THE LINCOLNSHIRE DELEGATES AND THE SHORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5729, 29 March 1880, Page 5

THE LINCOLNSHIRE DELEGATES AND THE SHORTS.

[from ax occasional CORRESPONDENT.J Having been favoured- with an invitation, I accompanied Captain Colbeck, Messrs. Grant and Foster, and a p-irty of gentlemen to the Kaipara on Friday. We left Queenstreet Wharf by City of Cork at 6.30 a.m., and were enjoying a pleasant trip up the harbour, when our hilarity was suddenly stopped by a cry of "Fire!" Flames were seen issuing from the galley, but a few buckets of water had the desired effect, and we resumed uu. —Arriving at Riverhead, a special train conveyed lis to neiensville, aad during our journey those of us who were travelling this line for the first time made numerous inquiries as to the engineer. The name having b;en mentioned, the general opinion was that if he was comeatable, the engineer should be preserved in a glass case. A steamer awaited our arrival at Heleusville, and we steamed off at once for our destination. The weather was all that the most fastidious could desire, and we all enjoyed the sail past Kaipara Heads, up the beautiful Otamatea estuary, past the snug little settlement of Batley. And here I would pause to observe that the hotel at Batley (and I speak from experience) is cjmfortable and cleau, the situation picturesque, and the beach lovely. Built, as the settlement is, on the hill, ami immediately above the pure limestone, it should yet be known as the sanitoriuin o£ the North. Up thisriver we pass the settlement of Arama Itaraka Haututu (Adan Clark), and ou the opposite bank the com-fortable-looking residence of the Rev. Xlr. Gittos. But we pass on till we reach Curtii's Point, where horses were iu waiting for the party. Mr. R. G. Hill conducted us over the Maungaturoto Block, and there wo saw the poor (?) land of the despised North, liven on the top of the ridges there was soil, and good soil, two feet deep, and underneath pura limestone Paddocks laid down with English grasses Bhowed without doubt that this so-called poor land coul l carry a sole of grass second to none iu the province. Having made a hurried inspection of the district, the party returned to the steamer, and our sail down the Otamatea by moonlight baffles my description. Rounding the Chalk Cliffs at Batley, we steamed up the Arapawo, and into the Pahi, dropping anchor about 10 o'clock in front of Captain Colbeck's residence. It was only next morning, however, that we had an opportunity of examining the view from the house. Nestling at the foot of a ridge of hills, with the lawn sloping to tho river, stands the house, and from the verandah, Scotland's loch scenery can only equal, not excel, the view. Stretching down for about three miles in front is the Pahi lliver, on the opi'osito bank of which is a high peak, covered to its summit with luxuriant bush and fern. But space compels me to be brief. After breakfast, the delegates rode over part of the block, and on their rcturu, declared they were agreeably surprised with the soil, which they affirmed was over the average quality, and if laid in grass, wa? capable of carrying as many cattle or sheer as any land they had seen in the Nortb Island. The scenery here, which is very grand, was only surpassed by the kintl hospitality of Captain and Mrs. Colbeck. But " Nae man can tether time nor tide,' and at 9.30 p.m. the stentorian voice of the athletic young laird was heard calling, "Gentlemen, —every one on board b} 10 o'clock," and a few minutes pasl that hour the anchor was weighed, and three hearty cheers (which made the little steamer shake to her keel) were given for Captain and Mrs. Colbeck. These wert repeated from the shore, and we steamei ofl thoroughly pleased with our trip. I air certain the delegates will Grant they had a hearty receptioo, and Foster the remembrances of the Tokatapu visit. About 15 o'clock on Saturday night certain of us made ourselves snug in the cabin, while others felt for a soft plank on deck on which to laj their weary heads. All were, however, truly happy. But pleasures are very evanes cent. They are— Like tho snowfliku In the riv v, One moment white, then gone for e'-'U'. And our trip to the Kaipara, was, unfortunately, no exception. About 4 o'clock a. m onr captain, though he had a mile widt channel, ran us on a mud bank, wh're foi five weary hours we had tho satisfaction ol watching the last of the ebbing tide and tht first of the flow. We arrived at Helensvillt about 1 o'clock, where a special train had been waiting, and were at once carried or to Riverheid, where we got into the City oi Cork, arriving in Auckland before 1 o'clock p.m. yesterday.