THE WAIKATO HEADS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1349, 22 February 1881, Page 2

THE WAIKATO HEADS.

The Trip per Dalta. In continuation of his narrative, our special reporter writes : — Port Waikato has got a jaw-breaking Maori name, which I have tried in \^aiu to articulate. The loss is not great, and by way of compensation I am able to give its definition. It signifies a landslip, forming a bluff or point to the sea. So ■far as typography is concei'ned, I certainly saw little or nothing to justify the application. There certainly is a low headland separating an "upper from a lower arm of the harbour : but the thing has quite a natural contour, and certainly does not present any of the abrupt misshapen outlines incidental to the downfall of earth, even of a remote poriod. The town itself is the mere3t shadow of an urban centre, the entire white population n6t excelling four or five families. How they manage to pick up a living it is not easy to imagine. And yet they did not look pictures of pinching poverty. On the contrary, they appeared as if they were quite familiar with what medical diagnosis prescribes as a generous diet, and as for the other creature comforts, there was no apparent lack. Altogether, they seemed to have solved the problem of how to enjoy a quiet, easygoing existence ; and after all, it is just a question whetrer that is or is not a triumph in the philosophies of life. They showed a good deal of kindly consideration, if not hospitality, to their visitors, and in various ways manifested a desire to entertain them to the best of their ability. The residence of the native agent, Mr Marshall, both in point of situation and surroundings, is most attractive. It is built on a low spur, the situation being sufficiently elevated tocommand an extensive view of the harbour and roadstead. The approach from the beach is somewhat steep, but by dint of a winding pathway and a flight of steps, the grade is brought within compass of ordinary pedestrianism. This pathway winds through a garden-plot or orchard— quite a gem in the way of landscape gardening. The fruit and floweis had all the appearance of being of choice quality, while many of them evidently belonged to a rare species. The appearance of the place spoke volumes for the fertility and general pioductiveness of the soil ; on the other hand, it showed a deal of taste, combined with a great deal of care. The cottages specially mentioned in my previous communication are situated on the beach adjoining these grounds. They were built by Mr Marshall, tor the purpose of encouraging seaside visitors, and are provided with all the requisites a temporary residence of the kind requires I much desire to make this fact clearly understood, as I rim given to believe doubts exist as to the possibility of obtaining suitable quaiters. As a sanatorium, the place has valuable recommendations, of | which I shall speak more fully hereafter ; i and then, ag tin, as a rustic retreat I am not exaggerating when I add that Poit Waikato is in every respect highly favoured. The communication is not frequent ; still, that is a difficulty which will adjust ltselt in accordance with the natural principles regulating supply and demand. Occasionally the monotony is relieved by the presence of a sea-going ves&el ; but these occasions are not frequent. The la^-t visit of tins kind occurred a few days before our arrival. A craft laden with bone-dust — a great deal of M hioh is now in use thioughoutthe district having discharged its cargo at the port, and left again laden with Waikato coal Naturally enough this leads me to sa\ something about the place as a port of entry. It is not in high favor for shipping purposes, and I cau readily guess the reason. It does not belong to either eli mental strife or bar harbor casuality, but to a certain gtasping disposition, more or les- prevalent amongst the metropolitan centres ot the colony and to which uukjiind city is no exception. Tlie idea, of course, is that Auckland should be the commercial depot, and in order to carry out the idea, it would never do to encourage a separate poit of entry for a district situated like Waikato. I have little hesitation in asserting that this is a primary cause of the bad odour in winch Port Waikato ia held. In furtner token of that permit me to explain that the bar in question carries 20 feet of water, the entrance is over a quarter of a mile I wide, and the chinnel leading up to the wharf is of similar depth and even greater width. Port Waikato is not dead, how ever, it only slecpeth. The Waikato Navigation Company are in course of maturing plans for placing the trade on a better footing, and with all the auxiliaries, they have got; fit. command, they stand a very good show ot making the project a succe-s. They havfi got a well-appointed fleet of river steamers ; they aie their own coal merchants, and to a large extent they have the carrying trade of the Wdikato , that of Cambridge and the up-land districts being exclusively in their hands Calculations have been made, and it is estimated on good authority that under a regime of this kind, carriage rates would be very mateiially reduced. I have said enough to show that Port Waikifo is not a populous place, nor yet a busy commercial centre. It had its day, howevex-, and by the few remaining residents, the events of that day are recalled with considerable pride. Fifteen or sixteen years ago it was the head-quarters of a fleet of eight or ten river steamers; a military encampment numbering- at one time close upon a thousand men, with a traffic seaward in proportion. Evdence of these palmy days are still extant. Fragments of cranks, paddle- wings, mooring ch'rins, and iron bolts and bars are strewed around the beach, and what is equally significant, the portion thereof in front of what is pointed out as the site where two hotels stood, is literally sown with f raur ments of " dead marines'' and other relics of the festive board. All that now remains of these popular resorts is a few building- studs, so far gone in decay, that a smart kick from the foot knocks them into a kind of smudge. I have already s<ud the weather wa-> good throughout. Sunday inorninur broke odlm, but not bright, the ocean reez" boms ju>t sufficient to cau«e the filisrhtest ripple on the surface of the water. After the experiences of the preoediner eveningthe cool refreshing atmosphere was a gieat I boon, and, as may be readily imagined the early streaks of day found the mosquito-afflicted portion of the party on the move. Surmounting" the headland these early stragglers found themselves .pacinar a fine flit sandy beach, washed hv the swell of the ocean to line proportions of the "driven"' snow. The inducements for a plunge ware irresistible., and in that way the morning ablutions were p£r formed and the evil effects of the evenin" tortures alleviated. By that means a decided improvement was brought about in the existing 1 Btate of affair*, and even my venerable -friend, the hardships of whosp case have been specially mentioned, looked rh if he was .once, again, clothed, and in his right mind, 1 'cliild-Kke and ,bland. In the $hir«t -for adventure, ft fish - I ing excursion was organised, the avowed object of its promofcers^beiog^to supply the morning' r m°al. Fortunately we were not altogether dependent upon the .re-jult of this 1 promising adventure, otherwise like niottfer Hub^ard's dog in the nursery rhyme, w^ should nave, fared bat b^dly. .The' astonishing part is that the fijiijrap"peared about in perfect shoals, leqpio'gout ' ,pf ttie waiter gn every »ip[ej;aj,if>wHliQgto 4 ' tfatf jwpy, * , Be tjbat as iv'ioay, the fishing.

excursion was not a success, -its djiief tb-L suits being the landing of a couple or noble looking water rats, with tails and tu«ks fo match. Judging from observation, I should hmk navigation, as a Hcieaoe, formed a v&J indifferent biaioh in th? studip.s of our voyageurs. Despite that; defect? in the eaily training, t e<f showed considerable aptitude in performirnr the duties belonging' to certain of its br.inc.lie-*. For example, when the stewards bell rang for breakfast, there was not n man- jack of them but knew what to do, and to theu credit be it said, they did it with precision and alacrity. The promptitude and despatch ob-erved on "this oc anion, went far to show that the sea air, an>l the eirly morning's excursion had, so* fur succeeded in the recuperative process, as to -sharpen up tl>e appetite to a very keen edge. H iving f urnished satisfactory evidenne of their skill in the branch of sea. mansb'p belonging to the stewards pantry, steam was got up, and moving away from the wharf, the Delta paddled down as far as the rip, inside the bar. The surf breaking on the latter, was by no me ms' heavy. In fact, by a very little dodging between one bre.ik and another, the could have been avoided altogether. It must, however, be kept in remembrance that tho weather was, and had for some considerable time, been exceptionally fine. In the absence of a pilot, the one originally quartered in j the place, having been removed, leading ' posts are erected at the channel's mouth, by the careful hugging of which, it i>-> said, vessels run no great ri«k of mishap. In a line with the prevailing wind which, at this point, blows in a slanting direction inland, the country up to the summit of some rather hisrh hills is covered with, sand, through which in some of the more hheltered spots, a h.irdy looking shrub appears struggling for subsistence. In this way thousands of acres of land are rendered completely useless. The phenomena of such vast areas of, land covered with sand is altogether peculiar to the more northerly portions of the west coast of this island. In its contrast with the surrounding country, it very much reminds one of the smooth, bald pate-bobbing out from amongst an assemblage of heads crowned with flowing locks. After surveying the bar, the Delta was run on to the beach, and when the tide left her high and dry certain necessary repairs were effected to the bottom. The remainder ot the day was spent pretty much in the way days, under similar circumstances, are usually spent. The ocean beach, with its variegated seaweeds and shells, had attractions for some ; climbing neighbouring heights attracted others ; while boating, fishing, and paddling barefooted on the sandy beach, Avas the milder form of excitement indulged in by the few. In one of these tumbles the local cemetery was explored. Its surroundings showed it had of late been, little used, no interment having taken place for many years. Although securely fenced, . it was in every other respect the neglected , graye — " GoiPs acre," in rank didiabitle. The flowers and shrubs, planted in loving remembrance of the dead, had run to seed, and the different plots were one heterogenou? mass of flowering weed. The tablet-memorials were all obliterated, so that then 1 names, as, in all probability, their memories, were completely effaced. Altogether, it was a sad commentary on the mutability of human affairs. These were the men of like passions with ourselves. They strutted, they fretted, anil turned out their little day, and now they are the unknowing rendered back to the unknown. Ah, what after all is life but the meagre conception — the poor play — the extreme poverties of which are only realised when it is o'er. Let us tread lightly — we tread upon the ashes of the urn. And yet it had its gladdening moods. Conjoined with other facts brought into view, it showed the tendencies of the place were conducive to health and the prolongation of life, and for those m quest of rehabilitation it is but right the fact should be made known. The return journey wa* unlertaken the following (Monday) niorniim 1 at 10 a.m., nnd, with daylight, we were enabled to note tho variety of landscape through which we h id pushed on Saturday evening in <.he dark. To say th it it was of the •iweetest character is to do it nothing more than justice. At fir-<t we skimmed the surface of a broad lake, miles in extent of ooth length and breadth. The upper end oi this magnificent sheet of waters t -per-i off iuto a net-work of river channel-, by which means a cluster of islands are formed of .ill shapes and size*, from thf nere^t consjTeg<ttion of tussock roots to rhe goodly-sized stretch of wooded country. Selecting the main channel, we continued j >ur course along a river of fair proportions at no place narrower than that situated in the neighbourhood ot Ngaruawahia. A few miles further up the various streams converge into one expansive volumo, thereby rendering the nayi" nation more secure than it could possibly be amongst the islands. En route we passed a couple of saw-mills, arid either one or two flax works, each, of which were in full swing, and from what could be gathered they .were all doing well. At one of the former, owned by Messrs Buckland and Shepherd, wo made a short stay. It is a most complete establishment, fitted up with travelling benches, breaking-down benches, lipping saws and te iring saws of all dimensions, from the upright &et in a lofty frame work with vicious-looking fangs to the Rtnall fine set circular, whose teeth under the rapid i evolutions became almost unpreceptible. The whole was enclosed within a loft building, which, together with various out-hoases and adjoining tenements, covered a considerarea of ground. Tauri is the timber principally cut, and it is reported tho growths from this place are getting into ijood repute for cabinet work ; large quantities being used in the manufacture of furniture. Although the mill is surrounded by buah tho best of the timber "•rows some di^tancs inland, for conveyance of which, in the log, a tramway is in operation. Kohanga a deserted mission ■station, is situated on the opposite side of the river. It occupies a commanding posirion and altogether presents a most imposing apoearince. It comprises an exensiva ohuich, with a lofty belfray or steeple .surrounded by a perfect garriwon •f dwellings. To all appearance a good deal of money musk have been sunk in u his concern. It was English capital, iiowever, and we all know what an attraction''foreign missionary work" has for I the mother country. One can hardly suppress the smile of incredulity, when 'ie thinks of the many missionary mapra;ine tales and Sunday Sohool tracts whioh i 'minated from this place, relative to the ■rogress of evengelical work amongst tho Maoris, before the christain liberality of Great Britain was ■screwed up to the proper pitch, 'till we are told the missionaries effected some good, although it certainly doe* not ippear to have been of an abiding character. In early' times a considerable amount of wheat, and other produce >vas raised under the anspices of missionary enterpri c. There as*aia ? statistics jrove that the 'missionaries themselves made a tolerably good thing oat of it, so that altogether the. results. have not been nil. Approaching the TauKau district, of which we obtained a charming view, wejgot into a more 'settled country. Here a .number of , fine, farms have been blocked , out' hi the primeval .wilderness and thej place is alt'ogetner on .the aide .of ; progress.^ An hour later brought ns back «g4jn !to Merger, and, ; 'uninviting thej pjape is, '.we #ere very gl^d to reach \%. The fact is, the li<juctt supply ott board

I* id Hytne time pre^udy ijfro out, and af i'the Deft* wad riot regiatetwa temperance .ship itne ihortcomin^i^wt more aggrirar ting. ' -A few milet ; *b(Are' Meroer a peach grove was xisrhted, at which a halt was made. The fruit was in superabundance, buckstfuls being taken on board without any apparent diminution. Having taken in fresh supplies of coal at Huntly, and landing her puasengnrs .»t Ngaruawa* hia, the ves>el proceeded direct to Hamilton, which she did not succeeds in reaching until an early hour. 014 Hues* day morning. From thence she procee» ded to Cambridge, the trip to and .froja, 4 beirig performed without the- slightest hitch. Captain Gelluin sparedno pnins topromote the comfort and hapbinew of his passengers,andinthJ9laniwell pleased 'to weard^ th»t- b.TS-sUbce^«lfe*d'"«,-dte{«Aily.''" Captain Lindsay and Mr Bradley,' of the Steam Navigation Company were also dm board, and • ably seconded his efforts.' •' The steward was also an important per* sonage in the success of the excursion. The hitch in the bottled beer yrsip cer* tainly a mistake. After all there were such a thing as ' thirsty souls' aboard, and the shortcoming may be due to that fact ; otherwise tlie steward did his worE: with credit to himself, and advantage to all concerned.