A Trip to Kawhia District.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 197, 24 February 1905, Page 3

A Trip to Kawhia District.

[By A Nelsonian.] The beauties of Kawbia Harbou: and its surroundings reach far ant wide, even to “ Sleepy Hollow M (Nel Ban). I determined to see for mysel if these reports were true, so one fin< morning, being on pleasu e bent, 1 packed my portmanteau End steppec on board one of the Union BJ3. Co.’s boats, which landed me safely at Wei lington. Next morning I took train as far fis Waitara, where the Northern B.S. Co.’s boat Kia Ora, ready to star! for Kawhia. After a pleasant run ol hours up the coast we arrived at your fine port. Having an hour o> two to spare before visiting the south aide of the harbour, which I bad decided to do, I took a f-troll round your Utile town and was surprised to see s ich nice residences and business places, evidently recently erected, which is a genuine proof of your pros parity. After a little oyer an hour’s tun across your beautiful harbour in Messrs Green and Derecourt’s commodious oil launch I landed at Kinohaku. The hour being late, I determined to stop for the night, and was splendidly accommodated at Mrs Carr’s comfortable boarding house. Early next morning, fired with the determination to see that part of the King Country, I started for the back blocks. Having had some slight experience of rural lands I was greatly taken with the high quality of the soil, which, I think, increased the further I went back from the harbour; but what pleased me most was the rich alluvial eoil in the Marauopa Valley. This valley contains, to my mind, some of the richest grazing land I have had the pleasure of seeing for years, it being of a limestone formation. I have no hesitation in saying that in the near future this valley. will produce a large number of fat stock. But this is not all, for the settlers will have the advantage of a navigable river in the Marakopa, which will facilitate the export of their produce, etc, This valley also contains some of the grandest natural scenery one could possibly see, which in itself quite repaid me for my trip, une of the settlers most hospitably entertained me, and also kindly spared the time to show me the grand and beautiful Marakopa Falls, also those strange and magnificent caves at Piripiri. When I was informed by my host that the Government had failed to retain any scenic reserves in this locality, I expressed profound ourprise, for I am fully convinced that when there is better communication with this district it will be one of the most popular tourist resorts of New Zealand. It may be mentioned that excellent weather prevailed during my trip, which made my holiday particularly enjoyable. My only regret is that I was thoughtless enough to forget to bring a camera with me, as I would have liked to have secured a number of photos of the scenery I saw. I can assure you that this will not be my last visit to Kawhia, and next time I trust the camera will not bs left behind.