A TRIP TO THE WEST COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9321, 26 March 1889, Page 6

A TRIP TO THE WEST COAST.

THE "UNEMPLOYED" RELIEF E.OAD WORKS. - , AUCKLAND TO SWANSON". Ox Saturday last a number of the members of the Waitemata County Council, accompanied by two of the officials and a couple of Press representatives, paid a visit to the Waitakerei district, the object being to inspect tho road work done by the " unemployed '' on tho Swanson - West Coast route and on tho Henderson - West Coast Road and the Groat North Road. The party from town consisted of Messrs. Robert McKay (Takapuna), Moffat (Wainui), members of Council; Oliver Mays, treasurer, and H. M. Wilson, County Engineer. Eight o'clock was the hour of starting, and Crowther's tho trysting "upot. There had been heavy showers during the night and early morning; but as showing that some of the Councillors meant business Mr. Moffatt started from the Wade at four o'clock in the morning, and galloppod into Takapuna as tho first streak of dawn showed itself in the east. Here he foil in with the real McKay, and tho two Councillors started for Devonport in time to catch tho ferry steamer. Notwithstanding the steady drizzle, which promised a lively time of it for the party on the unmotalled roads and greasy bridle tracks up hill and down dale in tho wilds of Waitakerei, a start was made sharp on eight, by the New North Road, and their trust in "the clerk of the weather" was shortly afterwards rewarded by seeing tho sun shine out from the heavy bank of clouds which had obscured his face, and Nature again smiling through her tears, which speedily dried up. In passing Now Lynn, a temporary halt was made to have a look at the Poudrette Works. Tho buildings are in 'progress of erection, and some of the machinery is on tho ground. A railway siding, at a cost of £500, is to bo constructed. About 50 acres of land are secured with tho works, so that the promoters are not likely to be worried by litigation on the part of their neighbours. Tho nearest neighbours are living nearly half a mile to the westward, and as tho prevailing winds are from that quarter, are not likoly to suffer any, injury or inconvenienco. Tho party were of opinion that the Poudrette Works will prove a blessing and not a nuisance to tho district, as there are thousands upon thousands of acres of dun-brown fernclad land in the district,which only want tho poudrette to be turned from a barren waste into smiling farms, dotted with homesteads. Mr. Moffatt said he, for one, would be glad to see such an enterprise in existence in tho Wade, and that if poudrette could be manufactured at £2 10s to £3 a ton, it would bo extensively used by the Northern settlers. In passing Pomaria, the party were glad to notice that improvements were going on steadily in that block, which is finely situated for fruit culture. Buildings have just been put up at different points, a good deal of fencing clone, and ploughing was going on in ono section of tho estate, while along the lino of fencing the soil was being broken up in order to plant 'shelter trees, it is to bo hoped that tho promoters of this enterprise will reap a handsome reward for their industry and outlay. Along tho section of tho Great North Road, from New Lynn to within a short distance of Henderson, the Great North Road has been metalled. At intervals along this section the engineer, Mr. Wilson, has had quantities of road metal stacked for use during the winter, so that repairs can be effected wherever needed. Tliero aro no less than 700 miles of road within the county which requiro to bo looked after by the county engineer, so that Mr. Wilson has to take time by the forelock to get through his duties. The road metal was obtained from the Government, and was broken by the unemployed" at Mount Eden. This 2000 yards was given by the Minister of Public Works on condition that the county bore the cost of transport and distribution. Occasionally as tho party drove along could be seen stalwart young fellows gumdigging on the fern fiats. Ono estate was pointed out from which it was computed £50,000 worth of gum had been taken by the diggers, and the owner was without a remedy. Formerly tho gumdigger's life was, to a large extent, "-beer and skittles." lb is still beerbub skittles, not much. What ho earns now ho has to work for late and early. Just before reaching Henderson the sun retired into private life, and tho rain CMne down in earnest, leading the excursionists to believe that the clerk of the weather had been humbugging them after all. A friendly shelter was obtained at the Henderson Hotel, and a halt made to seo how things would go, and whether it was good enough to push on for the West (.'oast. After a stay of half an hour the weather again cleared up, and it was determined to go on. Shortly after getting out of Henderson some native chiefs were met riding into town from Muriwai and other native settlements, in order to attend the Orakoi native meeting. They were greatly exercised over a white man who was wandering about their settlements and who they said w&sporangi, but whether he was one of Dr. Cremonini's escaped lunatics they could not say. They enquired as to the station of the nearest constable, and rode on. Tho Swanson special settlement appears to be progressing steadily, and wo noticed a considerable change there sinco our hist visit. At Swanson tho party were met by Mr. Bishop, who represents Waikomiti in the County Council, and Mr. Buxton with a picket of horses, generously providod by Councillor O'Neill. Tho remainder of the journey in tho rangesbavingtobc donein that fashion, while the " break" was sent back to Henderson with instructions to go up tho valley and meet the party at the Oratia Bridge, as they debouched from the ranges in the evening.

THE SWANSOtf-WEST COAST ROUTE. Fairly in the saddle, the cavalcade started to inspect the " unemployed" relief works. About half a mile from Swanson the party came to the deviation of the SwansonWest Coast Road, which is taken across the railway line westward of the present road, so as to skirt the range instead of surmounting it as formerly, and thus greatly improving the grade. There is a good deal of earthwork and filling in. The work is being done under tho supervision of Mr. Fairburn, of the Survey Department, by Swanson village settlers, being a grant in aid for them from the Government. The old grade was 1 in 6 or 7, and the new one 1 in 12, till the hill is surmounted. From thenco till Snoll's clearing is reached the old road is followed. The deviation to the Waitakeroi Falls takes place on this clearing, from whence also is a track to the highest peak of tho Waitakerei Ranges — Pufcemateakohe. In Snoll's clearing they met the son of a settler packing out butter to the railway station. Tho horse was an excellent specimen of horso flesh, and the equipment good, showing that that settler knew his business. The lad was a bright young fellow, of 17 or 18, born in the ranges, which had been his only world, as he had not been even as far as Auckland half-a-dozen times in his life. It is at present only practicable to take vehicles as far as Meikle's, a mile and threequarters from the Falls, and to which at present from.this point there is only a foottrack. From', the Junction to tho road to the Falls the Swanson-West Coast Road leads along the side of the range, through the Colonial Bank's property, to the ford which forms the boundary between it and Mr. Kelly's land. At openings here and there could be seen the fine farm of Mr. Dilworth, and the extensive orchard, covering several acres, planted near tile homestead, also the clearings and cultivations of the settlers stretching away to Taupaki on the plains near the Kaipara railway. As tho road skirts the range, it is flanked on tho right by a precipitous gorge, ranging from 50 to 200 feet in depth, at the base of which flows a branch of the Waitakorei stream. The stone in the cliffs is a bine stone, a diorite, which will be useful for kerbstones and other purposes, but not showing in sufficiently large blocks for general purposes. It will be splendid stuff for road metal, which is a rather scaroo commodity in the district. The grado of this section of the road has a uniform incline down into the Waitakerei Valley. Crossing the ford above referred to, the Earty passed through dome good land, eavily timbered wiuii kauri, matai, rimu, kahikatea, variegated with tree ferns and nikau. Crossing the ford, the party gob into Mr. Kelly's land. lb seems to have had p. number of improvements made upon it, but looks as if it had latterly been neglected, and tho homestead is unoccupied. Mr. J. H. O'Neill (son of tho late Mr. Allan O'Neill) is tho adjoining settlor and principal landowner, having a re estate of 2Qf"~ , and in ,no -

session in freehold or leasehold of the whole valley down to the West Coast. The homestead is admirably situated, on the brow of the eastern slope, backed by bush, and having a splendid view of the valley, along the margin of which flows the Waitakerei river on its way to the West Coast, fed on its course by numerous streams from different mountain ranges. The view spread out before us— valloy, principally in grass, stocked with sheep, and rimmod in by the eternal hills, clothed to their summits with virgin forestwas a delightful one. Here were bo be seen every pleasing feature of the Now Zealand virgin forest, untouched by the hand of man, the clumps of giant kauri standing out in relief along the face of the slopes. Most of the standing kauri has been secured by the Kauri Timber Company. On reaching the homestead the party were cordially welcomed by Mr. O'Neill, who represents Waitakerei in the County Council, and hero also wo met and renewed acquaintance with an old class-mate in the Wellington - street Literary Association, over a quarter of a century ago, in Mr. Sinclair, J.P., chairman and oldest member of the County Council, having been returned without opposition since 1877, and who represents the Kaukapakapa district. How those "old boys" of the W.L.A. do crop up to bo sure, and are to be found throughout the length and breadth of the colony, in many cases filling posts of honour and usefulness. At this outpost of civilisation Mr. O'Neill has lived for many yearsan earthly Paradise without its Evo, for his only companions are a henchman of many years' service and a bright little Maori lad—his boy Friday, the principal link connecting him with the outer world being the Weekly News. Friday has a history. He formerly lived with an old Maori relative on the coast, who wonb out one day for the purpose of fishing, and never returned. All trace of his fate was lost in mystery. Mr. O'Neill took the lad to his house, and he has declined all invitations from his relatives to return to the kaiwja. He has cast in his lot with the pakeha, and says " thy peoplo shall be my people," but has nob got much further than that with his confession of faith, as when ho is rounding up a mob of wild obstreperous bullocks in the ranges, he is apt occasionally to go in for "mule exhorting." The party, after their long drive and ride, sat down to Mr. O'Neill's hospitablo board with appetites sharpset with the bracing breezes of the Waitakerei, and did full justice to his good cheor. It was remarked of his local Paradise, that " like one in another place, the road bo it was narrow, but when they got there they were all right," and so tho visitors found it. Mr. O'Neill brought out a bottle of his famous home-made blackberry wine, for the early bird has nob as yet gob the " worm" into tho Waitakerei. After lunch, the party, reinforced by Mr. Sinclair and Mr. O'Neill, saddled and mounted, and a start was made for the Coast to see the road work on that section, executed by the unemployed. Tho route was beguiled by stories relating to the " unemployed," who were alleged to be somewhat fastidious in the matter of Waitakerei beef, and if the bullock was not up to the knocker, it was promptly rejected. Some of them frankly confessed that they would not stop in the "heaven-forsaken hole" but for the relief pay, and would be glad to bo back into town again. The taxpaying settlers who have to pay their quota to maintain these men in relief works have, however, to remain in tho " heaven-forsaken hole," and work out their destiny by hard work and thrift. As an example to the " unemployed," it may be mentioned that about throe miles from Mr. O'Neill's homestead, a widow, advanced in years, is living alone, and maintaining herself respectably by running cattle, etc., on her land. Her family are grown up and away, earning their living elsewhere. To save any further trouble, ib may be well to state here that among her household goods is a rifle, so that it would not be healthy for anyone to fool about her promises. The distance to the coast from Mr. O'Neill's homestead is three miles. On this section a good deal of road work lias been done, and it is formed throughout 1;ho whole distance, terminating on tho -landhills. En route a view was got of tho Waitakerei native settlements and their cultivations on the inland slope of the coast range across the river. The mouth of the Waitakerei river has been blocked by quicksands, and tho river gets lost on nearing the sea, all that is bo bo seen being somo driblets of water meandering through tho sand under the rocks. Occasionally, after heavy freshes, the river forces a way for itself through the sand, but after the sfVnmcr is over, woe betide horse and rider attempting to cross those sands. Indeed it is dangerous to do so at any time.

WAITAKEREI BAY. On reaching the crest of tho sandhills a grand sight presented itself, for we wore in Vaitakerei Bay. In front was tho Pucific,and although the day was fine the majestic rollers far out to sea were tumbling in and breaking in seething foam, whilo the beach was strewn with sea anemones and tho frondago of sea weed and kelp. On the right was the picturesque island of Waitakerei, from which the whole district takes its name. On the left was a ragged, jutting promontory, frowning out on the Pacific, its brow scarred and seamed by a thousand tempests ; while at its foot the clouds of upjetting spray betrayed the serrated reefs which guarded tho approaches. When the ocean thunders in that fashion on the beach in fine weather, it gives a faint notion of what the bay is in a storm, with the strong westerly gales driving clouds of sand far inland, and carrying everything before it. Within tho last five years tho sand has made great advances, and it is steadily drifting inland. When tho Swanson-West Coast Road is finished Auckland pleasure seekers will be able to drive out to this charming bay, and drink in fresh life and vieour from its healthinspiring breezes. Ozone isn't the name for it. it was with difficulty the visitors could tear themselves away from looking upon the grand spectacle before them, and again and again halted and turned in the saddle to have one lost look before crossing the rango.

THE lIENDBRSON VALLEY WEST COAST ROAD. Turning their faces eastward, the party again ascended the ranges, having a view en route of the smaller Waitakerei .Lake. There it lay embosomed in tho hills, without a ripple on its placid bosom—strange contrast to tho foam-covered bay beyond looking like a sheet of molten silver in a setting of emerald green. A ride of a couple of milo3 brought the party to an unoccupied homestead, near which one of the settlors, Mr. Houghton, was collecting his sheep. He also 'is living a lonely life in the wilds, but though getting towards the span of human life, and journeying alone, is as merry as a cricket, with the heart of a sandboy. He has a nioe place, which ho utilises as a sheep run. He was formerly at the Wade, and he seemed to look back with affectionate regret to that gay and festive settlement. To a jocular inquiry as to whother he was in at the burning of the pound in that cheerful township, he gavo a prompt and decided negative, which satisfied tho party that theold man was "outofit." During a brief halt Mr. Houghton brought the only grievance, which was casting a dark shadow over his path, before the members of the County Council. It appeared that owing to a heavy landslip on the road leading from his homestead to the main road he had bean unable for some time to get his Weekly News up from the railway station, and had to stop his paper in consequence. He desired the Council to remove the slip or make a deviation in order to enable him to get up the paper, and thus bring himself once more into contact with the outer world and civilisation. Mr. Houghton said be was already a year in orrear in the history of the world. Sir George Grey once said to us in conversation that his firm conviction was that tho Northern settlers formed their creed almost exclusively from two sources—the Bible and the Weekly News—and after listening to Mr. Houghton's pathetic appoal bo the Councillors we can well believe the statement. The party then pushed on four miles further to Mr. John Russell's homestead on the crest of tho ranges, crossing numerous saddles, and two or three gullies. They could nob stay, bub Miss Russell hospitably brought out milk for their refreshment. Half a mile beyond Russell's station Mr. Russell was met, and also Mr. Houghton's men, driving a (lock of young sheep to his homentead to replace a large flock of v. Axgtb sold a few days previously. Leaving Russell's tho party struck in tho direction of tho Henderson Valley Road, crossing tho gully at Cantwell's farm, and ascending the rango on tho other side. A mile and

I a-half from Cantwell's they came to a new clearing, where a fresh settler is putting up a house and fencing in his land. Hard by is the cemetery, 1100 feet above tho plain. Shortly afterwards they lefb the old road over the mounbain range, and struck inbo a series of deviations which have been made by the "unemployed," the gathering clouds and the drizzling rain quickening their steps. The endeavour of the engineer, Mr. Wilson, has been to skirt the mountain range and get a uniform grade between the lowest and highest points. A grade of lin 11 has been got between the base of tho range and the summit. A good deal of work has been done here by the " unemployed " in sidings and fillings, bub principally the former. In some places rock has been encountered which will have to be blasted oub. On the northern side is a grand gorge extending for a couple of miles, and 600 or 700 feet deep. At the head of the deviation is attainable a splendid view of Auckland, and, indeed, of tho whole isthmus, from the waters of tho Waitemata to the Manukau. About £400 has been expended on tho Swaneon-West Coast road, £300 on the Henderson Valley road, and the balance on the Waikomiti, West Coast, and Great North roads. The roads in the early days were badly laid out. The principal idea was to keep to the water-sheds. A more intimate knowledge of the country has enabled better lines of road to be obtained, but the cost of the deviations and tho claims of landowners for compensation deter the local authorities from carrying out many obviously-needed improvements. The Council are, however, much indebted to the Colonial Bank and Messrs. John O'Neill, his native neighbours, John Russell, and J. F. Bell, for munificent gifts of land, without which tho deviations and improvements could not have been made.

Ib may be hero mentioned that an application has been made for £300 more bo improve the Waikomiti-West Coast Road, to complete a connecting link between the end of the section executed by the unemployed and tho Nihotupu Bridge, by making a diversion from the present road. When this work is carried out it will bo possible to take vohiclos into the heart of tho Waitakerei Ranges with perfoct ease. This road is the nearest for tourists who desire to see tho virgin New Zealand forest; as on reaching Wasley'athree hours' drive from Aucklandthey will bo in the heart of forests which havo nob yet been defaced by the axo of the bushman. As to the result of all these deviations and improvements, and the further works which will be completed in about two months time, pleasure parties will be able to drive from Auckland along the Great North Road to Swanson, go over tho new crossing, and proceod with their traps to Snell's clearing, and either bake the left deviation bo Mr. Sisam's farm, thence they can walk along the bank of the Waitakerei River to the Lowor Falls and cascades, a mile and ahalf distant, or take the right deviation, and enjoy the magnificent new drive to tho ocean beach of Waitakerei Bay. WKST COAST.

Tho Henderson Road to the Upper Falls will be completed, it is believed, within the next three or four months, and, as an additional attraction on this line of road, Mr. John Russell is about to erect an accommodation house on the eastern side of the river, having recently secured a block of land for that purpose. He also proposes, we are informed, to cut an entirely new track from his new accommodation house to the Upper Falls, which will bo much shorter and easier for pedestrians than the route through Cantwell's. The only wonder is that this project has nob been started years ago. The county system has brought out many of our best settlers to tho front, who, in working out this system of local solfgovornment, are finding a capital trainingground for the exercise of abilities which frequently find scope hereafter in the larger training ground of the Colonial Legislature itself. It is highly creditable to sec men thus giving their time and attention, unrewarded, to tho affairs of their district, and in a county so extensivo as Waitomata, the sacrifice to the members, through their public spirit, mast bo considerable. As for the engineer of tho county, Mr. Wilson, his praise was in their mouths; while as for the respected treasurer, ho has been for many a day, in a way, tho Council's "guide, philosopher, and friend." Occasionally he gets a Roland for his Oliver from some unregonerate ratepayer. But such is life ! Notwithstanding the clamour of sundry ratepayers, who each desire a road, and at once, to their respective back doors, the Council has determined in future to vote no monoy for works of any importance or extent until a deputation of the Council has inspected and reported upon the alleged necessity, or otherwise, for the expondituro. One of the most pressing works for tho next financial year will bo the formation of a road to connect the settlements of tho Wainui and Parakakau with the recently constructed railway extension to Kaukapakapa. Tho fruit-growers of the former district are exceedingly anxious to got their fruit to market by this route, and the Council obtained a freo grant of 25 acres from Messrs. Dunningham and King, three years ago, for the purpose of enabling this road to bo made.

Evening was closing in as tho party reached the Oratia Bridge, where the " break" awaited them. An adjournment was made to tho Henderson Hotel, where Hostess Holmes had a comfortable meal soon in readiness. A fresh start was made, and Auckland reached shortly after eight o'clock at night, the party being a little jaded with their 70 miles' journey—4o by coach and 30 on horseback—but otherwiso having spent a pleasant and enjoyablo day.