THE BAY OF ISLANDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 383, 7 May 1910, Page 8

THE BAY OF ISLANDS

In this issue appears the second notice of the sale of the Raurangi township, situated in the lovely Buy of Islands, which is recognised as one of the chief beauty spots of the Dominion, and the harbor of which is one of the finest in the world, with its extensive deep water area and splendid shelter. The. advantages that this grand harbor and district possess, (have, .however, been undeveloped in the past, owing to the fact that a great part of the land m the neighborhood has been in native hands, or held in large areas by Europeans who have failed from one cause or another to do justice to the soil. A new era is dawning now, however, as only a few miles away large areas have ben devoted to dairying and agriculture during recent years. Other large blocks are now being made to carry grass, which the experience of the last few years has proved can be done at small cost by the burning of the ti-tree, and surface-sowing with danthonia and paspalum, which pave the way for siril further improvement by the introduction of English grasses. With the opening up of the large areas of native land which will be undertaken in the near future and the subdivision of the freehold estates now in process in the immediate vicinity of Raurangi, the population of the district will be very largely increased, and for this extensive' district, Raurangi must be the outlet, the old established town of Russell being only accessible by water, as owing to its situation on a mountainous promontory, it is cut off from the mainland by many miles of rugged country. Another feature that is giving fresh impetus to settlement in then orth is the pushing on of the railways, which is of the very greatest importance to the future of Raurangi. During the present year sue Bay of Islands will be connected with Whangarei by rail, and «s there is a daily steamer service to Aucklana, the district will be brought within seven or eight hours of the city. Raurangi will -not, however, depend only on the agricultural development that is taking place all around it, as the Bay has been for some years past a health and pleasure resort for larue numbers of people from all parts of the Dominion. At all times of the year, the sheltered waters of the Bay are unrivalled in the colony for boating combined with splendid sea-fishing, and in winter the mildness of the climate is making it the tesc-rt of those who wisti to escape the rigorous winters of the south. The number of these visitors is rapidly increasing each year, every visitor being the mfcnns of bringing otner.-. so pleasing are the impressions of all who have once found their way to the beautiful bay.