A SEKTCH OF PATEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 2023, 14 July 1870, Page 4

A SEKTCH OF PATEA.

[written fob Tne ueeald.] At a tiino when immigratijn is the questioa of the day—a short account of tho progress and present condition of the Putea District, where so fair a Held exists for purposes of settlement, ut the disposal of the colony, may not bo un-1 interesting to some of your readers. Looking hack to some eighteen months ngo tho prospects of settlement were then anything but encouraging. By the retrograde policy of the Commander-in-chief tho whole country had been abandoned— at one timo - to tho Tory of tho town ; Wanganui, Patea—or rather Cii'lyl • —by the intercession of i£r. Purris was held by a small force—an isolated position—the whole of the surrounding country being in tho possession of tho enemy. In the month October, 186J, by one of tho "first mores in tho right direction w.is made in the re-occupation of Waihi ; this position which was abandoned shortlj after the affair at To Ngutu o te Manu, is bituated some twenty miles north of Patea near tho Waingogou i iver, and is the key to tho military position of tho district. Settlers «ho during the disturbances had been driven from their farns by the disastrous retivat policy, and had been fighting ill the ruuks of the Colonial forces, now gathered courage, and iu order to foster this Icehug the Premier who personally visited tho district, initiated a system of settlement with block houses for a reluge which has had tho happiest results. At Hawera, »hure a block house has been crected, great improvements hare been ma.le. As it might be considered unsafe in caso of an outbreak for settlers to work on outlv.ng and distant farms, ten acre sections were laid out on tho railway reserve, surrounding the blockhouse, which wero allotted to ionu JiJe settlers, thus enabling them to cultivate thut amount of laud with a refuge close at hand, nnJ obviating any necessity of abandonment iu tho future. There aro now some thirty settlers with their families at ilawera. Six substantial weather-board houses have been built (some settlers using the block-houso , and as many more are in course of erection. Some 50l> acres have been laid down in grass, and most of tho settlers' farms (without reckoning the 10-acre sections) will be fenccd in this season. The settlers aro possessed of a largo quantity of stock, and as they are now getting tho assistance of a loan from tho Government, further improvements may bo looked for. There is another settlement, si nilar iu all respects, at llanatahi. Tho blockhouse, likewise on the railway reserve, is equidistant between Ilawera and Carlyie. At Kukaramea, about 4 miles from Carlylo, 600 acres of magnificent land have been leased to the Patea Flai Company, on nominal terms. If the c>mpany is worked satislactorily, this will doubtless bo of benefit to the district. Carlyie, which is the capital of the Patea district, is situated on tho west baak of the Patea river, and about a mile from its mouth. Great im-pi-ovomenU have been mado here, as many as 20 houses having been built during the la t few months. At the laud salo in May last, a portion of the town was sold at good prices. At present the storekeeper clasn predominate, but an influr of settlers may be expected in tho Spring, the suburban allotments varying in size from 5 to 200 acres having been purchased by settlers from other districts. Cobb's coach runs to Carlyie from Wanganui and Wellington twi'-e a week, and will in the Spring run to Waihi and probably Now Plymouth. This and the telegraph which brings us into direct communication with the rest of tho Colony is not the least of the blessings for which we.are indobtcd to the Fox Ministry. Crossing the Patea river, and tending southwards, wo eotno to a ma*rificent block of land, between tho Patea ami Wheunakuru rivers lately occupied by Tauroa and the Pakakohi hapu'pf the Ngarawau tribe, now in "durance vile" at Dunedin. In this block aro about 8000 acres of open laud, not to be surpassed in its capabilities by any land in New Zealand, with a line forest country at its back. It is to be hopod this land will shortly be open for settlement. Tho remainder of tho district to its Southern boundary, the Waitotara Hirer, generally known us the Ohotuku block, is rapidly recovering from the depressing policy of the lato Government. At the township " Wairoa," whero a few months ago was stationed a garrison, penned upin its Redoubt, wo hare now a working population. Near this township (about threo miles) was fought tho first of Colonel Whitmoro's actions (Okotukn) on the West Coast. Here foil Major Hunter, whil-t gallantly leading the attack on tho Pa. The gallant Colonel sustained a severe defeat, but wrote a brilliant dospateh. Our forces wero pursued close up to tho Rodoubt at Wairria. Thero aro now about thirty homes nb Wairoa and neighbourhood, and a population of ono hundred and forty. There is a largo quantity of stock, and about twelve hundred acres laid down in ICng ish gr:i>B. Several hundred chains of fencing will be completed this winter, and a number of houses aro being I built. b i Throughout the district thore is a lnrge quantity of laud which, owing to Native disturbances, has neve.' bven opened up or even vifitod, and which might now be survoyed and made available for settlement—land wbieli in quality »ad natural advantages,

counot bo approaohed by any other part of New Zealand ; thero arc, also, severil Native reserves comprising tho pick of the district, wi ieh is now justly forfeited, and might be settled at once. I hnvo not even mentioned tho thousands of acres of magnificent land North of tho Waingongoro River called the " Waimato plains," most of which is forfeited by rebellion, and which might be made the site of a frontier military settlement.

The Xgatiporo tribe, numbering 140 men, arc now occupying Wailii; by their presence there it is acknowledged on all sides, t hat the peace of tho district has been preserved. They are in a few days to be removed, and we have to replace them 30 of Mr. Brannigan's Police (excellent men no doubt, but totally unsuited to tho position) ; under tho new aspect of affairs, it can hardly bo wondered, that er*vo apprehensions are felt 011 all sides. But it would bo absurd to suppose, and hardly to be desired, that wo should always livo under tho protection of our native allies. Now would, therefore, be the time to locuto a really good body of military settlers on our frontier, but in the selection of tlieso men care should bo taken that, none but the right class be accepted, and that the occupation and improvement for a certain number of years of the the and granted them, bo amongst tho most stringent of the conditions of service. Until some Bcheme of this kind is adopted, and the country now laying waste thrown open to settlement, wo cannot, although wo gratefully acknowledge the beneficial efforts that are nowbeing made by the Government, huvc that foeling of confidence and security for lifo and property so necessary to the development of the great natural advantages of tho district.