miles distant from Whangarei. We travelled over a good road via Maunu and Paroti, and arrived at the Falls in time for luncheon beneath the trees. The Wairoa River is here 300ft. wide, and it falls 80ft. over a rock face. The whole of the water of the Wairoa River rushes over the rocks forming these falls, and from here the power is obtained to generate electricity for lighting Whangarei, and for running the Dominion Cement Company Works on the harbour. On a previous occasion I had seen the river in flood, when there was a splendid and beautiful volume of water. Huge kauri logs floated down the river, and went over the falls with a tremendous splash.
TO CLOSE
We returned to Whangarei in the early evening, when the workmen were making their way along the roads, when cows were being driven home by sturdy little boys, and when the twilight was softening the landscape with grey shadows. After our evening meal we walked to the wharves to enjoy the restful twilight. An occasional boat of singing youngsters passed down the water, and with the coming of night, moonlight trickled through the mangroves and on to the surface of the still water, while in the fo’castle of a cargo boat, somebody played a mandolin.
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