TEE PIAKO COUNT}. [By our Travelling Reporter.] NoII. Mr. Strange's Property.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1380, 7 May 1881, Page 2

TEE PIAKO COUNT}. [By our Travelling Reporter.] NoII. Mr. Strange's Property.

The greneral features of this are precisely similar to those of Mr. Parr's estate for nature of soil, the work done, and manner in which it may be worked. It is like the one I had just left a beautiful piece of rich land and will grow more and more valuable rapidly till it fetches the highest price obtainable in New Zealand. About 750 acres in gia-<8 of which 500 acres more or less have been ploughed up. Some thirty acres have been cropped the last season, and of these the mangolds, sweeda, potatoes and carrots were worthy of the highest admiration, and would be prize winners in a first-class show. There are about 240 head of cattle here of the same mixed bieed as on the neighbouring estate, and about 100 sheep of the Lincoln and marino blood 'I here have been four and a- half miles of fencing finished on this property, and nearly ten miles of medium sized drains, the oughtfall being 6 feet in depth. The steamer finds >t way up here, and among other attractions this locality boasts of some hot springs that are sulphurous and medicinal m their effect*, like so many others about this island. I parfieulsxry admired the horses too, of the good old Suffolk Punch breed, that m some respect 1 " defy all competition for farm or draught work. Mr Strange has only been two years on the place, but ho is getting it quickly into first rate order, and the dairy is a picture of trim clean order and manngement. Nine cows being in milk, and 201b of sweet first-rate butter is turned out per week. Some wonderful apples in old Maori orchards, some of the trees being perhaps 20 years of age, and of enormous dimensions, bearing fruit that would gain prizes in Auckand, and some fine old peach groves made me long for the proprietorship of such a place, in which to grow old and fat listening to my humming bees and my singing birds, and drinking my wine of my own growth, and sniffing my roses and -white thorn, and admiring my fat thoroughbred horses and red Devons, and surrounded by fat pictures of grand children, arid portly sons and daughters. A man might manage to knock through his four score years very peacefully on snch a scene, and the charming little lady who acted as ray hostess, has not much to complain of her lot in life, I should fancy. The estate will be a fortune to its owner, and must realise more annually, ap to £30, or even some day £60 per acre, the return being- sufficient for a good income whether in vram or live stock. If these two farms are time examples of what all the Piako country is to be, I can only aay that a good investment in it, made at the upset price will be a fortune to anybody, and the much snarled at swamp life is considerably more desirable than 1 imagined. Miles of magnificent country lie along the bank 3 of the glorious navigable rivers, the Waihou and the Waito, and walking up and down Mr Parr's verandah at sunrise, and looking at the bright rosy lights of morning,' beaming over the beautiful wooded mountain range of about 3000 feet high, I could'nt help thinking it a most beautiful as well as a rich country, and one which life is destined to be pleasure as well as a profit. Mr Strange has made all arrangements I I anvjnformedior the erection of a handsome dwelling house, and is only-waiting 'for a' slight rise in the water of the river fa commence operations, \ '