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the colony's wants, unless we make railways into those districts which 

 are specially adapted to produce these articles. Another point is 

 that many of the products for which the Blackwood district is 

 suitable are of that description which will not stand long 

 carriage. Such things as potatoes and onions, when carted a 

 few miles, are so increased in cost that all profit is knocked 

 out of them. You have the best climate at the Blackwood 

 for producing potatoes and onions and other things that are heavy 

 in carriage, but if you ask a producer to cart these things 20 miles 

 you take away all the possibility of profit ; so that the only way to 

 induce the production of these heavy articles is to make a railway. 

 The same may be said of fruits in their green stage. Trie 

 Blackwood climate is specially adapted for English fruits such as 

 cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and those delicious and delicate 

 fruits which many parts of our colony will not produce. Another 

 argument w r hich, I think, is a good one, is that the hon. member for 

 Geraldton observed there are no poor people down there ; and I 

 think no better testimony as to the fertility of the soil could be given as 

 showing that people who have been isolated so long and have been 

 so far from any market, are yet able to make a comfortable liveli- 

 hood amid such unfavorable surroundings." The Government 

 triumphantly carried their point, and the line, which will cost 

 ^170,000, ;s now well advanced towards completion. There was 

 considerable division of opinion as to whether the route should be 

 by way of Preston or the Thompson's brook. The latter, which is 

 ii miles the shorter of the two, was adopted. The line passes 

 near a property belonging to the Hon. J. W. Hackett, M.L.C., which 

 that gentleman has devoted to the growing of fruits and vegetables on 

 a large scale and under the management of a skilful superintendent, 

 who has practically had carle bltinche as to the expenditure. The 

 outlay has been very great, for most of the estate consists of swamp 

 lands which grew exceptionally large and numerous trees, so that 

 the block was scarcely one that a man of straightened purse would 

 have attempted to reclaim. A few of the most intractable acres 

 have only been wrested from their virgin wilds of trees and under- 

 growth at a cost of scores of pounds per acre, but they have proved 

 to be surpassingly excellent when placed under crops of vegetables, 

 strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, cabbages, potatoes, cauli- 

 flowers, etc. The property is one that the faint-hearted have only 

 to see in order to lose all their doubts as to the gi eat natural re- 

 sources of the south-western district. 



The Preston agricultural area adjoins the Donnybrook rail- 

 way terminus, where a townsite has been laid out. It is bounded 

 on the north by the Preston river, which supplies a constant 

 running stream of fresh water. The area, winch includes large 

 tracts of good alluvial soil, was thrown open for selection 

 in August, i<S(;4 ; it contains 51,545 acres, the whole of which is 

 surveyed into 284 blocks. There are, according to recent returns, 



