THE PATEA DISTRICT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 677, 25 July 1870, Page 4

THE PATEA DISTRICT.

» ' The following report, by Major Noate, in command of the Wanganui-Patea district, will be read with considerable interest. It is dated June 18, and is addressed to the Premier :— I have the honour to report, for your information, on the progress made in my district since your last visit. With your permission I will begin from the period when the Ngatiporou (numbering 140 men) were removed from Patea to Waihi, the latter post being, in my opinion, the most important in the district. In October, after being abandoned some twelve months, I re-occupied this post, and by so doing at once formed a cover for settlers to re-occupy their lands in these advanced districts. To farther advance the confidence thus engendered, you decided that blockhouses should be built at Hawera and Manutahi for the protection of settlers, and that ten-acre allotments should be laid off around them, in order that they might erect their homesteads under the protection of the blockhouse, and look after their more distant farms in comparative safety. As the first fruits of these arrangements the settlers, who throughout the war bad, for the most part, been serving in Volunteer Corps, were now induced, under the improved aspect of affairs, to return to their properties and assißt in building the blockhouses and defences, lay off the ten-acre allotments, open up the line of road, &c. The results have, so far, been most successful. At Hawera, which is five miles south of Waibi, there is now a population of 25 settlers, 5 women, and 8 children. They have built already six houses, and many others are in contemplation ; 500 acres have been sown with English grasses this season ; 80 acres are being ploughed for crops ; they possess 350 head of cattle, besides horses, carts, and general agricultural implements ; they have several chains of fencing done, and contemplate erecting, this season, about 800. What may be said of Hawera applies equally to Manutahi, which is situated halfway between Patea (or Carlyle) and Hawera, about ten. miles from either place. The country north of Carlyle to Manutahi, contains about 30 settlers, a few dwellinghouses, about 600 or 700 head of cattle ; a great amount of fencing will be completed during this season. There is a large proportion of land laid down in grass, and a considerable portion will be in crop this season. Those who are not employed on their farms are engaged in contract work on the roads, under the road engineers. The Patea Flax Company has not made that progress expected of it. Although they have cleared a portion of their lands and have begun to fence, they have as yet no building erected or machinery on the ground. Carlyle baß improved and increased rapidly within the last few months ; it now contains many good substantial buildings, and its population will be about 150 — including men, women, and children. At Wairoa, where a few months ago we had a garrison almost blockaded in its redoubt, there is now a rapidly increasing population of industrious and enterprising settler?, numbering about 140, who have erected 29 dwellings, have 1100 acres laid down in grass, about 700 fenced in, will have a considerable portion in crop, and several hundreds of chains of fencing completed this season. There are sawyers at work in the bush, and the material is used up for building as fast as itcanbecut. Since you visited this district, the inland road has been opened to enable the coach to carry passengers and the mails twice a week from Wanganui to Patea ; and the telegraph has been established. No doubt the establishment of Sbeppard's coach and the telegraph have contributed in a great degree to (he progress made. It needs but a railway now to open up the vast resources of these magnificent districts. I believe it could be accomplished at comparatively little cost, as the country is well adapted naturally, having few engineering difficulties.

Bbown Paper fkom Flax.— A Nelson paper has been informed by a gentleman resident in that [city that brown-wrapping toaper, manufactured in Melbourne from New Zealand flax, is of the stoutest texture he has ever seen, being twice as strong as ordinary brown paper. . A Special Correspondent in Canada. — A special correspondent of the Toronto Globe, who is on bis way to the Red River Territory, or Manitoba, as it is now called, writing from Fort Abercrombie, on April 25, sayß :— " Tomorrow morning I launch my little flat boat, on the Red River, and start upon my solitary journey down to Pembina. Some estimate the distance by water at 400 miles, and others put it as high as 600. I think, however, the former figure is nearer the correct one. For the benefit of any of the readers of the Globe who may feel a desire to take a similar trip, I will give a brief description of my outfit, which is thought by those who have had experience in this line to be at the same time, necessary and sufficient : — -Ist. A suit of flannel underclothing, with changes ; a coat and vest of butternut jean, a knit vest, a heavy overcoat, and stout Congress gaiters. 2d. A stout, heavy duck gun . and ammunition. 3d. A sharp-bowed flat-bottomed boat, 20ft long, with 28in beam, well caulked and pitched, and furnished with a pair of paddles. 4th. An axe, a frying-pan, a knife and fork, a teaspoon, a tin dish, a small flask of brandy, and half an ounce of laudanum. sth. A sack of flour (some of it baked into hard bread), ten pounds of pork, a small supply of salt, a few pounds of rice, a few yards of rope, and sundry other traps such as the occasion may 'suggest. '1 his is said to be all I need, and if all goes well to-morrow will see l me on the road, and to-morrow night will be my first night of camping out in the wilds of the North- West. And with this I must aay goodbye till I turn up at Pembiua."