A SOUTHERNER'S OPINION OF WAIKATO.
A Southern" farmer who recently paid a flying visit to this district, writes as follows in the Otago Witness :—I regret that I was unable to devote more than a flying visit to the Waikato district, of which we in the South hear such glowing accounts. It is scarcely just to give an opinion of .1 large district from merely passing through it, but I must say that I was in no wise favourably impressed, for I can truthfully say that I saw more bad and utterly useless land in a day's journey in what is known as the Waikato district than it would be possible to see in the same distance in the South Island. When one sees nothing but fern and ti-tree scrub for mile after mile, without sufficient native grass to keep a goat per per square mile, it is impossible to spoak in glowing torm:i of such country. Now and again occur patches of a better description, but apparently limited iuarea. Everywhere tho grass, notwithstanding the moist summer, appeared short aud poor, having a thin, worn-out appearance and abounding 111 Cape weod. Here and there a field of grain and a patch of inaize delighted the eye after milos of country that may afford food and cover for a few pheasants, but can be of no other earthly use to man that I could imagine. In the neighbourhood of the pleasantly-situated littlo town of Hamilton the land appeared much better than any I had previously seen on tho way from Auckland, and some good paddocks of grass were pleasant to behold. In that patt of the district, too I observed a few good applo orchards in full bearing, and I must not omit to mention that I there saw pumpkin vines climbing a tree and well-grown pumpkins depending therefiom. It was in the Waikato Valley, ton, that I saw tho first and only bee farm north of the Straits ; therefore it cannot bo said that I was only on tho alert to spy out the barrenness of the land, aud would not see its fruitful places. But what shall I say of the famous and notorious Piako Swamp, which appeared to me to bo fit only for the abodo of the bittern and the shag? I believe I passed through tho worst of the estate. At anyrate I was bo informed by the inspector of the Assets Company's estates, whoin I found to be a shrewd, practical man, keen and discerning in business matter, but withal a pleasant aud genial companion. He evidently does not consider the swamp a hopeless case, aud is sanguine of its future; but not to put too fine a point upon it, as Mrs Snagsby would Bay, I would prefer to have the £50,000 or £00,000 sterling that have been spent in improvements (?) than the whole estate as it now stands.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2947, 4 June 1891, Page 2
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485A SOUTHERNER'S OPINION OF WAIKATO. Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2947, 4 June 1891, Page 2
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