DARGAVILLE.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 723, 3 February 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

DARGAVILLE.

Abotj/t a mile of pieasantsteaming brings us to Kaiiixij now becoming known by its, modem and English, name of Dargayille, ■\yliich,was fifsitgiven to,it by the Board of Education. This thriving township, whiqh took its origin from being the head-quarters of the 'extensive timber trade' of the gentlelnah whose nanie' it bears', is situate at the juncti6ri of tlie Wairoa "and Kaihu rivers, 1 and is' at the head'of the deep water -navi-! gation of tlie •^Tajb.-oa,- SChjere. ; is a resident population'^ bypi; : a.;lnjndj.^^ jpersonsj ,but these bear . 9nlj^ ' 'a' snia^.- jjropbrti'on 'to thetptal nunib.er p£ pefe6n^vdii^ctljr'and/.indi- ;- rjßQtiy, supporteii.: by-lthe^fi^m'^ operations^ On^^iindred^an'd .thirty ..men ,p.re," op ,, an. ay'^i-^ej ' v .,enipioyed j in, ' Mx . Dargaville's. ■btisliei3 f , from ten tb'.'^rty niiles'iip'tne river," and 'the 'supply ofthes^Syith'b'eef and other provisions, affords a yeady market for everv^ .tiling of that kind r the settlers 'in tlie heighboiirhiood are able to produce. : 'It^was from 7 these lmslies that the cargoes of magnificent, spars, lately supplied to. the. British Adin£ ralty, were taken, and similar shipments are still being made to . China, Australia,' and elsewhere. The bustle and prosperity everywhere apparent indicate that the .proprietor'is J not only successful himself, but is anwding'profitable employment to hundreds about him. Six years ago, the site of the present township wassimply a wilderness, and now there cannot be founda prettier or more thriving settlement m the province. The place possesses a comfortable little hall, which is leased. by Mr Kaynes, of the Kaihu Hotel, who has liberally granted the use of the building as a school-house, where,in assembles about 25 pupils. It is certainly not equalled by any put)lic schoolroom m Auckland, either as regards its convenience, or its general healthiness. Whenever the lovers of harmony congregate, the hall is the place of meeting, and the devotees of the lively Terpsichore have often exercised their heels on its floor until .the early sunshine' peeped m . at the windows, .and . ,cast the flickering light of the extemporised chandeliers into the shade. But the most characteristic mark of the' progress, of Kaihu is to be found m the fact tb.at the rinkomania lias spread up here, and the hali has been used for this purpose. If its ' floor could speak it would : a sad tale Unfold of wounded" shins, of contused bones, arid many a sudden and undignified collapse on the hinder developments. The hall is also m request for public meetings, and on Sundays it is. nspd .by the church of : England congregation for devotionalpurppses. In short the various useful purposes Avhich. this famous little hall fulfil^ are many, aud -highly conducive to the advancement of the .aistrictl , Tliei-e is a fine large store kept by : M!r Mitchelson which amply supplies all the varied and multif aribiis requisements 1 of the ; district. There is moreover a butcher shop and a bakery, so that Kaihu enjoys all the blessings of civilization, and is not reduced like many other out-settlements to subsistence upon " damper. " There is also k a blacksmitb.'s shop, and other evidences of progress which, like the articles m the auctioneer's catalogue, are " two numerous to mention. " Everyone who visits . this place ( is struck with' the evident vitality of the place, and the promissing nature of its' prospects. I met one influential Auckland gentleman to-day who was so favourably impressed- with the appearance and resources of the place.' that he has leased a piece of ground m a good position whereon lie intends wjlthput. loss, of, time tp.establish a new business of considerable importance. There are about 16 or 20 neat cottages here, and 14 others are to be imriiediately commericed. Your readers will therefore be able to form some idea of the rapid advances which the place. is' making? and of the demand 'for' house accpnimodatiori. -•■ A •church 'is about to -be erected at •a' cost of sbnie!C£soo,^ the greater partiof ;which. ; is ;abready subscribed. ; ■ I shall ' be. surprised jf.iii/ a: fewu years more PargaviUe will npt •become a-yeryimpqrtant place. > In con.sequqnee of , the • repeated^ delays and eva--sjons. of jtlib .Government *m the matter .of .tjip; Kaipftra. Railway Extension^ Mr Dargaville nas 'decided to put' /a ''ship 911 the direct trade between Melbotirne arid Kaipara and has pxirchased tlie barque "Glimpse" for 'the purpose. The probable result will ; be''tliat trade of this splendid district 'Will> 'be diverted, from Auckland to'Melboume, and that all such goods .as ; axe npw imported ' frpm Melbourne, via Auckland by the ".Hero" will come ; over direct. iFpiv this the. Auckland merchants have !tp /thank tJh.ei r . °wn ; inertness. in not pressing jribre persistently on the Gdyerninent tlie desirability of going oii with tlie extension to Auckland; The 'Union ij Steamy Saw .Company, wh!b have two saw mills; m the district draAV the whole of their supplies of timber from Mr Dargaville, . and the quantity at present lequired for tHact purpose alone is 800,000. feet per month. Mr IDargaville offers everyr inducement to T men m his employment and, others to take up : sniali farms along, the banks . ,of the yiver. These men can work, alternately oil their farms arid : m the bush, aiid so gradually make comfortable horiies for themselves and /their families, arid at the same time ensiu'e and 'add to the permanent prosperity of the district. On the whole, I believe that, during the past two years the progress of Kaihu has' been more marked and rapid ■than that' of 'any other settlement m the district.- JVIr Raynes' fine Kaihti Hotel offers a striking contrast to the few miserable shanties tljat once formed the embyro tpAvnshipi The hotel is one of the riiost comfortable m the province. It stands close to the wharf, and commands a fine vie\v of , the surrounding 'cpririti,y for'milesl Ori.ifine days it is exceedingly pleasant to sit on the verandah arid watch the outriggers which i dot 'the 1 surface of the w.ater. Here almost , ;allthe travelliug is ' performed by water, and a boat supplies- the place of the family dog- cart m other dis.tricts, while the . out-rigger does duty instead of the. aristocratic buggy. During my visit an entei-prising Maori chief up the river had got r up a regatta, arid a large number of boats - arid outriggers were en route for the scene of the contest.,, I coiild not but admire the rapidity with, which the craft were propelled. 1 'The ordinary, speed was befaveen five and eight miles an hour. : ■Here you are far away from the enervating! atmosphere of , the city, freed from the noisome exhalations of sewers, and ( the close fetid air of the town. The wind blows wheresoever it listest, arid the lungs take m the invigorating air with freedom.. ,! ( Thus it is that the people of these parts are strong and robust, and the exercise of boating develops the muscles and expands the chest : m a Hvay that would do a vast amount of good to some of the poor, stunted, palefaced young men Avho burn thei midnight oil and pass weary stedentery lives! over the desk. While the ste&mer is at the I wharf the Kaihu Hotel is all bustle and animation. , It is the last catting place.pf; the steamer up the river. On frequent occasions the cuisine resources of the place: have been severely tested. It is not an uii-' common oceiirrence for between 50 and 100 i men' to sit down to dinner at one" time, but; the management has hitherto, proved fully equal to all demands. \ : ■ SHIET SLEEVES V. ' COATS. ' : ' There is a story m: connection with this hotel which is too good to be passed over. The population I may ' say , is : just a little . mixed. Though the beU-topper and patent leather boot element does not predominate, there. is a fair sprinkling of well-to-do, per-; sons, and besides .there is the genuine bushmari and gum digger— open-hearted, industrious, and hospitable fellows m their way," but occasionally; a trifle. 'given /to imbibing too much potent liquid, arid -with a weakness for going, about' in an attire

wbich^aytby enough, but is certainly neither 'fashionable nbr> elegailt: r . Well,, it -was found after apmeMittle experience that the promiscuous assemblage of ,all classes at the dinner table ; was not conducive tq-. general harmony, pr to that; quiet which is said to be necessary . ,to' healthy digestion, " and is so dear'totM heart,'., of the average Englishman! Thus 'it /ckfnte about that the proprietor .of the; hibteT after due cogitation upon this weighty subject" issued a notice, ■which ! had all ' the force of law, that henceforth, and for evermore, no person of the<male sex should dare, on pain of indignified expulsion, to appear at the dinner table mMs shirt t sleeves. I say male, sex \ because it was presumed that no lady with, any. respect for propriety would appear m the objectionable garment. It boots not to iep, of all the .heart-burning that was caused Wy 'that regulation ; . of how the ultra democratic element of the .place denounced it as* a tyrannous interference with the ilibefcty-of the subject, a condemned aristo.pritic innovation, and an attempt to corrupt tfte .morals of the people* But time, that he&ls all ;diiferences, poured balm jtpon the lacerated feelings of the shirt-sleevers, !and by dint • of i some >tact the rule became as fticed a part of the regime of the Kaihu Hotel, as the .laws, of ..the.. Me.des an^l Persians. ,But it is 'often., productive of no little amusement 1 . -; Everyone here does not possess.a coat, and if .they did they would seldom have occasion to -wear it. Sometimes half a dozen biishmen come to the hotel with only one among them. Then they go awayto some '-retired spot,and draw lots as to who shall wear it first; second, and so ; on;- until it comes to the last, .who has very, littie chance of getting any dinner at all. It is rather amusing to see one man sitting . outside on . the bench m his shirt sleeve^, we,axing a discontentecl look on his, face, ' >vhile ' he 'sniffs m the ravishing odours of the fat things On which his friend with the coat is leisurely regaling Himself inside. Tender such circumstances a man is not apt to be patient. His feelings resemble those of the penniless urchin flattening - his no^eo against 'the. cook-shop window. There is a local celebrity up here styled by courtesy " The Admiral/ and on one occasion he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing a coat from a friend, who". was a slight man. "The Admiral" struggled by desperate efforts into the coat, and took his seat at the table, where he was the cynosure of 'all eyes* The sleeves reached just about to his elbows, the coat cramped him so that he was unable to.' move, least of all to ply his knife and fork. When he had contrived by frantic efforts to, eat a fe^v mou^hfuls, he was courteously, .asked if he ; would have a tempting morael of fat gqose ? The Admiral cast a despaiiing glance upon the juicy fragment, and then stammered out, intones sad and' mournful, .".It's* no use. Tliis blessed, coat is so tigixt .that I haven't got any room for it." lam glad to chronicle the fact that "mine host" here is ever ready to come to the aid of the distressed by lending a coat m eases of emergency. The Kaiku rHotel is excellently managed, and the atteiitioupaid.to the comfort arid happiness of visitors by. the ladies of . the house is beyond all praise. The popularity which this . house. :nas gained is, a^e m a great measure to their exertions aid tjieif unceasing attention to the wants of visitors. lam sure this would be 'a favourite place of holiday resort from Auckland if the citizens' had any idea of the comfortable accommodation here, or the- natural' beauty of the scenery, and ' the fine views on the rjourhey up m the smart little Minnie Casey. The west coast may be reached from any of the settlements on the Wairoa River," aud ;those who . delight m beautiful marine views will be amply rewarded for thei^ journey by magnificent views. THE WAIROA KIVER. , This river is finely adopted for navigation vessels of the largest- tonnage experiencing "no difficulty m going lip, ■••several • large barques having- been loaded with ease.* , I ■may here mention. that the TeKopiini Sawimill^Company^own. four: vessels which are .constantly employed. The breadth' of the varies ■; m s.ome..places it.is 100 . yards ,Av|de,. and, m, others it extends, fully a' mile withVa good- depth of water;- " It'is estimated tlia-t the f prests here are. sufficient to/TtnaiiiT tain, a supply of fine- kauri 'timber, for a period of 'fifty years ?hence, when doubtless, other classes pf timber, which are 'at present despised on' account of the ease with which kauri can 'be obtained, will- come' into request.' - All through i tne district 'the! jwatch- words are: .tliriftj industi-y, andipro-: gress! The" shipping trade -is increasing, new! biuldingsjjire goiug-up m all directions, business,. is,, extending, settlers are .coining iii. .] ,Jt ( paiinb' t 'be disguised that the district : has'' ptiffered. .great neglect at the; haiids'''6f' the" authorities,, whose /aim. it! should be' to, foster.and encourage by every : legitimate means these 1 places, which possess '.aU^the ''elements of material wealth and : prosperity, are: -capable of affordiiigi comfortable subsistence to thousands of : the; , overdrbwded aud. pauperised population with ; which th^ cities • of- the old world teem.,. Untii very recently, there, w.is only .one, mail a foi'tnight betAveen this, district ' and , Auckland, wldch... Syas taken 'lip by a sailing, boait. AU honour to the men of stout hearts and willing hands who first settled m these regions, endured the privations inseparable ftom life: m a remote country place, and by their energy and enterprise utilized its teeming resources established comfortable 'homes, ' and added to the material wealth of the country. ' .Nor must' your ; reaclers suppose that the. timber trade is the only source of prosperity. When 1 vast forests shaU. have been denuded of tlieir timber,/ agriculture, which is now 'extending, wiU be m a flourishing condition,' and other sources of commerce will be developed. • I ought not to" close these notes compiled during a ■hurried- visit' to the place, without acknowledging the ready courtesy and aid and kindly hospitality which I ex-: perienced at the hands* of all persons witlii whom. I came m contact m my journey "to 1 and fro. . - . ' .■ '■ '■■..■' My necessarily limited stay m the district precluded the extension of my observations to other places equally worthy, of notice— partlculerly the Kaihu Flax Mill, 'where the New Zealand Fibre Company have 'exhibited miiclv. praiseworthy enterprise, . and embarked considerable capital m this class of useful industry. ' The flax mills, have however, been frequently noticed m the columns of. the SiTAB, : and on a futiu % e occasion I • hppej to be able to pay a more extended visit, and to do justica to an ente.rprise. which' is Avorthy of every encouragement. The ' various settlements aud industries on the Otamatea river Avill also afford ample and interesting materials for a fixture article. '