WANGANUI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1698, 7 February 1862, Page 6

WANGANUI.

Geological S^^stey. — We mentioned last week that the Hun. Mr. I !rawford had not been successful in attaining, the | object of his expedition: up the river. This was principally to explore the valley of the Tangarakau, a tributary of the Wiauganui, which is supposed to have its source near that of the Waitara, and joins the Wangatmi about 40. miles in a straight line from this, and at more than double that distance by the Wanganui. From the Tangarakau specimens of coal - have been brought, which look well, but it is impossible to say of what quality it? may be throughout without seeing the seam.; and it is said that there is copper in the Bam e valley, which, however, is very doubtful. On Mr. Crawford's reaching Utapu, a pa distant by the river 80 miles from this, he was informed that the.Tangarakau valley was tapu to the King, and that he could not be allowed to proceed further than iis mouth. The following jlay a message was received from Pehi, prohibiting. his proceeding : further than Utapu; but the natives overruled this interdict, and were quite willing, not only to take him to Taugarakau, but up; that stream, if he paid a toll of 30s. at ics mouth. Mr. Crawford reasoned with them on the absurdity of this exclusive conduct, showiug them that ifJie discovered miner rals, it would be for their own interest chiefly; but they remained obstinate;, and he, unwilling to set a bad precedent by giving in to their demands, and conscious that the toll might be repeated in any part of the stream the natives choose for its exaction, resolved to return.: He arrived at Utapu on the 28th, having taken a week to go up from this, and came back on the 3 1st, in two days. The river consists, for the most part, of a succession of rapids, with reaches of deep water between, and of course there is both difficulty and delay in ascending some of the rapids. The valley of the Wanganui, and these of some of its tributaries, bear marks of disruption by earthquakes, &c. The exploring party speak very favorably of the natives honesty and civility, the latter characteristic becoming more marked the further they went tip the river. They were also struck by the populousness of the Wanganui valley, and by the number of canoes in the river, carrying produce and goods from one place to another. The temperature was hcaraveraging 100 p to 120° Fahrenheit, and they felt none of the high winds which prevailed here during their absence. They found a lemon tree at Ohinemutu with c large quantity of ripe fruit on in and maize was growing in all the cultivations. Ploughs and harrows are used, and cows regularly milked, at all the pas, but the system of cropping is wretch ed^— the land being completely exhausted, and a new plot of ground being then cleared, to be dealt with in the same way. We understand that a full detail of Mr. Crawford's obsorvations is likely to appear in the Government Gazeltte. He started on yesterday morning for the Rangilikei district, and we await with much interest this result of his exploration in that quarter/ r •■■■•■^- -^ ,->* •:-,J.--..:t