A WET DAY'S OUTING.

I WITNESSED a most curious and interesting sight in the Te Mata district a few days ago. I was detained at the latter place for a few days by the veryheavy rain which had fallen. Being in the proximity of the r. nowned Waireingu Falls, I thought it would he a good opportunity of seeing them when in their full glory. Many have witnessed them durin" the summer mouths when the flow o°f water is small, when they then more truly resemble their name (the bridal veil), but lew visitors see these magnificent falls when a full fresh is on. The Pokaka River here has a clean drop of 186 feet into a natural saucer-shaped basin. The pool at the Lase is about three chains in diameter, and w ini -"it little difficulty one can walk right round it, witnessing the veil of water irom the cave at the'hack, Tim rocky sloping sides are covered with filmy terns am. mosses, and the sight '-a magnihetu.. These fills can now be easily reached by a well-graded buggy road to within about ‘2O chains, thence by a graded track along lire banks of the river to the too, and the wonder is they are not better known. It is fortunate that these ftills have been secured for the public, us they are situated in a forest rc-erve of 640 acres. Being so pleased with the Falls I thought 1 should like to see the “ disappearing Pftkihi,” ;so after leaving the falls we traversed (brought about two miles of bush country and came out upon the Pakihi opening. This opening would be about from 12 to 20 chains in width and about a mile in length, blowing through the centre of this clearing is the Pakihi stream, which when u arrives at the further end of the clearing is suddenly stopped by a high ridge, and the stream enters under the base of the ruige and disappears completely for quite a couple Of miles and then suddeny emerges into the Maire River, which empties itself into the head of the Antes, 41 arbour. Well, when we arrived at the end of ihe track leading to the clearing we found to our astonishment that the whole of the flat was under water, being in depth quite 20 feet in some places. The water had risen right up into the bush on both sides, and presented a beautiful spectacle. The splendid natural clover flat, with its tall clumps of manuka and bushes of flax, was completely submerged. The cavity through which the waterentered the hill was quite -0 feet under water. To get a better view of this beautiful temporary lake we took the opportunity of seizing a very large kahikatea log and paddled om selves out into the centre and one could scarcely wish for a prettier sight. Our little venture on the log ended rather disasterously for us, for on our return voyage to the shore it suddenly capsized and precipitated us into the water, we had very heavy leggings and boots on, and one of the party found it was beyond his power to reach the log again, and nearly lost the number of his mess, but with a little assistance he was soon safely astride of our novel barque again, and we reached Terra Firma without any more • mishaps. I was greatly struck by the very large number of pigeons and kaka, wo must have seen between 60 and /0 flying from one side to the other tu batches of 12 to 15. There should be .''"'Shine good shooting here. It being all limestone country through which the Pakihi flows, there is every reason ro believe that the stream in its underground journey, flows through one hugh cave, and I feel certain were it only explored, that it would he a wonderful sight to behold, and would he a great rival to the far-famed Waitomo caves. I would willingly make one of a party in the summer mouths, when the water is low-, to explore it, and am certain it would more than repay ons to do so. I may state that this clearing is situated in a thousand acre section of Crown land and is open for selection. It would be worthy of the consideration of the Government before this section is taken up, whether it would not be advisably to perraantly reserve the clearing and that portion of the land where undoubtedly very fine caves must exist.—l am, etc., G. C. Cox, Te Mata, May list, 1900.