THE HON. R. McKENZIE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12469, 20 February 1909, Page 3

THE HON. R. McKENZIE.

♦ IN THE FAR NORTH. , - AN INTERESTING JOURNEY. (Special to "The. Colonist.") .Dargaville, Feb. 18. Yesterday was the most, interesting and certainly .the most arduous day of the Hon. R. McKenzie's tour of the north. Leaving Paparoa at 7 a.m., the party first of all drove to a place known as McCarroU's,' where there is a gap in the ranges, through which the surveyed line of railway passes about 98 miles from AucklandAit<>r making his usual careful inspection of the routes which junctyni H 1 locality, the Minister drove to Waikiekie, about 17 miles" ' from iaparoa, where the settlers in the district mustered in force to' receive him ■ an a.his..party. Lunch was- proi vided^ on quite a sumptuous scale and an addressvof welcome was presented to MrMcKenrie. After lunch, to whicu about 50 of 60 people sat doM, tne whole^ party was mounted on horses: provided by the settlers, arid -the cavalcade, consisting of between 30 and. 40 horsemen, went ofF .-across country. Here it was apparent that a Jnnematograph operator was badly needed, to faithfully record for the intormation and amusement of the pubb?,.™* divers strange and wonderful attitudes assumed by the town r visitors^on^ their unaccustomed perches. iNo doubt the guides and other country people accomnans-ing the procession fully appreciated: the humour of the proceedings, but from the strained and anxious-expressions on the faces Of many of the horsemen^ it was evident they, did not. : The first part of the journey was -simple enough, and the road was fairly good, and there was ample roonv for all the amateur jockeys to disport themselves, but presently the bush country . commencedj and with it the roughness' of the track ■ became noticeable. No formation had- been made except in the process of stock driving. Much of the bush, had, however, been cleared, and the land was carrying good grass throughout, the cattle passed by the way being in excellent condition. When the party had travelled about a third of the distance between Waekiekie and their objective, Tangiteroria, the eye, reached the Tauraroa stream , where from the top of a huge pile of kauri logs they' were welcomed by the chairman of the Hobson County Council, who said that Mr McKenzie was the first' Minister of the Crown who had ever, passed along that route. At this- point an exchange" of horses took place, the_ settlers in the Hobson County providing, the necessary mounts to enable the Minister and those with him to proceed .their•territory,, while the Waikiekie people returned with those that had first been supplied,: not, however, until .they had been given three rousing cheers by the-yisitors, and heartily thanked for their kindness and ... hospitality. After a fresh redistribution of horseflesh had taken place, the party moved on again, led by their, new guides, without : 'whom it would have been impossible for t|hem to re^ch their destination, as the tracks became less defined, and in many places were almost overgrown or completely lost in the beds of streams. Some little distance after leaving the Tauraroa,the valley of the Tauraroa was reached, and here was found a long narrow expanse of rich flat land; where thistles, growing to the height of the Worses' backs, covered nearly the whole area with a luxuriant growth of succulent feed that was eagerly seized by the horses as they passed along. .When this .piece of.coun.try was left behind, the way became, more difficult than ever, the ascents and descents being as nearly perpendicular as possible, and the track being diversified with interlaced roots -of'- trees, . rendering progress slow and somewhat dangerous. Luckily, however, the horses were all sure-footed creatures, well accustomed to the class of the country,- and no precaution to i, dismount and lead their animals doVn. the more. precipi-tbus plsLces was necessary. :.A.s one ridge was.;passed another appear-? Ed;. and when, one awkward descent had -been negotiated there would be a sudden rise on the: other side of. the gully, -and a still more sudden fall beyond tocontiriue unabated the anxiety of the':.- nervous ones. f .. -Howeyer, all trials come to an end. in one matter or another,, and all hearts were at last gladdened by. the sight . of ; a sheet _of water ahead, t ; which-; upon 'enquiry was ascertained to be the -Wairoa river, reallya i branch of t th 4 Kaipara harbour, which throws its various octopus like arms through a -very large area pi -the nprthernlands. .-.A- launch was waiting to convey "a section of the party. -up. stream.;to. Tangiterqia, and after the Minister and those, immediately in- -attendance had partaken of tea at the residence Mr Riddell, who owns about eleven thousand acres of the country they had just passed through, they boarded the launch and continued their' 4 - journey, i while; the others went on by road. The trip up the 1 river proved more exciting than had been anticipated, owing to the fact that at one place the scow Hawk was foundvJying in the stream with cables right across to either bank, and kauri logs and driftwood -of all descriptions piled, up against them. The Minister, who had been acting as helmsman, showed considerable capacity as a. /commander in- navigating the launch "at this ; juncture, and after considerable trouble the accident that appeared probable was avoided, and the launch safely passed under the anchor-chains of the scow and the voyage resumed, Tangiteroria being finally reached at about 7.30 without mishap, although the Minister skipper had to exercise considerable care in clearing the logs; and. floating ; snags that appeared at frequent intervals along the stream. The importance and extent of the timber industry; in this district was particularly noticeable, large accumulations of logs ready for throwing' in the river for rafting to the various mills" being bbserved at many -places, along :the banks of the river.., At TangiterOia the business of " the day concluded with . the usual deputationsj; and everyone nnally retired :to rest. feeling that they were entitled to- sleep after; a, very vi'gorouslday;. i-This. mqrniiig_Mr ' Mc-KenzieV-accdrapaniedby-theiEnginee^ in-Chief, ; : Mr:%lmes;-: assistant engineer, Mr 'JVA^.-.Wilson,. and.other^ drove to the Wartama . valley through which the trial survey the North Auckland" main trunk line is being run, and from -the,. top ot a hill some distance from Maunakaramea, viewed the district in various directions, and obtained a thoroughly comprehensive idea of the nature of the country through which the railway must eventuaUy. pass. The .land in the neighbourhood appeared vtb be of fair quality, very similar, in fact, to that which had been traversed on the preceding days, and of ,the_ same very undulating character diversified with moderate .elevations and ra'n-ges- funning in, different .direct tioris. With the exception of the area comprised in the Tokatoka swamp, no flat country of any :extent,-except in one or two-valleys, .such .as.that along the Tanere stream, has so far been met- with.. On returning to . Tangiteroia it'^was found ='that the * river steamer, Naumai had . arrived, 'and was in readiness vto -convey the MiiilsteriaVparty to Dargaville, for which place they left at "o»e p.m. On. arrival at v Dargavjlle the Minuter was met byHhe County. GB airman 1 , an the absence 'of • the^Mayor ) /al^d .welepmied to 'the f town. Mr McKeiwia.rece«:e£ several deputations .during the eveftine, and is now being"banquetted,by the town, .people. >.- Tie,^ party., has now been reduced to the Minister's immediate staff, and of. course includes Mrs . McKenzie, who has ac-companied'Mr-rMcKenzie . >on:xthe^ wholkol ■' the tour with the-exceptipn-oi ■the-'horpebick" jpurneyv to a,v.°ido,vhicl] she travelled to Dargaville by easiei route.- T6-morro\y morning . a start will be made by means of the.Darga-ville-Kaihu railway for Kohukohu; The first part of the journey will be over "seventeen miles, of railway, ithe second part >by coach,, and the thirc and last stage by oil launch along' the Hokianga harbour, .■-..• .;■■.;■•••