FROM AUCKLAND TO GISBORNE. COASTWISE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 326, 18 July 1889, Page 3

FROM AUCKLAND TO GISBORNE. COASTWISE.

X [BY •• NARRATOR ”] Te Kaba presents the aspect of i prosperous village, inhabited by an industrious well to do community. There are a variety of dwelling houses, from the modest raupo domicile of the Natives, to the more pretentious ) wooden buildings constituting the schoolhouse, hotel, private residences, &c. The vicinity of the settlement exhibits large cultivated enclosures, fields of grain, and paddocks presenting a very satisfactory “ tout ensemble ” from the sea. And I may remark, that along the whole coast line from Opotiki to Cape 'Runaway, it has not been found necessary to station a single policeman, which fact speaks well for the orderly, lawabiding character of the local “ Wha-nau-a-Tanui ” Natives, and contrasts favorably with their somewhat unruly neighbors of the “ Ngatiporou ” tribe. We heave-to off To Kaba again, and a well-appointed whaleboat comes aboard ; is loaded with goods, and reaches the shore safely through " the now tumbling, confused sea, and distant white line of surf. She returns again, is again loaded, and despatched—the staysail flies over to leeward, and we square away for Oreti, a long low promontory, running far out to sea, parallel with, and almost under the shadow of, Cape Bunaway, which after nightfall dangerously obscures it to vessels running from the L Westward. Oreti point affords excelshelter from winds varying from round by South, to East, while contiguous Cape (six miles distant) a secure haven during and Southerly weather. Under all sail, gaff, topsail, and topmast staysail included, wo race along through the rolling tumbling seas, now L with a mighty surge over the top of ■ a huge watery ridge, now settling down as it were momentarily into the succeeding hollow, with a wide expanse of foam, seething out tumultuously from either side of our sharp bows. At a word, the main sheet is hauled aft, the obedient schooner shoots up into the wind, down come tho head sails, crash, rattle, goes the overboard, and we are lying under Oreti Point in perfectly smooth water (though the wind whistles sharply overhead) about 200 yards distant from the scene of the wreck of the unlucky s.s. Thomas Bussell, and about the same distance, in another direction, from the recent strauding place of the more fortunate Australia. Tea over, the Narrator (and reader if he pleases) accompanies Captain Skinner on shore, and is introduced by him to Mr Seceomb, the energetic owner and founder of the legally famous Oreti Dairy Farm, and being most hospitably received, — watches from the spacious verandah of the comfortable homestead, the good ship Gisborne once more unfurl her white wings in the starlight, and gradually fade away into the deep shadow environing the dusky shores ■ Bunaway, on her further Southward. Oreti Point, the ical features of which have cribed, comprises within its es about 1000 acres of grassed, , and cultivable land ; and has seined from a rough wilderness or manuka, fern and toitoi. to its present state of agricultural and pastoral fitness, by the unremitting personal exertions of, and judicious use of capital by, Mr Thomas Seocomb, also before mentioned. Biding around theestate with Mr Seccomb, he pointed to the Narrator, near the landing ■ place, the site of a very modest little raupo domicile, which he occupied on his arrival some 10 years ago, whjch Jias now given place to a spacious Comfortable dwelling house, and quite a hamlet of out buildings, offices, &c, on the superincumbent undulating flat. Among these is the “ cheesehouse,” containing many hundreds of cheeses in various stages of maturity, and, the complete apparatus, (adjoining) for their production. There is also an ingenious cheese press devised and constructed by Mr Seccomb, at a cost of some £5 or £6, which performs its work quite as satisfactorily as its neighbor, a rather elaborate apparatus of iron and brass-work imported from the Old Country at a cost of £lOO. An ample supply of pure water is provided for the factory, dwelling house, Ac., by an ingenious arrangement of two hydraulic rams, whereby the fluid tine qua non is pumped up from a copious purling spring about a mile distant from the and contiguous to the adjacent. There are apparently several permanent springs in the locality, and another has been utilised ► — by conducting its water into a aub■tantial concrete tank, or trough, of large size, so fitted that there is always 8 ope vacant side for the thirsty cattle to dripfc from, should a “ master epw ” (as is sometimes the case) pippppoljse t|ie other. There are about 300 cattle altogether on the farm, 200 cows, and 108 milch cows, whereof 150 are milked night and morning. The dairy and cheese » making are conducted by Mr spd Mrs putcher and family, worthy Cheshire people, to wh'om - dairy farming is evidently second nature, and I am free , to admit, judging from their healthful robust appearance, and that of their rosy-cheeked good-looking offspring, it seems to agree with them very well indeed, Tn addition to the staple eommodities of butter and cheese, considerable quantities of beef, bacon, and other farm produce have been, and are ; ixpoited, and formerly Mr Seccoml went- rather largely into maise, but found it not sufficiently remunera five. As maybe imagined he has had many difficulties to contend with, in eluding tjie übiquitous and dhronii Maori nuisance before, and, since, tht s‘prawera eruption, when the whoh farm was covered with volcanic debris and he was obliged to ship away eattli in large numbers at a great sacrifice Beceutly also by the destruction, bj ppontaupous combustion, of some 10( to J5O tons of prime hay, oonstitutinf the bulk of winter feed, specially re served for the cattle. As there an K- usually about 100 acres of hay cu annually on the estate, this conflagra tian proved a serious loss which tfii Jie'ssible (from drought) failure of POSTurso oh raoit 4>