WHERE N.Z. ENDS

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1928, Page 8

WHERE N.Z. ENDS

LITTLE KNOWN FAB NORTH,

FISHING AND DAIRYING.

Having just completed a three weeks’ tour of the region extending from Kaitaia to the North Cape, Mr R. D. McCully, of Auckland, arrived in Whangarei yesterday. To the other members of the party the trip was an entirely new and novel experience, but Mr McCully was revisiting familiar territory, ns for three and a half years he was a, teacher at the native school at Rangiawhia. All the- party were charmed with the holiday, spent far from the madding crowd, in a locality, where upon ascending a sandhill, it is possible to view on one hand the tumultuous rollers of the Tasman Sea breaking on the magnificent Ninety Mile Beach, and on the other the much quieter seascape of the east coast.

\ Mr McCully told a “Northern Ad-

vocatc’’ representative this morning that the laud lying- to the North of Waipapakauri was in a very parched state, and that many natives ■who embarked on dairying with the advent of the present season, were in a critical position. Unless appreciable rain falls shortly Mr McCully says that these native farmers will have temporarily to abandon their efforts. This would be a decided setback. to the district, which contains much arable land. Extensive heavy ploughing has been done on hillsides and on the flats, from which the gum was won in years past, by the' natives of Te Kao, who were supplied by the Land Board with a motor tractor.

It is possible now to motor from Kaitaia to Te Kao, and when the remaining gap of six miles is completed during the forthcoming winter, motorists will be enabled to go right to picturesque Spirits Bay,

The waters of the Far North arc teeming with fish, and during the stay of the party some deep-sea sport was indulged in. Included in the eatcli were the following;—Make shark (4111bs), thresher shark (3271b5), hammerhead (3011bs) and kingfish 85lbs. Several of lesser weight were also caught, Mr McCully is of the opinion that were the potentialities of the area bettor known, it would rival the Bay of Islands as a deep-sea fishing ground. At Parenga Harbour there are permanent feedirfg grounds for smaller fish, and these naturally attract the larger game fish. At present the only launches to be had are privately owned, and there are but few facilities for campers, except at Pandora, The latter place was' well patronised during the holiday season, but unfortunately there is no reasonable anchorage for launches in the vicinity. Parenga is the only harbour, and-the entrance is

extremely treacherous in heavy

weather

For the curio hunter the Far North presents a fertile arid excellent field. During his stay Mr McCully secured a fine specimen of Tangiwai greenstone, several fern root beaters and a large sandstone block, used for sharpening Maori adzes. Other members .of the party obtained several stone adzes and remains of native fishing hooks. Speaking from experience, Mr McGully says that the Maoris of the Far North are fine specimens of the race, ever ready to welcome the visitor and give him every assistance.