KAURI FORESTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 277, 23 November 1943, Page 4

KAURI FORESTS

TALK TO ROTARY CLUB Impressions of the kauri forests of Norin AucKland were given in a talk to the Wanganui Rotary Cluo yesterday by Mr. c. H. Clinkard. The speaker said his grandfather settled at Makarau about 80 years ago, when he first arrived in New Zealand from England. A man of great physique, Mr. Clinkard’s grandxather had Deen champion boxer ol Oxford University in nis day, and it certainly needed courage to pioneer the kauri forests of those days. There were no roads to Makarau, which is situated about 12 miles north oi Helensville and about 60 miles from Auckland. Mr. Clinkard mentioned that the first bag of flour his grandparents had was carried by his grandrather for 30 miles. 'The speaker said his first recollections of the bush was the kowhai trees in full bloom along the banks of the Makarau River. At the Makarau settlement the hills were covered with bush, with the majestic kauri trees towering above all, and their massive tops a deep green. Some of the kauri trees were 3(J feet in circumference. Practically all the timber was hauled to the river. This was done in winter time, during which there were usually three or tour “freshes” or floods. These carried the massive logs down to the boons at the top of tne tidal portion of the river. Mr. Clinkard detailed the different processes entailed before the logs finally reached their destination and the mills. The vote of thanks was moved by Mr. S. Newsome.