A TRIP TO KARAMEA.
Ou numerous occasions a trip to the remote district of Karainea. the most norther!y point of the "West Const, has been described a3 one of the most enjoyable, and inspiring that can be imagined, and cue that cannot easily be forgotten. The road from Westport is mostly through forest, and nutll Seddonviile is reachfd level country is traversed. Afterwards, the car swiftly enters the dense bush road, and climbs through the beautiful scenery to a height of 1800 ft, for a couple of hours being enveloped in forests above, below, and around. Nikau palms grow in this locality in abundance. The beauty of the scenery is at present greatly enhanced by the clinging clematis in full bloom arouur] the trees. On :t fine day, the view cf the mountain scenery i s awe-inspiring. An adjournment for lunch is made about halfway on the journey, at Corby vale, and the trip is then continued amongst the homesteads through to Karamea. The residents are of the happiest and most hospitable nature, and one's business cr pleasure gains correspondingly. The past generation found Karamea better off so far as communication by sea is concerned, but the matter of securing a better harbour and a. more powerful and better-equipped steamer for the _trade j s being energeticn"y pursued by the residents. The outlet must necessarily be by means of the harbour, and they are looking in this direction for the desired effect. The Public. Works Department has the matter of harbour improvement under consideration. At present access to ths district for goods is carried out by the Karamea Dairy Company's s.s. Nile, 17J tons, trading between Westport, Karamea, and Little Wanganui. A company is now being formed for the purpose of securing a new and larger steamer capable of trading to Wellington-or Lyttclton. The bar is safe for vessels of good power drawing up to 7ft Gin. Little Wanganui harbour is not capable of much improvement except at heavy expense, but Karamea bar can be improved at comparatively small cost. Karamea lies 50 miles north of Westport, and over its scattered area contains a large amount of pastoral land. A fair proportion of this land is in use for dairying. Last year the Karamea factory's output was 190 tons of first-grade butter. There is approximately 4000 acres of flax swamp, and the flax is in prime condition for milling. The estimated quantity of timber, easily accessible and consisting chiefly of rimu, with white pine, matai, and totara in patches, is about one hundred million super feet. There is also a considerable area of yellow pine, now being used for railway sleepers. This timber is also very serviceable for electric light and telegraph poles. Coal outcrops exist about seven miles from Karamea township, and arc worked on a small scale. Abundant, outcrops of lime of a very high grade are also in evidence. Traces of gold can be found in all the creeks and rivers, and there are deposits of copper at Mount Badiant. Near the head waters of the Oparara river there occurs a phenomthe shape of gold in a granite reef." This is now being prospected. Karamea'a future advancement is assured, and settlement should be encouraged.
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Press, Volume LX, Issue 18217, 30 October 1924, Page 15
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537A TRIP TO KARAMEA. Press, Volume LX, Issue 18217, 30 October 1924, Page 15
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