Martinborough offered for sale - 1879

Colonist, 13 November 1879

ATTENTION TO SPECULATORS AND OTHERS — We wish to draw attention to an important land Sale to take place at Wellington in a few days. The land is situate in the Wairarapa, and we learn that the Township and estate to be sold, and known as Martinborough, is distant from Wellington by rail 45 miles to Featherston, thence by a good metalled road eight miles.

The whole of the estate (40,000 acres) has been occupied for upward of 35 years, sown with English grasses, and a considerable portion of it ploughed.

The advantages that Martinborough possesses over other land in the Colony are clearly observable by anyone visiting the property, and for small farmers no land in either Island is better adapted for immediately locating a large and industrious population. The farmer may plough, sow, and in one season reap the fruit of his industry.

The Lower Valley of the Wairarapa, of which Martinborough forms a considerable part, has been little known to the general public. The difficulties that the early settlers had to encounter have been overcome, aud the small farmers can now bring their eggs, butter, bacon, and other farm produce into Wellington in the morning, and return to their farms at Martinborough in the evening.

A sawmill is within one mile of the centre of the estate, and there is every prospect of a branch line of railway being constructed at a very early period provision having been made for a railway terminus in the centre of the town of Martinborough - which is delightfully situated on the plain, and is tastefully laid out, a short distance from the bridge erected over the Ruamangha [sic], the main road from Featherston to Greytown passing through the centre of the township, in which the necessary reserves for religious and educational purposes are made.

The small farms and pastoral lands are, with the township, shown on one general plan, and there are four detailed plans. The liberal terms upon which the estate will be sold on Monday and Tuesday, 24th and 25th November, 1879, are fully set forth in-the conditions of sale. Is is needless to add that such an opportunity has never before presented itself for parties locating themselves in a valuable and fertile district, within a few hours of the Empire City.