Parliamentry Papers.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 437, 14 November 1863, Page 2

Parliamentry Papers.

MEMORANDUM ON ROADS AND MILL TARY SETTLEMENTS IN THE NORTHERN ISLAND OP. NEW ZEALAND. The Colonial Government- having succeeded, in making a considerable addition to the Armed Forces of the country, by the introduction of Volunteer Militiamen i'rora Australia and Otago, and taken such other steps demanded by the immediate necessities ' of the crisis, as lay within i's power, for aiding iv the prosecution of the Native war, ifc seems to be incumbent upon it to mature some plans for the future,security oF the settlers anil the permanent preservation of peace, which may be put into execution as soon as the success oi. the merely military • operations, will-permit. >>•-.'.

w — The object Government has in view, as stated in the Minute of Ministers of the 31st July, 1863, is to make the present war, if possible, the last that ever shall be waged with the Native Tribes. No opp_prtunityof renewing it with any chance of success must be left them. This is the demand of the Colony — a demand as natural and reasonable as it is urgent. It may not be practicable ' fully to satisfy this demand at present, but as much as can be done in that way must be done. In the Minute alluded to, Ministers expressed their hope that a victory over the Waikato — the conquest of the most powerful Tribe in New Zealand — would be sufficient to deter any other Tri bes from rebelling against British authority. That this would be the case is probable enough. Ou the other hand, they stated their opinion that ifc is possible that even such a conquest might not entirely prevent future outbreaks among a people whose whole history has been a series of wars of extermination. Defeats may be forgotten, and plausible reasons invented by the vanity natural to barbarians to account for our victories, without precluding the hope of better luck for themselves on another" trial. The gradual withdrawal of the Troops which would follow any re-esta-blishment of peace, would greatly help to do away with the moral effect of byegone military ■ chastisements, especially with a people so difficult to convince as the Maoris are of the truth of any report or record of facts which go to wound their self-esteem, aud destroy tbat fancy of their own superiority which it must be allowed our proceedings towards them have so long fostered. IX the moral effect of one or two decisive victories is not to be relied upon as a sufficient guarantee for future peace without measures which ■will constitute a material guarantee, much more ■will such measures be necessary if the evasive tactics of the Maori should preveufc such decisive victories, and the war should degenerate from a contest between large bodies into a guerilla warfare, carried on by the Natives from and among their mountain fastnesses. 2. The most obvious material guarantees for the prevention of future wars are the making of roads that could be used by the Military everywhere throughout the country ; and the introduction of such an amount of armed population, formed into defensive settlements, as would overawe the -Native Tribes, or if not overawe them, at least be always ready and able to check or punish their incursions and depredations. Both these measures have been commenced. lfis now proposed to extend and continue them as far as appears to be practicable in the present circumstances of the Colony. ROADS AND SETTLEMENTS. 3. The first consideration is— What lines of road to make, and where to place the settlements ? Speaking in general terms, the Northern Island may be described as one entire expanse of forests and mountains, with the following exceptions : — A broad belt of country, generally open, stretching from the Waikato River mouth on the one side, and the mouth of the Thames river on the other, and running all the way to Napier, between the Thames, the Lake Country, and an irregular ..line.towards Mohaka. (Hawke's Bay), on the North and East ; and the sea Coast, the Pirongia and Rangitoto ranges, Lake Taupo, aud the end of the Ruahine ranges, on the South and West. This belt of generally open land, forty or fifty miles wide at the end of the last named ranges, then narrows gradually Southwards down to-the coast at Cape Turnagain. All round from Cape Turnagain to Wairapara, and up the West Coast from Porirua to Whanganui, and so round Mount Egmont to New Plymouth and Mokau. runs a comparatively narrow belt of open land, running up occasionally some distance into the interior, as at Manawatu, Rangitikei, &c, and forming rich valleys fit for settlement. Near to the shores of Lake Taupo. on the West, East, and due South are plateaux or terraces of 6ome extent, wooded or grassy, which form a sort of. elevated tableland in the middle of the island interspersed with clusters of high mountains ; but- soon descending, except on the Hawke's Bay side, into rougher ranges and gullies, forming, especially on the West, from Kawhia to the upper part of Wanganui river, broad tracts of difficult country separating these central terraces from the available valleys and flats round tlie coast. We omit the open land on the shores of the Bay of Plenty, as at present there is no occasion to deal with that part of the country. 4. Now, the most ready way of overcoming this country, by means of roads and settlements, at first sight" would appear to be to strike right through the centre of the island, from Auckland to Napier, and from the Bay of Plenty to Whanganui or Rangitikei, with branches through the heart of the tracts intervening. The first of these -lines we propose at least to take a road along: but we doubt the expediency of making others of these central. roads at first. At present the Colony could not bear the enormous expense of their .construction in add ition- .to others, which must be made to connect the settled portions of the country ; nor if it could, would it perhaps be worth while to incur this expense, unless these roads, if made, could be permanently held and commanded by settlements and military posts. This again would require a larger amount of population than we think the Colony could introduce at present There is no doubt that were these great trunk lines bordered and commanded effectually by chains of settlements, the bulk of the Native population would be so severed and split up, that any combination of a great number of them ■would, for the future, be rendered impossible. . But effectively to do this would require a vast - population, as will easily be believed when it is recollected what amount of forces is requisite to keep open the communication along the small length of road betweeii Drury and Pokeno, and to prevent Natives in the country on the one side of the road comingover to that on the other to cany on offensive warfare. But even were these great lines so commanded, they would be so far away from the present settlements, and such wide tracts of rugged and difficult country would be left between the two, tbat bands of hostile Natives might attack and annoy the old settlements continually, and do great mischief before they could be reached by the population ofthe central lines, br.of the old settlements themselves, as is the case at present; unless, as before said, all these inter-

mediate tracts were thoroughly cut up and permeated everywhere by roads. It seems better, then, to make roads and plant settlers through and about the frontiers, of the present settlements, than on the lines indicated above. It is true by so doing we should be dealing with those parts of the country .which are liable to become the. scenes of attack and depredation, rather than with the enemy's districts, from which the danger comes. We should be dealing with a wide circumference of assailable districts, rather than with the centres wherein tW assailants gather in their strongholds. But while the other plaa is, we believe, impracticable at present, there is this advantage in that recommended — namely, that we take'as the sites of our settlements either the plaius and valleys, however far stretching iuto the interior, still connected with and continuous from those already settled, and thus capable of being included with them within one ring of defence; or the open land along the coasts, avoiding the narrow inland gullies or isolated plains of the more central parts of the country, in which it would be so much more difficult to plant settlements, and for the settlers to support themselves when once planted there. Notwithstanding this, the roads we propose would still run through the heart of the country up to Taupo, and if thought advisable hereafter, from thence down to ltangitikei ; while the settlements would reach as far as Rangiawhia, aad the upper parts of the great Waikato basin. 5. Before giving particulars of the roads proposed, let us indicate those postponed for the present, which we have been considering as central roads. These arc — 1. The road from Lake Taupo to Taumatamahoe Hill, in that neighbourhood, at the upper part of Whaniianui River, aud thence to New Plymouth, by Waitara. 2. From Taumatamahoe Kill to Whanganui. 3. From Lake Taupo to Maketu (Bay of Plenty), by way of the Lake country. 4. From Napier to Turangarere, which would connect Napier with New (Plymouth. 5. From Lake Taupo to Rangitikei by Turanga- . rere and Otara (if not included in the list below). — And the roads proposed to be made are the following : Miles. From Auckland to Taupo, through Waikato 114 " Taupo to Napier ... : ... 96 " Raglan to Otawhao 35 " Otawhao to Tauranga 60 " Otawhao to top of Waipa (Hangitiki) 50 " Pukearahe to New Plymouth 30 " New Plymouth to Whanganui 106 - " Waitara. by way of Mount Egtnont, to the sea coast at Waimate 50 " Whanganui to Wellington 110 " North Coast of Hawke's Bay Province to the Ruahine Ranges, at the gorge of the Tutaekuri River ... 70 " Manawatu River mouth to gorge of the Manawatu 56 " Wairarapa (Featherston) to Cli ye (Napier), by the 40-mile Bush ; or ■ Lape Taupo to Rangitikei, by Turangarere aud Otara 150 Total miles 927 The distances above given are from measurements carefully scaled by the Government Surveyors from the best maps at their com mand. Allowing for some alterations and additions, if necessary, in the above, let the whole distance be called 1000 miles. DISTRIBUTION OP SETTLEMENTS. 5. To make these roads and form the settlements, twenty thousand men would be quite sufficient. Let us now consider how they would be distributed in settlement. Take the Provinces seriatim. AucJiland. The tract of country to be settled so as to form a barrier for the rest of the Province against incursions from the South may be considered as stretching from Raglan, on the West Coast, to Tauranga, on the East — dipping in the centre Southwards, so as to include some of the Upper Waipa country. This traqt would be bounded on the West by tbe Pirongia Ranges (south'of Raglan) ; on the South by those of Rangitoto ; on the South-west it would stretch across the open land to Maungautari, and on the East be bound, d by the Thames or the wooded ranges running parallel and a mile or two from its western bank, with a branch down to Tauranga itself. The frontier line defended should not merely be a direct line across the island from Kaglan to Tauranga, but would have to run irregularly a considerable distauce to the southward, within thirty miles of Taupo ; and to the northward, both at eastern and western extremities, to make the inner country embraced by it thoroughly secure. On a rough calculation this line would be about 120 miles iv length. It is proposed to place upon this frontier not fewer than 10,000 men. Theyr wouid be formed into about 100 settlements, • varying in number of inhabitants and distance , from each other according to the requirements of the country — the average of each settlemeut being 100 men, and their average distance apart little more than a mile. Under the Regulations for Volunteer Settlers already issued, and those it is proposed to issue, the land required for this purpose would be 500,000 acres ; that is, for 2,000---men at fifty acres each, 100,000 acres • for 8,000 men at forty, 320.000 acres ; and for officers, say 80,000 acres. This would amount to 781 square miles, and would form a belt along the whole frontier of 120 miles in length, by an average of six and a half miles in breadth. ; , There is ample land in- the Waikato-' and the; Thames for these purposes*— after leaving enough for the natives, and a large, residue ; for sale— as will be shewn presently. . , -..' j TaranaJti. >. , Taranaki is. cut off from Waikato by the exceedingly rugged and densely wooded country' stretching from Kawhiii and Mokau on the North •across to Ruapeho and the centre of the Island. But the Waikato and Taupo Natives can get round thecountry either coastwise through Mokau on the West, or eastward by Lake Taupo, and the Taumatamahoe path from the Upper Wanga-' nui River. The Northern road could be, by all

accounts, completely commanded by possession of Pukearuhe a pass on the Coast, fourteen miles North of Waitara, which cannot be avoided by any Natives taking that road. It could be held by 200 men in a stockade (or less) against auy ' "Native force whatever; and would bo easily pro- > 'visioned by sea, there being a good landing place there. A road thence should be made to New Plymouth. The Taumatamahoe quarter must be guarded against by establishing settlements from the neighbourhood of Waitara on the North, along ; the path which runs behind Mount Egmont to Waimate on the South Coast. This line is practicable for road-making the whole way. From Waimate northward for ten or twelve miles'the couutry is rich and level ; then for about twenty miles intersected by gullies in the Mount Eginout slopes ; the last ten level or undulating down to Matailawa. The Nativesowuing the land on the North of these gullies are now iv arms against us. South of the gullies the land belonged to the Ngatiruanui and may be considered ready for settlement. Along the coast from Omata to Waimate and thence to Waitotaia and on the Waimate path just described there should be located say 4,000 men ; 1,000 ou the North from New Plymouth to the Waimate path ; another 1,000 on the Ngatiruanui land about the Southern portion of that path, and 2,000 along the coast-belt. They would be distributed as before iv about forty settlements averaging 100 men each and requiring from 190,000 to 200.000 acres of laud. Wellington. Wanganui appears the most difficult of all the settlements to defend. TaumatahoeHill, or some point on the Upper Wanganui River, may be looked upon as a gateway attainable by the Waikato or Taupo tribes, whence by radiating paths they can reach the coast from the mouth of the Waitara to that of the Wanganui River, the latter point by tho river itself. No doubt the conclusive measure when possible would be to seize this central point and command all the radiatimr paths. For ihe present the command of several miles of the River (Wanganui) might betaken by 'Occupying a point a few miles up it where it makes a great loop to the North auddoubles back on itself almost to the same point. There a military post might be established when necessary. In the mean time it is proposed to settle I,oo*o men just North of Wanganui, say at Waitotara, if the land can be obtained for the purpose, and another as near Wanganui on the South as possible. Then with the additional 3.000 men about Waimate and along the Taranaki coast belt (and this is one of the principal reasons for settling so many there,) ready and able, at a short notice, to pour down to the assistance of Wanganui, we think the latter place might be considered safe : always considering that for some years, till the central country behind Wanganui is commanded, it must rely greatly for its immediate protection on the militaiy force stationed, or to be stationed, there. The coast between Wanganui and Manawatu would, perhaps, not require much defence, if the natives that might reai.h it by Wanganui are cut off by military posts and settlements in the last named district. It may, however, be reached from Taupo by the native track by Turangarere and Otara — by Taupo and Wanganui natives. At a future day the country along this track will doubtless be covered with numerous settlements, as much of it consists of tolerably level forest land and open grassy valleys, up to the central Taupo terraces of grass land, interrupted by a considerable tract of broken forest land, between Turangarere and Otara. Were this line so settled and commanded, no doubt all this coast would be effectually protected from any natives in the interior. At present we do not know any better plan than to place here and afc Manawatu. 1,000 or 1,500 men, and to consider the Manawatu, from the sea coast to the gorges, a line of defence from the sea to the great Tarirua and Ruahine .Ranges, shutting the Natives on the West side and centre of the Island from all approach to the settled districts about Wellington. The native males, above fourteen, resident from Rangitikei inclusive to Wellington, comprising those in the Hutt Valley, are given in the last Census as 938 in number. It is proposed to settle about 2,000 men along this coast — Some more, if thought necessary, could be placed here, taken from Auckland or Taranaki. The Eastern side of Wellington Province contains very few Natives. 500 or 1,000 settlers might be located in different places, so as to command the Upper Wairarapa and the road from the Manawatu Gorge pass by the Forty Mile Bush. The Tarirua Ranges form an effectual barrier against the West, especially with the Manawatu Gorge pass commanded ; and if the settlements were placed on some very fine land for such purposes, which lies at the entrance of the Forty Mile Bush, the approach to Wairarapa would be effectually cut off for any Natives from the bush. The great difficulty in settling this * v partof the country is the distance the settlers would be from a market or shipping- place. But with Hawke's Bay protected, as is proposed, it would scarcely be necessary to place any here. Hawke's Bay. The defence of the Province of Hawke's Bay is, geographically speaking, comparatively a simple matter. The Ruahine Ranges run like a great impassable wall parallel to the eeacoasfc from North to South on its West side, leaving only the openings (besides that of the Manawatu Gorge, already provided for, and through which indeed there are no Natives near enough ever to be .likely, to come) by the Gorge of the Tutaekuri „Rjy.er, a little north of the latitude of Napier. This, and the Northern end of the mountain barrier, should be connected by settlements with the seatfoast" towards the North of the Province: As alpng this line the Province would be open to the r Waikatd arid the numerous natives on the great tongue of land between Hawke's Bay and the BSyTof Plenty (the point of which is the East Cape), it is proposed that at least 2.000 men should bestatiohed along'it, in (say) twentyjsettlements, averaging 100 men each: This number is small considering the numbers of the Native tribes who might reach the Province from that quarter ; but ' the country is fortunately very open and,, therefore, less likely to be invaded, as more easily defensible.

nmma——mm——gMammammm—mmmm—mmwmammmmm——mmmmmaammmame The distribution of the 20,000 men would then be as follows : — Men. From Waikato Mouth and Raglan to Tauranga and Thames • 10,000 New Plymouth to Waimate path (on the North) 1,000 Wai mate path, South ... ... 1,000 Coast from Now Plymouth to Wai totara 2,000 Wanganui ... 2.000 Manawatu to Pauahatanui 1,000 Upper Wairarapa to Forty Mile Bush. . . 1,000 North side of Hawke's Bay Province. . . 2,000 20.000 — Of course this distribution would he altered wherever its practical appliance in detail showed such alteration to he advantageous. Probably the number set down for Waikato is somewhat larger than would be required. Iv that case the excess might be given to Wanganui and the coast South of it, could land be got for the purpose. The above is a general sketch of a scheme of defence by settlement of the country. It Beems to show that 20,000 men are not too great a num. ber lor the objects to be attained, and perhaps may be quite sufficient, with the Military aid that must be continued for some years. THE IMMIGRANTS. We want 20,000 men for settlement, and we want 1000 miles of road made. The men would be employed upon the roads, say for nine mouths of working days after arrival. The work then to be done would be one mile of road ia nine months by twenty men, giving little more than one foot a day for each man. This would leave ample margin for deep cuttings, embankments, ditches, bush-felling, &c. Probably they would do much more in the time ; if so, as there are plenty more roads to make, it would be so much clear gain to the Co.o.iy. About 2000 men have already been introduced from Australia and Otago. They are to serve as Militia while required, aud to receive fifty acres of land and rations for one year after they are placed upon the land. These men could be employed at road-making like the rest, if they preferred it, for nine months, as they probably would. It is proposed now to make up the 20,000 men by introducing 18,000 from England and elsewhere. We want them lit for road- work and the use of arms. Ordinary field labourers, of good character, aud a good proportion of "navvies" would do. Arms and accoutrements would be provided for them on board ship, and a drill-ser-geant for each shipload, who would drill aud train them by turns to the use of the rifle during the voyage. A large proportion of tbese immigrants, say at least four- fifths, should be youug married men. They should be all so, but possibly the circumstances of the country, while attractive to single men, might make it. more difficult to procure married ones. If possible, the number of children should not average more than one to each couple. Their wives and children .wouid be brought out with them, and should remain iv the nearest town to the part of the roads their husbands were working upon. A special condition should be made that a certain portion of the weekly or monthly pay to be received by the men should be paid direct to their wives in the towns. They would thus be in the position of ordinary roadparties throughout the Colony, except that Government would have a guarantee that their families would not become a burden to the public. The nine months of working days the men would have employment guaranteed them would not be necessarily consecutive, but would be extended ovor a year or eighteen months if they pleased, allowing for intervals of work upon their own lauds where they could go upon them at once, at the proper periods for clearing, getting in crops, &c. The above arrangements are based on the supposition that peace may have been established when the immigrants arrive, or at least that the localities wherein it is proposed to place them shall be so far in our possession that they can proceed with road-making operations without danger of very frequent interruptions from the enemy. Should the war, however, unhappily coutinue, then the men introduced would have to be paid and treated altogether as Militia Volunteers already introduced, that is, they would receive pay and allowances (of clothing, rations, &c.) as the latter do, and be stationed temporarily wherever they might be most required to hold Military posts in connection with the movements of the regular troops, occupying from time to time the positions in the rear of the latter which might be found necessary to enable the former to advance or more effectually carry out their offensive operations agaiust the Natives. Some of these positions might be permanently maintained, and the land laid out for settlement around them, not so much interfering with, as assisting in the execution of the plan proposed, of constituting these settlements in the main a defence along the frontiers. Of course, if the immigrants have to he eraployed iv this manner (realiy as regular troops in garrisons), it would be necessary to keep them in pay for a longer period, and entail a much greater, expenditure. Consequently the number to bo introduced would have to be proportionably re- ' duced. ■ - . " . In all case.}, the men, for their pay would, be required, whenever practicable, to work upon any roads nearest to their stations which Government might direct to be made. And whether stationed in the settlements ultimately and permanently to be occupied or not, they would be during 1 the whole time, until they received their grants of land, in the legal position of Militiamen called out for active service. '••'.' As passages from England would be given to these raeo and no repayment required, as well as grants of land and wages guaranteed for the time just stated, it would be sufficient to grant forty acres of land to each. The other terms would be similar .to those on which the Australian settlers are engaged ; and •if paid wages as labourers, .Government should supply rations when necessary, deducting the cost from the wages. (To be continued in our next.)