ROUGH NOTES OF A TRIP THROUGH TE AKAU STATION. {BY OUR RAGLAN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1637, 2 January 1883, Page 3

ROUGH NOTES OF A TRIP THROUGH TE AKAU STATION. {BY OUR RAGLAN CORRESPONDENT.)

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable trips I have ever made was that which I lately did in the company of Mr Brettargh over the run of Messrs Russell and Studholme, which lies between Raglan and Port Waikato, and on which he acts so efficiently as manager. I spent five days upon it, and shall in the following article, to the best of my ability, relate to your readers the intelligence I received from him in regard thereto. In a country such as that in which the major portion of your readers live, and where the majority of them are probably employed in work connected with agriculture, I anticipate that the attached information will prove interesting. The station is reached by boat from Raglan. Looking from there the homestead can be seen in its sylvan retirement. A short pull to the northern side of the harbour brings you to the landing place, which is of the most romantic description. the fantastically shaped limestone rocks which stand around bringing to your remembrance some of the pictures of the druidical remains, to be seen at Stonehenge; although in this instance they but testify to the superior character of the land which we are likely before long to cross over, being composed of the finest limestone. This prediction will be found to have been fully verified as I proceed. Ascending a flight of stone steps, we reach the dwelling-house, which appears to be built to correspond with the surrounding scenery. The grounds around it are laid out with great taste, and much labour must have been bestowed upon them to bring them to their present state of perfection. The clerk, Mr R. C. Mathias, I was told, attended to this business in his spare time, and the fruit of his exertions reflects much credit upon his judgment and experience. Here the vivid colourings of a tropical scene blend in harmony with the sober tints of a more temperate landscape. A more delightful place for residence I have scarcely ever seen. Elevated enough to see a deal of the surrounding country, and overlooking as it does the beautiful bay of Whaingaroa, it is a site of the most desirable and enchanting description. Before proceeding to give an account of what I saw while riding through the run, it will be well to describe what I took notice of around the homestead. Between the dwelling house and the harbour my attention was first attracted to a nice-looking cottage, which appeared to be of the most comfortable sort, and on enquiry I found that it was used by the men employed at this end of the run. A vegetable garden is attached to it, and from the appearance of the plants in it, it is evidently fine soil. A short distance behind the dwelling-house stands the wool-shed, which is deserving of particular notice. It is reached by going through a grove of magnificent peach trees, on whose branches were quickly coming to maturity a prolific crop of luscious fruit. The wool-shed, which is built on an improved principle, is capable of holding five hundred sheep, and affords accommodation for twelve shearers, besides allowing room for the assorting and baling of the wool when shorn. A splendid Speedy wool press, procured from Wilkin and Co., of Christchurch, at once attracts attention. The manager informed me it was a most convenient one, and did its work in an excellent manner. The shed is roofed with iron, and is altogether well and substantially built. Near the beach is a store where the bales of wool are placed when ready for shipment, waiting their time for transportation to Onehunga. Eighty bales of wool can be stored in this building. Convenient to the woolshed is also a house where the sheep are dipped shortly after being shorn, to kill ticks and other vermin. Like many other persons who have the charge of large flocks of sheep, Mr Brettargh is of opinion that it also improves the next fleece of wool to do so. I noticed a house which has been erected for the purpose of preserving meat during the summer. It is built upon an excellent plan, and a large quantity of meat might be safely kept in it. The stable is a large, substantial erection, and adjacent to it is a yard for cattle, where there were at the time of my visit fifty cows and calves, some of them holding excellent pedigrees. It is, however, my intention to deal with the splendid live stock I saw on this station in a separate article. Suffice it to say at present that they would reflect credit upon any breeder, and much careful selection must have been used before such animals could have been produced. They all appeared to be well fed, and were very tame. All round the homestead the country is crowned with natural sown grasses, which appear to yield a deal of pasture. Having been provided with a good horse, we started for Mangate, a distance of fourteen miles. I shall now take occasion to state that this run is held principally on lease by Messrs Russell and Studholme from the natives. The term of lease is a long one, and at the end of it the property will be one of the most valuable in the province of Auckland. It contains about 100,000 acres, a portion of which is freehold. It extends from the bay of Whaingaroa to Port Waikato, a distance of nearly forty-five miles, and averages a breadth of eleven miles. A fence commencing at a point seven miles from Raglan bar, and terminating near Mr Shilitoe's store at Port Waikato, divides it from the adjacent country. The fence is a good one, being erected of puriri. It is subdivided into several large paddocks, of which more anon. Soon after starting we pass a paddock of fine grass, which is being kept for hay, and which is almost ready for the scythe. At the lower end of this field the sand has encroached considerably, and has in several places done injury. Passing through a receiving paddock of 2000 acres, where there was abundance of food, we reach the beach. The grass in this paddock had been allowed rest, so that the sheep which were now being mustered, preparatory to being shorn, may be kept in it. After a brisk ride of two miles along the seashore we go inland, and having ridden for some miles over a large extent of fine sheep country, reach the Tautare Block which derives its name from a river running through it. A swamp about 700 acres in size has been drained here, and the pasture growing upon it would make glad the heart of any grazier. The soil must be excellent to throw up such a quantity. About four miles of drains have been cut here by Messrs Grimes and Newton, and with a little further expenditure of labour and capital, a fine piece of country will be made serviceable for agriculture or grazing purposes. Some well-bred merino sheep were seen here, and the lambs, which had been got by longwool rams procured from Morrinsville, looked the picture of health. Continuing up the Tautare Valley we reach the Mangate Block, on which there is another dwelling-house and several accommodation paddocks. We are now in a limestone country of the finest character, which forms part of a strip of land of about 20,000 acres, which extends from the Raglan harbour to Port Waikato. I have travelled over the greater part of this colony, and I can state honestly that finer land I never saw than some on the Mangate Block. It is not very level, that I will admit, but this is more than compensated for by its richness. It has as yet never seen a plough, and all the grass now upon it has been surface-sown. As pastureland, I am certain it cannot be equalled in this province. There is one field here of 1000 acres which is a perfect treat to look at. Upon this block at the present time there are 1100 cattle and, as might be anticipated, the grown bullocks are worth looking at. In a field we spent an hour looking at the bulls, which are kept there until they are required. They had been selected from the herds of Mr Bell, of Waimea, Southland, W.G. Bluett, of Leeston, Canterbury, Messrs. Morrin, of Morrinsville, and other breeders of good repute. Some of those which had been bred on the station were amongst them, and bore favourable comparison with the best of their companions. The collection was worth riding a long way to see, and I felt amply repaid for the day's journey. I will have more to say in reference to them further on. The new road which is being now opened by the Government from Churchill to here will soon be completed, and if the land along it is in any way equal to that of Mangate, the public may expect to see it quickly selected. Close to here is the native settlement of Karaka, where there is a resident Episcopalian minister. Being refreshed by a good night's rest, we started for Ohoka, a further distance of sixteen miles. (To be continued.)

A recent return shows that the rates of mortality at different ages in the British army are lower than among civilians until the soldier attains thirtyfive years, after which the military death rate rises rapidly. Under twenty the average death of troops on home service is half that of civilians. During the debate on the so-called "reptile fund," or impounded money of the royal Hanoverian House, in the last session of the Prussian Parliament, Dr Windthorst expressed the conviction that the Duke of Cumberland might soon be induced to listen to reason in a matter affecting his own dearest interests, and come to terms with the court of Berlin.