Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-04-15
A BADGERS Jaunt Far Into New Zealand
BY bsnry G InIard
lWrirten for The censarA

IfleS south or the equator the uOll-
days mark the beginning of the hot
test part of the year. The month OF
January here corresponding 10 July in
Wisconsin so far as weather is con-
cerned. Consequently during January
every body who can, takes vacation.
Schools are closed, business houses
are taking their annual inventory, and
factories are, in many cases, shut
down for overhauling and repairs pre-
paratory to resuming work for an
other year. For week or ten day S,
beginning a few days before Christ.
mas the steamships and railroads put
on sale low rate tickets for passen-
gers, good for thirty days from date of
issue. Second-class on railways being
one cent per mile for round trips. Vast
crowds of country people flock to the
city, while all who can go into the
country from the city.
Before l arrived in New Zealand l
heard good deal about a place call
ed Rotorua, their chief resort for
health and pleasure, with its wonder
full mineral spring and healing baths.
but matters did not shape SO I could
visit there till January 6. 1t is III miles
by rail from this city and the journey
is made b. the finest appointed and
fastest train on the North island. Time
required is eight hours. and frs, class
regular fare is $4.37; second-class
$25S Fully fourfifths of the travel is
second class and half the second class
carriages are smoking cars. On reach
ing a Mace called Huntley, 60 miles
from Auckland, l stopped for a few
days to visit a family l became ac-
quainted with in Auckland
So far the journey has been inter
esting, for it takes one through an in
finite variety Of scenery. The first AZ
miles requires the services of two of
those blooming Yankee engines" on
account of the many sharp curves and
steep grades, some of them equal to
the Cashton hill between Viroqua and
Sparta. We see pleasant agricultural
country, highly cultivated; fern hills
that still wait the plough. and wild
fen land; pass through some pictur-
esque villages and ocer some great.
desolate swamps. The gentleman with
whom / am t. stop is at the depot
with his two little daughters to meet
me, and l am taken to his home and
from their kind treatment made to
feel I am very welcome He is en-
ployed by the Presbyterian church So
ciety as its local missionary and he
covers a considerable territory. reach
ing as far as Sc miles into the back
blocks and over the mountains. The
society furnishes him with a large
comfortable house and a horse and
cart. With the latter we made a trip
of five or six miles into the country
one afternoon, visiting a Maori settle
ment, farmer, and the principle of a
state school for natives.
This village of Huntley is strictly
a coal mining town. There are three
mines being worked, mostly by Eng
fish and Scotch miners. The coal is
not firstrclass, being light and if not
used soon after being brought to the
surface stocks into fine pieces. The
principal mine extends under the river
which is 440 yards wide at this point.
Good wages are paid, and the town is
very free from the disgraceful drunk
en- scenes usual to such places. Nearly
half the coal mined is shipped daily
by rail across the island to the gold
mining region. The remainder goes to
Auckland have noticed a good deal
of complaint in the papers of the in
ability of the state railway to furnish
cars at All times and the consequence
frequent shutting down of the mines.
One day took a long tramp to TIE
top of a low range of mountains back
of the town and followed well worn
cattle and sheep trail along the crest
till reached the highest point. The
view was we'll worth the Journey
though on account of so many bush
fires. was obscured somewhat by
smoke. The hills are bare of trees
but are covered very denselv with a
bush about to 10 feet high called tea
tree and with low bushy fern. 1t
is almost impossible to get through
this growth unless there is a trail. as
| found to my cost when I got off the
trail on a three days tramp over the
mountains to the west coast Of the is
land just before Christmas and verv
nearly had to lay out all night. The
heads of some of the gulches. however,
are densely filed with trees mostly
of the kauri and cabbage variety. In
these places can be heard the flute
like notes of the parson bird. It took
me a long time to get sight of one
though many were singing very sweet
~ They are longer than a robin.
nearly black all over, but have a Pc
culiar formation of white feathers
about head and breast that looks like
the white cloth preachers use to
wear, hence the name, parsor bird.
Upon attempting to board the train
to resume ~ journey to Rotorua
found it so crowded that had to ride
on a platform 20 miles to a junction.
There the congestion was relieved and
I got a seat in a smoking car. The
last AZ miles has been along the banks
of the Waikato river, the longest one
in New Zealand, being 215 miles in
length So far we have been going
directly up the center of the country,
but now We turn short to the left and