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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 9 (January 1, 1930)

[section]

After a day and an evening of the most generous hospitality and most pleasant of speeches, the men of commerce had a day in the wilds, motoring through the grand and ancient forests of the Northland. The first part of the journey was by train from Dargaville up the Kaihu Valley—once a great kauri - timber working district — to the railhead at Donnelly's Crossing, thence there was a motor car procession through the Waipoua State Forest to the western parts of the Hokianga county. For mile after mile the way was among the trees, greatest of all was the kauri. It was explained that no exploitation has been carried out in the forest proper (24,000 acres), and none is contemplated until it is found possible and practicable to regenerate the present stands of kauri. For this purpose Waipoua has been created a forest experiment station, and will be used for the purpose of testing the possibility and practicability of extending the range of the kauri over areas where it is not at present growing—namely, on the barren gum-lands surrounding the forest. When the kauri pine first caught the eye of the visitor, it was seen that the forest contained all of the native pines, such as rimu, miro, white-pine, totara, cedar, tanekaha, silver-pine, and matai. Most of these species are very numerous in their seedling stages in the portion of the forest lying to the east of the main road.

The largest kauri in the forest was seen near the main road in the northern part of the reserve. It measures 49ft. in girth at the middle of the page break
“Here The Dairying Country Is A Richer Denmark.” Top: A Northern clearing. Centre: Emerging from the marvellous Mangamuka Valley. Below: Colonel Allen Bell (right) welcomes the General Manager of Railways (Mr. H. H. Sterling).

“Here The Dairying Country Is A Richer Denmark.”
Top: A Northern clearing. Centre: Emerging from the marvellous Mangamuka Valley. Below: Colonel Allen Bell (right) welcomes the General Manager of Railways (Mr. H. H. Sterling).

page 15 trunk, which is 30ft. high to where the crown commences to branch out. The tree trunk, therefore, is actually greater in girth than in height. Here the party gathered round the big tree, and there were cheers given for Messrs. Campbell and Grant, of the State Forest Service, and their staff. A nimble Maori named J. Boyce, gave a demonstration of tree-climbing, after the manner of the Maori and Pakcha fossickers who used to scale many a kauri for the sake of obtaining the kauri gum in the branch forks.
At Waimamaku, south Hokianga Harbour, there was a halt for the settlers’ welcome, and a hearty greeting it was, led by the Hokianga County Chairman, Mr. A. C. Yarborough. There were
Overflowing Hospitality Of The North. (Rly. Publicity photo.) Kaitaia's Banquet to the Visitors.

Overflowing Hospitality Of The North.
(Rly. Publicity photo.)
Kaitaia's Banquet to the Visitors.

speeches bright and candid, and town and country had many a good-natured tilt at each other, and parted the warmest of friends. On next to Rawene, on its historic point, first calling at beautiful Opononi, basking in the long sunshine of the north on Hokianga Harbour, and then by a long sweep inland to Kaikohe for the night. More lavish hospitality there, and more speeches, and next day motor car excursions through some of the most beautiful and fertile parts of Northland.