KAWHIA.

Colonist, Volume XXVI, Issue 3737, 12 October 1883, Page 3

KAWHIA.

Bt i. Southern M.H.K. (From the • Dunedin Herald.') The township is about fifty yards from the beach. It is a rather pretty ■pot. the land rises from 10 to 100 feet above the sea level, is well grassed, with here and there clusters of willows, a Norfolk Island pine or two, and some fruit; trees. The "township" measures 44 acres, and has been duly laid of on paper, but I saw no survey pegs. Its frontage to the harbor is limited—the Natives hint that the foreshore is thaw. The block was recently acquired by the Government from a private owner holding by virtue of a Crown grant dating some twenty yearß back. The Natives are tinder* stood to question the validity of the original grant. They, or some of them assert that no formal deed of ceesi?e was ever made by them, and that the Governor might as lawfully hftTO Crown-granted away from them the whole of the circumjacent territory. This is what one bears from some of the " old hands" who have domiciled among the Natives. These men, women, aod children, to the number of seventy or eighty, muster un the beach, close to which is their village or kaik. There are two or three small weatherboard houses inbabitated by whites, one of them a store of the backwoods type. The Natives seen friendly enoigb, but we learn on inquiry that Tawhiao, the Maori King, left the township the previous evening on hearing of the visit ofthe steamer. Many of the Natives came off in their cauoee, ameng them John Wesley, a highly tatooed! and influential chief, between whom and some of our party grim jokes are exchanged about the " good old times " when a white man was considered " game." Two of Tawhiao's sons are pointed out among the groups on shore. They bear no distinguishing tokens of belonging to the royal family. Sickness is >aid to be prevalent—intermittent fever, scrofulous and lung diseases. Herbal remedies are the only ones available at present —certain hot springs on the beach near the coast being resorted to by way of adjunct!ve treatment. Aeon* siderable area of laud adjoining the Government township.still in the bands of the Natives, is quite as suitable for building purposes, and has the additional advantage of being nearer to deep water. The construction of quays allowing vessels of 20ft draught to unload alongside would be inexpensive—a mere breastwork' being required. The erection of the second beacon on a Band-bank about two miles from the first ia speedily completed. These in line bring ships over the bar, on which theie is 18ft of water at loir tide, with a rise ranging from 8 to 10ft. The harbor is thus on a par with, although less sheltered than, Fort Chalmers, while the navigation of the main channel is certainly much easier. The others are shallower, and lead up to rivers, of which some four or five fail into the harbor. Kougbly speaking, it is four or five miles ■■ wi^e by seven in length, but much of this area is occupied by sandbanks uncovered at low tide. The surrounding Country is rather billy, and for the most part coveted with fern or bush, the latter chiefly red and white pine. Here and there up the rivers (tidal) previously mentioned are numerous clearing, now neglected, where wheat was formerly grown. The soil is gather light, but there are many rich* patches* The sweet and common potato, tobacco and ptacb.es are said to do well, but there is little or co attempt at systematic cultivation. In the bands of European settlers the fern and bush would no doubt soon give place to grasses or cereals. Meantime it is all " King country" supporting a sparse JSaiive population whoso whereabouts ia the early morning could be tracedl by the smoke rising Irom among the hills and gullies. When the existing difficulties as to sovereignty are overcome, Kawhia will be a.busy place; A railway Hue of 25 miles would connect it with Alexandria iv the Waikato Valley, and enable it to compete successfully with Auckland as the shipping port of a large and fertile district. Having regard to the fact that at iS'ew, i*ly« mou'ib, further- dowu the coast,'a breakwater is -being constructed at enormous expense to serve the trade of a by no ir.eans extensive district^iit would seem to be at once wise and expedient to *'deal with the '■ Native owners in the Kawhia district in a liberal spirit* Half a millionof money judiciously spent in tbe purchase of Native lands might be- agood colonial ia vestments—one from Which itn medial c and iarge returns might be confidently expected iv. Coal* limestoo^ freestone are among the undeveloped resources oftbe Kawhia country, arid wou!d be speiedily "i utilised' were the rule of the Queen to supersede that of the King, A step in this direction, however short, has been made, and judging from past I experience the day is notlar distant. a f n: