XII.—Our Plain.

What dweller in the South Sea Colonies, and even much farther a field, has not heard of the Taieri Plain? Agriculturists, in particular, and those interested in the industry, may have noted the extraordinary yield of cereals obtained, the weight and page 289quality of its oxen and sheep, and the superior excellence of its cheese and butter.

That long, wide stretch of land, forty years ago reckoned an irreclaimable swamp, fit only to be gazed on and moaned over, is now one of the grandest sights, as an agricultural and pastoral district, anywhere to be witnessed. 'Tis a transformation indeed, not yet altogether completed, however, as owners, either impecunious or absentee, have left specimens of what was the original swamp in a modified degree, for improvements have been effected by the labour and expenditure of neighbours, of which the drones gain the benefit. The labour, skill, and cash expended, have been enormous, but the return has, in most instancs, justified the outlay.

A good view of the Plain can be easily had from the top of any of the surrounding hills, Saddle Hill or (Maori) Pikawara, by way of preference, from which a bird's-eye-view can be had from north to south and east to west. To those who want more than a superficial view, it will be necessary to descend into the Plain itself and traverse its different road and rail lines. Already, in going up to the Taieri wilds, we have skirted the North Taieri District and seen the splendid farms of Messrs. Andrew, Shaw, Gow, Gibson, Oughton, Thompson, Grawn, and many others; and then on another journey to the river, along the east district, the celebrated farm of the Grange might have been observed, whose-owner's name, Nimmo, stands prominent in more than one department, as well as those of Cullen, Allan, Dowrie, Callander, Stevenson Brown, and many more in close succession; whilst on the other hand lie farms showing the results of the labours of Smith, Cooper, Todd, Kirkland, Law, McKay, Sutherland, Blackie, Prain, and Charters, some of whom are still to the fore, and in their quiet contemplative moments laugh at the difficulties which their youthful successors have to surmount in comparison with those of over a quarter of a century ago, which they themselves encountered and overcame.

There is undoubtedly a great contrast between the comfortable, yea elegant houses of these and other farmers basking in the sun, surrounded with arbours, gardens, and orchards, and the old time sod or clay whare or weather-board "but and ben," which constituted the whole family apartments; between the page 290comfortable and pleasant now, with the less comfortable, but not less happy then.

To get a fair and satisfactory view of the Plain, our route must be to the west side. The east is steep, broken, and thin in depth of soil; the north is, to a large extent, shingly; the west and centre are decidedly the cream of the country. So having left Dunedin with the first train, or perhaps better, the Outram train, at 9.20, we pass through the classic Mosgiel, now devoted to industries of various descriptions, most prominent of which are the woollen factories, well worthy a passing call, and where machinery is in operation for carding, spinning, weaving, and carrying out all other processes requisite to produce fabrics of different descriptions and in every variety of pattern and colour, unsurpassed by any other manufacturing locality in the world. These woollen and worsted goods are all produced from wools grown in the colony. No raw material from foreign parts is needed, everything is from our soil, by way of the sheep's back to the loom, and shoddy is not to be found.

Resuming our journey across the Plain, we pass through the farms of the Pindlays, Eeid, Boyd, Thomson. And here it may be asked why the name Duke's Eoad Station was bestowed? It arose from the circumstance that His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, who honoured the district with a visit in 1869, drove along this road four-in-hand and officially declared it open. To commemorate the event, the name of Duke's Eoad was bestowed. In connection with this little historical episode, another event connected with the district may be related. On the Silver stream course the first great New Zealand Champion Race was run, under the management of the Otago Jockey Club, for a prize of one thousand sovereigns, with sweepstakes, which was gained by the Victorian "Ladybird," the time being 5 min. 52 1/2 sec., distance 3 miles.

We now enter the grand farm land of the Plain, owned or occupied by such familiar names as MacFarlane, Anderson, Carmichael, Buchanan, until the train stops at the celebrated estate of Abbotsford, carried on by its first owner with wonderful energy and enterprise, but with such a lack of prudence and discretion as to bring him to disaster. A large proportion of this page 291estate was recently sold by auction at prices ranging up to £31 per acre.

Reaching the small township of Outram, where the railway terminates, before partaking of a slight repast a little time can be delightfully spent in a stroll to the West Taieri Bridge, where the river emerges from the gorge, little in bulk at present, but at times of great magnitude, overflowing its banks, covering the lower portions of the Plain, causing immense devastation and destruction. Councils and Boards have been created to do their best to keep the old river within bounds, and they have exerted their utmost skill in this direction, but a flood comes and the puny efforts are swept away by the raging element. It is to be hoped better results will be obtained in the future.

Maungatua shows his immensity, towering away above, 2,944 feet, and stretching miles away before us. For the purpose of getting a better view, instead of driving along its base by Woodside, we keep the road line further out on the Plain, and pass through lands of extraordinary fertility. We have the Grants of Gowrie, Granton, and Cray, Patrick, and Heenans, Hastie, Ford, Thompson, Gordon, McDiarmid, and all the rest of the numerous clansmen.

Laying aside all prejudice or preformed opinion, it may be safely asserted that in no part of the globe which we inhabit could the eye be regaled with the sight of finer crops of all descriptions than can here be seen. It could not indeed be otherwise. The soil is rich alluvium, of considerable depth, with excellent drainage. This season has been very favourable, and the general management of the various farms shows that the owners know their business and attend to it.

We are now at the border town, Berwick, and it has been well named, as at this point the level lands terminate, and to proceed further would take us into a hill country indeed. Not that the journey would be devoid of interest, contrariwise it is brim full thereof, but it is beyond our scope. We are also entering on a Lake District, as immediately in front lie Waihola and Waipori, with their swampy margins and fantastic outlines; and it should not be omitted that in this land of Scotchmen, where everything Scotch has been renewed, the only sheet of water bearing the name of "Loch" is here situated. Loch Ascog lies page 292quietly ensconced in a little hollow, and contrasted with its neighbours hardly deserves the name. The Waipori Biver has its source away back among the mountains in the Traquhair Hundred, and like its greater mate—the Taieri—causes the settlers considerable anxiety at times. The road from Berwick across the Plain is somewhat tortuous, caused by the creeks and pools which are encountered. Water fowl of different species are abundant, and in the close season are comparatively tame. On the road the changeful scenes opened up at every few paces will delight the eye and fancy of all observers. Hardly anything could be suggested as lacking. Nature's handiwork and human artifice are wonderously displayed, and on reaching Henley, on the east side, where the train for town is taken, the feeling is-experienced that the time has passed too speedily.