A TRIP THROUGH THE PATETERE COUNTRY. {Concluded.) [BY OUR OWN REPORTER.]

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1573, 3 August 1882, Page 2

A TRIP THROUGH THE PATETERE COUNTRY. {Concluded.) [BY OUR OWN REPORTER.]

Tile settlement of the waste lands of the colony has always been the stumbling block of successive governments, and the experiences of the past have sufficiently shown us that unless the work of settlement is taken in hand by private individuals, familiarly called land jobbers .and speculators, all attempts in this direction have generally proved unsuccessful. Between immigrants introduced by Government, and those introduced by private individuals, there is a decided difference. The one by settling on the land developes the resources of the soil, and thus adds to the prosperity and revenue of the country ; while the other by being mei'ely deposited in the colony without any immediate prospect of the sphere of labour he is to embark in, is but a mere unit in the population, and, though a consumer, contributes little to the general wealth of the colony. An illustration of this may be found in the fact that the free system of immigration which terminated during the reign of the Grey Government, was followed by general depression in the labour market of the colony, and the ra ' ; ng of the cry " unemployed " from one end of New Zealand to the other j whereas, the settlement system as carried out by Messrs Vesey Stewart, Grant and Poster, and Halcombe, has always been followed by prosperity and contentment. The settlers thus introduced have always possessed an amount of capital and energy ; and here the secret of successful settlement lies. The soil requires these two stimulants of its fruitfulness, and where these aie wanting, the full produce w ill never be forthcoming. Political economists tell us that a carpenter's well equipped tool chest is capital, producing, when combined with his labour, a far higher percentage than the sum it cost would produce for an idle man ot fortune When the Government were about to relax their hold over this piece of countiy, and when it was about to pass into the hands of the piesent owners, an outcry was immediately raised against land monopoly ; and certainly those who raised that cry had every reason to dread &uch a tendency towaids a detiimental accumulation ot unwieldly estates by individuals and private companies. But holding Patetere as a vast landed estate, and transmitting it to posterity by the law of entail, was not the object of the company who &ecurcd it. The entire block has now been placed in the market, and agents arc at present bu&ily engaged in securing its speedy settlement by a class of settlers woithy of the name. But I must return to the subject of my trip. A few miles from Lichfiold, over a vciy level and easily traveised country, Ining us to the wooded plateau which is a continuation of the main Thames range, and u one ot the finest pieces of bush in the Auckland province. By forming a good road between hero and the township, aud by erecting a siutabb saw-null, an excellent supply of the best building timber would always be obtainable. Thepohutakawa, I a tree which is to bo found in this bnsh, is of singular beauty, and from its hard i and duiablc natuie is peculiarly adapted i to the building of ships. The mangahau is also a timber of much value. It is light tough, and durable, and is used principally for the manufacture of carts, bullock yokes, .shafts, &c. The limn, or led pine, is also to be found here iv all its grandeur, and growing income pUccj to considerably over 130 ft. As a useful, and suitable timber for the con&tinotion of wooden buildings, the rnnu may be said to be second only to the kauri. The pukatea, though existing plentifully in the Taranakt bushes, is not to be found hero. But that useful tree the tawa, is not short in this bush. To the tiavcller who know& the combustible nature of this wood, it is a convenient fiieuci when on a journey, for, whether green or dry, as an excellent firewood it cannot be equalled, and for this and other peculiar advantages which it possesses, is much valued. Anothoi valuable timber found heie is the totara, which from its durable though light nature, and from its being easily sawn or split, is in many respects superior to any other timber in New Zealand. Bridges have been constructed entirely of this wood, and though they have been erected for many yeais are yet in a sei viceable condition. The bark of the totaia is used extensively in bush districts for hut building purpo&es, and a tenement built of this material by the hands of an experienced bushman is said to be impervious to both wind and rain. The rata is another tree conspicuous m this bush, and which from its height and iurposing appearance is generally known as the king of New Zealand forests. This also makes excellent timber for the wheelwright. The maire, supposed to be about the hardest timber in the world, and which is found abunI dantly about Wellington and Wanganui, is also to be found here. These, together with the kahikatea and many other smaller trees, constitute a splendid collection of useful, serviceable and durable timbers, which must prove of valuable assistance and convenience to the struggling settler. It has been repeatedly urged upon the Government, the necessity of conserving the forests of New Zealand, but warnings on this head have always proved futile. While tiavevsing the country wo occasionally stumbled across what we believed to be excellent sites for watermills, and I believe when the country is settled these will be devoted to the purpose for which they are suited. A good native road crosses the block, leading in the direction of Taupo, and which the Government, I hear, intend completing, to enable a coach being run across it. The new line of road between Cambridge and Rotorua, which is now being formed by the Constabulary, intersects the country in a most convenient quarter, and will, when finished, enable the settler to drive either to Cambridge or Rotorua in one day. As an instance of the capabilities of the unimproved land in this part of the countiy, Captain Daly and Mr Turner, of Cambridge, having got permission from the Patetere Company, are now grazing 2500 head of sheep on the Tokoroa Plains with fair results. After a long though anything but unpleasant journey, we returned to the Oxford Hotel, where we consigned ourselves to the tender mercies of Host McManus, the present licensee of that hostelry. I have often heard complaints about the want of suitable hotel accomodation ex:perienced by travellers using this road when going to and from the Lakes, but, under the present management, 1 have no hesitation in assuring travellers tliat the Oxford Hotel will be found a comfoi'table house of call, and a very acceptable retreat on their journey. Before setting off for Cambridge in the morning, we paid a viait to the Okoroire Hot Springs, where, needless to say, we enjoyed all the medicinal, and other good qualities which these springs afford: ; I was surprised to find . the water, much •clearer than I found it on a ■ preyipus ,oc-, casion, and though the weather Was Very cold,* '.still the water /bulibled? up as; warm {is/ ever; indeed, as; as,,we| 'cpuldWaVitT L^Th'd-natiyjes" hayeifßrpkenf

which looked as if it would not think twice about letting a fellow down through into the seething water beneath, and then laugh at the joke.