The North Eastern Ensign at KellyGang 13/10/1874
SELECTION AND ITS EFFECTS
(FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT)
Last year I accompanied a few friends on a selecting expedition through your district and a tour through the country from Benalla to the Murray, which I, enjoyed very much. We all thought the country well adapted for agricultural purposes, so much so that most of the party selected at once, while others preferred to wait until they had seen other fields and pastures new. After travelling the colony around--viz, Brandy Creek, Mount Hope, the Wimmera, and other districts-they eventually returned, and made up their minds to take up the blocks -which' they had noted the lest year, but alas, to find themselves disappointed. Lo ! they were gone; and gone was the answer they got at the Land Office.
I could scarcely believe their pitiful tale recently told me, so provided. myself with a steed and made for the road. I started from Benalla towards the Major, struck off due north across a plain, passed the old drafting yards, and soon came to three new buildings; one on the, left, Mr GW Laughlin's land, nearly all fenced in, with a good house and about 40 acres under crop looking splendid. A little further on I saw another, farmhouse and crop, Mr Hoskin's;. travelling on, passed Sam's hut, with more improvements in the shape of new drafting yards. for the station: Passed two more farms with good crops; Messrs Crouchers and Husband; went on to Mr J Murter's crop, which looked really beautiful; there are several new selections here, and all hands are at work fencing and building their houses. I then crossed the creek to the Peechelba out-station and found fences going up there like magic and thinking it time for a spell I camped.
On the next day, riding around, I could scarcely believe this was the Rowan Swamp of last year; in fact I found it was not, the inhabitants having agreed to give it a new name-Lake Rowan. I then travelled the parishes of Karrabumet, PeluebIe, St. James's, and Yarrawonga; and coming across some old acquaintances made myself at home. I found nearly the whole district pegged out and applied for selection, and instead of a desert populated only by a solitary shepherd, there were more farm houses, fenced in fields, growing crops, and a. general store, &s.
[Parish of Karrabumet?]One selector, Mr G Clyne, has a good house, fine crops, a large dairy, and has started cheese making on a large scale; Mrs Clyne, being a cheese maker of good repute, will be a valuable addition to the district. Mr Noah Savage next has some 80 acres-of good looking wheat crop; adjoining is Mr Thos. Thornburn, whose crops are also looking well; next comes Mr John Chester, who has started dairying with a good selection of well-bred stock. Mr M'Guire, with about 320 acres, has 40'acres of the strongest looking crop in the district;. Mr M Bowler has 320 acres securely fenced and well grassed; Mr M'Cormack also has a well grassed selection; Mr Christian and son have about 500 acres, and employ a number of men fencing. Mr Swannell, 320 acres, 250 of which are securely fenced; and adjoining the township reserve Messrs West and Willis have fenced and got their. land under crop; Mr M'Cartney has a large house, and is going on rapidly with fencing, and Mr M'Feeters the same; Messrs, Church and son have about 1200 acres with several paddocks under crop looking remarkably well..
I went from there through the Parish of Pelluebla and came across huts and fences springing up in all directions, looking very much like a building and fencing race. Returned to Lake Rowan at night. Next day I rode over to St. James, and observed the. same activity displayed there by the selectors, who have taken up some large blocks of land.
I returned at midday to the Lake in time for the meeting of the Karrabumet Progressive Committee at Mr Swannell's store, where they seemed to be looking well after the interests of the district. The secretary read correspondence from various sources: the Education Department, relative to the establishment' of a State school, Postal Department, calling for tenders for carrying mails (which has since been accepted) ; Lands Department, promising to survey and sell the township at once, and to grant a site for cemetery purposes, &c. Resolutions were passed to suggest the widening of the road from the Major road to the Murray by Lake Rowan township. I learned here also that a petition is in course of signing for the appointment of a stock inspector at Yarrawonga, which would be of great benefit to our neighbours on the New South Wales side as well as our selectors trading in stock book and forwards direct across the Murray.
Having satisfied myself, I returned to Benalla by way of the Broken Creek, where I found the same energy displayed by selectors in the matter of-improving their homesteads.
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