AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 14, 6 April 1910, Page 5

AUCKLAND.

Novices at Mountaineering. During the last few days (writes our Ohakune correspondent) many people from all parts of the Dominion have been doing Ruapehu, generally in parties of from five to twenty persons. Guides being plentiful, each party very wisely availed themselves of their services on making this interesting, but not too easy, ascent. One party, hailing from somewhere up North, thought fMiey knew enough to explore this giant all "on their own," nothing appearing more easy; but, unfortunately for them, the ridges are high, the gullies deep, while their geological knowledge was just so much that the immense boulders appeared all alike. The snow drifts left but little trace of previous explorers, and they were hopelessly lost on the chilling slopes of mighty Ruapehu. However, after hours and hours of frantic wanderings, hungry and sad, they were fortunately discovered by another party, who, observing their sad plight, put them on the track and directed them to ■where they would find some food, which had been left as a stand-by for the return journey. The hungry party took such full advantage of the hospitality offered them that the members of the party who so kindly directed them returned to an almost empty larder, and had cause to regret their generosity. A New Lighthouse. The Marine Department (says the N.Z. ‘■Times”) has notified the Merchant Service Guild that the question is to be eon sidered of providing a sum on the Estimates for 1910 to erect a new lighthouse on the east coast of the North Island. The department has asked the secretary of the guild (Captain D. J. Watson) to obtain the opinions of shipmasters as to •the most desirable locality for a new lighthouse between the Gape Palliser lighthouse and Cape Turnagain. There is at present a long stretch of coastline between the points named- quite destitute of a light. It seems probable that Flat Point will be chosen as the most suitable locality for the new light, inasmuch as it constitutes more of a turn-ing-point than Castlepoint. Further, there is a considerable area of foul ground extending round a five-mile radius out from Flat Point. Nothing less than a light of the first order, it is believed, should be erected. It is proposed by the department to move the Mokohinau light, which has been practically superseded by the new Cape Brett light. It is suggested that if the Mokohinau light were moved to the Hen and Chickens, nearer Auckland, it would be of more service as a coastal light, instead of a light for oversea vessels coming from the eastward, which is its present vocation. "The Hand of Man.’’ The claim made by Mr Clement I* Wragge, F.R.G.S., that he has discovered the remains of an ancient city or temple in the neighbourhood of the Bay of Islands, is supported by further evidence which he has collected as the result of closer investigation into the geological phenomena. What he has discovered are, in his opinion, not volcanic bombs, but huge blocks standing out of the ground at all angles, up to 10ft high. Some of tire stones stand upright, some cant over at an angle of about 45 degrees, and others point nearly horizontally from the elope of the hill, being similar in appearance to huge cannon ■on a man-o’-war.

What is difficult to account for by natural formation is what Mr Wragge describes to be a monumental arch, with the appearance of the top of a doorway, the spring of the arch being sin or Gin deep and Ift 3in thick, and sft long by about Ift lOin across. On the top of one block he found three distinct cups, ffin apart, and alongside another three. They are each from 2in to 3in in diameter, and from ?in to Ilin in depth. On an adjacent stone was another cup, 2in to 2jin in diameter, and about lin deep, and Gin away was a right angled cross, the main portion Gin long, and the arm 3in each way. with one side blurred. Irregular crosses, similar to those made by the natives when they signed the Treaty of Waitangi, were

fount! on other stones. On another atone was a small triangle, 2.7 in on one side and 3iu on the others, with irregu lar ridges branching oil it in one direction. it is hard to account for all this by natural agencies. 3dr Wragge nays that though the rocks are of plutonic, igneous, or volcanic formation. they appear to have been manipulated by the hand of man. and his opinion is that what he has discovered hive been caused by early man. far anterior to the advent of the Maori. A gully at the botto.ii of the slope on which he found the immense stones contains rocks buried in a chaotic mass on every angle, as though some tremendous upheaval had taken place. One huge pillar, lying nearly horizontal, is circular in formation, and ha«< a girth measuring 12ft 9in. The portion showing out of the ground is 9ft Sin long and 3ft Ilin in diameter at the base. There is a cave beneath, filled with bones and broken coffins, probably a recent burial-place used by the Maoris. The spot is hidden by thick manuka bush, and Mr Wragge thinks the Government should take it over. Gale and Floods. A fierce gale, accompanied by very heavy rain, visited the northern portion of New Zealand during the week, and caused extensive damage. The gale was the tail-end of a hurricane which struck Fiji and Norfolk Island, where very heavy damage was caused to the crops, trees, and buildings. The disturbance reached New’ Zealand on Tuesday, its approach being heralded by heavy rain. The gale followed, and continued tor over two days, during which time many buildings were unroofed, trees were blown down in all parts of the country, ami crops and fences were levelled. The Ohinemuri district suffered most, and while the rainfall in Auckland was 6.38 inches for the three days, in Waihi it was as much as 14 inches in 16 hours. Paeroa was under water on Wednesday, when the Ohinemuri River, rising in a few hours, overflowed its banks. The first overflow was at 7 a.m. and an hour and a half later the town by the railway station was completely submerged. The wind was blowing a hurricane from the east, and the rain continued to fall in torrents. The flood waters steadily rose, and by 12 o’clock nearly every shop in the main street was flooded out. The residents of the houses on the low-lying lands in Rye-lane. Pukeroad, Junction-road, and Karangahakeroad were also flooded out of their houses, the water rising 3ft in some of the houses. One four-roomed house iiz Rye-lane was completely washed away. Numerous outhouses, sheds, and other buildings were floating about, and the footbridge in Rye-lane was washed away. The. town was completely isolated, being surrounded by water. The telegraph lines were down, the roads had all vanished and washaways made the railway lines impassable. There were heavy losses of stock and many haystacks were blown away. The residents of Waikino and Karangahako. and. in fact, all along the river suffered severely. Waikino was flooded to a depth of ten feet in some places. and people had to he rescued from their houses by rafts. There was seven feet of water in the shops on the main road, and three feet of water was running through the tunnel on the Paeroa-Waihi railway, carrying with it logs and other debris. The tunnel is now blocked up with logs and rock*. The lino is all washed out. and slips have occurred all the way along. The Waihi Company are very heavy losers, the extent of damage to their plant and property running into four figures. About three hundred tons of coke and four hundred tons of coal were

washed into the liver. The Government coal trucks were also washed into the river. The Waihi Company's eyanido solution vats at Waikino wore completely submerged. and consequently the contents are totally destroyed. The Talisman Company at Karangahake will also lose a considerable amount of property. Their iron water race is destroyed, and the battery L very badlv damaged. At Waihi the damage \ a» also severe, many houses being flooded. One family was obliged to take refuge on the roof, with the flood raging up to the eaves, while others had to p reh oil top of their furniture. Minor ifamage was caused at the Thames, while all through the Waikato and King Country the gale left its traces. The blow was severely felt in Taranaki, where many building, were levelled.