The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1867. THE KARAMEA ROUTES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 296, 14 December 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1867. THE KARAMEA ROUTES.

Mr D'obson's report on the various proposed routes to the Karamea appears in the Provincial Government Gazette. The exploration occupied nearly six weeks, under the influence of the most unfavorable weather, and during that time Mr Dobson examined Dutton's Track, by which line he pronounces that it would be almost impossible to make a horse-track, not only from the precipitous rise aud falls, but also from the great elevation, from 3092 to 4400 feet, maintained from the 6th to the 15th mile, and also because this track might be blocked with snow almost at any time of year except the summer months. Mr Dobson then reports upon Jones's Track, which he describes as offering no facilities for v horse track, its only recommendation being its extreme shortness, but he considers that £150 spent in altering the preseut track, aud making a few, rock side-cuttings, would make a very fair foot-track for a mountainous country. The track cut by Messrs Suow and Mackay by Hough's Saddle then passes under review, and Mr Dobson expresses his opinion that this live of road, from its great height and length, would not only be expensive to make, but also to keep in repair. The only means of accomplishing the descent into the Crow-valley, a height of 2270 feet, falling 619 feet in 30 chains, would be by long zigzag cuttings down the mountain side; the ascent on the east side would also have to be zigzags. These cuttings would be principally iv rock, and would add .about three miles on to the present length, making a total of 35 miles. Also, from its height, the mouutain ridge on both sides of the saddle would frequently be covered with snow, so as to stop horse-traffic during the winter.

Mr Dobsou then turns to Rochfort's track, which he describes as commencing at thi^jKaramea bend, and running on the east bank of the river, crossing the Crow at .five miles 54 chains distance and then down the valley of the Wangapeka. This line he pronounces to be the only one suitable for. making a dray road, since good gradients cau be obtained, as the mountains at the head of the Karamea and Wangapeka are much lower; neither are they so rocky as those more to the northward. In laying out a read hy this line however Mr Dobson would not cross the saddle chosen for the present track, but one considerably to the northward of it, cutting ofFa large bend; this saddle would be about 3600 feet high. This proposed line would shorten the present road by six miles, which would leave the number of miles to be made at 24 milesj 12 miles of which being through' flat bush country, would nbt be very costly, and the total 'estimate for the formation of a horse road, with gradients suitable for a dray road, is put at £960.

Inhis general remarks on the Mount Arthur range, Mr Dobson states that there is no break or, deep gap in this range from one end to tbe other, aud that neither Jones's nor Hough's lines cross the mountains by what can be called passes, in- the usual sense of the word. They both really cross the mountain-ridge, , only 500 feet or 600 feet below their adjoining principal peaks. Lines, it is added, may be taken over the mbuntahjin several places at a considerable lower leTeltßan Hough's, but they.ofier no advantages" which are not possessed in a superior degree by .the. Wangapeka. or Rochfort's route, -which would throw, iopen.*.tbe,..v?ho!le ; valley ■ of :..the : tfppetu KaraineaJand the head-of the Mokibinui, and: the load could ' easily be laid out on such gradients

that it may, when required, be widened into a dray-road. Mr Dobson remarks that by crossing the range anywhere much to the southward of Jones' track, on the south bank ot the Leslie, the Crow woukt be reached, and not the Karamea. Therefore a road by Hough's line, or auy other live, into the head of the Crow, will be hi&h, loug, and difficult, the length being caused by the great bend the Crow makes to the southward. The mountains also bordering the Crow are very -high and rugged, precluding the possibility of any available short cut to the Karamea bend. As a present means however of supplying the existing wants of the Karamea, and pending the establishment of auy more permanent means of communication with the Karamea, Mr Dobson recommends that the present foot- track by Joues's Line be materially improved and altered, Irom the Karamea-bend to tbe Hat at* the' east side of the saddle, and that from this flat a good packingtrack ue made to Taylor's, at the Baton-river; improving aiso the road below this to and down the Motueka-river. From Taylor's to the flat the distance is eight miles, of which two miles are at present available for' horse-traffic. This would leave six miles to be made, say at a cost of £240, and with a good foot-track over the range, with stout snow-poles over the bare part, the whole work would cost £290. This, it is stated, would supply the present wants of the diggers, who are mostly working on the Leslie and near the Kara-mea-bend. A man could then go easily from the bend over the range for stores, and back iv a day. A table of altitudes, taken with an aneroid barometer, carefully corrected for temperature, &c, is added to the Report, and also* a table of distances, which makes the route to the Karameabend by Jones's Track 57 miles distant from Nelson, Hough's 77, and Rochfort's 88.