine or ten miles, when it joins the old road from Hamilton near the native sttlement at Tawhare. For several miles it runs through the Fen Court estate, and is formed through wet swamp, the road-way the whole distance being in very good order. Of course, the present is the most favorable time in the year for swamp roads, but there is no reason why, with a little care, the Victoria-road should not be good during the winter months. It is easily seen that great improvements are being effected on the adjoining property. Extensive and effective drains have been cut for the purpose of drying the large area of swamp, and in a short time a considerable exteat of land will be ready to receive the grass seed. On part of the wet land already reclaimed fenced and sown I observed some really splendid clover, and I doubt not that much more will be visible on the surrounding land next year. The small portion of fern land hereabouts does not seem to be of first-class quality to judge from the appearance of the grass. It is however a characteristic of the land about Cambridge, that the narrow fern ridges in the swamps is not of the best quality. At best, however, kut a partial view of the estate f can be obtained from the road.* 1 Passing some Maori cultivations by the way the Hamilton road is reached, which, thence for several miles, either bounds or runs through the Pi»ko Swamp Company's land. Here the improvements during %he las tfew years are abundantly apparent, but beyond saying that the whole aspect is most encouraging, it is not my intention at present to refer io this property, leaving it to be dealt with more in detail hereafter. The company's land is hardly passed when Morriusville is sighted, though owing to the windings of the road sevsral miles have to be traversed before it is reached. Its position is well chosen in most resyects, standing as it does at the entrance to the Piako country, and close to the river, whioh gives its name to the district, which is navigable for small craft up to and a little beyond the township. Founded by the Messrs Morrin, and surrounded by their lands, the town is as yet only in its babyhood. The most prominent object is Wood's Nottingham Castle Hotel— a large well-built edifice, extremely well adapted for the convenience of visitors to the district. The other buildings consist of a store, a sohoolhouse, and several neat cottages. Notwithstanding: its insignificance in point of size, Mbrrinsville is ahead of some townshiys of much greater pretensions, and the work of naming the streets has been commented thus early. At present I do not know of any other, except Tiklepenny-street, ro christened in honor of the genial manager of the Messrs Morrin' s estate, but it is to be speedily followed by others. Looking around I could see that great strides had been taken in bringing the estate into cultivation. Large grass paddocks, securely fenced with wire, with plenty of feed in them, stretch away on all sides, dotted with well-fed oattle and sheep. Taking but passing notice of this, however, I pushed on to the river, which is now spanned by a very neat bridge. And here my astonishment commenced to assert itself. On my right was a row of pretty workmen's cottages, each with its little patch of well-kept kitchen and flower garden. Behind these some distance away stand the station buildings of Mr W. A. Murray's estate, and all around the land has been broken up, and is now in English grass and clover. What a contrast is there between this land now and what it was when I first saw it. Instead of the fern f»nd titree here are some hundreds of fine pasture, well stocked and admirably fenced. For the rest of the way to the Waitoa, instead of the winding path* through marsh 'and mire, here is an excellently well made road leading almost in a straight line to the little bush fringed river, five or six miles distant. Arriving 1 at the river I find a bridge here also, and riding briskly through the little bit of bush I come on to the property owned by Mr Larkworthy, formerly the property of Mr Mackay. Here, the change which has come over the landscape is simply marvellous. Nothing but fine grass lands meet the eye which vainly seeks for something which will serve to recall the old aspect of things. At last I bethink me of the low hill — -fern-covered no longer, but green with a generous yield of grass. Thence I shall, at anyrate see the wild prospect, little altered, which confronted me five years ago. I push ahead ; g"ain the crown and see — no, not the desolate sight I confidently anticipated — a fair landscape of smiling fields, with here and there a farm house, and the little settlement of Campbelltown far away towards the Waihou. [[To be continued.]