REPORT

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2116, 15 October 1875, Page 2

REPORT

Mackaytown, 7th October, 1875. - To the Mackaytown and Waitekauri Track Committee.

For the information of the Committee and other subscribers interested in this matter, I beg to state that our exploring party returned this afternoon, and that the object of the Committee, namely, to find a practicable line of dray road from Mackaytown to the , machine site at Waitekauri, has been completely, successful. The line has been cut from end to end, and is now passable for pedestrians. About six men provided with proper tools would, in less than a fortnight, make it a good road for pack horses. r The native Watene accompanied us," and is, in my opinion, entitled to immediate payment' of the; reward of £10j [ promised him by the Committee. ■ \ I had no compass, but believe that the general direction of the road from Mackaytown is abdut north-east by north. From the starting point at Mackaytown ap the proper right bank of the Pakauri stream to a point distant about three miles from Mackaytown (which I have named Eewa 1 Eewa hill) there are only one or two rather steep places, the worst of. which is at the Waretawa stream; these, 1 have no doubt, a little engineering skill will easily remedy. This section of the line is entirely through lightly timbered country and excellent land, easily cleared. ■ Proceeding from Te Eewa Eewa hill the country is open fern land of rich quality for about three-quarters of a mile. From this hill, however, there is a steep declivity of about 200 to 250 feet to the Moetabi stream with a corresponding ascent, after which the track rises at a . gentle gradient until the forest land is again reached. To lay out the line across the Moetahi stream will require a little care, on -the. part"of the Engineer. This point and the places previously mentioned are the only parts of the line where the least difficulty presents itself. In fact, Mr. Henry Eawden, the contractor and carter, who went over, the track last week before ■ jit" was cut, stated that if the bush were cleared away he would be prepared to convey over it at once, one ton weight with two horses and a dray. The road then enters the bush, and passing through a smalJ isolated fern flat of six or seven acres in extent, again through busb, emerging then into open

c untry and descends gradually to Te Kopuru stream at a point distant from Mackaytown about 4£ miles. Thence it rises gradually (affording a fine view of the Waihi Plains with the little clump of forest below called Te Eau o te Whero) passing through fern land of rich quality) a portion of 'which is said to be the Owharoa Block,- which was surveyed ■about seven years ago. Following a new survey line for some distance it again enters the wooded country and from this point to the machine site the whole of the i In the open country somewhere in the | vicinity of the Owharoa Block will pro- • bably be found the best point for the i divergence of *tti*may&TO&&:^6Y6ir'-th&\ Waihi Plains towards Kati Kati, the I Stewart settlement, and Tauranga. The Manugakara stream is crossed at an estimated distance from Mackaytown of 6£ miles, and thence the proposed Waitefcauri road passes for upwards of three-quarters of a mile through a magnificent kauri forest, and afterwards through a dense mixed forest with rich soil to the machine site where kauri is again met with. It is generally very level, being broken only here and there' by a i small gully or water course. The advantages of this line of road may be summed up as follows :— 1. It ..offers ?the solily^facticgblejrouite.-, for the fra'nsport of the heavy machinery, for the Waitekauri Company's Battery. 2. It will open up a rich country for agricultural settlement. A large number of 50 aero sections have already been applied for in the yincinity. The road passes through some .of them, and every available acre would be taken up if the road were made. 3. It would connect the Waitekauri mines with Karangahake, and very much facilitate the prospecting of all the intervening country which ;is ?now difficult of access; ■" \ ■■'-.% % --. 4 4. More than half of the proposed road would form a part of the main line of road to Tauranga via the Stewart settlement, thus avoiding the difficult moun-« tainous country through the Gorge. - The following is an approximate table of distances, but I have little doubt but that the line will be so improved that the distance will not ultimately exceed seven miles, whereas the distance between the Paeroa and the Battery by the present impracticable track, over a high mountain range, is little short of nine miles: — Mackaytown to Eewa Bewa Hill, 2 miles 70 chains ; Eewa Bewa Hill toTe Kopuru stream, 1 mile 70 chains ; Te Kopuru stream to Mangakara, 1 mile 40.chains; Mangakara stream to machine site, 2 miles 40 chains ; total 8J miles. .■ .:> Axbert J; Allom.