A DAY AT THE KIRI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 276, 30 December 1909, Page 4

A DAY AT THE KIRI.

(By a Picnicker). To those iu search of a beauty spot tor picnicking, tile Kiri river oil'erts many attractions. It is within easy distance of town, and ivas reached by our party two hours after leaving New Plymouth. Granted that the road at the upper end is not inctalleil, ami m some places yet unlornieil, still in spit;; ot these drawbacks, which rendered travelling a little tedious, the treat tint awaited us was well worth the slight inconvenience of being bumped about" in vehicles not altogether constructed r or such treatment. Be it said, however, to the credit of the residents in this locality that on their own initiative they have formed' working bees and put in a lot of hard graft, and the road is in better order than 011 any previous occasion oil which I visited it.

After a camping ground had be.Mi selected, and the ''inner man" regaled wc set off 011 an exploring expedition up and down the river; but first let me attempt a description of the river itself with its murmuring waters, ri-j----pling and tumbling over high boulders and small cascades, until it joins the Oakura river, and empties iiself in the sea. Residents informed me that this was the purest water to he found In the Dominion, and when I asked for proof of such a .statement, 1 ivas informed that it was 011 the authority of an analysis made iu Wellington. Tiiis I do know, however, that it is as clear as crystal, and cold as the snow 011 Kginont. The charm of the river is greatly enhanced by the beautiful lm-ih that skirls its banks, lending picturesqueness and beautv to ii,- Lwiii" waters. What a wealth of beauty is revealed as one takes a look dmrn tb.> long stretches of riverbed, graced with native trees, ferns, creepers, mossr.i ami lichen; and fresh vistas of loveliness are unfolded at every bend. To the botanist, if he is patient and knows where to look, the rare orchid in variety may' become his possession, but the ordinary picnicker would pass bland not see it. The bigger things wou'd fill his vision and claim all his attention. An 1 meandered up anil down the beautful riverbed, admiring Nature in her pristine glory, fresh from the hands of the Creator, and as yet undefiled by the hands of man. 1 marvelled why so few people made' its aciiuaintauce. Probably it is because so few know of it. Apart altogether from this description, it snould be borne in mind tliat there, some 1201) lcet above sea level, one is moving iu a different atmosphere, breathing a purer air th.-n we 011 the levels enjoy, and in the years that -are to be large numbers, 1 am .sure will be attracted to the spot on this ground alone.

One other thing that much impressed me was the boulders in the river Winl quantities, and what a sizrl "hen I was tempted to say thousands ot tons, one of the party" said "millions!" And if the whole river could lie measured in proportion to what we witnessed, [ think his stupendous calculation might prove correct. What a sight to gladden the heart of all our local bodies in Taranaki! And yet uv talk of our. metal supplies running 0 u:. let county yourselves, and men think that th's enormous supply is within ten milss ot a railway. And metal as hard as adamant. It might oe said that the (lilliculty is to get it, but what wis once impossible under old world locomotion ia now made possible by motor

(.'■'ttinir into conversation with re-ji-rlonts of the locality, they will point Out to you that tliey are on the .treat highway to Ojiunake, and one line' day m the future the main arterial road between New Plymouth and Opmial-e will pass that way. This would prove a shorter route, wl*tli a belter grndj. As I looked around me and saw tli"« years of toil that these settlers had put into the bush in carvini' on* lio m -- for themselves, 1 came aw '■ hope that their '•castles ir j' r " might some day he an accomplish,.,!

After taking one last look at the extensive view from the hill-top, revenli,,, distinctly lo n< Xew Plvinouth in Ihe distance, wo thitherward lurned our steps, and arrived home after n ion - ney of an hour, bavin- thoroughly 0 „. joyed our holiday at the Kiri " '