A JOURNEY TO WARKWORTH.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 153, 8 July 1892, Page 2

A JOURNEY TO WARKWORTH.

(Continued) The land in Albertland is not generally speaking - of good quality, consisting - apparently mostly of stiff clay. Nevertheless the settlers have made tlie district famous for fruit, though unfortunately, as my stay was so limited, I did not have the opportunity of seeing any of the orchards One great difficulty of tlie early se!tiers was the three, which constantly appeared in their paddocks. The best way of dealing - with it was found to be that of falling the titree one year and leaving it remain until the fallen seeds had germinated and a fresh quantity of green titree had sprung up, then burn off in the autumn. The ground would then be free of titree for some years. Port Albert has a very good wharf, a fine public ball, telephone station, and good accommodation for travellers. It is a great place for social gatherings “and has a farmers’ club, literary society and Mutual Improvement Society, and they find numerous other occasions for social teas. Their Mutual Improvement society is, I believe, presided over by a former resident of Aratapu, Mr Phillip Beecroft, whose acquaintance I was very glad to renew, and who gave me a cordial invitation to the meeting - of the society, which I regret Sod not bring able to avail myself of. I was unfortunate also in just, missing - the meeting - to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the settlement. I was taken for a ghost die first evening in Port Albert. I had gone into the front room, just at dusk, and planted myself in an easy chair, tired with the rambles of the day. A young lady came into the room some time after and busied herself with some work. From this she was suddenly disturbed by a rustling and - snore, and fled panic stricken from the room. I must have dozed off. She did not show up again for a long time. I left Port Albert with Mr Shepherd io proceed to Wark worth on Saturday afternoon. At Waybv, some miles fr< m P. rt Albert, a new school house has just been riveted. Miss Pasco,-;, who was formerly stationed at ..Aratapu is the teacher here, .-nivery popular too. The district sec-ms i ery sol tary, and tne would wonder where t'ae children are to be louod, but I was told that, about thirty children attended this school Mr Arn.itage has a good concrete house close to the school. This gentleman is pushing - the district forward in many ways energetic.illy. He informed me that lie had just had a cemetery laid

out, and had drawn up an elaborate code of bylaws which however had not yet been gazetted. The Ploteo river is crossed a short distance beyond the school. This seems io be the most important river crossed ou the journey, though far from the widest. Its watershed, is more extensive than any of the others, draining land close to the East Coast at Omaha. It is famous for its floods which rise 20 or 30 Ice? big - ’ - , and occa.sk n illy stop the traffic over the bridge, which is elevated a good height above the bed of tlie river. The scenery now becomes very beam iful, as the road winds along the banks of a stream, with lofty hills on each side ; of which the most conspicious is that known as the ‘ Borne.’ Near the termination of this gorge is a place which some call 1 Compensation Farm,’ though its owner is said to call it ‘Blighted Hopes,’. It was originally far removed from any other other place, as far as roads were concerned, and he must have had some nerve to settle there. The Government having decided to deviate the main through his place, tlio owner demanded and received a considerable sum as compensation, as indeed it was a necessity jo taffe the road through this gorge, there being - no other practicable route. After a time it was found that the road taken was far from tlie best, as the grades came too steep. A secpgd line was therefore laid out through this place, and a second lot of compensation paid, tins second lot no doqbt being justifiably due, through the blundering- of the authorities in laying out the first line. The prescience of the owner in selecting this land is to be admired, as be not only reaped two crops of compensation, hut had. if gopd. road made to Iris door. ‘\Aarkyyorjh jis about tiyenty miles from Port Albert. Vy o reached it some time after dark, gnd put up at Mr Bibbs’ accommodation house, where we found out'solv&ii very com, tqrtabjle. AVdirkwortb is a nice little village, situated ;jusf gj flye head of navigation ou the ltfahurangi river. It is the capital of Rodney county. Constable Haddock, who was formerly stationed at Dargaville, considers it the head quarters of civilisation. The iVoclheypdunty Council hold their meetings here and have a nice little' office over which I

was shown hy Mr Drown the County Chairman. C o it. lif. hi Ids court here, and the police officer is provided with a good house attached to wjnch is a convenient court room and a double lock-up. Wnrkwortli is favoured as far as communication with Auckland is concerned having bi-weekly communication by coach, besides the r.-gul o - -cenmer. Mr Dihhs has the contract for rmi.u.u:e; tic. eon eios. i here is a good Masonic :;| A mkw.u rii. and. a. lent of Rechabites. ybet mpeiieueo sentiment in the place is strong, i Here is one hotel, but I have always heard it spoken of as b dug conducted ill a model way, \V aik worth is famous for the production of hydraulic time and cement. Ou Sunday rnoriiing I wen t to visit the works belonging to Mr. Nathaniel VV dsou. and was most courteously shown round by that gentleman. Tho supply of the raw material, close to the river's bank, seems to be perfectly iuex’uaustable. The layer of earth covering it is very thin, only a few inches iu some places. Once this is removed, there is nothing to do but to quarry straight ahead in the hank. The present quarry has a face upwards of 20 feet deep. There is a fine range of kilns, built of cement, for burning the lime. When it is simply lime that is required, the ru.-i t. rial is drawn from the kilus as it is burnt and ground in a mill. For cement, the lime is burnt in a rather different manner. It is then made into rough bricks, and subjected again to intense neat, after which it is ground in a powerful mill. For general purposes Mr Wilson considers the lime equal to the cement, though die latter would make a wall as solid as granite. I was shown the testing room where the blocks of cement are kept under water, with the dates ou which they were made marked on them. Here they are kept sometimes for years and are subjected to tremendous strains. The testing machine, though a small one, is a wonderful contrivance, bringing a terrific strain to bear upon the small blocks of cement. By comparison with Portland cement, Mahuraugi cement is shown to be fully equal, if not superior. A large stock of lime and cement seems to be kept ou hand, and the wharves make it very convenient to put on board the vessels. Mr Wilson said that he could not complain as far as trade was concerned, and though they could turn out more material, yet they were kept fairly busyMr Wilson is an enthusiastic admirer of the Swiss Constitutional form of Government and considers that we ought to try it in New Zealand. The view from the hills around his house is extensive and beautiful, comprising the little Barrier island. Cape Colville and Mahurangi Pleads, •lust: at the head of the navigation of the river there is a beautiful waterfall, though it is at present disfigured by an unsightly dam. It is to be hoped that in time to come the residents will have this removed, and preserve such a beaur.iful spot for the public. Work worth is well off for churches. The Presbyteriu.il church occupies a commandinoposition on the top of the range, and is a flue edifice. A court of review for Rodney was held ou Monday. The proceedings were rether interesting and in some cases amusing, but the valuer Mr T. Gubb, was thoroughly well up in his work and ready at every point to meet objectors. I was luipi y to renew au acquaintance with Mr Josiah Hudson, who once contested an election at Aratapu. I was also intere.-ted iu old Captain Krippner, who served iu the Maori War, and enjoyed a game of cards with him. On returning homewards I passed through Wellsford, and was hospitably etoteratined by Mr E. Brown. He has a line place, the land consisting - of g - entle and regular slopes. A peculiarity of the land was that it suffered 1 ernbly from wet in winter, Mr Brown describing it as a complete bog, notwithstanding its regular inclination; Mr Brown was having deep drains cut at short, intervals in his orchard. I thought after this that people living ou the flats should have no reason to complain. Mr Brown said that Albertland was a fine place for children. He and his friend Mr T. Gubb had been haviug a race, they had kept apace hitherto each having twelve, but as Mr Gubb had decided to add a thirteenth to his establishment, Mr. Brown ret red from the contest and acknowledged his opponent the better man. However, as two or three of Mr. Brown’s children are married, and one of them has already three sons and a daughter, the name appears likely to flourish. The rest of the country travelled over has already been described to you.