Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 8 (December 1, 1928)

The New Forests, and the Development of Water Power

The New Forests, and the Development of Water Power.

Rotorua and its wonderfully agreeable baths came as a capital finish to the long day's travelling and sight seeing. A refreshing night's sleep, and next morning (Sunday 28th October) saw the train under way up the line again, as far as Putaruru. Passing over the Mamaku plateau going and returning, the travellers enjoyed the glimpses of the real New Zealand bush, the remnant of the forest of rimu and other splendid trees which once clothed all the tableland country.

On the Dargaville Line. Where young kauris are growing within nine feet of the track.

On the Dargaville Line.
Where young kauris are growing within nine feet of the track.

Just before reaching Putaruru a stop was made so that a visit could be made to a forest of another kind— the exotic trees that are now being planted so largely throughout the country by State and private enterprise in an effort to provide a quick growing timber supply. This was one of the older plantations of the New Zealand Perpetual Forests, Ltd. In the brilliant sunshine the guests gathered to listen to an extremely informative address by Mr. Owen Jones, an official of the Company. He explained that the soft woods planted there grew more quickly than in any other part of the world, and that the Company had planted many thousands of acres of useful exotics. Over a thousand men were employed at the height of the season, he said, and the weekly wages bill was over £3,500. This tree-planting work was turning to most useful page 29 account land which had been despiséd as unproductive, just a run for wild horses and pigs.

From Putaruru station, the party were taken in motor buses to the Waikato River at Arapuni, to view the marvellous task of capturing the energy of a great river for electric power. Some of the travellers had seen Arapuni before, but to those who had not been there previously there were sights of wonder all around—the deep river canyon, the tremendous cataract where Waikato, furious at being diverted from its course, makes a fearful wild charge out and down into the ancient river gulch; the huge dam that looked fit to stand as long as the Great Wall of China: immense quantities of heavy machinery, the hydroelectric power house site in the valley bottom, the transforming station on the pumice hill.

Medicine-ball Enthusiasts at Play.

Medicine-ball Enthusiasts at Play.

Mr. T. Raborne, Public Works Engineer in charge at Arapuni, conducted the party over the works and down to the falls.

At lunch on the trainward journey the pilgrims were the guests of the Perpetual Forests Ltd., and Mr. W. Fraser, of that Company, told the party many interesting facts about the splendid tree-planting enterprise. He spoke of the possibilities of future pulping of soft woods and the manufacture of paper, and said that three things were essential: An abundance of soft woods, a good water supply, and cheap power. Arapuni had been chosen as the centre of the forests because of the hydro-electric power which the Government intended to develop there on such a large scale.

Mr. J. W. Collins, secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce, who was a moving spirit in the formation of the tour, made a reference to the forests and the wild, wild Arapuni which voiced the feelings of many others. He said that though it was Sunday he did not think the spirit of the Sabbath was being broken that day. If anything, all the wonders they had seen had left them in a more reverential mood.