OPOTIKI TO GISBORNE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 125, 19 February 1921, Page 8

OPOTIKI TO GISBORNE

THE PARLIAMENTARY TOUR

AN INTERESTING DAY’S RUN

(By Telegranh—Special Correspondent.) Gisborne, February 18. The touring l Parliamentary party reached Gisborne this evening, liter a most

interesting and enjoyable day’s travel from Opotiki. At an tarly hour tho cars, which had coino across from Gisborne, were moving up the winding road , from, the plain with the visitors on board. It camo as a surprise to some that within a few miles the Waiawa Stream had to be forded three times. Ono bridge is now being commenced, and money is on the Estimates for the other. But. tho morning was too fine and tho scenery too splendid to allow thoughts ot these wants to obtrude. Everyone was happy. Steadily the cars climbed upwards along a road cut out of the side of steep faces. In surface it was perfect, but the sharp curves around abrupt bluffs, with gorges choked with forest falling hundreds of feet below, made it rather thrilling. Every half-mile the magnificence of tho scenery increased. Finally the crest was wop, and there were seen, stretching south and north for miles and miles, precipitous ridges covered with bush'. "Big iountry," someon.e called it, but tho term falls short. It is connI try on edge, and the features are too immense to be called razor backs. It appears that this Crown bush country along the route, which experts admit is too steep and too ready to slip to make its settlement satisfactory, is not yet reserved as a scenic park. A number of the visitors declared that the area should be gazetted and set aside as a scenic Resort without delay. "This ought to bo one of the greatest tourist roads in the country,” said one southerner, and another expressed the opinion that it was as good as the Otira Gorge. 'lhe road itself, apart from its dizzy ascents and aw’erves and twists, is a model road 1 . It was made and is kept up by the Public Works Department, and being cut out of soft rock it. is easily maintained. Among the hills was found Toa Toa, a fertile valley, where a small dairy factory turns out 50 tons of cheese a year. At the. factory the party was mot by Mr. J. H. Held, and ten was provided.- In the vicinity is an area of 30,000 acres, 8000 acres of which have been settled, and the balance is open for settlement. Questioned as to tho suitability of this land for soldiers, local men said that unless the soldiers had more capital than the present Government advances they would have a very difficult struggle. If soldiers -were put on this land the Government ought to finance them through. To succeed it was essential that 300 acres should be put ib gross tho first season; Further? it was vital that the settlers should have the resources to stock at tho right time and to the right extent, to keep the fern hack. On the descent the road ran into felled country, all steep, the quality of the, land improving with the miles. About, midday the party reached the long-settled Motu, where luncheon was provided at the hotel. Mr. P. Richardson. the earliest settler, welcomed the visitors, and mentioned that for ten' years he had had to pack his stores and his produce 30 miles. At Motu, which is 4-2 miles from Opotiki and 52 miles from Gisborne, the road became reminiscent of the Rotorua Boad, and it was still worse when ft- reached the railhead at Motuhora. three miles further on It was explained that the Government declined to undertake much expenditure o*n the road, seeing that the railway ran alongside,it, and that the settlers refused to raise special loans tor a road io benefit tourists. In this locality a number of sawmills were at work, and one was seen in the course of construction. It is to mill some fine bush on flat land through which the road passes. After turning off tho main road to inspect the hydro-electric works which are, being constructed at Waikohu, the travellers continued down the valley, lb pastures were fairly dry owing to the lack of rain lately, but they had a goosolid appearance. Most of this land i._ held in large areas, which aPP'* 1 ’ to thoroughly well managed, so. that the land has no chance of going back to its original state. The road was &o bo forded, and the bed in these places is composed of large shmg e boulders Tho section is thins the gap in the main East Coast road. The ford. Sclme raging torrents dunng _h-vy rains, and the rain S Gisborne, stretch'of .the journey was made, through 1W ram, of the Gisborne fiats couK. but what could be seen was ' cattle and sheep trrazinn- upon the class of land which devoted to dairying elsewhere was. a sure indication that Gisborne m£ V^ a,n ? nrosperitv. Gisborne was reached at 6.30, in evening a civic welcome was tendered. To-morrow the party leaves for Ruatorea, 88 miles up the coast. CIVIC RECEPTION PBESENT’aTTON to SIB JAMES CABBOLL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. (Fs'oorne, February. 18. The visitors were tendered a civic reception this evening when addresses were delivered by the Mayor. Messrs. I'Tsnar, ■ Williams, and Matthews (chairman of the €->k Council). Sir James Carroll, and Mr Corson (president of the Chamber of Commerce). Replies were made by Messrs Luke, Hawken. Mitchell, and. Atmore M.F.’s. who stated that they were ereatlv impressed with the possibilities of the district. They had never seen better country in their life, hut there was need for more population, and access to the undeveloped areas, thus increasing the Dominion’s productiveness. During the proceedings the opportunity was taken to present an address and n cheque to Sir James Carroll as the district’s tribute to his Parliamentary work for the past 32 years. The Mayor, after paving a 'tribute to Sir James Carroll anil Lady Carroll, presented the address, and cheque. Mr. Lysnar. M.P.. paidl.4 r tribute to the guests, and said that Sir James Carroll had only one public fault —he was too loyal to his party and its former ideals. Mr. G. IVitty said he spoke as the oldest member of Parliament present. He hart sat in the House with Sir James Carroll, for seventeen years, and their guests had earned the respect of every member of Parliament irrespective of their views on politics Both Europeans and Maoris were proud to have such a. man tn represent them. Mr. Veitch (Wanganui) referred to the advice and assistance of Sir James Carroll in Parliament, especially to the younger members in tho House. Addresses were also delivered by several prominent local citizens. Sir James Carroll, in reply, faid that a. great responsibility lay in the hands of the present members to carry on the work of their predecessors. He did not seriously contemplate re-entering political life, and thought that after 32 years it wouuT He unwise to go back again. Perhaps Jf were better that the younger men should fill responsible positions in the country. He was satisfied with Tils career and had,! little to regret.