IN KAIPARA WATERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 86

IN KAIPARA WATERS.

No. 3.— NORTHERN" WAIROA.

The principal centre of trade on the Northern Wairoa is the town of Dargaville, about 70 miles from the river mouth. There is still a grand wide stretch of water, and several steamboats were in evidence. As we discovered that the town was really crowded in consequence of the axemen's carnival, we took rooms at a township a little farther down the river, where there was <an excellent hotel, quite new, and well fitted up. We^ were therefdre very comfort-able, and could stroll into Dargaville in ten minutes. The two settlements will meet ere long and form, one town. A great deal of buiMing is now going on, andi everyone seems assured of the prosperity of the district. At first sight it would appear that industry has come to an end with the passing of the forests, as timber has been the principal support. The bush is now practically worked out, and several of the mills lower down the river have closed down. This is the case at the town of Aratapu, where important works flourished for many years and there are a number of large buildings and quite an old settlement. It has now a somewhat melancholy aspect : buildings falling to decay and mills disused ; while huge piles of sawdust, like immense' haystacks, are becoming overgrown with weeds. There is now scarcely any standing timber to be seen about, and the wood which supplies the mills is carried down the river in huge logs andu confined by booms awaiting treatment. It is a grand sight when quantities of logs are floating down the river; usually on the bosom of a fresh. The prospects of the river settlement might bs deemed somewhat insecure but for the innovation in industry related in a former paper — viz., the development of the gum industry, the treatment of the gum soil, by which it may be made to produce gas, the advancement of the flax industry, the probability of the existence of vast quantities of coal', and the improvement effected in the soil by suitable treatment. The discovery of the existence of the long-suspected coal area took place in rather a singular manner. Experiments had been- fruitlessly made and abandoned. There was an extensive burning of bush going on, however, and after the burn had been effected it was observed that a portion of the country still persistently smouldered. A coal area had" been accidentally fired, and the fire was with difficulty extinguished. Thus the important discovery was made. The improvement of the land under treatment is distinctly visible wherever undertaken in the extreme brilliance of the verdure. It is pretty evident that the gum lands still possess valuable qualities although the surface gum has been extracted. A great many Austrians^are at work in the neighbourhood of Dargaville, which is a cenfcee of the gum industry. Miles upon miles and miles again of gum country lie between the Wairoa River and the ocean beach on the West Coast. All this country may be described as hilly upland, covered with brown stubbl«, treeless and shadeless. The gum dust lies in drifts or stirs round on the breeze, and the diggers live in solitary huts or in clusters, forming settlements. The banks of the great river are distinguished by green slopes, rich river flats, and a fringe of trees and cultivation. The flax industry is quite & new and a most successful development on the Wairoa. Owing to their isolation, the settlers are somewhat behindhand at times, a.n.a hacl fails* to realise "thg importance of the flax, oi which vast areas existed on the river flats. _ Enterprising companies, however, instituted works, which were found to be extremely profitable. As. a matter of fact, the soil and climate exactly suit flax production, a very fine variety being produced. A. considerable area is now being planted, and there is still a great quantity of the natural growth. Private ownership somewhat retards development, as much of the land along the river is in the hands of individuals and utilised as cattle runs Without taking any part m political questions, I have a dislike to interference with private property, especially as 3 hold a little of my own (for which I thank Providence). However, it appears to me that tho land on the banks of the Warroa is singularly unsuitable for private ownership in extensive areas. The view from my window and irom the balcony of our- hotel in the. morning is fiimnly sunerb. A Bemi-circle of

wide river lies below us, the banks bordered with cabbage tree and other Native growths ; the river, flats are covered with groves of flax, toi, and cabbage-tree, with a background of standing forest far away between us and the picturesque blue ranges on the northern boundary. These distant hills have very picturesque oatlines, and seem veiled in purple mist. The shadows in the river, the calm> only -disturbed by leaping fish ; the gently moving boats and the passing steamers, leaving a long trail of ripples on the deep, green, ■waifcor, form a charming picture which one would fain preserve in the mind's eye. It is Sunday morning, and the inhabitants are dropping along the streets and by-roads in twos and threes, or in family parties, making their way towards the different churches, of which the bells are> ringing out a summons. On one of the days we spent on the Wairoa we visited the West Coast, which Is but eight or nine miles away. Once more glance at the map, and you will perceive how lengthy a stretch of beach lies between the Kaipara Heads and the outlet of Hokianga. It is, in reality, a long stretch of hard, sandy beach without interruption of any kind for about 70 milerf, so- that travelling is extremely easy. There are several charming routes to oe taken from the Wairoa, and the coast road is one of them. At low tide- there is a. great width of hard sand, on which it is delightful to ride or drive. The* inhabitans of tdie Wairoa River settlements greatly enjoy this fine stretch, of snore, which is within their reach, and- it is quite the custom in summer time to adjourn thither, either to camp for a time or to spend a day, bathe, and "have a blow" of the fresh ocean breezes. Should you visit that region just now jrou' will find a canvas and timbers town so extensive as to require speciaL regulations, jo control its conditions. The cool r west breezes continuously blowing render the air extremely fresh and pure ; great rollers continuously break in dashing spray, and several special sports peculiar to the spot axe J popular. The fishing is- of a very interesting character. Lines* are sucessfully thrown out into the- boiling •surf, and fine eohnopper landed' on the beach ; nets are put out into the surf by several sportsmen, and drawn in a- kind of semi-circle, filled with- flashing- fish. Lagoons ire formed on the shore, and some special fishing is carried on. hr these artificial lakes, a greatr quantity of. fish being left by the receding tide. An altogether unique industry is carried, on ott' 1 * this beach. It is the home of a>. peculiar bivalve which is much appreciated by epicures. It is said' to have been introduced by the Maoris who came from Hawaiki with the first canoes. .me shellfish is called the toheroa. .It? is the size oj a very large mussel or pipi, andtliyes in the- sand, into which it burrows with, surprising rapidity. It Increases rapidly and is extremely numerous. A person with a spade or fork could fill a wheelbarrow in a few minutes, as the fish are in shoals upoa the beach, beneath the sand. Its presence is discovered by a small bubble or blister on the sand as the- wave retreats. It is quite amusing to hear people describe this delicacy with much relish and gusto. It is said to make soup equal to turtle. We procured a sackful of the shellfish to take to a friend, but did not' try them ourselves. A canning factory is at work preparing the toheroa- for the market. The quantity procurable seems endless, as the whole extent of beach, from Kaipara Heads, to Hokianga is said to be thick with the shellfish. They have an ' immense power of resistance, so that a strong instrument is necessary to dislodge them. - There seems to be no reason why this peculiar shellfish should not be acclimatised on any other sand beach. It would probably flourish exceedingly on the East Coast between Gisborne and the Cape, as the shore there is of the same description— a hardy, sandy beach swept by ocean rollers and comparatively- free of rocks. It might in time prove a great .attraction and provide an industry distinctive of New Zealand. The scenery and atmosphere of the West Coast are truly delightful, and nothing could be more refreshing and iirvigorating than a sojourn there: i Free from care, the happy coast-farers frolic and play in and out of the surf,, children of the wind and sun and sea, drinking in health and innocent happiness from the strong sea breezes and fresh saltladen air.