THE WAIMATE PLAINS, OPUNAKE, AND THE NEW CAMP.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 86, 5 February 1881, Page 2

THE WAIMATE PLAINS, OPUNAKE, AND THE NEW CAMP.

(from our special reporter.) Starting on horseback t'ro.n Hawera, on Friday afternoon, with the object of having a look at the Opunake sports on the following day, I had a good opportunity of witnessing what was going on in-the Plains. I noticed that one of the first fences erected on the left hand side' of the road has been almost levelled to the ground by a host of " unclean animals," in their search for fern root. It is pretty evident that the new purchasers who made up their minds not to do much before the end of autumn have been wise in their generation. Mr. Lloyd had some of the timber for his'new hotel at Manaia on the ground, and was busy clearing a sufficient space for the foundation. On the opposite side of the main road, Mr. Nicoll's store is about to be built, and one of the workmen has already pitched hia tent there ; whilst Mr. Langley's store will soon be finished. At Otakeho, Mr. Prosser is building a stable, as he intends changing horses there instead of at Oeo. By th 6 way, I hear there will be daily communication in future, between _ Hawera and Opunake. Mr. Prosser's coach will leave Hawera on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, returning the same evenings, and Mr. Flynn is now running on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from Hawera, returning on the following days. For the convenience of passengers, Mr. Flynn has covered in his waggonette, which used to be open when he first commenced his trips to Opunake ; so that travellers or settlers can now go from one place to the other without much inconvenience (barring dust) by the aid of Prosser's coach or Flynn's conveyance. I could not help speculating along the road as to what a different aspect will be presented half-a-dozen years hence.. Had the late Sir D. McLean pursued a different policy in '69 to what he did, homesteads, fruit gardens, sweet scented clover fields, and other signs of European civilisation, would meet the eye of the traveller, instead of the never-ending iem. " " But, better late than never, and of Sir Donald McLean, "De mortuis nil nisi bonuin." If he preferred flour and sugar to powder and ball cartridge, and believed a great deal too much in the efficacy of such a policy, he was, in many respects, an estimable and kindly gentleman. Arrived at Opunake, I did not imagine I should have any trouble whatever in securing a bed, knowing that the Messrs. Middleton had considerably enlarged their hotel. But with the influx of visitors fromHawern, such a luxury was put of the question, and I had to betake 'myself to the redoubt, where I was made comfortable by an old acquaintance. Opunake will, in future, be the head-quarters of the Armed Constabulary, and the buildings are being brought. up there piecemeal from Waihi, and very quickly erected; Lounging about on Sunday, I had'" an opportunity of seeing Opunake at its' best. A gentle breeze and a clear blue sky, with the vast expanse of water almost as calm as a mill pond, tended to give one a good impression of the Waimate Plains seaport. That coastal steamers will be running in and out constantly, in the course of half-a-dozen or a dozen years? is the sanguine anticipation of some of the purchasers, and I hope they will not be disappointed. I hoard it frequently re.marked during my stay at Opunake, "If one-fourth of the money that is being spent at New Plymouth were expended here, what a different result there would , be." And for my part, with my imperfect knowledge of marine engineering, I was disposed to agree with this view. Still I am far from being as sanguine as some of those who have bought sections in the township. Those who see Opunake on a calm day, and those who may happen to be here when a strong sou'wester is blowing, will certainly carry away a very different impression of the place. I have seen Opunake in sunshine and in shower ;" therefore I am disposed to be less enthusiastic than some of my friends. But that it is to the interest of all the settlers on the Plains to have a good serviceable port at Opunake, there cannot be the least doubt whatever, and they should willingly help the people of the township in obtaining endowments for the harbor. When all tbe land is sold, it will then be too late. There is a good deal of work going on about Opunake, and business appears to be brisk. The Telegraph Hotel has been considerably enlarged, and beds can be provided for at least thirty people, with- . out having to resort to " shake-downs." It is a very comfortable hotel, and there is not much better accommodation to be found in any hostelry between Wanganui and New Plymouth. Messrs. Newman and Coffey have a general store just opposite the hotel, and appear to be doing very well. At the other side of the street, Mr. Emanuel Bayly has a store, combined with a dairy, in" which a pretty good business is done. Lower down, Mr. Pennington, who had lately charge of the unemployed, has started a butchery ; and ■' Mr. J. Stevenson has a large store and bakery close to the redoubt. From Opunake, the men stationed at Manaia are supplied with bread, which is now sent to the latter place by Messrs Prosser and . Flynn's conveyances. I was sorry to find Mr. Breach's flour mill in such a dilapidated state. I am not much of a believer in beer or brewing, but I 'thought the mill site and buildings might easily be converted into a brewery, without involving much expense or trouble. There is a school at Opunake, and I was.informed that a lady named Miss Morgan performs the duties of teacher, without either fee or reward. The school' was built by some of the A.C.'s during their spare hours, and I heard that no small credit was due to Sergeant McKeown. It is probable that the Taranaki Education Board will be asked to establish a school in the township, as there will be the requisite number of children as soon as the head-quarters are shifted from Waihi. One recent arrival at Opunake has no less than six children ; so that, judging by that fact, I should say Opunake will have a good claim for consideration from the Education Board. On Monday I started, in company with Mr. W. Middleton, for the new camp. It is not far from the old one at Pukehinau, and is within a mile or so of Pungarere. From a military point of view, I was told that the position is an excellent one. It is undoubtedly so from an artist's. The surroundings are very pretty, and there

is a nice stream close fc.y r Major Goring wil\ b.e in command! and will Have for his lipntenan'ta Captains Newall and Fortes'due. Eahotu will be the official name of the new camp. The men, numbering about 170, will be employed in forming th© road between Opunake and Pungarebu. It was formed last year after a fashion, but it will now be made ready for gravelling. At the Opunake end, beyond Wiremu Kingi's homestead, some '6f the formation was done by the unemployed, and there are now two or three small parties doing contract work. A good deal has been said and written about the fences, and as I was on the ground, I made it my business to get as "touch information as I could. The fence toeyond Opoua haß been erected since last September or October, and encloses a potato garden. The road has never been used, nor will it be in a fit state for traffic until the formation is properly done. The A.C.'s have been transferred to their present camping ground for the purpose of forming the road, and not for scratching it, as was the case last year. It will be made iit for horsemen, if all goes well, before the winter sets in. The fencing and clearing at the other end has been principally earned on by the Mawhiti'whiti natives ; but they were warned by Mr. Parris that their work would be of no avail, and that their energies would only be wasted. Still they persisted. I was informed that the road works would be proceeded with as fast as possible, and that no obstacles would be permitted to interfere. Indeed, Mr. Hursthouse had instructions to pull down the fence near 1 Opoua whenever he was ready, and it has not been done, for the simple reason that the road engineer was unprepared to go on with the work of formation there. I was told that there are some old burial places near Waitahi, where the Mawhitiwhiti natives have been working. If such be the case, some small reserves will probably be made there. It appears to be the general opinion along the coast that if the present force were taken away, and disbanded, by order of an economical, but unwise Parliament, that the natives would give just the same amount of trouble as formerly. The Government have lost sight of the real solution of the difficulty — namely, setting apart the whole of the Parihaka block for deferred payment settlers. Occupation will be the only effectual cure for the troubles along the coast, and the sooner that fact comes to be realised, the better.