l capacity.

The Ponsonby suburb and the village of Whou are composed of pleasant
residences tastefully ornamented. Parnell forms another suburb, rendered
attractive by hedgerows, drooping willows, and prettily arranged
gardens. From this point one gets a fine view of the outspread bay lying
below, full of various busy maritime craft. Steam ferry-boats are
constantly gliding across the harbor, little white-winged cutters bend
gracefully to the breeze, the tall masts of sailing-vessels line the
piers, and tiny row-boats glance hither and thither. The lofty
marine-signal hill looms up across the harbor, in its verdant garb,
while volcanic cones, a little way inland on either shore, form an
irregular background. Far away and beyond all is seen the swelling bosom
of the great Southern Ocean.

This metropolis is situated in the centre of rich timberlands, and also
of an abundant coal deposit. Should the Panama Canal be completed,
Auckland would be the first port of call and the last of departure
between Europe and the colonies of the South Pacific.

The kauri-tree--the pine of this country--is not at all like our North
American pine; instead of needles, its foliage consists of leaves of
sombre green. It produces a timber which for some purpose is unequalled.
It is very slow of growth, is remarkably durable, easily worked, of fine
grain, and does not split or warp by atmospheric exposure. It is said
that the kauri-tree requires eight hundred years to arrive at maturity.
To visit the forest where it is found in the Auckland district, one
takes cars from the city to Helensville, a distance of about forty
miles, where the Kaipara River is reached, upon which small steamers
ply, taking us directly to the desired spot. Here, the busy saw-mills
which are gradually consuming these valuable trees are so situated that
vessels of two thousand tons can load at their yards and with their
cargo pass directly out to sea. It is singular that while this district
is the only place in New Zealand where the kauri-trees are found, nearly
every other species of tree native to the country is also found here,
among them the rimu, the matai, the white pine, the tooth-leaved beech,
and the totara, all in close proximity to the kauri. The commercial
prosperity of Auckland is largely due to the harvest reaped from these
forests. The kauri-tree grows to an average height of a hundred feet,
with a diameter of fifteen feet. It is a clannish tree, so to