THE TAUTUKU BUSH. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9383, 24 March 1892, Page 3

THE TAUTUKU BUSH. TO THE EDITOR.

Sut, —I read in your issue of the 15th inst. a local giving an account of a trip to Chasland's Mistake by Dr Hocken and others and promising a further account, which I shall read with interest. The statement, however, at the end of the local that the party were the first to make the trip to this spot is incorrect. Messrs A. J. Rutherfurd, AY. L. Riddell, and myself, in the month of November 1873, went through the bush from above M'Lennan's to the mouth of the Taukupu before any tracks were in existence, this distance alone occupying three long days, and from there travelled through the bush along the coast to Waikawa, one of our camps being close to what have now been called the Cathedral Caves. More than a year before this also Mr Rutherfurd and a party worked from Waikawa to Tautuku in an unsuccessful attempt to find coal. There was then only a very old blaze to Tautuku, which we renewed on the second trip. The track from Waikawu was commenced in 1886, prior to which a map showing an exact sketch of the coast line between Takupu and Waikawa was prepared by the Land Office from the drawing I made in 1873. Many people had been through this bu?h along the coast years before prospecting the different beaches, which are all auriferous ; one of which—Campbell's Beach— seven miles from Waikawa, and not a large one, yielded L6OO worth of gold to the party who worked it. I could give more information aboui this remote locality if space would permit. Apologising for having the temerity to contradict the latter portion of your interesting local. —I am, &c, Naseby, March 21. Frank Smith.