Pioneer Park, Raincliff

 South Canterbury, New Zealand

Pioneer Park gifted by local landowners to be enjoyed by the people of South Canterbury and the nation of New Zealand, located down Middle Valley Road, south east of Fairlie, marks the site of Burke's homestead.  From Timaru take Highway 8 to Pleasant Point, turn right at the Hotel corner through Totara Valley head towards Raincliff, and cross the Raincliff Bridge across the Opihi River, and you will view St David's Church on land given by Arthur Hope of Raincliff Station. Continue on a few kilometers pass the poplar-lined driveway of Raincliff Station to the gates to Pioneer Park. Raincliff Youth Camp. photos

The entrance gates, on Middle Valley Road, were given by the Burnett family as a memorial to Thomas David Burnett M.P. (1877-1941) of Mount Cook Station "A son of pioneer parents and a true lover of the great open spaces."  My parents were at the opening ceremony for the gates so they were installed after 1947. Through the gates follow the tree lined track and creek 2 km and ascend past the silver birches,  the oaks, and the willows.  Further up are tall spruce and pines, and then stands of manuka lead to the picnic tables and the sturdy shelter built in 1941 of timber from the original stable at Raincliff Station.  A little way up a limestone block shelter protects the remains of Burke's first hut on Raincliff, the chimney.  The limestone blocks were transported by Major Johnson from an abandoned blacksmith's forge at Totara Valley. The building was completed in 1974 by the New Zealand Forest Service in conjunction with the Historic Places Trust using money left by Major Johnson.  

The land was given in perpetuity. It is enjoyed today by a few day-trippers and travellers, campers, picnickers, nature lovers and those who like the sound of magpies or tranquility when walking in the cool shade of tall trees.  Beyond the shelter, and above a camping area with picnic tables administered by the Department of Conservation, are wooden seats mounted on stone.  A boulder between the seats notes 'gift made in 1940 of 331 acres of native bush by Percy Hawkins Johnson of Raincliff'.  A stile leads to a track into the bush. Please do not let Pioneer Park and Raincliff Forest be disposed to a timber giant for commercial gain or be spoiled.  Lets preserve the pristine beauty we have been fortunate to have been gifted. It is the wish of those written about here to see this area is preserved let it be preserved.

Henry Hoare, a former owner of Raincliff Station, from 1903 to 1920, was a great tree admirer, carried out the extensive planting for which the Raincliff homestead is well known.  He was responsible for commencing the preservation of the native bush in Pioneer Park and for the grand conifers in Raincliff Forest.  Pioneer Park was gazetted as a bush reserve - 25 hectares - as early as 1905.

Major Johnson, former owner of Raincliff Station from 1927 to 1955, gave 97ha of his freehold land in 1940 and in 1941, gave £600 to buy 36ha of adjoining land to be added to the domain with the idea of preserving the bush on the land and as a tribute to the courage of early settlers and "to foster a love of the country and the care and preservation of our native birds and trees."  This area was named the Pioneer Park Domain, and the existing reserve was added to the domain by gazette in 1940.  Johnson was an authority on trees, later served on the Domain Board, and gave more money for plantings.  His last public message was: "For God's sake, save the trees everywhere. You will never regret it."  

Save the bush, Percy Johnson said, it is the soul of the land. 

Previous Owners of Raincliff Station 

1853 - 1858

Raincliff Station 22 miles from north east of Timaru is bounded by rivers, limestone cliffs and native bush. Raincliff's western boundary, the Opihi River, separates the run from Albury (Run 416). The northern boundary is Ashwick.  The eastern boundary is Four Peaks and the southern boundary is Kakahu.  

Michael John Burke, b. 1812, the first occupier of Raincliff Station, arrived in Canterbury in December 1850 on the Sir George Seymour.  He had received his education from Winchester College and Dublin University where he graduated as a barrister of law in 1839.  He took up "Halswell Station" in partnership with W. Guise Brittan.  In 1853 Burke took up the 34,500 acre Run 29, between the Opuha and the Opihi Rivers, later named "Raincliff."  The license was paid on 4 Oct. 1854 and was stocked with two cattle and 2,000 sheep by 29 November 1854.  Burke built his first home of daub and wattle slabs with a toi toi thatched roof and a wattle and daub chimney with an earthen floor ten feet by ten feet.  Burke had farm cadets work on his stations to gain experience for six months at a cost to them of £25 each. There was a lean-to behind the daub building where the cadets slept.  Known cadets were Richard and Parker Westerna and Acland and Tripp. The cadet system: a system of labour in return for keep and experience often with the view to taking up a run of their own.  Ernest Gray, (later Hon.) was at Raincliff in 1855 and a man named Grace and his wife and daughter and Giles a shepherd. In March 1857 Burke applied for additional 15,000 acres - runs 157 and Run 157A - Sherwood Downs (rated later as 20,000 acres)

Painting by William Packe. 1868.
 Original at the Canterbury Museum

James McKenzie went on his sheepstealing episode up through the Mackenzie Pass in 1855 and a few months later Burke became the first man to take a bullock wagon through the pass that bears his name - Burkes Pass.  A monument to this Irish pioneer was erected in 1917 by T.D. Burnett  stands at the top of the long cutting at Burkes Pass is registered as a category 2 - Historic place of historical or cultural heritage significance or value. Once you reach the top of the "long cutting" you enter into the harsh environment of the Mackenzie high country. 

To Put on Record that
Michael John Burke
A graduate of the Dublin University
And the First Occupier of
Raincliff Stn
Entered this Pass known to the 
Maoris as Te Kopi Opihi
In 1855

Oh ye who enter the portals of the 
Mackenzie to found homes, take 
The word of a child of the misty
Gorges and plant forest trees
For your lives.  So shall your 
Mountain facings and river flats
Be preserved to your children's 
Children and for evermore. 
1917

This Pass is 2200 feet
Above Sea Level

1858 - 1868

Burke sold his runs which he had named 'South Downs', 50,000 acres and 2000 sheep for  £5,500 in January 1858 to William Kirk PURNELL and his brother, Thomas Aurelius Purnell, who named it 'Raincliff Station' after their father's farm near Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. William and Aurelius arrived on the "John Taylor" in 1853.  Burke moved to Australia and died there in 1869.  The Purnells understanding was that it included Ashwick Flat, however a court case in 1860 was lost and Ashwick was separated from Raincliff.  Thomas Augustus "Gus" Purnell, another brother, lost his life c.1867.  on Sherwood Downs or Richmond Station due to exhaustion from snowraking. He was 26 and married.  In 1864 the Purnells held three runs so sold Run 157 too William Sherwood Raine and in 1867 advertised the run for sale, 34,000 acres and 14,000 sheep. In 1857 Edward Glaves Stericker (1830-1914) took up the Pass Station near Burkes Pass in partnership with George Hall.  Stericker also arrived in Lyttelton on the ship "John Taylor" in 1853 was later the Purnell's manager at Raincliff and continued as manager for the Packe brothers.  Stericker collected weather records as a hobby and supplied the Timaru Herald with the monthly statistics.

North Otago Times, 3 March 1868, Page 4
It is reported that the station of "Raincliff, belonging to Messrs Purnell has been sold for £22,000, but who the purchaser is I have not been able learn.

1868 - 1881

In 1868 Raincliff was next purchased by Acland and the Packe brothers, Lt. Colonel George Packe, formerly of H.M. Fusiliers, who was an estate agent and artist and brother William Packe.  The Purnells returned to Yorkshire. The Packe's had arrived in Canterbury in 1867.  At this time it carried 5,500 sheep up from 2000.  In 1879 the Packe Brothers, recorded carrying 1,6516  sheep and in 1880 - 1,5431 sheep at Raincliff.  George PACKE of Riccarton with freehold sections 6351 and 4815, 280 acres, Raincliffe (sic) station, above junction Opihi and Opuha, Waitangi was registered in the Gladstone Electoral District 1876-77.  William Packe (c.1840-1882) paintings were shown in a fine art exhibition in Christchurch in 1870 and in London in 1958.  He is known for his excellent sketches of Canterbury homesteads including the Samuel's Butler's homestead on Mesopotamia c, 1868, inside and out which is at the ATL, Wellington.

This painting by done by William Packe 1868c. is the second Raincliff homestead and was of unusual design for the period. The birds on the lawn are pukekos or swamp hens. Original is at the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. Packe also painted the Raincliff homestead and station buildings at the same time. See Oliver Gillespie's South Canterbury A Record of Settlement; 1958 page 104.

1881 - 1901

In 1881 Raincliff was sold to Henry HOARE, a London banker.  Hoare was a great tree lover and carried out the extensive planting around the homestead  and he was responsible for the preservation of the native bush in Pioneer Park and for the Raincliff Forest.  By ploughing Hoare increased the sheep carrying capacity of Raincliff to 30,000 sheep. Bad winters, summer droughts, winds and occasional floods took their toll.  From 1891 his brothers Alfred and Charles took over ownership during the hard depression years until 1901 and sold to the New Zealand Trust and Loan Company (so the Hoare family were bankrupt) and then the station was cut up into small holdings and sold.  Canterbury Museum ARC 1993.16 letters written by Frederick H Hoare 1892-1895 in South Canterbury.

1903 - 1908

Arthur HOPE b. in Liverpool in 1853, s/o Thomas Arthur Hope of Liverpool and Staton, Bebington, Cheshire came to New Zealand in the ship Waipa in 1873.  He worked as a cadet on Longbeach Station near Ashburton and then for Andrew Grant on Rangitata Island.  The brothers Andrew and William Grant and Andrew Hope purchased Richmond Station in the Mackenzie in 1880.  In 1882 Hope married Frances Emily Tripp, daughter of Charles George Tripp, of Orari Gorge Station.  The family went to England from 1897 to 1903 and when they returned Andrew Hope purchased Raincliff Station. Hope had sold Richmond in 1899.  Children were: Norman b. 1883, Peter, Roma and Owen. Arthur had the present homestead built from plans drawn up in Liverpool.  Hope retired to Timaru. [The Grant brothers had reached Lyttelton in early 1865 and had two dogs with them on board, C.G. Tripp of Orari Gorge Station, was on the wharf and seeing this invited offered them shepherding jobs. Andrew became manager of Orari Gorge.]

Otago Witness, 3 June 1908, Page 40
Clearing Sale.— The sale at Mr A. Hope's, at Raincliff, on May 15, was the talk of the whole countryside for a long time before it came off. Being 25 miles away, I had to get up early in the morning, and when we arrived we found a start had been made. There was a very large gathering of farmers, and others from long distances, the fine day doubtless causing the attendance of many who were anxious to see Raincliff, which is considered one of the show places of South Canterbury; and I think it can claim to, be so, particularly in autumn. There is a large collection of English trees, and Mr Hope has built a new white stone house. The place recalls to memory Mrs Hemans's lines —
"The stately homes of England,
How beautiful they stand
Among the tall ancestral trees
Over all the pleasant land."
I think Raincliff can fairly claim to be one of the places so described, as it would be difficult to equal the beauty of the grounds and the surroundings. Their was a good sale. For sheep the highest price was £1. and 10s was the lowest. Horses realised £45 to £55 each. The other lots went at good prices. I noticed that Mr Hope has paid great attention to the men's quarters. There were two bathrooms for the men, with hot and cold water laid on. A telephone was provided to wake up the men in the morning. The quarters were excellent.

1908 - 1920

Raincliff was sold to W.H. Orbell who transferred the property to George Murray who after six weeks sold the property to Simon McKenzie.

1920 - 1926

Simon Grant McKENZIE owned Raincliff from 1920 to 1926. He purchased Clayton Station 30th July 1925 for his three sons and then sold Raincliff.  Simon was born in Australia and came across to Canterbury in the 1880s and started buying up land and stock at a time when the very depressed prices of the time were on the rise. He was related to William Grant who worked with him.  They had previously owned stations in the Mackenzie and Simon had interests in four stations in Queensland, Australia.  In 1881 the brothers William and Andrew Grant was in partnership with Arthur Hope in Richmond station in the Mackenzie. [William Grant retired to Timaru, purchasing Elloughton Grange from T.W. Hall, continued as a successful sheep dealer. Andrew d. 9 Sept. 1889.]

1927 - 1955

Major Percy Hawkins Johnson (1868 - 1955) was originally from Billerica, England owned Raincliff from 1927 -1955.  He ran Angus Aberdeen cattle on Raincliff.  He was very knowledgeable in exotic and native trees and an advocate in forestry to halt erosion.  Died in Christchurch in 1955.  He climbed the Mount Cook region with Marmaduke Dixon and G.E. Mannering. A large lichen covered boulder from the Mount Cook region with three plaques outside the Pioneer Park gate records his adventures. 

1955 - 2002

The W.J. Quantock family purchased Raincliff. Peter and Shirley Quantock and family ran the property, diversified by offering farmstays and sold the property in 2002. 

2002 - to present

The Swedish born Hans Rausing, a billionaire, lives in England, made his fortune from the sale of milk cartons now owns Raincliff.  The Ingleby Company Ltd, owned by The Ingleby Trust of the U.K., had approval to acquire Raincliff Station for $NZ9,450,586 from the Quantock family, April 2002, for three times its valuation. The Ingleby Trust of the U.K. is a holding company of the Rausing family. The tax avoidance obsessions of the richest man in Britain, Hans Rausing, were the subject of an investigative article in the Guardian. “Playing the System”, by Nick Davies, 11 April 2002. Ingleby proposes, “to operate the property as an intensive cattle finishing and a deer breeding and finishing farm”, and will “upgrade and improve the property to run increased stock numbers, enhance productivity and product quality.”   Under recent changes to tighten rules on foreign ownership of farmland, overseas buyers are only be able to buy property first offered to New Zealanders on the open market and prove the purchase was in the national interest.

The Dominion Post | Thursday, 2 August 2007 - Ingleby already owns Raincliff and an adjoining property in South Canterbury, Pakira, Waikura, Puketoro, Waitahaia, and Ruatahunga in the Gisborne district, and Puketiti and a farm near Piopio in the King Country. The Rausing family has won approval from the Overseas Investment Office to buy the 595-hectare (about 1500-acre) Katoa Station at Te Araroa, in the Gisborne district.
 

The 1,330 hectare Raincliff Station, 12 R.D. Pleasant Point, in rural South Canterbury, 19 km from Pleasant Point and Fairlie, 35 km from Geraldine, has a ten bedroom two-storey homestead at the end of a 2km driveway flanked by poplar trees looks unchanged on the outside since the 1950s is surrounded a manicured lawn was built in 1905 from limestone quarried from the property.  It is on private property and is not open to the public.  The station 14km from Pleasant Point has five houses and the homestead.  Maori rock art can be found on private property on the limestone bluffs in the Raincliff area.  

South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project

Evening Post, 31 May 1899, Page 2
The Timaru Borough Council has relet its reserve of 2000 acres at Raincliff, 400 acres at 3s 6d, the rest at 3s. The Council was offered 5s an acre by the late tenants before the litigation over the lease. This litigation cost the Council £600.

Hawera & Normanby Star, 6 April 1905, Page 2
M. Gudex, the winner of the long jump (open) at the Timaru High School sports, underwent several changes of costume during the progress of the event. Starting (reports the Herald) in full ordinary dress including boots and even cap, he jumped 14ft 3in. Thinking he might do better with less weight, he removed his coat, and, thus lightened, his jump went to 15ft. The shedding of his vest added another six inches. By this time he was getting warmed up to the game, and armed himself with proper pumps. The effect was immediate — he covered 17ft. Then he disappeared, and when he was ready for action again he was in full athletic costume. Thus garbed, he established a school record by covering 18ft 6½in.

Wanganui Herald, 13 November 1907, Page 4
In Canterbury the Department was fortunate enough to purchase a very fine plantation some fifteen years old at Raincliff, containing 50,000 trees, principally larch. Oak, ash, sycamore, elm, chestnut, and lime, as well as the more prominent conifers, are also to be found growing there with amazing rapidity.

Evening Post, 17 December 1909, Page 3
CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A scientific expedition, consisting of Dr. L. Cockayne, Mr. Speight (assistant curator at Canterbury Museum), and Messrs. Gudex and Wigley (Canterbury College students), has returned to Christchurch from a visit to the head-waters of the Rakaia River. The members were away for ten days, and were very successful in their work, gaining a great deal of fresh knowledge of the region they visited. Mr. Speight traversed the Lyall glacier to its source in the snowfields 5000 ft above sea-level, and Dr. Cockayne botanised with considerable success, and found much to interest him. Instead of the usual beech forest of the Canterbury sub-Alpine region, there is one of totara, within which the native holly grows to enormous dimensions, stretching out widely -spreading branches horizontally for 40ft or more, pale brown in colour, and with long hanging papery strips of bark. In the forest, also, there is the mountain ribbonwood, gaya ribifolia, which in the proper season is covered with its dewy-like white blossoms. This particular species does not go beyond the regions of the western rainfall, being replaced in the dryer eastern locality by' the closely-related gaya ribifolia. Much of the totara forest has been destroyed by fire, but Nature is ' making a brave effort to repair the damage, and a new growth, corresponding with that of the higher regions, and made up of various kinds of shrubs, is rapidly being reinstated, while it "is almost certain that this in its turn will be transformed into such forests as were there originally. The rarest plant of the region is Godley's buttercup, which is confined to the central Southern Alps between Mount Cook and Browning's Pass. In appearance it resembles the well known mountain lily, but the flowers are yellow instead of white, while the leaf has no shield like the stalk in its centre. "Generally speaking," said Dr. Cockayne, in describing the results of the expedition, "bird life was not conspicuous. We saw one or two wekas in the open, and- a few tiny riflemen in the forest. On the river-bed of the lake stream, about as far from the sea as it was possible for them to get, was a nesting colony of the- common blackbacked gull. The only birds in any abundance were Paradise ducks. These we could both see and hear everywhere on the river-beds. Blue ducks were rare, only one or two pairs being noted. As far as the botanical results of the little expedition are concerned, I did not find any new species or any great rarities, but I will be able to prepare a list which will probably embody three quarters of the Alpine plants of the district, and I have mapped out with some degree of accuracy the plant formation hitherto quite unknown up to an altitude of some 5000 feet."

Evening Post, 22 February 1910, Page 7
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION RESULTS.
CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Results of the University degree examinations are being communicated to candidates, subject to confirmation by letter from the English agent. Of Canterbury College students, Clifford N. Stubbs gains an M.A. degree, with double first-lass honours in mathematics and chemistry. He has also been awarded the 1851 Exhibition science scholarship. D. B. M'Leod has secured the M.A. degree, with first-class honours in chemistry. A. H. R. Amess gets second class honours in mental science, M. C. Gudex second-class in French and German, M. A. Farrow second-class in botany, H. P. Kidson second-class and Irene Wilson third-class in languages and literature. Helen Levereedge passed the final for the B.A. degree, and was awarded a senior scholarship in French. E. A. Jackson passed the final of the 8.A., and was bracketed for a senior scholarship in heat. J. Mann, Ella Garland, Gladys Griffiths, F. V. Frazer, and Gladys Marriott passed the final of the B.A. C. C. Mayne passed the final of the LL.B. J. W. M'llraith, M.A., LLB.

Otago Witness, 10 October 1889, Page 14
JOTTINGS FROM THE COUNTRY
From Gapes Valley through to the Kakahu Valley the country is pretty much the same. Some time ago the Timaru people got up a little excitement about minerals in the Kakahu district, but the inspection of certain scientific gentlemen rapidly allayed the excitement. There is little chance of much mineral wealth where limestone is the country rock. A small seam of coal has been struck in one place, and that has been chiefly used for lime burning close to the pit. From the Kakahu district the country does not change, with the exception that limestone shows up more freely, till the Opihi is struck again. I crossed the same river over a long bridge at Temuka, and here another bridge crosses it again ; but following up the valley some little distance instead of crossing the river, the Raincliff homestead is seen, not far from the main road to Fairlie Creek. Raincliff estate consists of 20,000 acres of freehold, owned by Mr Henry Hoare, England, and is without; exception one of the finest estates in South Canterbury. The soil is limestone, and is of excellent quality throughout. About 14,000 acres are laid down in English grass, and this season 800 acres are in crop. I saw the best braid of wheat on the Raincliff estate that I have as yet seen this season. The estate is managed by Mr R. McKay, who certainly deserves credit for the first-class order which everywhere prevails. The homestead is very prettily situated amid a forest of foreign trees. Very extensive plantations have been made over the estate, something near to 800 acres having been planted in all. During the last two seasons a quarter of a million trees have been planted out. The trees, consisting of various kinds of pines and hardwood, such as oak, ash, beech, sycamore, &c, were all raised on the estate. The plantations are chiefly on broken spurs and waste corners, near the roads which pass through the estate. Most of these plantations are young, but in half a dozen years hence they will add ranch to the appearance of a place naturally beautiful. There is some native forest as well in the gullies, and this yields valuable timber, being chiefly totara, black pine, and white pine. There is abundant evidence of the whole country around Raincliff having been at one time covered with totara forest. The estate is bounded on one side by the Opihi river, and on the other by the Ophua, a tributary of  the Opihi. Not far from the homestead these rivers join. There is a very large plantation of tall pines just behind the house, and in front there are beautiful lawns enclosed by trees, and an extensive orchard which" yields large quantities of fruit in the season. This season another large orchard has been planted out on a rich piece of alluvial soil. A sunny face below a limestone cliff has been planted, with peach trees, fig trees, grapes, and olives, which, under the combined influence of the sun's direct rays and the heat; reflected from the white limestone rocks, should ripen well. , The estate runs about 40,000 sheep. A stud flock of merinos is kept on the estate. The parent flock was imported from the flock of Mr James Gibson, of Bellevue, Tasmania. The stud ewes have each a lamb at foot, and some have two. In the latter case one is taken from the mother, and hand-fed; The stud flock is a really splendid one, as the hoggets, will prove to anyone capable of judging. The breeding ewes are all choice animals. There is also a stud of brood mares, and the progeny of young bloods and strong hacks, yearlings and two-year-olds, show to advantage. On the whole the Raincliff estate is a splendid one, well managed, tidily laid off, and well farmed. The farming is chiefly done at the upper end of the property, which is handy to the railway station at Fairlie Creek.    

Adjoining the Raincliff property is that of Allandale, the estate of Messrs J. and S. Wilson, 9500 acres in extent. The Messrs Wilson carry on a system of mixed farming. They have about 1500 acres in crop this season, of which half is wheat and the other half oats. In addition about 1700 acres will be sown in turnips. The rest of the property is in English grass.  The estate is a particularly good one, consisting mostly of nice arable ridges, all on the limestone formation, and quite close to the railway station at Fairlie Creek. Wheat yields from 85 to 45 bushels, and winter-sown oats last season yielded up to 40 bushels to the acre. A good business is done in the frozen meat trade. From 11,000, to 17,000 sheep are run on the estate. Last season 20,000 bushels of wheat were sent away from the estate. The Messrs Wilson plough with their own teams, and have 11 teams at work ab the present time. They have a steam threshing mill, and do all their own threshing. The winter wheat is looking extremely well, and after the welcome rains will coon cover the ground. On account of the dry winter the sheep have done unusually well. Ab the time of my visit the ewes were in the thick of lambing, and there were scarcely any deaths. The sheep were fed very successfully through the winter on turnips, with straw chaff and bran in the proportion of one bag of bran to 10 bags of chaff. The bran induced the sheep to eat the chaff freely, and had a good effect in the way of keeping them in health. Ten tons of bran were used up in this way. All the chaff used was cut on the premises. Altogether Allandale is one of the best farms anywhere around, being very little inferior to the best farm ia South Canterbury. Leaving the Allandale estate, the road descends to the river flats of the upper Opihi. The soil is good, but the shingle comes too near the surface. On Mr Milne's farm of 2400 acres very large heaps of stones have been piled up, and these must have cost a good round sum to pick up. Every ploughing brings up a fresh lot of stones to the surface, so that if this land is farmed stone gathering can go on indefinitely. These river flats are better adapted to grazing, and sheep fatten remarkably well after grass has been surface sown.

The Ashwick Station, belonging to Messrs W. and J. Brown, Scotland, is the next estate entered upon. The estate consists of 6700 acres freehold and 32,900 leasehold. Mr D. M'lntyre, formerly of Cottesbrook, in Otago, is the manager. The freehold is mainly river flats and the foothills of the Ashwick range. A good part of the flat land is under cultivation, and produces very fair crops, but these flats are better for grass. Being near the mountains rain falls frequently, so that grass is in general abundant. The homestead stands at the base of a pretty wooded hill planted out with foreign trees. There is a nice plantation also around the house, with a neat lawn in front, beautiful with streams and ponds. The leasehold run is rather high  and rather poor. The snow lies low down on the Ashwick range for the greater part of the winter, though sheep fatten well in summer if the run is not too heavily stocked. About 23,000 sheep are run on the estate, principally merinos, which suit the high country best. The sheep are run for wool only, and last season there was a very good clip. In favourable seasons the high country grazes pretty well, but often it is too dry. The freehold of Ashwick lies between the rivers Opihi and Ophua. Across the latter there are some other large estates, which I did not visit. Ashwick is about 40 miles behind Timaru, quite close to the gateway of the Mackenzie Country at Burke's Pass. I fain would have entered this wild country, and gazed upon the marvellous beauty of Mount Cook, but it is too early in the season yet to do so with safety.

  On the return track, after pretty well heading the Opihi, which I crossed where it is no bigger than the Water of Leith several other magnificent estates are passed through. Of these I can only mention the Three Springs estate, just opposite Ashwick, and Albury station, lower down. The manager of the former I did not succeed in finding at home. The Albury station consists of 15,000 acres freehold and 13,000 leasehold. It is held by the Bank of New Zealand, and is managed by Mr E. Richardson. The bulk of the freehold is good low ridge land on limestone. It is pretty well all laid down .in grass. A big trade is done in sheep freezing off this estate every season. Albury runs ' about 35,000 sheep, chiefly crossbreds. The freehold land is some of the best in the district. The homestead is remarkably pretty, overlooking the Tengawai river, a tributary of the Opihi, and with the Albury range behind. About 200 acres of plantation have been laid out. This is a really splendid estate, and it is a great pity that it is not held in good farming areas instead of being held in one large block.

Timaru Herald, 23 July 1879, Page 3
Mount Peel Road Board
The Overseer was instructed to invite tenders for the following works :—
(1) Ploughing 50 acres at Reserve 1859, Sherwood Downs;
(2) Shingling the road near Peel Forest;
(3) Forming the road through Worthington's section, Raincliff.