Moving an ancient Kauri

Yesterday my youngest sister pulled out an old photo album. Our father's. She had found it in a cupboard, tucked safely away, when in the process of "decluttering". Something that seems to be affecting a lot of us. Rightly, she thought I would be interested in Dad's album. Mum had given one or more of his albums to each of us, after he died, and I don't recall ever seeing this one before.

This album contains photos which he had bought (like this one; stamped on the back is the photographer's name, T W Collins of Warkworth, along with his statement of copyright), and others which came from his many pen friends. Of course, now Facebook friends post their photos for all to see and don't claim copyright. Looking at where the photos have been taken, I suspect that none was taken by him.

The discussion we had about Dad and his photo albums, reminded me (and the others) of his albums full of "cigarette cards". He was a life long non-smoker, so had obviously got these from his siblings many of whom were heavy smokers. As a boy, I was most interested in the series of All Blacks from the 1920s and 1930s.

This photo shows something that was a constant in rural New Zealand in the early 20th century. Huge Kauri trees were felled using axe and saw, and then dragged out of the bush by bullock trains and then floated to the sawmills down a river or dragged along the shore line, as I suspect this one was in the process of being.

Wellsford is the next town north of Warkworth, and it is close to the Kaipara Harbour which has extensive low tide exposed flats. The NA Dad has appended to his title, stands for North Auckland. At the time he got this photo, North Auckland was still a separate province.

The diameter of the Kauri trunk in this photo is about two thirds of the man's height. And looks to be more than the height of the large bullocks. Although the lad standing on the log suggests I exaggerate, perhaps.