THE KAIMANAWA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 655, 17 September 1869, Page 2

THE KAIMANAWA.

Mr Crawford read a paper, in connection with the New Zealand Institute, on Saturday last, on the geology and topographical features of this country. We give the following extracts, which are more than usually interesting at the present time :—

Mr Crawford stated that, having been requested by His Honor the Superintendent, about the end of the year 1861, to examine the coal-seams of the Tangarakau, a tributary of the Wanganui river, he proceeded to the town of Wanganui for the purpose of making the necessary arrangements. Being anxious to make out the geology of the inland country, Mr Crawford proceeded to the Rangitikei, accompanied by Mr Deighton, engaged a canoe to go up the Rangitikei, and on Jan. 14th, 1862, started from Major Marshall's station, at the edge of the great bush. From the 14th to the 20th the party was engaged in painfully poling up the river, the view on either side being bounded by vertical cliffs surmounted by forest On the 20th they ascended the Moawhanga river, a tributary falling into the right bank. This stream is very remarkable. Its cliffs are vertical, and the distance from

j side to side so t small that the trees actually meet overhead. After ascending this stream tor a few hours, the termination of the canoe voyage was reached, the party, landed, ascended the bank for some 250 feet in altitude, and gazed over an extended view of the Patea country—a great relief after travelling so long between cliffs. The party then proceeded to the village called Popotahi, where they made arrangements to proceed to Taupo. From this point Ruahine appeared to be from 14 to 15 miles distant; the country in the direction of .Napier looked low, and Ruapehu might be seen bearing N. 55°W. The party proceeded over the open country—a rolling country covered by grass, with spear grass, aniseed, tutu, _&c. — good herbage, without flocks or herds to eat it. The great forest belt was on the left, and many patches of bush on the right. The party stopped and slept at Pakehiwi. Thence they crossed the Hautapa, at the beautiful falls of Turangerere, the pa of the late chief Te Herekirekire, thence the road appeared gradually to ascend, and at the Kaikoura stream the boundary seemed to be reached between the marine tertiaries and the volcanic rocks of Ruapehu. The' Kaimanawa range now came into i view. The route wound round the - southern end of it, which is in about! the same latitude as the south end of' Ruapehu, and the road then enters i the valley of Wangaehu. Kaimanawa is now on the right, Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe on the i left, a plain or valley six or seven miles broad lies between. The Wangaehu rises abreast of the centre of Ruapehu, and runs with its thick and muddy colored water to Cook's Strait A few yards further on the Waikato takes possession of the northern slope of the valley and runs to Tokanu on Lake Taupo. ' '• Mr Crawford was anxious to visit the Kaimanawa range, but so many i obstacles were put in his way that he was obliged to give up the attempt, after some detention at Tokanu, the party proceeded by canoe to Pukawa,' the residence of Te Heu Heu and of the Rev. Mr Grace; then crossing"' the Ruamatu plains to the westward," they obtained fine views of the volcanic group from the open country before entering the bush of the Wan-1 ganui riv^r. After a severe day's journey through this bush, they T struck the Wanganui at a place called , Tereua, and on the following day | reached the pa of Topini te Mamako at Tapuia Kumera. In traversing ( the Wanganui bush, one patch of old slates was found exposed in the bed ! of a stream called the Waipari. This j was an important discovery, as it indi-1 cated at what depth the old rocks' may be expected, and by what thickness of newer rocks they are covered. Mr Crawford called attention lo the very remarkaole character of the Wanganui river, to its cliffs on each side, its capabilities for supporting a large population and of growingvines and similar produce, to the numerous villages on its banks full oflife, and to the constant movement : of canoes on the river, gliding- about like Venetian gondolos. It was pointed out that the Middle and Upper Wanganui formed together a : world of itself, with its own politics, wars, scandal, &c. Pipiriki is the great capital of. the middle district; i Maria Kowhia is the chief village of '. the upper part Mr Crawford then pointed out that i through the whole journey he had traversed rocks almost entirely of sedimentary tertiary formation, the exceptions being1 ihe volcanic rocks of ihe centre and the small patch of slate in the bed of the Waipare He had, however, been near the Ruahine, which is composed of slates and sandstone similar to those near Wellington, and had passed close to the Kaimanawa, and had in 1862, in his essay, read to the Dunedin Exhibition, described this rangu as follows :— " Kaimanawa range has never been examined. Some specimens of galina and other metallic ores brought, in by the natives to Hochstetter's party are said to have | come from it, and there is a strong1 probability of its rocks having an : ,auriferous character." The West Coast consists of open country extending, say ten miles

from the sea on an average, and nowmore or- less occupied by settlers. Next conies a belt of bush, some forty or fifty miles across, and beyond thatisan-open country, wooded in parts, but with, no continuous forest. It is of the highest importance that this beh of bush should be penetrated by one or more roads, and if the news of the discovery of gold in the Kaimanawa should prove to be correct, and should this province expect to reap benefit from it, a road must be constructed without delay. ; In a strategical point of view this road would be of vast importance. It is at present a risk too great to be undertaken to entangle a body of troops in this fifty mile: bush, but with a road cut through, forces might be sent up from Wano-anui to the neighborhood of Taupo in two or three days. Napier and Wanganui might then co-operate in attack or defence. / m The volcanic group of the interior is a feature of surpassing intercuteut#i. With a £ood ™»d through the bush, it would be an easy matter to visit it At present it is an undertaking of fatigue and difficulty. What line to the interior it would be bjst to take is a point for surveyors to determine. From Major Marshall's on the Itangitikei would appear to be rather roundabout.. Somewhere about tho line of theWangaehu or Turakina rivers would seem, primafacie, to be most direct and the best, if other difficulties do not exist. N. B:—It is stated thac Mr Gotty drove cattle up to Taupo some years ago by the Wangnehu valley.