RIMUTAKA HISTORY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 141, 16 June 1932, Page 12

RIMUTAKA HISTORY

MOUNTAM BARRIER

STOKES, KETTLE, BREES

(G.8.W.)

, The Eimutaka Eange is the continuation of the Tararua Range south from the Eimutaka, Summit to Cape Turakirae, and in. the early days was-the great barrier to the Wairarapa Valley, the promised land of the New Zealand Company's settlers. " ■

The first explorations were made in 1&39 and 1840 by Dr. Dieffenbaeh, naturalist^ to tho New Zealand Company. Dieffenbaeh, however, was not concealed in seeking a rout© to the Wairarapa, as was.the ease with his successors, but was searching for the huia and for a route across the Tararuas to the Manawatu. The naturalist's explorations have already been dealt with in the "Evening Post" issues of the. 26th March and the 16th", 18th, and 19th May, 1932. STOKES EXPEDITION. In his report to the Surveyor-General, dated 15th December, 1841 (p.' 183, N.Z. Journal, 1842, TurnbuU Library), Bobert Stokes gives:'an account of his expedition~to the Wairarapa and of his return by the Palliser Bay" coastal route. Accompanied by Mr. Child, a volunteer, by two men and two Maoris, Stokes left Petone on Thursday, 25th November, 184 i, and proceeded up the, Hutt Valley in search of a direct route to the Wairarapa. At time the only known routo was'by "wayl of the coast to the lower Wairarapa Valley; this involved a long and tedious journey and the passage of the Muka Muka rocks, which were only passable at low tide, until the 1855 earthquake upheaved them out of the; water.: Tho explorers slept the .first night on the banks of the Pakuratahi, a tributary stream to the Hutt> and next day ascended the Rimutaka Range The following day they descended the Otahuwera, a small river which entered the main valley about twenty. milea from th^. coast/and four miles from tho lake. The guide pointed out another vailey (Kettle's Kotehoro) three miles nearer the- lake,- and informed him that a path led: that way to the Pakuratahi. ■ '- ■-• ■ The railway follows the latter route and the road follows the route of the exploration, despite the fact that successive explorers, who seemed to lose sight of Stokes's route, endeavoured to find a suitable way over the range. In addition, Stokes recorded at length the extent of the land available for settlement and the • possibilities of communication, with the Manawatu and Hawkes. Bay districts, and in all respects rendered great ; service and furnished an. admirable account of his observations. The party returned by the coastal route and reached Port Nicholson after an absence-of twelve flays. , . ..';'■■ ■ • y KETTLE' S LONG JOTTBNEY. Charles H. Kettle's report to Colonel Wakefield, dated 21st June, 1842 (p. 215, N.Z.-Journal, 1843), describes the experiences of a large party consisting of Kettle, Wills (surveying cadet),.five men from the Kare Karo surveying staff, Eahu, chief of Ohau, and six of his people. Leaving Kafe Karo on- the sth May, 1842, the party ascended tho Manawatu and passed through the gorge. Following an old Maori path, they proceeded south and discovered extensive tracts of available land on their way to the Buamahanga Biver and the Wairarapa Lake.On the 28th May they sought to discover an opening in the- hills 'which would communicate, with the valley of the Hutt. After following.-. up' the Mangatawa Stream "for some distance, they retraced their steps and ascended the Otauira Stream, (Stoke 'a : Otahuwera)' for a short-distance and camped for the; night.- They were unable"to force a passage the next day, and returned to the valley by a steep gully about two miles-below the head, of thelake and eighteen from the .beach at Palliser Bay. • :: ■ .At this stage Eahu remembered that he had crossed to the. Hutt from :-this place some twenty years previously, and in due. course led them to the summit of a precipice called Kotehoro, which appears to be at the head of the southern valley noted by' Stpkes. To their great joy they reached the Pakuratahi and returned to Wellington on the" Bth June after an/ • exceedingly strenuous journey, during .which they suffered; much from, floods,' 'bad weather, arid lack of food. - SREES'S ACTIVITIES. S. C. Brees, Principal Surveyor to the New Zealand Company, was fully seized of the importance of opening, the route to the Wairarapa, as is shown .by various reports made in'lß43 and 1844 to the Company's Principal' Agent. ■ In February,' 1843,- and . again in December of tho1 same year, Brees spent some time exploring in a more detailed manner the; route of the proposed road (p. 513, N.Z. Journal, 1844). Brpes left an excellent track down the Otiwera Valley (Stokes's Otahuwera), which he preferred to the less direct route over.the Te Horo HiUs (Kettle's Kotehoro). In 1843 one of the old chiefs commissioned a Maori to show the Maori path from the Wyderop (Wairarapa) to the Pitoni (Petone) beach,* and considerable satisfaction' was expressed at the possibility of discovering additional access •, to the valuable Wairarapa. H. S. Tiff en's report, dated 16th January, 1844 (p. 514, N.Z. Journal, 1844), describes the result of the search. TiFFEN'S WAIRONGOMAI ROUTE. The track commenced at the southeastern eoi'ner of the Wairarapa, at the Wair ongomai River, 'which was followed to the fork of the Ori Ori (the south branch). Ascending .the Ori Ori, -to its source, the explorers crossed ■ the range and descended a branch . of the Orongbrongo,'also called -the Ori Ori. The track then led to the source of.the Orbngorongo and over into the head of the Wainui-o-mata, - which river was followed to the Lowry Bay swamp. -Tiffen was impressed by the lack -of" hills on the newly-discovered route, and no doubt the Wainui-Wairongomai route was a strong ; contender in the long-sustained "battle of the routes" for th^ railway. The completion' of the road seemed to hang fire and was long 'delayed. In 1847 the Governor, was determined that the public interest r«ndered it necessary that a military road should be made as speedily as possible, but it was not till the 'fifties that the road was finally formed. . ■

A journey worth mention in conriectiou with the v ranges "bordering the lower "VVairarapa "Valley was that made by Thomas arid Harrison in October, 1844 (p. 252 and.3l7, "N.Z. Journal, 1845). ■■■ The pair proceeded along the beach to the lake, and, after a stop at Clifford and Vavasour's station, carried on across the hills and'"down the Pahaoa River to the east coast and ended their journey at Table Cape, near Poverty Bay. - -'- ' ' .'