A PROSPEROUS SETTLEMENT. HIKURANGI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 373, 1 June 1889, Page 5

A PROSPEROUS SETTLEMENT. HIKURANGI.

Ni-stlixg under a beautiful volcanic mountain, this little village occupies a position which must eventually become one of importance. Situated on the main noi th road, tea miles from Whangarei town, with good metal formation, it has become a good resting place for en afternoon's drive of the townspeople of Whangarei and Kamo; and a very 1 expectable hotel, with a hospitable landlord, which puts one in mind of a comfortable roadside house in the old country, and where one can feel quite at home in about three minutes ; give wholsome refreshment to man and beast, whether from the township aforesaid, or en route for the >! orthern settlements. Besides this hostelry there is a sawmill, a busy general stove, a bootmaker's shop, blacksmith's forge and butchery, all flourishing, a handsome residence or so and a number of cosy cottages. Around are some of the best farms in the district, noticeably Messrs Carter's, McLeods, Chisholms, Fotsyth's, Buchanans and many others. The soil, which in some cases is volcanic and others a rich clayey loam, is tit for anything ; the volcanic land being particularly good, far superior to the volcanic land about Auckland. Six miles to the north is the famous Vuhipuhi kauri forest, of which the Government have been so careful, and destined to give employment to hundreds of bushmeii and mill hands as soon as a means of haulage is obtained, which is now very probable through the endeavours made by the IN orthern members to get the Whangarei-Kamo Railway extended to the Waiariki River, where the greater part of the timber will come out. The Government ha\e sent into the forest an expeit who is now engaged in estimating the whole of its contents No doubt it will be found necessary to at once utilise the timber on this valuable public estate, The forest is now open for gumdigging, and a large number of men are engaged in that empljymcnt within its limits. The gum is of good quality, and a large trade is done with this village of Hilau-angi, it being at a handy distance from the diggers' camp. When the railway proposed ia liniohed it will pass through the village, which will then be no longer a village, as all the tiadic from Di over's valley and the Otonga settlements, now thriving farming districts, must junction here with the main line. Another product which is found in all directions alone would be the making of a town ; I allude to the superior coal awaiting only capital, and a means of carriage to the port to develop and become famous. At the present time a seam of seven feet thick is being opened ud by Mr Smith (a practical miner) on Mr Carter's land. The coal is drayed into Whangarei and Kamo, where it rinds a ready sale at 18s per ton. It is adapted for smithy work as well as being a good steam and house coal. Two largo blocks of 2cwt each have been sent away to Wellington, and can be found in the lobbies of the Houso of Parliament. Close by to where the coal is being worked, is a beautiful clump of limestone rocks, glinting from out of the forest here and there, they look like tho ruins of some ancient city. The sawmill I found not working. it was lately purchased by the new Kauri Company, but with all the kauri around it cannot long be left in idleness, even if it is only worked to supply local wants. The happy situation of this well-watered, healthy and wellfavoured spot, with the abundance of natural wealth all around, the piospectof employment for hundreds, leaves not a doubt on the mind of any practical man that not only is its permanent stability established, but that it is de&tined to become a centre of industry, if not the most important inland town North of Auckland,—*