NOTES Of a short Tour into the Interior of the Northern Colony of New Zealand, in March and April, 1852. (Continued.)

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 646, 23 June 1852, Page 2

NOTES Of a short Tour into the Interior of the Northern Colony of New Zealand, in March and April, 1852. (Continued.)

Mr, Co wal's house is situated near to what may he teimed the head of the navigation of the Waipa, as a steamer could not ascend much higher, although the natives navigate the stream in their canoes for many miles further; hut the country above this place is very fine, consisting of extensiv e and fertile plains, well watered, and, in some parts, available for sheep. On the opposite side of the river, and about four miles to the west of it, there is a lofty ridge of wooded hills, the highest of which is called Perongia, remarkable for its picturesque beauty. This chain of hills ranges along the whole course of the Waipa, bounding the plain in this direction, and presenting on then sloping sides many beautiful sites for homesteads, having a north-east exposure, and completely sheltered from the gales of the West Coast, which, in some places, is not more than twenty miles distant. The "Waipa plains consist of an extensive plateau, or table land, part of v\ hich is comprised in a delta formed by two navigable rivers, the Horatu (Waikato) and Waipa, and extending from the junction of the latter to its source, about thirtyfive miles by compass, and in breadth averaging about twelve miles between the two rivers, although in some places extending to twenty ; but beyond the extremity of the Waipa there is a continuation of the plain stretching out towards the West Coast, and extending for twenty-five miles in the direction of the Mokau river, Avhich, including the delta, cannot be less than sixty miles in length ; and from the extremity of the plain at the ba&e of the hills near Mungatautara to the opposite side towards Mokau, it must be thirty miles broad, as the view from Maungatautara is unbroken in this direction, and bounded by the horizon. The plains are known by the general name of the " Waipa," but on the east side of the Horatu river similar plains exist, being a continuatibn of the same plateau or table land,- which extend for many miles, and appears bounded in this direction by the chain of hills ranging near to the River Thames: this is called the Horatu 'districL. These united plains are bounded on the west by the chain of hills ranging regulaily about five miles distant from the river along the whole course of the Waipa; on the east by the dividing range near the River Thames; on the north they are contracted below the junction of the Waipa to the breadth of the basin of the Waikato ; on the south by the country towards Taupo ; and on the south-west extending nearly to the Mokau river, and contain upwards of one million of acres, consisting of volcanic and alluvial land of unrivalled fertility, available either for pasture or cultivation —being well watered, intersected by two navigable rivers, and only seventy miles distant from Auckland by compass. The Keri Kqri Eoa, on the banks of the Horatu, appears to be a point from which there is easy access to the whole of this part of the island ; and a bridle road, extending from somewhere near Mr. Cole's Inn across the chain of hills which range from the Wairo to the Waikato, running nearly in a direct, line to the Keri Roa, could be made without much difficulty, as the distance is not more than fifty miles; and by means of a punt for classing the Iloratu at this place, the whole country would be opened up and^rendered available. From the Keri Roa it is only forty miles to Wangaroa, on the West Coast, and over a country which is easily tiavellccl on horseback: from the same place to the Mokau river it is about fifty miles, which is still more accessible, and there is a good road from the Iloratu to Mata Mata, on the River Thames; while to Rangahaphia and the Waipa it is only a morning's ride. For forty miles in every direction, from the Keri Roa,* the country is open, available, and easily travelled on horseback, except on the north and north-west, which is in the direction of Auckland. The description of road required for this purpose need not be expensive —a good bridle path which would permit sheep and cattle to be driven to the plains from the Auckland district would be sufficient, and this could easily be made at the rate of ten pounds per mile. To attempt to make a dray road in this direction at present would be injudicious ; besides, it is not required, as the Waipa and Waikato are more available for the transit of colonial produce than any road that could be made in New Zealand for the next fifty } ears. We were kindly furnished with horses by Mr. Cowal, who accompanied us in our ride across the country to Rangahaphia, which is about sixteen miles from his place. The delta for some miles towards Otawao is volcanic, level, or slightly undulating, with patches of alluvial land, intersected with numerous streams. In the centre of the plain, near the extremity of the Waipa, there is a large hill called Kokapuku, isolated, and rising abruptly, of considerable elevation, which is a very conspicuous object, and seen from a great distance. After a pleasant lide of a, few hours, we reached Otawao, a native village in the centre of the plain where there is a mission station, when we pulled up for a little. We then proceeded, in the afternoon, to Rnngahaphia, which is a few miles further ii 0111 the Waipa. The Native Village of Rangahaphia is about two miles long, nearly as broad, and is quite different from an ordinary Maori lCainga. Eack house is separate, and has two or three acres or more attached to it, which arc enclosed, and completely cultivated ; with numerous rows of peach trees of some standing growing in every field, which gives the place an extremely rural appearance, resembling extensive fields of English orchards. The population is about seven hundied, all engaged in agriculture ; and we were informed that they had eight hundred acres in wheat this year, which, at the low average of twenty bushels per acre, would be sixteen thousand bushels,- and valued at five shillings per bushel, which is one shilling below the present market price in Sydney and Auckland, would amount to four thousand pounds, which is nearly as profitable as gold-digging in the neighbouring colonies, 11101 c especially when it is considered that the land never cost the natives a farthing, and the labour employed in its cultivation is limited to themselves, on which they place very little value —besides being conveniently situated within a few miles of one of the tributary streams of the Waipa, which is navigable for their canoes; they arc therefore provided with the downward current

of the Waipa and WnitaUo as :t moans of transit for their produce, which, with the exception of the land carriage across the narrow portage between the Awaroa and Manukau, is landed at Onehunga, within six miles of Auckland. Can anything shew more clearly than this the fallacy of Governor Grey's system of high priced land? Is it reasonable to suppose that the English settler can a fiord to pay one pound an acre for his [land, besides a high price for labour, when he is exposed to the competition of the natives who are already in possession of the most fertile districts, and in command of an unlimited supply of labour, which, from their peculiar position, costs them little if anything. Under such circumstances, the cost of production in the growth of wheat is at least one hundred per cent higher to the European settler than it is to the -native. In Canada, the price of land was lowered to place the colonists on a level with their competitors in the United States, and in New Zealand the same rule ought to be observed : besides, Canada is /i proof that cheap land in a colony is the basis of all sound prosperity — hut New Zealand is ruled by a Governor, and theGovernment of Canada is vested in the people. At one end of the village there is i a mill-dam and a flour-mill, which was rather a poor looking allair, considering the large sum we were told it had cost the natives.* We observed great numbers of horses and cattle, besides carts, drays, ploughs, and all the usual implements of agriculture, and were told that the natives had obtained five crops of wheat in succession from the same laud, which is a proof of the excellent quality of the soil, although it does not md cate great intelligence in their system of farming. There arc a lew European settlers in the village who trade with the natives, but they arc not numerous in the district, Situated on a Jiill near the centre of the village is the Catholic Chapel, very conspicuous, and of considerable pretensions for a Maori Kainga, being built of wood, and nearly as large as St. Paul's Church in Auckland, and which we were informed was built entirely of native funds. In the evening, we returned to Otawao, and were hospitably received by Mr. Morgan, whoinvited us to take up our quarters at his house, where we remained till Monday. During our stay at Mr. Morgan's we had an opportunity of observing the system adopted for educating the half-caste children at the Mission School of this place, which appears to be very successful, as the progress exhibited by the boys and girls was of the most pleasing description, and the result of such labours must be highly gratifying to all who take an interest in the welfare of the native race. Having obtained horses and a guide, we left Otawao on Monday morning for Maungatautara, accompanied by three of our natives in light marching order, the other two being despatched to the "Waipa for the purpose of returning with our canoe and heavy baggage to Kaitotohe, in order to meet us there, on our return, after descending the Horatu. (To be continued.)