THE NORTH WAIROA DISTRICT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 23

THE NORTH WAIROA DISTRICT.

ITS POSSIBILITIES, CLI-. MATE, : MEANS OF ACCESS, LAND VALUES & QUALITY,

CARRYING CAPACITY.

(BT G. E. ALDERTON.)

The first point considered by a land selector is the accessibility of the place; the mcaus of getting your stock and produce to market, nearness of school, etc. The Wairoa holds quite nn unique position in this respect, because the largest navigable river in the Australasian Dominions runs through the centre of it; not a little puny stream full of shallows and sand-banks to impede the navigation jf vessels, but a broad, deep river—as wide as the Missouri for 100 miles—up which vessels of 4000 tons go for 50 miles, vessols of IMflO tons go up for TO miles, and smaller ones run daily to a point 00 miles above Dargaville. Hero is tho finest "roadway" that the Dominion possesses—even better than a railway, in that it is free to everybody at all :imes, collects no toll or freight, lias no let time-table, and the settler on its wnks, with his own boat or oil launch, Is free at all times to move about justwhen he pleases and at the minimum cost." Needless to say, passenger and cargo steamers run up and down this river daily to all points,, and at much te's cost for passenger or cargo than a -aihvay. l'or instance, fat bullocks can be seiit from the head of tho river at Omana, and put into the saleyards at WesHield for 7s. 6d. a head, and sheep for about lid. They are carried down tho river, in a cattle pontoon, transhipped to the railway at Holensvillo, and taken straight to Westfield. On the river itself ferry steamers ply to all points daily,' and the cream (it is all home separation up here) is picked up by the steamers and taken to the various butter factories, situated at Mangawhare (Dargaville) and Helensville, This famous' river has another very great advantage over even a railway; it is this, that being navigable for large vessels oversea freights can be brought right up to one's door at a minimum cost. Ihis is actually done. The farmer can bring in > ; cargo of, sav, basic slag, manure, fencing wire, benziiio, or other heavy article direct from either Auckland, iiyttolton, Oamaru, Melbourne, or Sydney. These cargoes aro brought in by tho returning timber vessels which go out full of timber, and any return freights offered are carried at a minimum rate, hence splendid facilities are offered for getting bulky goods in cheap, right to your vory door. This the ordinary backblocks man cannot do. There are three regular tradii>" auxiliary schooners running between the Kaipara (as tho harbour is called) and Lyttelton and Oamaru. These vessels carry cargo between the Southern ports and land it on any wharf on tho Wairoa (in not less than 10-ton lots) for 10s. a ton. In this way, heavy good?, such as fencing wire, corrugated iron, manures, potatoes, oats, etc., can be brought in cheaoer this way than they could bo overland from Auckland. Vessels returning from' Melbourne, Sydney, and Newsastle, also bring in back freights. Bricks can be brought over from Molbourno' cheaper than from Auckland. Newcastle coal comes over and is sold on the river in lots on the wharf at 15s. n ton. The Craig Line and Maoriland steamers running round from Auckland to the Kaipara to load, carry goods at a cheap rate. These are facilities of great value, and they point unmistakably to what a great future must lie before a district so wonderfully favoured by nature.