A NORTHERN EDEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2153, 31 March 1908, Page 4

A NORTHERN EDEN.

AN ENTHUSIAST’S DESCRIPTION.

TAURANGA AS A RIVAL TO GISBORNE.

Iu a recent issue of tlio N.Z. “Times” Mr Colin Norris writes as follows:—In perusing articles In yours and other Wellington papers, and while in conversation with people from Wellington on the above subject, I have come to tlio conclusion that you really know very little about us in the Bay _ of Plenty—it is rather a bitter pill for us to swallow, but none the less I am afraid wo will have to acknowledge it. The Bay of Plenty extends from Capo Runaway to Cape Colville ill the shape of half a circle. Tauranga is tho principal harbor, situated in tho extreme bight of tlio bay, tempered from tho summer’s heat by the cool breezes and from the winter’s cold by a warm water current flowing from tho north that washes the bay. (This current was blamed for the loss of the Wairarapa somo years ago.) Tho harbor is tho only deep water one between Auckland and Wellington, and is cauablo of accommodating any vessel that comes to tho Dominion. On one occasion tho Australasian squadron, with tho exception of the Goldfinch, were lying comfortably at anchor when the Goldfinch came in for orders, steamed round the others, received her orders and went directly out again. This would hardly be possible in the creek pictured by somo of our friends.

When tho flagship Royal. Arthur came on the Australasian station all arrangements were made by -Lord Ranfurly for her to come to Tauranga. and , remain there while the Admiral and stiff went in for some deer and pig hunting and bird shooting which iu his Excellency’s estimation could not be beaten in tho colonies. Prior to Lord Ranfurly making these arrangements he and Captain Post, of the Government steamer Tutanekai, went very carefully into the matter and had' to assure themselves that the word risk did not crop up, and decided that there would not be the least difficulty in bringing tho big flagship into the harbor. Plague, however, broke out in Sydney, and the scheme was frus>trated.

In the old days tho Lady Jocelyn and other of the Shaw Savill’s largo ships used to como into the harbor with immigrants, under their sails. These are, a few facts that may be verified to show that we have a really line harbor at only about 20 hours more steam from Wellington than Gisborne, the extra time'being more than compensated for by the safer harbor and quicker dispatch and small port dues. The length of tho harbor is about 25 miles, with an entrance at each end.

The'only port dues are ninepenco (9d) per ton on imports, exports free.

The Bay of Plenty is well known to be the maize district of New Zealand, a great deal of which is consumed in Wellington and southern towns after paying necessary freight to Auckland, cartage, storage and Auckland merchants’ profits. Our fruit lies on the ground and rots in tons, every bit of which would sell well in Wellington. Last week I was offered simply dray loads of pears, lemons and other fruits that were rotting on the ground if I would take them away. Grapes are grown in huge quantities, and being made into wine. If the Wellington market was open to us these would realise at least 3d per lb ripe, which is more profitable. Last winter and spring, when Wellington was starved for vegetables (cauliflowers, from Australia, I understand, selling for 35s per saqji), two men that I know of ploughed in great quantities of cauliflowers and cabbages, as they were unsaleable. These and other vegetables can be grown in the Bay of Plenty all the year round like* any other field crop with plough and scarifier. One of tho iocal gardeners was sending his asparagus to Wellington by post, and lie assures me that even then ,'t n-.:d him well. Recently while other districts were burnt out with the drought Tauranga kept,wonderfully green and suffered little, the heavy _ dews and moist sea breezes helping it. The wonderful crops of lucerue for which the district is so famous, stand; well to the dairy herds. There arc six dairy factories in the district shipping their butter to Auckland, from whence it is frequently shipped on again to Wellington. A huge tract of timber country has iust been purchased by a southern firm. This stretches from J anranga* nearly to the Rotorua railway line, and contains some of tile finest milling timber in the country. Mills are to be at once erected and the timber brought out into the Tauranga harbor by the Wairoa_ river, from whence it will be shipped south —there are also two other timber mills at work on the harbor which will contribute their little towards freighting south. There are at the present time engaged in the fishing (principally sellnapper) industry, on the Tauranga harbor, over fifty vessels, principally oil launches. These receive for the very largest schnapper 2s od per dozen and less as they get smaller. These, I understand, are sold smoked in Wellington,' after going through the Auckland dealers’ hands, at over Is each. This is an industry that could be profitably worked up m connection .with Wellington as the harbor and' coast teems with schnapper and other fish. „ . Twenty rears ago it paid the Union Company to run a steamer here regularly ‘for cargo alone when our production and imports were only a quarter wliat they are now. There is nothing that we produce that Wei--lin "ton cannot do with, and theio is nothing that we require that AN el■]in."toil can’t supply us with, and L think that those who are looking at the new Tauranga-Wellington connection with a pessimistic eye will very soon alter their ideas when the-new service is started.