THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 624, 15 April 1921, Page 5

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHOOTING SEASON. EXCELLENT GROUND OBTAINED FOR SPORT, LAKE MANGARAU AT CHURCHILL. (Special to the Times.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. It is the intention of the GovernorGeneral of the Dominion, Viscount Jellicoe, to spend the opening days of the shooting season at Churchill. Preliminary arrangements for the visit were made several weeks back, but it was not then known if Lord Jellicoe’s public engagements would enable him to be in Auckland at the beginning of May. Telegraphic information has just been received in Auckland from His Excellency, v/ho is in the South Island, to the effect that he expects to be back in Auckland in time for the opening of the season, -which is on the Ist prox. Arrangements for launches, punts, and a fleet of canoes are in hand, and a camping ground has been selected. It is understood several members of the party which will accompany the Governor-General will be on the spot a few days prior to the opening day.

The shooting ground selected for the sport is Lake Mangarau at Churchill. The lake, which is annually visited by numbers of prominent sportsmen from Auckland and other centres, is well known to be an excellent shooting area, splendid bags always being obtainable. This season the birds are in great profusion and variety, and some good sport should be obtained by the party. Local and other sportsmen who have had claims pegged out for several months past have been approached, and in all instances have signified their willing ness to waive their rights in favour of Lord Jellicoe and party.

Lake Mangarua which has an area of some 15 acres in extent, is in the heart of Messrs Gumming and Driver’s 300-acre swamp, located at the mouth of the Opuatia stream, at its junction with the Waikato river at Churchill. From ancient times, the lake has been visited by large numbers of Maoris, and was named by them Mangarau (meaning a hundred branch), owing to the great profusion of game in evidence. Food in the shape of shell fish was also obtained in plenty by the natives, the or fresh water pipi, in particular, being obtainable by them in great abundance. The shores surrounding the lake which, in the early times, were clad with forest growth comprising such trees as the kahikatea, , rimu, kauri, totara, etc., furnished a splendid hunting ground for the pigeon and other native birds. Great numbers of whares were until recently in evidence in a wide circle round the shores of the lake, but practically all were destroyed by a fire which recently swept the swamp to enable glassing operations to be undertaken. Besides being an ideal shooting spot, the lake is easy of access, and the party will thus not experience any of the difficulties so often met with in traversing rough and broken country and wading through marsh and bog, which invariably has to be done by shootists before some of the Waikato shooting areas can be, reached. The swamp being a flax and cabbage tree area, the ground is quite dry under foot, while the lake can also be reached by boat, a huge drain, 12fr in width and 40 chains in length, leading from the lake to the Opuatia stream, and through this stream various oil launches have for years past gained access to the lake for the purpose of towing the great quantities of flax which have annually been cut on the swamp. This main drain has lately been thoroughly cleaned out, while the mouth has been widened to 61ft, and several willow and kahikatea stumps have been removed by means of gelignite. At the head of the lake is a large lagoon, named by the natives Tingai (meaning the landing), and this can be reached by- another drain on the property, being navigable by canoes. Naturally the shores of the lake are fringed by a thick belt of raupo and flax growth, which forms a splendid cover for shootists, and fortunately little of this has been destroyed by the late burn.

Li addition to the sport afforded on water, other game is available on the property. The camp will be pitched on the undulating portion of Messrs Cumming and Driver's holding and in numerous secluded hollows are plots of thickly wooded native bush which, with the furnish ideal cover for native and imported game. At the present time pheasants are to be seen in goodly numbers, while both Australian and Californian quail are numerous.