NORTH AUCKLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1917, Page 4

NORTH AUCKLAND.

The Parliamentary Tour.

Kaitaia, Jan 22 touring party reached Kaitaia j aß j even i U g after a moat enjoyable rnn f roia Mongocui. It was raining heavily in the morning, but the road wag j Q very fa ; p or d er anc } the oars ma de good time. A run through the p] ea o a nfc and fertile Ouru valley took t^e part y to Peria, where the settlers Rreofed the v | 9 itors with the inevitablfl ]avisb hospitality. Peria long w in be remembered for the excellence of the lunoheon provided and for the maßQ ; ficent girls of the district. Tall, handsome young ladies waited on the g nea t a an d seated so great an impresB i on that' the member for Taranaki, banking the settlers for their hosdeclared that if any members q{ fh(j party were nnmarr ied they WQuld surfi i y B ell their farms in the BOut h an d return to Peria in search of w j YQSi q q tbe journey from Peria to Kaitaia deviation was made to allow the tonrists to watch the felling of a g reat kauri tree in the fine kauri | an d the afternoon tea halt was ma( j e at p a i r bnrn’B, a small settlement oa the way to Kaitaia. The country opene d the eyes of southern farmers, Jt is on the edge of a great swamp, which now is being reolaimed and

the soil is deep and extraordinarily rioh. To-day was spent in a trip to Ahipara beach, but unfortunately heavy thunderstorms marred the enjoyment of the onting, for the road which was already badly cut up, was soon deep in mud, and the motorists had very trying experiences on the bills. Subsequently some of the party visited the wireless station and the river port at Awanui, a few miles further north.

To-night Kaitaia held a fete in the park, which was electrically lit for the occasion.

There is a possibility of some delay in continuing the journey because motorists who attempted to get through to Herekino, on the road to Kohukohu, failed to get through and had to retaro. As an illustration of the manner in wh’ch southerners are helping to develop the north, it may be mentioned that the chairman of to-night’s gatheribg was Mr Biward Saunders, formerly of Ashburton, who is now farming a few miles out of Kaitaia and who is vice-president of the local Chamber of Commerce.

At the meeting Colonel Bell out’ lined the purposes of the tour, and spoke of the million and a half acres of fiist class country north of Auckland, most of it still awaiting developing. After urging the need for a good arterial road and railway, he went on to describe the movement initiated in North Auckland, with iho object of promoting settlement of the waste binds of the Empire by British subjects, end ea ; d that the organuation here, was in communication with similar organisations in Australia, Sauth Africa and elsewhere with a view to united action immediately after the close of the w^r. Sir Frederick Lang, when returning the thanks of the visitors for the Kaitaia welcome, mentioned that even under existing conditions of roads, a motor car hod made the journey from Auckland to Kaitaia in 24 hours. This trip was made by Mr Geo. the best known of Auckland motorists. Sixty miles of the journey from Whangarei were made with chains on, and in pouriDg rain.