THE NORTH OF AUCKLAND COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7259, 23 February 1885, Page 5

THE NORTH OF AUCKLAND COUNTRY.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—A CORRESPONDENT.] WhangarEi, Saturday. It would appear that a good deal of misapprehension prevails in certain districts regarding the . mission of Messrs. Knorpp and Mitchelson. Their , exploration only concerns the district between Whangarei, Kawakawa, and Hokianga. Messrs. Knorpp, MitchelsoD, J. B. Whyte, and Thompson left Whangarei last Tuesday en route for Kawakawa, which place they reached the same day, thence proceeded to Kaikohe, and from there came down the Mangakahia Valley as far as Waitorutoru and then went up the Hikurangi Valley, which lies parallel with the Mangakahia country. Between Puhipubi and Kawakawa it was found to be poor country, there being only gum ranges. The country between Kaikohe via Mangakahia to Poroti (at the back of Whangarei) was found to be equal to anything in New Zealand. This may appear an exaggeration, but Mr. White will tell you that for two days the party were riding through country similar and equal to the land about Kihikihi. Mr. Knorpp, who is usually a reticent man, could not help expressing very great surprise, and said he believed some of the land was actually better than the far-famed Waimate Plains. The length of the country between Kaikohe and Whangarei is about 70 miles, so your. readers can imagine the extent of good land that lies shut up in this Mangakahia terra incognita, Mr, Knorpp will next week go into the question of the Puhipuhi railway as from Kamo. He is to enquire into the coal outcrops, amount of timber in Puhipuhi, the feasibility and cost of draining the Papakura swamp, etc., with a view of ad vising the Government on the necessity and advisability of making a line of railway some 12 or 14 miles long from Kamo to the Puhipuhi forest.;