NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 91, 19 April 1893, Page 8

NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE OHURA VALLEY BLOCK,

We understand that renewed represents- j tio_3 are to be made to the Government shortly before the opening of the next | session of Parliament, regarding the settlement of the land in tbe "King" Country. The Ohura Valley block will be cited as a case in which speedy action is needed. The Government last year opened up negotiations with the native owners of the Ohura block _ (which lies in the Taranaki province, but is really only accessible from Auckland) with a view to its purchase and settlement, bub the purchase hang's fire owing to tho difficulty experienced in efiectiug sales of the various sections of the block under the present native land laws. We believe thab the members of the Cornmi tteo of the Ohura Valley sect iemeut scheme of Auckland, are nob so eager to enter upon the settlement of the block as they were last year, in conseauence of a visib paid to the Ohura district "by Major Lusk and some other members of the projected settlement. The pany went up to Te Kuibi, in the King Country by train, and thence rode through Poro-o barao to the point of divergence of the Central and Stratford railway routes, and wenb a few miles into the Ohura block. They travelled about aa far as Nihoniho, a deserted Maori settlement on the Ohura River (which is in turn a tributary of the Wanganui River), and aa the Ohura Valley here is very narrow, and not so prepossessing as it becomes further down the basin, the party, disappointed with the look of the 'land, returned. However, they did not inspect the Ohura Block proper, a3 they turned back just as the track entered on tho reaiiy good part of the country. The party were apparently unaware of the fact thao the route they had so far traversed really did nob touch the besb part of the block, wbich is a really splendid tract of country. Ib ia a pity thab the party did not see tit to do any more than take a look at tha outside of the block. The Ohura Valley which was traversed throughout last year by the Stratford exploratory party, is a block of about 300,000 acres of excellent land, 75 per cent, of which would make good grazing ground and nearly fifty per cent, of it is splendid level alluvial land. The northern boundry is some ten miles beyond the divergence of the "rival routes, or. the Onearuke river, the southern boundary is"some 70 mites from Straford (in Taranaki). The whole of the territory is very well watered and mosb oi it is thick bush, with upwards of 8,000 acres of open undulating country. One of bhe large dab. in the "valley, tho Mangaroa flab, is a very fertile-looking tract of alluvial land, covered with good useful bush ; tho Huatahi is another fine valley, as levol as a table. Traces of coal have been found in the Ohura valley, This parb of the block mentionod abovo was not seen by Major Lusk'a party on their flying trip, so that they are unable to judge personal y as to the quality of the land in the Ohura Valley aa a whole. Some of the biock has already been purchased from bhe natives. The party who mado the trip up thero lasb Easter only travelled about one third ot the distance through the block when they turned back. Our special reporter thus wrote ot tbe Mangaroa valiev (a portion of the Ohura valley) after travelling over it with the Stratford route exploration party last year;: —"The Mangaroa is a splendid alluvial flat, being very rich land with clay subsoil. The whole of the valley ia covereu with o-ood useful bush, tawa being tho predominating timber. The railway runs through the middle of the valjcy. The Mangaroa and its tributary, the Huatahi, drain about 60,000 acre., and the land could without exaggeration be spoken of in the highest terma. The district irorn al' appearances would grow anything When cleared. The Huatahi Valley is a fine alluvial flat. The district would prove very fertile, and the ridges would carry excellent grass. Tho formation of the country is papa rock." ... Th o chief difficulty in connection with the Ohura Block ia its difficulty of access by roads, nnd the great delay in its purchase under the present system. Once the. rail way is carried to tho point of divergence, the Ohura will be taken up wibh» a raj . There ia evidently no better land in ttaeNoi I I.land A well knewn surveyor asßoreU no aether day thab he would prefer afew hundred acres in the Ohura tc any lung that he has seen yet, But in the absence of roads and the remoteness of the io .niicy it would be folly for settlers to rush ,o the Oharo iust.atpresent, especially when there fsabundan land nearly as good lym* boLeen Te Awamutu and the Poro-o tarao iOA BS-SSToI those interested in the OhAur "alley settlement scheme v «Jed for Friday afternoon next, when no cubu conflicting views on the subjecb will be fully aired.