RESOURCES OF NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 6

RESOURCES OF NORTH

NEGLECTED PARADISE • VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS "The 'Winterless North' iu a neglected paradise, the people seem very indolent, the fruit is falling ripe from the trees, and vegetables for the hotel at Mangonui come from Auckland, a journey of 11 hours." Thus said / Mr. F. J. Barlow, architect, of Christchurch, who has been visiting North Auckland. He says he 'was impressed by the great possibilities, scarcely touched, of a ,part of the Dominion which will grow practically anything. He picked magnificent mandarins and oranges, and peaches were formed on the trees at the end of July. Mr. Barlow spent a week at Mangonui, where, as in other parts such as \ Russell, Whangarei and Whangaroa, no one, he said, seemed to take anj interest in gardens. He noticed only two gardens worth mention at Mangonui. Yet vegetables wage easily grown m the district. It seemed to him that enough citrus fruit could be grown in the far north to supply the South Island if the opportunity were grasped, and there were proper organisation. Places lapped by waters teeming with fish were visited by Mr. Barlow, but people, he said, would not go and get them. There was neglect of very valuable natural resources. Much land was of the waste kind, but much was very productive.