RIVERTON SCENERY.

Western Star, 15 August 1874, Page 3

RIVERTON SCENERY.

** • * - (Contimied.) We left oif standing (in imagination) at the turn of the road at Gfunruie’s Bash, or rather a little off the road at five jactitation, wDero we had a coifimaml of roun d in magie circle, Now -Own which mestles below, art,9 a ’° more struck by its capabilities than its aftainaadnfcs. It will bo a pretty town some day, but that day Is in the distance yet, Wat-wee has flopc for it than.-a.rt •>/.. present. Those who jp.l it out thought humbly of it, aud demoted no ygreat pains to beautifying it by-squares, octagons, public gardens, &o. The streets, too, the exception of one cross-road, are only; one chain wide; but look along any one of thousand imagine it filled up on both sides, or the itfltojrilncutly defined by buildings, trees, &s:, and tfflfhporspeetivo is : invariably terminated prospect. Look along the mail called after the great -and popular and, looking up, ron see the on rather higher land than down, the view is bounded by timberol hills behind and within pf -South Riverton. tlie press-streets bearing tl)0 names of Delhi, Napier, &e., and on one si lo you the fiver estuary audits grand wop el and on the other the ocean, . p s'-gacLem reminds one of Malta, with one ejyhpdoSt in that rocky fortress,, tho streets leading from the (Brand Harbour to the Quarantine Harbour are fo a considerable extent formed of steps, which palled forth tho profane valediction of B.vrou “ Farewell, ye cursed streets of sts-irs, How surely he who mounts yo swtwrs.' v Our streets give no,.such provocation, being beautifully level. Witli South Riverton the case is somewhat different. Tho reason is obvious the South ward is of igneous formation, rocky pud uneven ; tho North ward is of aqueous prigin, level and sandy. On looking down Hqlmorston-strocfc, were it pot for tho fine bridge now spanning the Aparima, a novice would perhaps hardly suspect that a rolling river flowed between the lower end of the street and the abruptly rising l&ud beyond, Now, is it safe to enter upon of the a Ivantages of tho two pides, or wards, as our Corporation calls them ? A question every man has a right to ask is, ‘ On which side do you IjqM sections?’ Tho south pide ii sheltered snugly from tho S.)V. winds, am its climate .tbslmoro milder than that of the porth. ' Its northern aspect, Am >, is pleasant in tills country wb-'-rc the Wm is not often ’ oppressive, and the view in- >s direction very hi;id. To counterbalance i i' ;i a l/auta the <Na.ivt.ia. 1- Uneven, ii l stJrfaco. an I the vie.v in t‘.i *i a neUat-j forage.mu I anything but attractive. On the north side of the fiver the laud is mostly open to ths sou’-wosiers ; but if, as. tho advertisements say, “oxygen is life,” then the doctor’s bills and the death rate in North Riverton ought to be always lower than jn South. I am not saying that South Riverton is unhealthy- But scenery is my subject... and all the views the north side lias are fine; almost the only • : y tiling is tho sailippit on which it stun ;s. T.u river fiats at low water are not pa‘ticularly attractive. Qur next, stated point shall be on the bench or jn tho, Maori dunk. It is “ a soa without a ship, j as Brighton at homo is always described, but it will not, always be so. And it is a noble sea too. .Reflection reminds us it is not the sea which washes (he British Isles, but the far South Pacific, Yet jit reminds amau of homo, and the scenes familiar to all wfio have‘‘.come across tho ssa.” It is posy tg bo reminded by it of the old British Channel of the place where—- • f‘ All iu tho Downsi tlie fleet was moored, blaek-eyodjSusau came on board,” And of the “ tranquil shore,” and familiar pbjects as “our gallant ship down channel ftcorpd.” Or aiblyns my.' guJ.e neigbour sailed from Gflaskey, and docs pm hi* see anything to mind him of Ailson Or jug, and iiion’y auither phip of tho old blocYof Jsrism pock we were all hewn froaif But! afivyays maintain that the great bay between the niouths of the Now River and Aparima is a little like the fauiod bay of Naples . Y erv little —perhaps the cynical traveller may One objection would bo, it is tqq large—a good J fault. Another objection you have no volcano like BfeVesuvius. Answer—wo don’t want one. But I prove by y correct sylloyism that their must resemblance. Our bay is very like the bay of ||||Bblin. Now all travellers admit that Dublin bears a groat likeness to Naples, theroW fore our bay must bear a greater or less resemblance bo it, also. But never mind Naples. Don’t you see, geutle reader, that lam paving my way to a compliment for my friend Pal. He is a British subject, so am I; and does ho nqt, if ho .nows Dublin, sue something to remind him of *|iome ? 'y iter Dublin, su:o there is go de|ag||B|rbeats I

make a place of it. If it is not home, the flag that flics from the flag-staff at the Pilot Station is the same that Captain Cook planted on these shores at first, and will bo, till Te Wai Poanamu sink- in the Ocean again. And even then, if there is a stick left standing, tho old flag will be soon waving calmly still.