OLD HAWKES BAY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1732, 10 May 1905, Page 62

OLD HAWKES BAY

PROSPECTS OF THE 1 PIONEERS.

THREE ROADS TO NAPIER.

In tli© issue of the “ New Zealand Spectator ” which was published exactly fifty years ago to-day there appeared a description of the settlement of Hawke’s Bay, then newly formed, from the pen of Mr W. B. toeaiy, Resident Magistrate at Anunri, as Napier was then called. The following abstract from his article gives a very good idea of the conditions and prospects of the early settlers at that Cla - t - < lt is pretty generally known that Ahurin is situato m Hawke’s Bay. 'The distance from Wellington to Tort Napier by land, taking the shortest route, is about two hundred nnles. There are, however, three different roads, or, rather, tracks, viz., that by the coast, that by the Wairarapa, ana that by Manawatu. The two 1 armor are most frequented at present, the latter, from the imperfect track and the absence of stations, being impracticable for strangers without the assistance of a guide. Some experiences travellers in the colony have spoken .very favourably of it, whilst others have described it as being almost impassable. The river Manawatu having to be crossed several times without the aid of femes would render it undesirable to attempt that route at a season when heavy freshes are to be expected, as in such case the traveller might be compelled to board and lodge for a few days at the nearest Maori pa, or he might find himself suddenly placed for a week or so on fern root diet, varied with Maori cabbage and such other dainties as the bush affords. Travelling by the Wairarapa or the coast there is not much fear of delay for any length of time, and if such delay shouxu occur, there are stations every few miles, at most of which travellers will be sure of hospitable reception. With the exception of a swamp in the Threemile Bush, beyond Mr Borlase’s station, the path is pretty good from Wellington to the head of the Wairarapa Valley, that is, for horses only. After leaving Mr Collins’s station, you have to travel six or seven miles through the ibush, and this paid; was formerly very bad. but lately a broad track has been cut, and most of the creeks have been bridged over. From Castlepoint there is only one road for the next fifty miles to Porongahau. This track turns inland at Tautana, in order to avoid Cape .Turnagain. From Porongahau to Ahuriri there are two ways, the one following the coast nearly the whole distance, the other inland via Waipukurau, which is distant from Port Napier about forty miles, and to which place the Ahuriri sheep farms at present extend.

“ A fourth road to Ahuriri is proposed, which would considerably reduce the distance. I allude to that through the Forty-mile Bush from Wairarapa to the Rma Taniwha, suggested, I believe, by Mr Tiffin. This road avould join that from Manaovatu in the Forty-mile Bush. From Rua Taniwha to Ahuriri a very small outlay -would make a track passable for drays.

“The land at is divided into five principal blocks, in addition to •which there are several small blocks of minor importance. Between Hapuka’s block and the Ahuriri block we have the unpurchased land commonly called the Middle block, which includes the Ahuriri plains and the best and most available land in the district. A small block of land, known as the Kidnapper block, has recently been purchased by Mr McLean ; it is estimated to contain 30,000 acres. It extends from Waipuku, on the south side of Cape Kidnapper, to the Tuke Tuke river, on the north. 'The price paid for this block was £ISOO, being at the rate of one shilling an acre. In the rear of Hapuka’s block lie the Rua Taniwha plains. I have not seen these pla ins; I am informed that they are well adapted for grazing purposes, but unfit for agriculture, the soil being poor and stony. It is of the utmost importance that every exertion should be used to extinguish the native title to these lands. EVery delay increases tlio demands of the natives, whilst at the same time the scarcity „of land greatly retards the progress of the district. In the neighbourhood of Waipukorau, in Hapnka’s block, are several thousand acres of land sufficiently level for tire plough, hut the great distance from the port and the total want of roads or navigable rivers will prevent agriculturists from locating themselves so far back at present. “The Ahuriri plains contain a large proportion of land fit for immediate cultivation. The soil is various, being in some parts excessively rich and in other parts poor. The plain is intersected by the Ngaruroro river, which for several miles from the mouth is free from rapids and navigable for large boats. This river .joins the Tuke Tuke at the mouth, and hoi h. flow into Hawke’s Bay at Waipureke. Hero a wool .store lias been built by Mr Alexander, to receive the wool, etc..brought in punts down the Tuke Tube and; Nga ruroro. The vessels cai! outside the mouth of these rivers and receive the produce direct, without the er-upon-e oi

previous transit to Ahuriri. It is ex pected that a township will be formed at Waipureke, which will be a formidable rival to Port Napier. “I saw very little grass in my journey from Ahuriri to Mohaka, a distance of about forty miles. There is plenty of tutu and koromiko, which may keep a few cattle alive, but I think sheep would be unable to subsist at present. I was informed that there were some grassy plains some distance from the Mohaka river, but another person who had been up the river informed me that he had seen nothing of them. A few miles beyond Mohaka is the Wairoa river; here, I understand, there is good land and plenty of bush, but there is a large native population, and, I believe, no prospect of the land being purchased by the Government. The Ahuriri district labours under the disadvantage of a scarcity of timber. The principal bush is far up the Tuke Tuke river, down which river it can he brought in rafts in winter time, but I imagine that the principal supply will be derived from the Wairoa river,which is navigable at the mouth for small craft.

“Hitherto the district of Ahuriri has been very much neglected by the Government. There are no made roads; the ferries, where there are any, are in the hands of the Maoris, or held by white men on sufferance, subject to the goodwill of the native lords of the soil, and without any aid or authority from the Government. Churches and schools are as yet unknown, and some of the publichouses are mere raupo huts. The town and suburban land, which has been surveyed for nearly three years, has only lately been sold and even then doled out in the smallest possible quantity, the upset price of the whole lot without the improvements being under one thousand pounds, and the purchase money amounting to about double that sum (in scrip). A Customhouse has been established,and a school is immediately to be built by subscription, which is to be placed under the charge of Mr Marshall, formerly of Wellington. Another thing very much to be desired is an occasional visit of one of the steamers. I suppose, however, we must not expect very much aid from the Provincial Government until the Ahuriri district is more efficiently represented in the Provincial Council, instead of being treated it were an appendage to Wairarapa-