THE MOKAU RIVER

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 29 January 1909, Page 6

THE MOKAU RIVER

SCENERY PRESERVATION COM-

MISSION'S REPORT

Mr W. R. Jourdain,- secretary of the Scenery Preservation Board, and Mr E. Phillips Turner, Inspector of Scenic Reserves, recently visited the Mokau River with a view to reporting on the reservation of scenery in that vicinity. We take the following report from the New Zealand Times: —

"The Mokau river is a scenic beauty spot that is as yet very little known to most inhabitants of the Dominion, owing to its inconvenience of route," says Mr Jourdain. "At present the chief mode of communication is by train from New Plymouth to Waitara, then by coach to Urenui, and again by coach from there to Tongaporutu, Mokau, and Awakhio. This drive can certainly be recommended as one of the prettiest in New Zealand, the whole of the forty miles traversed by coach being through very fine scenery, culminating in the three,- mile crossing *to the famous Mount Messenger, which is generally regarded as perhaps the most imposing mountain forest in North Taranaki. Every variety of fern and bush may be seen there, with innumerable nikau, rata, convolvuli and clematis; whilst in driving along the traveller obtains an occasional glimpse of the sea, making 3, most attractive picture, and one that call > V ®W he- recommended to the tourist.

"••Coming to Mokati itself, this is one' of the most interesting places in the whole of New Zealand, and from very ancient times this was looked upon as one of the Maori strongholds. The locality simply teems with historic associations. The island at the mouth of the river, Motutawa, was the scene of the three years' siege, seventy-five years ago, by the Ngatitawa section of the Maniapoto tribe. It is at this place that the Tainui canoe, it is said, brought the first Maori to New Zealand, and the alleged anchor of the canoe, a huge stone, has remained there ever since. According to the Maoris, it has the curious property of returning whenever removed from .the locality. This, the Maoris aver, has taken place on several occasions. The early Maoris planted a settlement there. It was down this river tnat the Waikato and other northern tribes used to descend on the hereditary enemies of Taranaki. The Rangiohua pa was the first defensive pa erected by a portion of the Tainui' s crew, which subsequently acquired the whole of that district, all the original inhabitants being driven far south.

"The caves at Mokau are the scenes of many legends, and even many of the logs along the banks of the river are looked upon as sacred by the natives. Proceeding up the river, the vegetation met with is of the most luxuriant character. Although very little milling timber is seen, the variety of native flora is here in abundance, and the cliffs and ridges spreading back from the river being for the most part lower than those fronting the Wanganui, form an enchanting settlement •to the beautiful waters of the Mokau. Most of the river frontage being too rugged for settlement, it is hoped that much of it will be reserved for scenic purposes. "Almost the only European settlements on the river are Dive's sawmill in the Monga Awakino Valley, and the Mokau coal mines property, twenty-five miles up. The soil is of papa and soft sandstone, and there are absolutely no rocks in the river bed, so that the Mokau Company's steamer can proceed up and down without danger. The coal mine is supposed to be the safest known, there being a clear drive of 1700 feet into the face of the cliff, with no poisonous fumes or gases. 'The result is that naked lights have always been used, and no accident has, it is said, been recorded during the twentyfive years the company has been working. The innumerable winding reaches of the river are simply magnificent in their scenic beauty. Above the coal mine the river has not been snagged, consequently from there it can only be traversed by canoes. About fifty miles up the river was the famous Totoro native settlement, the stronghold of the Maniapotos, and even now it is the site of a most interesting Maori pa. When - the • distance between the coal mines and Totoro has been snagged and cleared steam launches will be able to proceed up there, and the formation of the through road for vehicles to connect with the Te Kuiti main road will enable tourists to make a round trip that has not its superior in New Zealand."