THE FAR NORTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1917, Page 8

THE FAR NORTH.

THE PARLIAMENTARY VISIT. THE "GATEWAY" OF THE NORTH. No. 11. Wliansarei is easily the f.r.;t ir.v.n in the liorlli. It posseses some em'.-geiie aiiu far-see,ng citizens, to whom is due the credit for bringing the town into line ■with higger centres in the matter of facilities like water supply, drainage, gas, electric light, town hail, etc. The business portion of the town is on the flat, but the majority of the residences have been built on the higher ground. Thqje is no doubt as (o the future of Wliangarei. By railway it taps tho country right up to and' past Kaikohc, and southward it will shortly link up with the Main Trunk. There is some splendid volcanic land west of the town, and the visitors were shown dairy herds in the pink of condition. The road in this direction was perfect. Fourteen nvlrs out are situated the Wairua Falls. The water has been harnessed by the Dominion Cement Company, which have erected electrical works at considerable cost that are said to be the most up-to-date in the country. A feature of the system is the automatic storage and llood gates. The intake is above the falls, and a canal carries the water for a mile and a-half to the headworks, whence the water drops 1-lOft through two huge steel pipes to the power-sta-tion. The present capacity is 3300-horse-power, and provision is made for doubling the power. The current is carried to the company's works at Portland, on the southern shore, of the harbor, and also into the 'borough. The party were shown over the cement works, the size of which came as a surprise, The capacity Is fl-9,000 tons of ccmcijt per annum, or nearly equal to the combined outputs of the several cement works in New Zealand. The works cost over £400,030. There is another cement works at Limestone Island.

At the heads are freezing works, capable of dealing with about 1200 sheq> and 200 bulloeks daily, and employing in busy times 120 men. Coal mining is another important industry, collieries working at Kamo, tlikurangi, Kiripaki and Ngunguru, Fruit does -well in the sheltered valleys of the district, whilst the dairy industry is going ahead. Wliangarei lands are eminently suitable for fattening, the mild climate being no doubt a contributing factor. The party saw some splendid fat beasts that- could not be improved upon anywhere. Paspalum and Waipu grasses do well hereabouts, and some of the paddocks presented a pleasing sight. Wliangarei enterprise is responsible for the tapping of the Mangakahia, a rich valley coming down from a little below Kaikohe. Tho natural outlet' is Wuiroa and Dargaville, but Wliangarei got in early and diverted the trade its way, To the north is Kamo; where the medicinal springs are. The country hoie is of fairly good quality; indeed, it is gc,od up to Ilikurangi, where there is a swamp of 20,000 acres of first-class land, which the settlers are petitioning the Government to drain. The cost is estimated at £1 per acre, and judging by the quality of the portions that have been reclaimed, the investment 'would be a payable one. It is nearly a cow-to-thc-aerc land, so the local people aver. A fe/ r miles past Ilikurangi are to be seen tiie fantastic ami wierd-shaped limestone rocl-s. tin to Kawnkawn the' country i« of the poorest description. The party were told, however, that inland a iitile was some splendid sheep country, Kawakawa is not what one would describe as an attractive township, being sleepy mul old fashioned. THE HAY OF ISLANDS. Close by is the port of Opua, at the head of the Bay of Islands, and here the party embarked on launches for Russell, formerly known as Korornrckfi, of historic fame, For over 120 years it has been the resort of whalers, and there was a steam whaler, with its gun harpoon, under repairs at the time of the party's visit. It was near Russell, at Obi, on Christmas Hay of ISM, that the Rev, Samuel Marsden held the first Christian service in Now Zealand. Ad'osa the harbor from Russell is the historic spot whore, oil February 0, I.SM, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, a

monument being erected on the spot to commemorate the occasion. The building in which the treaty 'was signed is still extant. Together with six aeip of land, it was offered several times to the Government for £.1200, now the present owner will not part with it. The pohutakawa tree planted on the day of the signing is thriving. -Pallia, near Waitangi, is where the Yen. Archdeacon Williams established the -first Anglican mission station. The church still retains the original pulpit and hell (which bad been sent Home to be masted). The first printing office was built here, and the first books published. The first schooner (for the use of tho missionaries) was built here. The visitors were shown the burial place of a Mrs. Cross, who happened to have been born on the identical spot of her grave. Russell, of course, was the original capital of New Zealand. Rut it, was only for a year, the seat of government then being removed -to Auckland. The old church has many historic associations, and it is a great pity care is not taken to preserve it. It is falling rapidly into decay, and but for supporting timber would topple over completely. 'The graveyard surrounding, too, bears a very neglected ap pearance. The headstones, could tbev all be seen, tell many an interesting story. There is tiie grave of Hannah King Letheridge, with this inscription: "The first white woman born in New Zealand, at Oilii, Bay of Islands, January, 181G; died aged 111 years." To tho memory of Tamiti Waka, whose name figures largely in the early history of New Zealand, a line monument is erected. Inside {lie church there is a tablet to the memory of six seamen who fell in the defence of Kororarekn on March 11, 184'), below being these fine lines by Fc-lisia Ilonmns: The warlike of the waves, The men of field and wave, Are not the rocks their funeral pyre, The seas and shores their graves. Go, stranger, track the deep, Free, free the white sails spread, Wave may not foam or wild wind beat Where rests not England's dead. The local residents apparently take 110 interest' whatever in these historic places, and'for that reason it becomes tiie duty of the Government to see that they are given the rare their importance merits. The llagstall' that, Hone lleke pulled down in the early days is still there, except that portions have been renewed. From this point a magnificent view of the Bay of Islands and the surrounding country is obtained. Russell is a popular summer resort. In this respect it- would have- a big future if there were any enterprise in the town, of which, however, there docs not seem to be any evidence,