C—l 2
18
acres. The only winter country lies between Rog Range and the Ashburton River, say, about 5,600 acres, and from Dog Hill southward to the Ashburton River, say, about 4,000 acres. The carrying-capacity of Hakatere Run is approximately 10,000 sheep. It is purely a summer run, worked as a '' dry " run in conjunction with the College endowment before referred to, the latter being the breeding-run for the combined leaseholds, it would be very unwise to subdivide this run. The average death-rate during the past five years hs 14 per cent. We recommend that it be reoffered as one run, at the upset annual rental of £525. Hakatere No. 2 : Run No. 114. This run lies between the Potts River and the Rangitata River, at the confluence of the former with the latter, and adjoins Hakatere Run, above described, on the west. Its elevation ranges from 1,800 ft. to 7,000 ft. The area of the run is 26,500 acres, of which 15,600 acres consist of snow-grass and tussock downs, and patches of tussock-grass growing along the margin of the Rangitata and Potts Rivers, the remaining 10,900 acres being bare rock and shingle range. The estimated carrying-capacity of this run is 0,000 sheep. There is a little safe country along the Potts River suitable for breeding-ewes. The average death-rate for the past five years is 14 per cent. ; during severe winters it lias reached as high as 25 per cent. Obviously this run is not suitable for subdivision. We recommend that it be reoffered as one pastoral run, at the upset annual rental of £230. Dunbar's: Run No. 116. Twenty-eight miles from Mount Somers Railway-station. Situated between the south branch of the Ashburton River and Lake Heron. Area, 25,000 acres. There are good winter faces on the Cameron River. The carrying-capacity of this run is about 7,000 sheep. It will carry breed-ing-ewes. The average percentage of lambs, taking the latest five-year period, is 66 per cent, to 70 per cent.; the death-rate 15 per cent. This run is small enough already. It is worked in conjunction with Clent Hills Run of 52,600 acres. We recommend that it be reoffered as one pastoral run. at the upset rental of £250 per annum. Lake Heron: Run No. 117. • Thirty-two miles from Mount Somers Railway-station. This run embraces a long, narrow block of country, extending northward from Lake Heron to the Rakaia River. Its area is 37,500 acres, consisting of 23,700 acres grass, and 13,800 acres of steep, rocky, barren country, extending back to the glacier region. The winter country on this run lies along the faces of the Rakaia River, say, 5,000 acres; ,and also Sugailoaf Hill and vicinity, on the eastern shore of Lake Heron, capable of wintering 1,000 sheep in an emergency. There is good pasturage of snow-grass and tussock on the slopes of the Cameron River. A good swamp of about 1,500 acres, extending along either bank of Lake Stream, affords good cattle-feed. This swamp carries ninety head, and it could be improved by surface sowing. The carrying-capacity of Lake Heron Run is about 11,000 sheep, including breeding-ewes. The percentage of lambs is about 56 per cent., and the normal death-rate 10 per cent. There have been lost, however, in a severe winter more than 2,000 sheep. This is not a safe run. It has been subjected to heavy losses from causes inseparable from sheep-farming in the country of the high altitude and configuration of Lake Heron country. This run cannot be subdivided profitably, owing to the unequal distribution of the winter country. We recommend that it be reoffered as one pastoral run, at the upset rental of £500. Double Hill: Run No. 118. Double Hill No. 2: Run No. 11!). Forty-nine miles from Coafgate Railway-station, via Wilberforce and Rakaia Rivers. The total area of these two runs is 113,500 acres, inclusive of 29,500 acres of barren and useless country, the latter reaching an elevation averaging 6,400 ft. The Double JTill runs are worked as one station property. It is not too much to say that Double Hill country contains the best and soundest sheep country we visited during our tour of inspection. It comprises downs, and also steep and undulating, consistently well-grassed front country, of northerly aspect, stretching along the Rakaia River for a distance of twenty-live miles. The back or summer country is no doubt somewhat broken, rough, and in places dangerous; but the excellence of the winter country, and its equable distribution throughout the runs more than compensates for that disdavantage. The carrying-capacity of the two runs is estimated at 35,000 sheep. The runs carry 12,000 ewes. The average percentage of lambs for the period of five years is 62 per cent., and the normal deathrate 10 per cent. There is no doubt about the suitability of these runs for subdivision. We recommend that they be subdivided into four runs, to be known as Double Hill, Double Hill No. 2, Double Hill No. 3, and Double Hill No. 4; of carrying-capacities respectively of 10,000 sheep, 9,400 sheep, 8,700 sheep, and 7,000 sheep; the upset annual rentals to be fixed at respectively £690, £666, £480, and £420.
111. SELWYN. Acheron: Run No. 178. Distance from Coalgate Railway-station, thirty miles. Situated between Lake Coleridge and the Wilberforce River. This is good, sound, safe country, well grassed, winter and summer country being well proportioned. The area is 12.200 acres; the carrying-capacity is about 4,500 sheep, including breeding-ewes. It is inadvisable to subdivide this run. It is small enough. We recommend that it be reoffered as a pastoral run, at the upset annual rental of £250.
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.