THE FAR NORTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1917, Page 7

THE FAR NORTH.

AROUND DARGAVILLE. VISIT TO A KAURI FOREST. Xo. VIT. The Darg'aville folk were very hospitable and could not do enough for or show enough to the party. Tile weather conditions were not quite agreeable, owing to a strong wind, accompanied by sleety rain, prevailing. One section of the party left by boat to attend the Helensville show on the Monday, and those remaining were taken by train, specially put on for the occasion, to Kaihu. This valley contains some excellent dairying- land. In one paddock was a" mob of fat bullocks that would be hard to beat anywhere. A local settler said the land in question fattened a bullock to the acre and that the bullocks always commanded top prices. One could believe him. The train stops at Kaihu, but construction work has been carried oh for another two miles or so into the kauri forests, but lately work had stopped. The local people arp naturally anxious for the work to be completed, and as the amount of money involved is only a few hundreds, it seems extraordinary that the Government does not finish tli« job. Only a stupid Government would have left the work as it is. j

The programme for the day included a visit to what is called "Kauri Park," the property of Mr. James Trounson, and which adjoins a State kauri reservation. A little further on is the great Waipoua State forest of something like 80,000, acres, containing the finest kauri timber, which is fast disappearing from the North.

The party had a two or three miles' walk from the railhead to the forest, and it was a walk well worth while, for a finer sight than that presented by the majestic kauris could hardly bo conceived. It was, in the writer's opinion, the "piece de resistance" of the whole trip. No description can do justice to a kauri forest; it has to be seen. Even photographs convey but an inadequate idea of the grandeur of the "emperor of trees." The forest contains 90 per cent, of kauri, most of which are of gigantic size. The party spanned one, it was 37 feet. A little later another monster was 6een th.at must have been quite a third larger. The height would be'anything from 150 to ISO feet, the first boughs appearing at about 70 feet or 80 feet from the ground. One of the party likened them to the pillars of an ancient, Grecian or Egyptian temple. The comparison was not inapt. From the base of one four sentinel-like trunks sprang, all fairly large. Gum is collected from the boughs of the trees, and as it is clean and good it is eagerly sought by gum-diggers. How they manage to scale the bare trunks was a mystery that was subsequently disclosed. A couple of Maoriß appeared on the scene with a long rope. One had a length of string to which was attached a knob of purii'i. When under the tree he was to ascend he gave the bobbin a twist and up it shot, landing accurately over a bough. With this he pulled up the rope. It was interesting how he climbed the rope, twisting it around his feet, first one and then the other, to gain the necessary purchase. Ho was up the 70 or 80 feet before you could say "Jack Robinson." He threw down some pieces of gum and then descended, making a loop for himself from the end of the rope and then lowering himself to the ground. It was a smart piece of work, and the Maori and his assistant deserved the applause their feat evoked.

Luncheon was served under the kauris, on the slopes of a gully fringed with mamaku ferns, at the bottom a rivulet coursing. Tho setting was very oeautiful, and the repast, which was provided by the owner of the bush, and dispensed by the ladies of tho district, was much enjoyed. Speeches followed, the local residents setting forth their grievance against tho Government for not completing the railway, which would tap the whole of the kauri forests, and urging the members present to get the Government to purchase from the owner this beautiful kauri bush as a national reserve. Afterwards speeches were delivered by two members of Parliament, and, by way of a change, the organisers called on some of the pressmen present to give their views, which they promptly did. All spoke strongly in favor of the Government accepting the owner's offer (an unusually generous one) and holding tho bush for tho benefit of the public. There can be no doubt that with the disappearance of the kauri from New Zealand's landscape a reservation of fine bush such as this would become exceedingly valuable and attract in years to come hundreds of people to view what is now one of the Bights of New Zealand. The visitors were loth to leave such interesting surroundings. The party were snbsequently taken to Mount Wesley, in the town of Dargaville, from which a panoramic view of the district was obtained, and they also visited the dairy factory. Dargavillo is one of the towns of the North that must go ahead. It has a vast area of back country, a great deal of which is undeveloped, a fine river navigable for a great many miles, a genial climate and abundant rainfall. ! For years it slumbered, but lately it has awakened to its opportunities and made considerable progress. Tho town and district have a population of from 0000 to 7000, but it could easily carry 00,000 to 70,000. It is crying out for labor. In this respect it is like the whole of , the North. Population.is needed, and j anybody with industry and a little capi-1 tal would do well here. Even the poov lands can be turned to profit. This has been shown by Mr. Goerge Bayly, late of New Plymouth, who some time back bought some land on the coast for 12s an acre that most people considered practically useless. But Mr. Bayly thought otherwise, and began cultivating and secured such results that unimproved land in the vicinity increased with a bound from 12s to something between £2 and £3. Mr. Bayly, by the way, has done well in land investments hereabouts and at Helensville. It was lie and other Taranaki men who showed the western north what could be done with their land, and incidentally showed them the value, land lias since been going up in price, and if it increases much more it will be detrimental to the interests of the district, for there will not be tho margin for the next man who is so badly needed in the North. A district can have no better asset than reasonably priced land, and the converse also holds good. As evidence of the upward tendency we might instance one block which was offered to the Government a few years ago for Cs an acre. A syndicate secured it for £l, and it was subsequently cut up and now commands £9,