Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1868. THE TAUPO ROAD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 912, 28 January 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1868. THE TAUPO ROAD.

A short time since we mentioned that Mr. Donald lloss, surveyor, was engaged in exploring the country between Napier and Taupo, with the view of ascertaining the best and cheapest route for a dray road between the two places. More recently, we mentioned that one purpose of Mr. M'Lean's visit to Wellington was to obtain from the General Government a grant of money for the purpose of carrying out this work ; and that he had been successful in attaining his object.

A few days ago Mr. Ross returned, and we think his report sufficiently important to warrant us iv giving our readers the substance of it. Ho does not report on that portion of the country from Napier to Patoka, or from Napier to Pohui, as drays travel to both these places. From the Patoka to the Mohaka river there are two available lines, one by the Maugatahi stream, keeping the east side of the stream to a ford about forty chains above the Moliaka church. The gradients would be easy ; several small bridges would be required, and heavy side cuttings, for from two to three miles, where the road would pass by the^ west end of the Titiokura hill. This road being made, would form the connecting link between Patoka and the road' to Taupo by the Waipouga. The other available route from the Patoka to the Mohaka is by the Waipuna, crossing near the head of the Maugatahi stream, keeping the dividing range

or watershed between the Mohakaai^^ Tutaekuri rivers ; through tho JHH tiri bush, and down to the MofejiHii river, either across a low saddleitfi? tneli Hukanui hill, by the Mangakopikopiko creek to the Pakaitutu ford, or by fol- 1 lowing the Makahu stream. After 1 passing the Eukititiri bush, this wouldbe the best route, if the Mohaka were to be bridged, as. its banks are high and. the river not more than one hundred feet wide. . Should the river not be bridged, the route by the Maugakopikopiko valley would require to be taken to the Pakaitutu ford. The road from Patoka to the Mohaka by this route would pass through three miles of bush. Several deep side-cuttings and small bridges would be required. Dividing the Mohaka from the Taup.o table laud, is a belt of about twenty miles of broken hills, deep ravines, and precipitous cliffs, so that there are only two available routes for a dray road, either by the Oripia or Waiponga rivers, both having their source in a low range of hills, south of the Kaingaroa plains, aud both tributaries of the Mohaka. From the confluence of the Oripia and Mohaka rivers, up the Oripia for a distance of fifteen miles, the banks are very steep, in some places nearly perpendicular, and in many cases rocky, no flat landibeing on ' either side, of the river. . Of this j distance, six miles are covered with bush, which commences at the Makiakia, about four miles from the mouth of the Oripia. A road by the Oripia for the first fifteen miles would be extremely expensive. Several ropky points would require blasting, and the side-cutting would be extremely circuitous aud heavy. The first fifteen miles passed, the banks recede from the rivers, aud the road would pass over pumice-stone terraces, cut up by a number of small streams, the bridging of which would form the heaviest' item of outlay, as good timber is not convenient. A hill called the Maruanui would require to be crossed before gettiug to the Ivaingaroa plains, but it presents no serious obstacles. A good gradient could.be got from Patoka to Taupo by this route ; distance about forty-five miles. Mr. Boss also examined part of the dividiug range between the Oripia and Mohaka rivers, which nearly run parallel with each other to the Taupo hills. He reports that a fair road could be got for about six miles, after which the country gets broken aud tho hills run so steep down to the water's edge, that it is impossible to descend to the river banks for the next nine miles. The bush continues much longer on the dividiug range than on the west bauk of the Oripia. From the Pohui, where the present dray track ends, to the Mohaka river, is about nine miles, sixty chains of which is through bush. The road would be very close to the present track to the crossing of the Titiokura saddle, where it would keep to the west of the present track, crossing the river about half- a- mile above the Mohaka church, where there is an excellent ford, Some side-cuttings aud small bridges would be required. Should the road be made from the Pohui, the timber could be taken from that bush for the building of small bridges and culverts. From the Mohaka to the Waiponga 13 about ten miles, the first five over fern ranges, the other part being wooded. The road would keep near the present track to the hill, where tho present track descends to the Te Haroto pah. From this point the road would require to keep to the west of the present track, so as to avoid the Turaugakumu hill. The first two crossings of the Waiponga by the present track would be avoided. The part through the bush would be the most expensive of the road, as several bridges would be required, aud about, half the distauce would be heavy side cutting. After crossing to the present track, about sixty chaius from the present Waipouga crossing, the old track would not be left for any great distance for three miles, when the Waiponga would be crossed for the first time, aud the east side of the river taken. The road would follow the east bauk for about four miles, when the river bank would have to be left, as the banks get too close, steep, and rocky. Distauce from the present crossing at the Mohaka Church to the Taupo open laud, about twenty-five miles. After coming to the open land, for a few miles the road is rather broken, and a road would have to be formed for drays to travel. The gi adieu Is by the Waipouga will not be so good as by the Oripia, but tho expense of a dray track would be several thousand pounds less. Mr. Ross's instructions having been to ascertain the cheapest dray road to the Taupo open country, he recommends the Waiponga route, although aware that iv doing so he differs from many others, who unhesitatingly give the Oripia line the preference. In looking, he says, from the hills south of the Taupo plain, the Oripia valley is seen to run level for a distauce of fifteen miles, while the other part of the country towards Mohaka looks rough and broken ; but should the next fifteen miles of the Oripia to its juuetion with the Mohaka be examined, a different opinion would be formed, as, instead of a valley, it is a rugged, mountainous gorge. It is a question, says Mr. Ross, whether the Patoka or Pohui should be made the starting point. The former has at present a fair dray road to it from Napier, while the road to the latter has to cross the entrance of the harbour, aud, after leaving the Petane settlement, the river bed is mostly followed for about six miles ; but as this route is fully fifteen miles shorter than by tho Patoka, his opinion is that it should be preferred to the longer route. From both places the difference of expense in making a road to the Mohaka would be trifling. A fair dray road could be made to the open land of Taupo, from either the Patoka or Pohui, for about £300 per mile, or £10,000 for the whole distance. This would not include metalling, or heavy i bridges. > j

This is the substance of Mr. Ross's lort, aud we hear that he has since

£prted to lay out the line he has indicated as the preferable one. We understand that the work will be immediately thereafter commenced.