Kawhia from the Inside.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 378, 4 September 1908, Page 2

Kawhia from the Inside.

[By “Dsmus” in the Opunake Times.) When one is starting upon the journey from Waitara to Kawhia, one feels a peculiar sensation, owing to tbe sanctity and privacy that surrounded the place for many years. The coast from tbe ship’s deck bears a most inhospitable appearance, and you are naturally anxious to see tbe point Tirua, where tbe ill fated Kia Ora found her last resting place. While I was locking at the spot my mind ran to tbe geographic d ignorance displayed by one of the mambers of the House who, in explaining the cause of tbe wreck, stated the rock -was upon the point turning into Kawhia harbour. Ae a matter of fact it is thirty miles south of it.

Once inside of Te Maika Heads you are in smooth water and eteam about two miles up to tbe wharf. Tbe whole harbour, which ie a magnificent sheet of water at high tides, seemed to be teeming with fish, but once you step ashore your previous fanciful visions assume an uglier shape. Tbe whole place seems to reek with the curse of Maori landlordism. You can read it in the architecture. You find it in tbe stree‘B. Some say it has latlfit pos» sibilities—they’re very latent; in fact tho’re dead; tbe whole place is aptly termed waifue (unique). It has a store or two; one or two good MMommodation houses and a newspaper. Its public bodies seem specially unique. The County Council, which is also the Harbour Board, refused last week, owing to want of funds, to light tbe harbour lights, casting 4s 6d, while the chairman loaded into the revenue £lO yearly of shortage in the upkeep of tbe Marokopa teleplic ie. That body should paste in their bats tbe fact that tbe great Lincoln valued an immigrant at £BOO, yet Kawhia could become no harbor of refuge for distressed vessels carrying perhaps 800 souls because a 4s 61 light could: not be kept burning. The nublic would be surprised if they read the number of passengers carried annually upon that coast.

From these remarks one must not infer that there is not a prosperous future for a township upon tbe Kawbia Harbour—far from it; but m >re anonAt present the district h like a ship at sei with a heavy list, be propollora are out of tbe water ; it has no steer age way, The eimply cannot afford shipping a 4s 6<l light.