WHAT I SAW ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF KAWEIA HARBOUR.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1618, 16 November 1882, Page 3

WHAT I SAW ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF KAWEIA HARBOUR.

[BY OUftll^CAN CORRESPONDENT.] r wnclttded. Wfi &gain embaric in our canoe with" Jhc intention of going up the Waiharakeke. On the vjaynye pass. sot\ie very broken country, the land, however, appearing to be' of.tair. quality. Just after entering the river, on turning an abrupt angle in its course, we see the village of Aim Aim, the home of Haukopokia, Here, once upon a time, was. the residence of the Rev. Mr Whitely, who was afterwards murdered by the Ngatimaniapotos potoa in the year 1869 at the White Cliffe. I altogether agree with LieutGudgeon, when he writes that such an act must havt originated in an outburst of fanaticism, for even now his memory is held in. fond remembrance by all < those natives who may be still alive, and who knew him when he Jived in Kawhia. Nothing now remains of his house except the blocks on which it stood, and a brick . chimney which atill marks the spot where this good man once dwelt. The lemon and loquat trees planted by him are now a great size, and from one lemon tree might have been taken some hundredweights of fruit. All of us acknowledged that the grove of lemon trees we saw here was simply beautiful, dressed as they were with such an abundant crop of fruit. Situated on the banks of the \Vaiharakeke, a more delightful place to make a home could hardly be found. The viewto be secured from it is magnificent, and it is to be hoped that its sylvan groves, at no distant date, may be once more 'the habitation of civilized life. I have thus far written of the country forming tiie more immediate boundaries of the harbour. We will now leave it, and reach Taharoa (long lake), some twelve miles inland. To meet the .Taharoa track we had to return to Maika. Along way off we could see where the road led up the mountain range which we had to cross. The appearance of it was sufficient to induce us to leave our horses behind, and walk over, trusting to the good nature of the inhabitants 011 thoothcr side, to supply our wants in this respect for any further journeyings. Our anticipations as to the nature of the route we now pursued had not deceived us, and illustrated more forcibly than anything we had yet seen the indolent disposition of those who perhaps for successive geneiations had travelled over it. In accordance with Maori usage it led along the more elevated portions of the country, the surface of which was broken by frequent inequalities. The name of the range on whose summit it lay was Potuka (i.e. Albatross Point). When first we came in sight of Taharoa, we experienced a feeling of admit ation for the scene which now lay before us. The valley seemed to be thickly populated, more especially near the borders of the Like, which, of course, formed the most attractive feature in the landscape. The character ot the soil around it is good, and a large portion of it is cultivated more in accordance with European system than any we had seen. Several good paddocks of English grasses may be seen, and altogether the residents appeared to belong to a more industrious class than we had yet met. Even the style of their horses in the two settlements of Kauerc and Pene Pene bore evidence of this. One peculiarity that fixed my admiration was the perpetual hilarity which reigned amongst the inhabitants. There seemed to be no cares, griefb, tioubles, or vexatious. Amongst them the hours apparently tripped along as gaily us the laughing couples in a country dance. This is, however, not an unusual characteristic of Maori society, and in many respects they appear to lead an infinitely happier, although a less intellectual existence than their European neighbours. In a primitive state of society this is a general result. For every advantage civilization imparts bhe holds a hundred evils in reserve. She may " cultivate the mind," may "elevate our thoughts" — these I believe are established phrases — but will she bestow happiness? Without civilization there are none of those thousand sources of irritation that the ingenuity of civilized man has created to mar his own felicity. Mr Hermann Mehille in his work " Typee," when writing on this subject, speaks unfavourably of the effect of civilisation in increasing the blissful ness of any people, and aiguos that, provided their physical lcquirements are fairly supplied by Providence, they would be much happier without her. By this reservation lie would prob.ibly moan that the linked wretch who shivers beneath the bleak skies, and stirves among the inhospitable wilds of Terra-del- Fucgo, would bo made happier by it, for it would alleviate his physical wants; for then he aslis what the voluptuouslndian, on \\ horn Providence has bestowed all the sources of puie and natural enjoyment, has to desire from civilization. This is not mere sentiment, and did space permit I could advance several reasons in support of this argument. While thus musing upon the apparent happiness of the residents of IVne Pene and Kauerc, we were invited to take a sail in one of their canoes to the other side of the lake. The invitation was a welcome one, and we readily availed ourselves of it. The size of the lake is difficult to reckon, from its peculiar shape. I should, however, I think, be comparatively near the maik if I gave its size as being 7 miles in length and 2 miles in breadth. It forms quite an inland sea, is in most places very deep, and will in future times float upou its surface vessel 3 laden with commerce from the different settlements around its borders. With horses kindly lent us, we rode on as far as Maracopn, a further distauce of twelve miles. For a portion of the way our route lay along the beach, which we did not however reach until we had ridden two miles over a large extent of country, which has been completely spoiled by the encroachment of sand. Having arrived at a small village called Haere Haoro, wo then go inland for several miles. Here our path led us over some very rough country, two thousand acres of which belongs to the Government, having been purchased by them many years ago from Haukopokia's father. It is of little value. I had often been told the track to Maracopa was a bad one, but my anticipations had not pictured it nearly so rough as we found it. In more places than one the lives of our horses as well as ourselves wereinimminentdanger, and we had almost made up our minds that without a pair of wings, we should be unable to arrive at our destination. In a few spots the soil was good, but all of it was very broken, and will never be of much value for agriculture. During the whole ride from Taharua to Maracopa we did not see one acre of level land. The only article of any value we saw upon it was flax, of which there was an unlimited quantity. At Maracopa there are but few natives living, and those seem to be very much inferior in all respects to the MaorisinTaharuaor Kawhia. They appear to be both indolent and dirty, living most of their lives in a state of semi-starva-.tion. The river, from which the settlement derives its name, is about fifty yards wide at its mouth. For a considerable distance inland it is navigable for large canoes, and flows through a wild but picturesque country, almost hidden in the umbrageous foliage of the forests which line its banks. I was here ghown a pair of antlers, which had been taken from a deer killed but a short time ago by the Maoris. Early one morning they found it running along the sea shore. It must have come through the bush from the Waikato. Glad to turn our faces once more homewards, the return journey did not occupy very much time. I would just supplement what I have already written, by_ stating Jjhat I have seen "nothing iti the ? country around ■ Kawhia to* warrant' me in saying that it wilteVer prpve very' valuable, for it, is by far ' too broken, The discovery of m/nerala may of course increase 'the exteuVof its future value,'