NORTHERN WAIROA RIVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 269, 10 November 1923, Page 11

NORTHERN WAIROA RIVER.

GREATEST WATER HIGHWAY _N XEW ZEALAND. (K.om Our Own Correspondent.) DA_K_AVH____, this day. The article appearing in Wednesday's "Herald" regarding the Waikato Kiver i~ causing some amusement in locs I circles, particularly the statement that as a commercial highway the Waikato has no riTal in New Zealand. Our Hamilton friends may be interested to know that vessels of 1500-2000 tona, drawing upwards of 15ft. can navigate the Northern Wairoa River for a dißfcance of 40 miles or more, and that the river is navigable for a further 30 miles for vessels drawing upwards of 12ft. In the old days, when the timber industry waa at its height, it waa a common experience for steamers of 4000 tons drawing over 20ft to take timber from the various milling centres on the river. The record, we understand, was the Largolaw, a steamer of 4800 tons, drawing 22ft. which took away two and aquarter million feet of sawn tim'her t ram Tstarsriki, some 30 miles no the river. Even nowadays timber steamers of 1500-! 2000- tons periodically visit Dargarille, which is 38 miles up the river. In view of these facts, the statement that after an expenditure of £10,000 in dredging between Hnntly and Ngnroewahia this unrivalled Waikai-o waterway will ao-onunodaie vessels drawing •ft i» rattier ludicrous reading. There is no deair. at this end to belittle the efforts of the Waikato people in furthering the progress of their district, lint it is just a* well to stick to fact*.