RAGLAN AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. (By our Special Reporter.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1197, 28 February 1880, Page 2

RAGLAN AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. (By our Special Reporter.)

11. A RIDE TO KUAPUKE. Early on the morning of Tuesday, the 17th of this present month, my Wo companions of the previous day and myself proceeded on horseback to Ruapuke and the districts lying at the south-eastern side of Mount Karioi. I was half sorry to leave Raglan notwithstanding that I had found it so dull. Indeed, Nature seemed to have conspired with the elements to make our last view of the town and harbour the brightest by far that we had been permitted to enjoy. Diverging from the Waipa Road, a mile or two from Raglan, the Aotea Road ascends a steep hill, from the summit of .which a magnificent prospect of the surrounding country is enjoyed. The day was sunny and bright, with a clear blue sky over all, while the waters of the harbour sparkled rather than moved. The deeply indented shores, the tall cliffs, the hills, the woods, and the great ocean out beyond all glistened in the glad sunshine with far more evidence of life and energy than we had left behind us. The road though in process of formation, is yet in home places little more than : a good track as it winds through j the giant bush ; now diving into the depths of umbrageous dells, now elevating itself on some lofty spur. From time to time we caught, through long vistas of forest, glimpses of the stately Karioi on our right, and the more distant peaks of Pirongia on our left. So journeying through every variety of forest scenery, screened almost continuously from the hot sun, and refreshed by the pure mountain breeze, we arrived at the first bridge over the Mata, a pretty bubbling rivulet, which twice crosses our road at an interval of a couple of miles. Ckirgling over its stoney bed, and sleeping in quiet reaches, no kinder watering | place was ever designed by Nature ; and here, without stint, we permitted our horses to revel. Close to this sjjot we discover the first signs of cultivation, in the farms of the Messrs. Oharlton and one or two others, and judging from the appearance of the crops I and the grass the land, which has } mostly been redeemed from the bush I is of good quality, Between the | the two bridges over the Mata, the j road continues alon^ the bottom of a valley, and occasionally discloses some neat patches of cultivated soil, shut in by the almost impenetrable forest. As we proceeded, however, the land became more open in parts, and occasionally the roads intesects considerable areas of fern land ; the Mata school-house stands upon such , a piece of land. The school is only open two or three days in the week, and enjoys the service of a teacher jointly with the neighbouring school at Ruapuke. The attendance is, considering the sparseness of the population, very fair. A little further on we leave the main road, which continues on to Aotea, and proceed along a track, which for some distance winds round the base of a ferny hill, ultimately plunging into the heart of the bush* Here, at length, we find oursehes outside the confines of civilisation, our road reduced to the veriest bush track, and demanding from us tho exercise of great care in the management of our horses. Here and there, it is true, signs of industry are observable in the shape of huge burning logs lying athwart our path, obstacles which tax our skill to surmount them. We have evidence that the local authorities are pushiug on ll*e «ood work o,f establishing

road communication throughout the i district in the numerous, neat, and strongly made ridges over which our track conducted us. and without which the journey would hardly be practicable, except to the hardy children of the forest themselves. Up to the point where we diverged from the main road, and, indeed, thence all the way to the Aotea a buggy could be driven with perfect safety, where "a few years ago, it would have been difficult to take a | bullock dray; andalong this, our forest I path, I make but little doubt it will I be possible before the lapse of many months to proceed easily in a vehicle. The scenery hereabout, as may be imagined, is exquisite. Never before has the bush presented to me so many and so varied shades of foliage ; not only is the eye charmed and delighted, but on a quiet day the senses are lulled into perfect harmony with the scene by the soft melody of innumerable streams, and the clear, though sometimes far oft' and faint, notes of the bell-bird. The spirit of solitude, if it exist anywhere, surely finds a home in these sombrous recesses. Leaving scenes like these, we suddenly emerge upon an open valley, and before us undoubted signs of settlement are visible. This is the district of Ruapuke, just 15 miles from Raglan. As I have intimated, the district is principally wooded, but there is a large extent of open land, all of which has been taken up. In all there are about 20 settlers, and nearly half this number have taken up land under the Homestead Act, the remainder being freeholders, having within the last ten or a dozen years purchased the land from the Government, who owned a large block here, part of which has been granted under the Act referred to above. The freeholds embrace the greater portion of the open land, and it is here, naturally, that the greatest improvements are observable. Altogether on the different farms about 1000 acres of land has been broken up and cultivated, and there are some very good grass paddocks to be seen. Clover appears to thrive well everywhere, but more particularly on the farms of Messrs Hill and Thompson. Game abounds in the neighborhood : pheasants, wood pigeons, and quail provide ample and profitable employment for the sportsman ; while the Aotea harbor is full of all kinds of fish. The pawn., a very large shellfish, abounds there. Near the Aotea, and within sight of Mr Hill's farm, is the store of Mr J. W. Ellis. The building is upon native ground, and it is with the natives that Mr Ellis drives the most of his trade. He has a large bacon-curing establishment, and annually sends away large quantities* of that commodity. A large native settlement — Makaka —is located close at hand, hi which there live some 200 natives. The area of land under crop in the Ruapuke district this last .season may be set down at 350 acres divided as follows :—2OO: — 200 acres in Avheat, 50 in maize, and 100 in J potatoes. Limestone is found in I large deposits all over the district, and on Messrs Duncans and Hill's land there are to be seen several limestone caves, the stones contained in them being composed largely of marine shells. The circumstance of j limestone existing in such large 1 quantities accounts for the excellent pastures to be met with, and moiv particularly the clover, which thrives so luxuriantly. Approaching from Raglan, the first homestead we arrive at is Mr Duncans, which is prettily situated on the slope of a hill, and I is surrounded by a plantation chiefly consisting of poplar trees. Speaking generally, very little trouble has i been taken by the residents hereabouts to beautify their homes, and save where the bush provides abundant foliage, there is a bareness about the houses which has a disagreeable effect upon a stranger. Leaving the farms of Messrs Hill and Thompson, on our loft, we again ascend to the high lands, and gaining the summit of the ridge behold a gorgeous sight. Hundreds of feet below us is the great ocean stretching out to the dim horizon line, curling and foaming in the light breeze, and right and left the coast line \anishes in the distance. We have made a half circuit of Karioi, which now divides us from Raglan, and looks e"\en more majestic then when we beheld him from the Whaingaroa. To our left I can plainly discern the bluff which separates us from Kawhia while, indistinct as the outline ! of an evening cloud we fancy we can distinguish the elevated cone of Egmont. Turning from the contemplation of one of the grandest picCures J ever ln>held, we speedily found ourselves inside the enclosure of the Ruapuke school, and in con- ! versation with the genial teacher, ! Mr Johnston. The day being only half .spent we set off for the farm of Mr Liddell, Paparata, some two miles nearer Karioi. Striking across \ some very good grass paddocks belonging to Mr Martin, and passing tin; homestead of Mr Struck, once mow; into the bush. Notwithstanding all I had seen of beauty in the bush, the same morning, L was utterly unprepared for the fairyland upon which we now entered. The wide path led under as well as through the trees, the branches overhanging it completely. For nearly a mile did this continue, every turn disclosing an avenue of green coolness, through which the sunlight could hardly penetrate Cloomy shades sequestered deep, such tib those ill which JEndymiou

wandered. At the end of this pleasant ride wo came upon the homely, but withal comfortable dwelling of Mr Liddell and his family, who gave us a hearty welcome, and lost no time in offering us refreshments. The situation of the house on a cleared knoll is extremely well chosen, as it commands a fair prospect on all sides. At the rear is a fine orchard, and among the trees were a number of beehives, the bees .thriving well in the bush. The afternoon proved close and sultry, and despite the knowledge that we had a journey of some 25 miles before us to button's hotel, in the Waitetuna, it was fully 4 o'clock before we thought of retracing our steps.