INSPECTION OF WAIKATO RIVER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 360, 15 March 1918, Page 2

INSPECTION OF WAIKATO RIVER.

Minister of Marine's Visit. The invitations issued by the Vaikato Navigation League to representatives of the various districts interested in the improvement of the navigation of the Waikato River to accompany the Hon. T. M. Wilford, M.P., Minister for Marine, on a trip from Cambridge to the Heads yesterday (Thursday) and today were largely taken advantage of. Most of the party assembled at Hamilton on Wednesday and journeyed to Cambridge yesterday morning by motor-car. After a reception in the Cambridge Town Hal!, a start was made on the large launch Albatross and Hamilton was re.'.clied about eleven o'clock. The launch party then embarked upon the roomy steamer Free Trader and was n'so joined by a furth°r continge A of Hamilton people On leaving Hamilton the party consisted of the Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister for Marine, Messrs (i. Allport (Under-Secretary for Marine), G. F. Murray (District Engineer), J. B. Thompson (Chief Drainage Engineer;, J. A. Young, MP, R. F. Bollard M.P., T. W. Rhodes M.P., J. W. Ellis (Mayor of Hamilton), E. J. Wilkinson (Mayor of Cambridge), ,T. T. JVhnson (Chairman of the Waikato Shipping Company Ltd.), Henrv E R. L. Wilv (Aka Aka and Ctaua), E. T. Frost (Tuakau) and Captain A. Whitney (Auckland), tic, etc.

The wsfltber was absolute perfection for an expedition of *-ho sort, viz , n elear sunny day with not too ranch wind, whilst tho f.t'.nospliere lent itself to clear definition of distant objects. These ambitions lasted till the neighbourhood of Huntly was where the smoke from the bush-firei'in the King Country began to draw across the course of the river, but not so as to obstruct vision to any considerable extent. From Cambridge to Hamilton the Waikato runs between fairly high hanks and little can be seen of the adj icent country, but the wood and froid-fringed banks are delightful in themselves. Shortly out of Hamilton the banks become lower and fringed with willows and alders instead of native bush.

In its journey the expedition passed under eight completed and one unfinished bridge and it was noted as a coincidence that as each railway bridge was approached a train happened to cross, the passengers of which and the voyagers mutually cheering and waving to one another.

Dropping down past Taupiri, where the river long ago buist through the range and changed its outfall from the eastern to the western side of the island, the visitors noted with interest tho sacred burial place of the chiefs of the Waikatos and the site of the eirlit-st mission station on tho river.

Balow this point the navigation becomes more difficult and the Fr ;e Trader had to stear a most errn'.ic course, following the channels backwards and forwards across the river in search of water deep enough to iloat her. The river bed is dotted witli islands, some long established, others only commencing lifo in the form of accretions of sand round a stranded willow-trunk or sonn sm h flotsam.

The Fme-trader carries tho eiighos of tho oil Rdt.jrbiri which wa ■ use 1 as a gunboat on the rivor at tho time of thi M irvti War in 1563. Tley aro .still running as swee'ly ami smoothly as they did two generations ago—'in «do Mient K-timouv to tlio high quality of workmanship aid material piu ititj ihem in those bygone i] iys.

As* it trrew dark the chanml became more and more difficult o find and only an experienced pi! >t like Captain Uagg could h".vi safe' ?

negotiated the intricate etudes <m! passages among the island.), .sum ■ of which wero K:arce!y wider Tail! the steamer herself, b t AT ver w>.s st!'ely reached at 7.:Wl pin A itt o before eiglit o'clock this morning he party start* d i'.a liie Heads, purposing to return air ul ■"> p a , nl'-er a good look over t!u- lower reach'.-, d the river