MR. GRIFFITH'S REPORT ON THE RAKAIA PASS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1431, 14 July 1865, Page 4

MR. GRIFFITH'S REPORT ON THE RAKAIA PASS.

To the Hon. J. Hall. Sir, —I have the honour to inform you that I arrived here yesterday from the West Coast, having been accompanied by Mr. Cahill from Hokitika to the top of the North llakaia Pass. As we travelled slowly, there was ample opportunity for examining the route. From the township at Hokitika to within about a mile of the junction ot the Hokitika and Kokotahi, a distance of about seven miles, the travelling on the north side of the river is through bush, and could not be used for any length of time as a horse track unless corduroyed. On the south side, the track would be through sandy soil and open scrub, where there is already a passable footpath. This route would necessitate the use of a ferry about a mile below the junction of the river. From the Ferry to the junction of the north-east branch of the Kokotahi, the travelling would lie -through the run tak«n out in Mr. Sherrin's name, and would require literally no expenditure even for dray traffic. This point is fifteen miles distant from Hokitika. The route then lies up the N.E. branch of the Kokotahi. For the first four miles theroad is on sandy flats, thinly covered with scrub. The next four miles through thick scrub and bush on the hill-side. The slope of the hill to the river is on the average easy, but we come occasionally to places where it is sufficiently steep to require sidecuttings of some depth. Eight miles from the junction of the IST.E. branch we arrive at some small open flats, thickly grassed. These flats would not exceed one hundred acres in extent. From the flats the road would gradually rise to the top of the saddle between the Kokotahi and the Taipo. Both the ascent and descent are quite easy, so far as gradient is concerned, but the scrub is very dense. From the open flats on the Kokotahi to the Taipo is about three miles. On the Taipo we again come to flats, but not so well grassed as on the west side of the saddle, comprising about

150 acres. From Hokitika to this point I believe that a good horse track might be made for two thousand five hundred pounds, and we are now within four miles of the Bftkaia, and about twenty-six from Hokitika. It is not possible to follow up the banks of the Taipo, on account of the precipitous face of the rock, gorge following on gorge. The hill on the south side rises to the height of some three thousand feet above the river, aud two-thirds of the upper part of this is steep and rocky, but the lower part of it slopes gradually to the river, or to the top of the gorge, as the case may be. The face of the hill has to be travelled along for one and a half miles, and is much broken by spurs aud gullies, besides being covered with very, dense scrub. The spurs themselves eife not steep, nor are the gullies ei t her steep or precipitous. The travelling is chiefly over loose shingle. At the end of this mile and a half, a small stream runs into, the Taipo (the Harinan), breaking the range we have been following. The slope down to this river is easy, btit the ascent on to the next hillside 'is rocky, and very steep to the height oi abgut twenty (20) feet above the From this point the side of*the hill becomes flatter and less broken; for the next half-mile the road would be taken alongside of the hill at almost a level, rising only very ulightly; one-half of this distance is quite open. From this point the track would be made on the flats alongside of tlie river. These flgts are covered with snow-grass, and thetra veiling rough, with boulders. Half-a-mile lnmi the foot of the saddle, the road the river Taipo (here very small) and a sideling can be made through shingle at any gradient that may be desired to within three hundrett (•'iU'j) feet of the top of the Pass, where ic is again necessary to cross the stream (uow nearly dry) on a rocky bottom. From here to the top of the Pass, the natural gradient is somewhat steep, but not bo much, so but that a horse may be led up. This gradient can be improved at a small expense. The top of 1 he Pass is a dead level, on sound even ground. The greatest difficulty is the iiakaia side of the saddle. I have been six miles on the top (f the Pass, and until this last time there has been no snow on it. We have been in the habit of ascending find descending its southern face in a straight line to and from the Eakaia. This route had now proved itself to be impracticable, on account of the great drift of snow on this side so deep as to completely fill up the gullies. I do not believe that this face of the pass will be free from snow before midsummer, if then. As yet, there has been but a small fall of snow there: it lies about twelve inches deep on the top, and not more than six inches on the northern side. The snowfalls have yet to come; the heaviest are usually in August; and I believe this pass will be dangerous during the winter months, not on account of the snow which falls on the top of the pass, but from the great drift which, with a southerly wind, will no doubt affect the north facing of the hill, in the same manner as it has already blocked up the Eakaia side of the pass. One and a-half miles of road is likely to be rendered impassable in this manner ; but if the traffic was sufficient to warrant the expense, manual labour might keep the road in working order, even in the winter months. The only way that I can see of overcoming this difficulty is to descend from the Pass in a south-westerly direction for about 600 feet; which would bring the traveller to a stream of water (fed by a glacier) running from west to east. Immediately below where the proposed track crosses the stream, the water tumbles over a precipice of about five hundred feet, and lifter running easterly for a mile, empties itself into the north branch of the Wilberforce. There is a grassed spur i unning parallel to this stream

on the south aide of it, which appears to afford a good gradient for the road. The track would make the road Ironi the liaknia to the top ot the Pass rather over a mile. 1 have never travelled over it, and thore might be difficulties in the way that I am not aware ot. As a sheep road, and for foot passengers I believe this to be an excellent route for certainly eight months in the year. There is feed for stock on the road, and a good depdt on Mr. Sherriu's run. With regard to the opening of tho road, 1 beg to suggest that the work should be commenced on the westside, where men are as plentiful as here, stores equally as cheap, and without fear of the works being stopped or provisions running short on account of the road being blocked by snow. I respectfully recommend that a good wide blaze track be cut from Hokitika to within a mile of the foot of the Pass where the bush ends, as it is now such hard work to break through the scrub that an engineer has not a fair chance of seeing the work before him. In the event of a horse track being determined on by this route, it would require an engineer to lay out the line of road from the Rakaia to the foot of the second saddle. Any good practical man can do the rest. With regard to the expense of the route, I roughly estimate that eight hundred pounds will, when the snow admits of it, open a sheep track all through,— such a one that a man might walk from the Rakaia to Hokitika in the day. The horse track I estimate at six thousand pounds. On reading over this report, I consider that I have underrated the difficulties of the road from the grass plats on the Typo to the Harman. This mile and a half is very rough, and will cost a considerable sum of money. I have, &c., Edward Griffiths. Christchurch, June 21, 1865.