CHAP. XX.] AUCKLAND. 281 



the short time it lias existed, has made considerable 

 progress. Its population, which amounts to more 

 than 2000, has been drawn together from all parts 

 of the island. A bank has been formed, fine bar- 

 racks have been built of scoriae ; and were it not for 

 a general spirit of over-speculation in land, without 

 any attempt to explore the home resources of the 

 island, there would be every ground for hoping that 

 the place would gradually and steadily rise into im- 

 portance. The thing that chiefly recommends the 

 situation of this place for the central town of the 

 northern island is its easy communication with the 

 coast, both to the north and to the southward. An 

 inland communication through Kaipara with the 

 Bay of Islands can be effected in five days r even 

 with the present insufficient means of communica- 

 tion. With the western coast, and with the inte- 

 rior, over Manukao and the river Waikato, nothing 

 interrupts the water-communication but two small 

 portages ; and even with Cook's Straits relations 

 can be easily established, either by the river Thames, 

 or the Waikato and Wai pa, and the river Wanganui. 



The coast-trade particularly is of the greatest 

 importance, as the nature of the country will cause 

 its colonization at many different points at once: 

 and already a great number of small coasting ves- 

 sels communicate with Auckland. 



We must not forget that the Thames and the 

 Piako form an extensive agricultural valley, and 

 that, as their natural harbour, Waitemata is prefer- 

 able to Coromandel Harbour. 



