IN THE NORTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1917, Page 6

IN THE NORTH.

THE PARLIAMENTARY TRIP, BEAUTIFUL HOKIANGA. No. IV.

The trip from Kataia to Herekmo, where the party were benighted owing to the state of ihc wcathc"-and the roads—has already heen dr,cr.i."ed in, these columns. It was an experience few would care to repeat, though it was not without its compensations. (Home of the northerner* were frankly pleaded that the visitors were given a tiule of what the north lias to put up with, though the, condition of the roads is largely the fault of the pcoph themselves. This, of course, does not strike the northerner. Everything hlionld lie done for him by someone else, particularly the sleek southerner that has had a monopoly of the Government doles in the past! The northerner takes a certain pride in his had roads, as affording visible nroof of past Government neglect and southern roPWty. But if he could see a little further, he would recognise that it is to the bad communications the backwardness of the north is principally due. To talk like that, however, is heresy in the north. The fact remains that no matter how good land may be, if the roads are bad few will buy it. The northerners desire new blood—to -eenre it was the. underlying reason for the trip—and expect the peninsula to go ahead so soon as it appears, but outsiders are not likely to be attracted to districts that have been settled for many, many years and which have not paid attention to . the first essential the communications. They prefer to stay where the conditions of life arc better, even if the opportunities ot making money ire les-. The northerners have great faith in their land and its potentialities—great word, ''potentialities," in the north; the Maoris oven have incorporated it in their vocabulary!—and many of them arc given to exaggeration regarding its quality. Certainly there's any amount of good land and any amount of land that would break any man's heart to try to work. . Even the best has to be worked, or it will go back rapidly, owing to the fertility of noxious weeds.

AN EXPERIMENT THAT FAILED. Rerekino was one of the village settlements planted over the country by the late John Ballanee, wdio meant well, but his ideas on land settlement were not always practical. Out of work men from the cities, inexperienced, poverty-stricken, were put into this inhospitable, roadless district, to hew homes for themselves out of the bush. It was well that the poor wretches did not realise what was in store for them, otherwise they never would have had the heart to start. They failed, as most of the other settlements, under more favorable conditions, failed. Others have come in and taken up bigger holdings and are doing tolerably well. The Hats are suitable for dairying, and the industry is expanding. Austrian gumliters hir.vl -eltlcd here, and they make good settlers. Their homesteads ■ro lno-itl.v di-iiiiiiiiii-heil iiv the grape vines that cover their buildings and garlens.

BROADWOOD. The road through to Broadwood, about half-way between Herckino and Koliukohu (on the Hokianga) was ghastly in places, and the cars got through after many vicissitudes. Broadwood is a pretty district, and is stated to be the best patch of land in one block in tlie north, the area being about '■';;!.!!(i'l iut"-. It i* goo I grazing country, Hie carrying capacity being from l'/ L . to 3 sheeJK It is hilly with valleys running into the Hokianga. The block was purchased by the Government in 1870 at Is 4d per acre, Settlers are asking rather more for it now.

Splendid views were obtained of the Hokianga harbor, with its numerous forks and feeders, when the party were ■: the higher levels, and Hearing Kohuoliu. There is not one big township on : "- HoL-hi-ia. There are Kohukoliu. perhaps the largest; Rawene, the ''county" town on the other side, lower lou-H; Opononi, Omapcre, Maugamuka, />!id other villages nestling in picturesque bays, all more or less jealous of the other. The main highway is the water, on which nearly 200 motor launches ply. Every settler has his motor launch, instead of his trap or motor car as in other parts. Where he has a water frontage—and they nearly all have ■ate;- frontages on the Hokianga—he doesn't have to worry about the reading problem. Barges take iir.va>' his sheep, and launches his cream if lie is dairying. AN OLD SETTLEMENT. '»?■' is a very old settlement, whites arriving as far ba-.-k as in ISOO. Whalers came in for kauri spars, and

■ inducted their "boilinv down'' operations on the shores. A "try" pot can still be seen, and near by an old cannon, marked ISfU, that formed part, no '"iiht, of the whalers' equipment of those days. It \ra; here tbn'; Jmig? Manning, the author of "Old New Zeaind,'' cast his lot, as also did John Webster, who subsequently maJ-i claim on the New Zealand Government for some millions of acres. They could scarcely have chosen a mvre pleasant or interesting locality. The Hokianga is -.cry beautiful now; in the early days

>itli the kauri forests lining the low),ving hills all around it, it must have presented a unique sight. Everybody here is contented and happy, and lilt'e interested in what is going on outside.

AT RAWKXIV The party were billeted in the different villages. Most of the Taram'iki members were located at Rawene. where the natives came out ill force, greeting the visitors with a haka in which a brace of unhealthy dogs took a leading part. The hotel here is exceptionally well conducted, which cannot be said of all tile hotels in the north, the table • nil accommodation being equal to those ■•f a fii-t-class city hotel. The Lost (Mi. Alex'. Johnston), witli his good wife, eoiil.i.' v - do enough for the visitors. The, party j-r.t in the next day seeing the sights of the ha*bor, or as many as could be seen in the time available, and in the evening there was a long korero ■i I he open. Hie M.P.'s holding tile floor -or street. The Maoris were- given "inn naternal advice, whereupon one old chief, Te Wake by name, rose and made the speech of the evening. He had tried, to work hisiland, old as lie Va*^ejbqiignt;BOthoJjsp WK 'ho improvId'lji^ntLi^f.eycMyear the charges ssfldMifegiW blgge-tUnd bigger. Then left tho leows for Mm * to 'nji!k, and U;6 soon folLi.4dk;«rfS«& v - ■■;■£. '-■'■-■ ■.

lowed suit. Hv noticed the pakeha fared, differently, lie came on to a piece of land with a billy and an axe. Very soqh he had a cheque-book. The old chief then shook his head very sadly, saying lie had come to the conclusion that the Maori couldn't work, that he was not meant to work, like the white man! It was all so very natural and so sincere. The old man lias a histoi'v. His tribe was mixed up in a land squabble with another Maori, who was shot dead. To Wake was accused as principal, and was confined to Mt. Eden Gaol, from which he made a sensational escape. He lived for years in hiding, and subsequently lie was given a free partyon.

A PRETTY HARBOR, Some of the party journeyed up the harbor—tliey call it the river—to Mangamuka, which is m be the terminus of the main-trunk railway in the near future. The scenery through the gorge is described as magnificent. The hills on each side, clothed on the summit with virgin bush, open out and the bush gives place to willows and grassy banks, and the valley of the Manga - »mga opens up.

The Taheke is another prettv river. At the head are the Taheke falls, where a large body of water thunders over a height of some 50 feet down a course walled in by precipitous rocks. All the creeks in Flokianga are beautiful, ■the bush being as verdant and as luxuriant as it is in Taranaki.

Land hereabouts sells at all prices, but, generally speaking, the prices are on the low side. All the farmers are crying out for labor and stock. With ample supplies of both, the Hokianga would go ahead and be one of the most prosperous farming districts in the Auckland province.