THE NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK ROUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8999, 12 March 1888, Page 3

THE NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK ROUTE.

Da. Newman, M.H.R., is writing in the New Zealand Times a series of articles on the North Island Main Trunk route. We make the following extracts from one of the articles — MURIMOTU PLAINS. Viewed from a distance this broad expanse of plain and moorland stretching northward and westward till it loses itself in the Onelapu and the rounded slopes of the Kaimanawa, is a really lovely country to look at. But a nearer inspection shows it not to be nearly as good as it looks from a distance. The Murimotu plains are, however, bo extensive, so far reaching, that, though for each acre the produce will be small, yet the number of acres is so great that they will materially help the railway. At Waiouru, Studholme's out-station, we saw two paddocks growing bright, green, healthy oats. As these oats were planted as late as November, they had not time to grow a fair size. Very good oats, however, have been grown on these plains, and undoubtedly over very large areas turnips could be cultivated advantageously. If these vast plains were cut up into suitable-sized freeholds, and sown with English grasses and clover, they would carry large flocks of Lincoln sheep. INLAND PATE A. Lying to the west of Turangariri is a very big block of country called Inland or Upper Patea, a district where Mr. Birch has a run called Erewhon. This is a very big stretch of upland down country, chiefly open, and carrying now large flocks of sheep. It is drained by the Moahanga, the chief branch of the Rangitikei, and by the Rangitikei itself. Eastward it is bounded by the Ruahine Mountains, along whose serrated peaks runs the line which divides the provincial districts of Hawke's Bay and Wellington. All this district and the Kaimanawas are in the provincial district of Wellington. The Patea wolds form a very striking country. From its southern limit the country slopes steadily upward, tier upon tier, until it is lost amid the southern flanks of the Kaimanawas. Its structure is very singular, and very interesting. The Kaimanawas and the Ruahine rocks are of the sound, ancient geological age and structure, but the whole of this Patea country is more recent, and at no distant period has been manufactured under the sea. The subsoil is papa and sand, but every hill is capped with limestone. On the tops of the hills, some 2000 feet high, are masses of white shells of many ,kinds, some in the most perfect condition, with the joints and hinges and attachments for muscles and tendons quite perfect. It would seem as though all this country had been covered with a coating of limestone slfell, and then lifted up to these great heights. This limestone cap has also markedly changed the physical features of the country, for, being harder than the underlying strata, it has acted as a protection to prevent their being washed away by rain and running water. The country near the junction of the Mohanga and the Rangitikei is splendid. The limestone grows excellent grass. We travelled to Moahanga and thence down to Hautapu, and so rich was the clover, and so widespread the English grasses, that I could hardly believe it had not been sown. This is a capital sheep country. Farther north and east is the Owhaoko-Kaiman-awa country, but as this will not help the Central route we did not bother to see it. Bye-and-by this Murimotu, Kaimanawa, and Patea country will carry an immense quantity of sheep and cattle. STOCK. There are now in these parts 250,000 sheep, the wool of which would at once come dcwu by the Central line from the district north of the Hautapu. Of course this is altogether independent of Paraekaretu, Otairi, Ruanui, Porewa, and Otamakapua Blocks. If the railway were opened next season as far as Turahgariri the amount of wool brought down would be quite astonishing. One Maori lady owns 14,000 sheep, a Maori landlord owns 6000, and Studtiolme and Birch have very big flocks. Farther north, too, there are sheep at Okahikura Plains and round about Tongariro and the country draining from Ruapehu into Taupo. The individual flocks are small, but in the aggregate a great many sheep are running about these districts. Along the railway line are also a considerable number of cattle, which thrive well in the bush. RAILWAY LINE. From Marton to Murimotu, some 80 miles, the railway ascends steadily to this upland plateau, following the courses of the Rangitikei and Hautapu. For this 80 miles, too, the bulk of the traffic will be downhill—with the slope. Much of the line is fairly level; all the roads, too, run downhill on both sides to the railway, so that this will extend materially the area of traffic drained by the railway. The railway will be easy to work, as the grades, except in two or three places, are easy. The chief engineeling difficulties are the Makohine viaduct, and some work at the head of the Hautapu chantry. MURIMOTU TO WAIMARINO. This line runs .along the southern limit of the Murimotu Plains, which is thin soil overlying pumice, but fair secondopen country. As the line reaches Kerioi it enters somewhat better land, and from there to Ohakune, some nine miles, it traverses a capital bush country—level, rich, well watered, and heavily timbered. The soil is quite first-class. Then through another large forest the line skirts the western flknKs of colossal Rua?ehu, till it emerges on the Waimarino Plain—a long, open, grassy plain, with rolling downs. The bush from Ohakune to Waimarino is capital forest, and rich, fertile soil till it reaches the Mangatote River, where the soil gets poorer. The bush around the Waimarino is good. On the road from Ohakune to Waimarino the road affords many views of the country lying between Ruapehu and the big bend of the Wanganui River. All this is magnificent bush land. This big forest table land is a sight to gladden everyone. It is a beautiful country, rich in timber, and with a most productive soil. In this country are large, rich flats and limestone hills. On looking across this country, so long and so broad and so rich, one wonders why it ife that it has been so long an unknown land. Much of its lower end is accessible from Wanganui by steamer up the river, but all its northern part will drain into the Central Railway. This belt of country will carry great swarms of small settlers. WAIMARINO TO TAUMARANUI. The railway after traversing Waimarino Plains along their western limit, also bounds the Okahukura Plains. These in the distance look attractive, but in parts are poor. On Waimarino and Okahukura, however, with fencing and sowing, a good many sheep could be kept, and especially on the outlines of Ngauruhoe and the flanks of Tongariro. Though this country is no good, yet there is. such a depth of it, and which runs back from the railway so many miles, that there will be a large amount of wool shipped hereafter by the railway from its eastern drainage basin.