ITEMS FROM AN OLD FRIEND.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 7 June 1917, Page 2

ITEMS FROM AN OLD FRIEND.

In a letter to the ECHO, Mi- J. A. Lamond, Great Barrier, late Methodist Minister, Kaukapakapa, says :—

"I hope your paper, 'The Echo,' is still in wide circulation, and of course you will be kept very busy. We are all well here, and I am glad to say are getting on very well.

Whangaparapara is a quiet place, but restful and beautiful. The harbour is sheltered,'and gives much'l pleasure to all who care to do a little boating or fishing, etc. The wharf has been built out to deep water, and large timber boats have regularly come in to load timber.

The Perth is expected in shortly to load timber, but there will not be any timber to ship away from here soon. The sawmill has been closed down unfortunately for some time, and no one seems to know when the Kauri Timber Company will be pleased to open it again. Some day Whangaparapara will be a busy little place again we all hope. The Kauri Timber Co. own some thousands of acres of land here, and although a sawmill has been kept busy for some five or six years, yet no timber has been taken out of the bush here ; and there is a good deal of fine timber. I have seen some excellent kauri trees in the immediate bush here, and so far the only mill here has not drawn upon these fine trees yet. But for the period since the war broke out in Europe the mill has been closed down. I suppose, like all of us, you find more and more the telling effects of the war But let us hope to hear aoon of a lasting peace for the sake of all concerned."