A TRIP THROUGH THE NATIVE COUNTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 2271, 29 January 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TRIP THROUGH THE NATIVE COUNTRY.

[BY OOR SPfiCIAL REPORTER.] The Tuhua Country. FROM WAIMIHA TO TAUMARUNUI. (Concluded.) After breakfast wo took leave of our kind hostess, who would m ike no charge for entertaining us. However, I slipped some money into the hand of one of tue young stofsTin leaving, and starred for To Koura and Taumarunui at a few minutes past eight, leaving the Ongarue on our right. Nothing could look more barren or dreary than the wretched pumice plain over which we rode, and which was covered in places with stunted ti-tree and another shrub a few feet high, which, to my surprise, I learned was kahikatest. It was Mr Ormsby who drew my attention to it, and a close inspection showed me that the foliage was the same as that of its lordly brother of the forest. Like the latter, it is covered with bright red berries in the autumn. The only relief to the monotonous plain was the aspect of the hills which bounded it at no great distance on the right and left, and which presented a better appearance, for though rugged, they had more or less bush on them, and where there was no bush the sides were covered with fern, tupaki or tutu and other vegetation. The road over this plateau—for it is considerably higher than the river—has been formed and made suitable for wheeled traffic as far as Te Koura, for with the exception of a few places on the road where the sides of the cuttings have given way, and which only require a few minutes work on each with a spade to remove the obstructions, a buggy could be driven to that settlement from Waimiha. After riding for about a mile and a-half, we came to higher and slightly better land; the improvement is very slight, for there is a very thin stratum of soil covering _ the pumice, and the fern growing on it is very stinted. The whole of the plain is covered with a miserable growth of dandelion, which can also be seen struggling for existence 011 the higher ground among the fern. A few miles of this charming country brought us to lower ground on the banks of the Maramataha, a river which I hear is treacherous, owing to the shifting nature of the bed. Like the other rivers mentioned in my last, this one is also particularly suitable for trout and salmon. We crossed this, twice, and after going over a low ridge we descended to the Ongarue, which, having taken an eastward course from the foot of the ranges on the right, received the waters of the Maramataha. It was at the junction of these we forded the former. About four miles from Te Koura we stopped on one of the river flats, where there was some grass, and gave our horses an hour's rest. The remainder_ of the way to the settlement was over similar country to that which we had already passed, the only alteration being that the hills were now close on each side. I noticed a peculiarity here, which I also observed shortly before approaching Poro-o-Ta Rao, that is that when the hills rise from the low ground there is a line of terraces, which, though intersected by gullies, arc uniformly level, and are as sharply defined and smooth on the surface as if laid out by human hands. l)ame Nature in exhibiting her volcanic energies in forming this country took care to have some of it done symmetrically. At Te Koura, a miserable little settlement of a few dilapidated whares we parted from Mr Ormsby. Several horses which I saw here were in splendid condition, but where they got the feed to put such condition on them was more than I could see. The Maoris, as a rule, select good land for settling on, but I could not help thinking that they were wrong here in their judgment, as in all the settlements between Mokau —there is one not far from the tunnel on that side—and Taumarunui. A mile or more from Te Koura we again forded the Ongarue, and then ascended a very steep hill named Hikurangi for about two miles, when we went down another and much steeper one through some bush. This is by far the worst hill on the whole journey, the bush being worse than that over Poro-o-Ta Rao, to which I referred in such complimentary terms in my last. We then ascended another hill called Opotiki, no less steep but with not quite so long a climb perhaps as that which we had just crossed. On arriving at the summit a magnificent panorama lay before us. Away down at our feet in the foreground lay the little settlement of Taringamotu, nestling at the foot of a clump of bush. Behind it rose the fern-clad hills ; beyond them in the near distance rose range upon range of forest covered mountains, _ and beyond these again towered those mighty monarchs Tongariro and Ruapehu, before which all other mountains dwindled into insignificance. Ruapehu was covered with Bnow for more than half way down, and looked superb dressed in its snowy mantle, its rugged sides and chasms being mellowed by distance into graceful slopes and curves, the soft covering of snow also j rounding off any angularities. Farther to the north towered the sharp peak of its twin brother Tongariro, which though having but little snow upon it, looked only a little less grand than the other, both being sharply defined against the azure back ground of clear sky. Their sides and summits were entirely clear of mist, and there was not the faintest sign of smoke or steam to indicate that under calm exteriors there was any volcanic energy. How sublime they looked in their solemn grandeur, and how one feels one's utter insignificence in the presence of these colossal monuments of the mighty power of the Creator. Such a picture well rewarded our fatiguing climb. It was as if nature according to the law of compensation intended to give an exhibition of her power by permitting us to turn immediately from one extreme to the other, behind us lay almost the extremity of dreary barrenness, while in front was the perfection of sublimity and magnificence. Here is a fitting subject for the brush of a great artist. Put that scene faithfully on canvas and the painting will be worthy of a place in the best picture gallery in the world. The Matterhorn, the Rigi, Mont Blanc and other alpine giants are more magnificent, but I have never seen them, and to me this appears to be the grandest scene in the world. I gazed at it for a long time, and as we slowly descended the hill I kept my eyes fixed upon it, till as vve neared the level of the valley below the hills in the foreground hid it from my view. As we approached tho Taringamotu settlement I found that distance certainly lent enchantment to the view, for it was_ situated on a piece of land that in Waikato would be looked upon as very inferior ; there was some poor swamp, and 011 the dry land stunted rushes, and a small patch of oats by the side of the road was struggling for existence against some equally poor-looking sorrel. Here we forded the Taingamotu crsek, another tributary of the Ongarue. Along the right bank was a narrow strip of bush, perhaps five hundred yards long, the timber being principally matai and rimu. The track in one place was close to a bend in the stream, the bank on the side next the road being perpendicular, and about eighty feet high. The bush on the opposite side (which was only a few feet above the water) with grass growing under the trees, and some tall cabbage trees fringing the edge of the stream, was rather a pretty view, all the prettier by contrast with the surroundings. Taumarunui, which is four miles from Taringamotu, is situated on the point of land between the Whanganui and Ongarue rivers. The former has a stoney bed, while the latter at this point has a bed of smooth, solid rock. The flat on which the village stands is a large one, and was covered with tall ti-tree, the greater portion of which has been cleared and burned off with the view, I suppose, of cultivating it. The soil, though not what could be called first-class, is very much better than any of the low land in Tuhua, the best land being on the sides of the low hills around the flat. On the sides of the latter is some bush, in which there is a fair amount of totara, but tho bush is not very extensive. There is, however, plenty of good totara farther on. As far as I could learn, there is one good bush about seven miles and another fifteen miles away ; the land is also said to be good. My experience of totara land is that it is always good Here, as in the remainder of the Tuhua, all the crops were cat down by the frost. The only things that escaped were the potatoes that had been recently planted, and which were only an inch or two above ground. Strange to say, these escaped entirely, although those of a longer growth alongside were cut down coinpleti-.lv. I was most hospitably entertained by Mr A. Bell, the postmaster and Government caretaker, who resides here with his wife and family. 1 There is a depftt hove of stores, itc.' for the survey pnrti"s. There are als < two" wooden huts, one of which is used by

Mr Rochfort as a dep6t for all his material, and the other is a sleeping hut. The stores are kept in another small place, built on piles to keep them out of the way of rats. Mr Bell has charge of all these. Stores are worth something here, for everything has to be brought by canoe from Whanganui, a journey occupying a couple of weeks, or packed from Kihikihi. Mr Bell, however, would accept no recompense of any kind for his generous hospitality. A native keeps a store on a small scale, where clay pipes can be bought for 4d each, and plugs of tobacco, which are a shilling each in the Waikato, are here two shillings. Our horses fared well here, for there is a paddock on the bank of the Whanganui, in which there is splendid grass. The owner of this paddock, a native named Tanoa, charged trie the very moderate sum of one shilling for my horse. I promised to publish his name, so that others going there should known to whom to apply. The Whanganui at this place is about as wide as the Waipaat Alexandra, but shallow and with a rapid current, the water is clear and cold, and will no doubt in the future come in for a share of the salmon and trout ova which are yearly imported. About a mile and a half higher up this river Moffat was shot, he was on his way from the Punga Punga creek which is about three miles higher up than Taumarunui, but I did not hear whither he had any gold in his possession when he was killed. It is in this creek that Barry was supposed to have found some, but whether any really has been found in this neighbourhood is very doubtful. Tuhua has for a long time been considered auriferous, I am not an experienced digger or prospectors but if pumice and sand, barrenness and sterility are any indications of auriferousness then I should say princely fortune, lie hidden in the sands of Tuhua. If pumice can be utilised for anything unlimited quantities can be had there. Return Journey- —General tionsI can say little'of the return that as a considerable portion of the first part of it was done at night, I was mercifully spared another four or five hours gazing at the infertile region which I have heard valued at eighteen pence a mile. I should not like to give much more unless I got some of the hills given in, in fact I would not take it if offered to me for nothing, unless I knew I could find someone foolish enough to give me something in return for it. The view I gotjof the snowy mountain on my return was very tame indeed as the atin osphere was very hazy and clouds obscured the background of blue sky which I saw on the occasion of my first view. The road between Te Koura and Taumaranui could be greatly improved; instead of going over the two steep hills, the first of which is less than a hundred feet lower than Kakepuku, a good track the natives tell me can be made round the foot of them; they used to have one there formerly but landslips cut it off, and the Maorilike the lazy beggars are rather than clear away the obstructions and repair the lroad took the infamous track over the hills, which in wet weather must be in a very dreadful state. As there is a mail service three times a month, the money spent in making the bridle track good would be well spent. The land on these steep hills is of very much better quality than one would expect to find after passing through the inferior land in the valley; indeed, it may be classed as good. The fern and tutu are particularly strong and vigorous, and white clover, which grows along the track for a great portion of the way, seems to have a good hold, grows well, and appears to be able to hold its own against the fern. It must be understood, however, that it grows principally in narrow strips beside the track, and wherever it spreads out it only does so for a few yards ; but- in such spots I noticed there was no young fern growing, although there were no stock to keep it down. From what I saw of these hills, I am led to believe that grass, surface sown, would take very well. As a matter of course, that would be the only way in which it could be sown. On the whole, these hills, though rougher, higher and steeper than those over which the road runs on leaving the bed of the Mokau, are infinitely superior in quality of soil, and as runs for sheep and cattle will be very much more valuable. The great drawback is the want of timber. There is some growing in the gullies, but it is not valuable for either fencing or building, and I do not think that totara in any quantity can be had this side of Taumarunui, and as the whole of that country with the exception of the valley of the Tuhua is rough and broken, the cost of getting fencing material on to the ground would be considerable. The valley referred to is not of any very great extent, it is some fifteen or sixteen miles in length, and at its widest I do not think it exceeds three miles, in many places it is quite narrow. Tuhua is the name of a large extent of country I believe, but the valley I refer to is that through which the road runs. After leaving Te Koura and crossing the hills going to Taumarunui, there is another and much smaller valley, which follows the course of tho Taringamotu stream ; like the other this is wretchedly poor and is simply worthless. The railway will run through more than fifty miles of country which will give no return whatever except such as can be got from sheep runs. The good land ends in crossing the dividing range between the Waikato and Mokau ; from there to the Whanganui, the whole of the country is useless for any other purpose than that indicated, so that unless there is some great extent of good land as the line goes farther south, there will be very little prospect of the line ever being worked except at a loss. We are a long way ahead of our time with this line, and and we could have done without it very well. Another piece of useless expenditure was that in making the road from Waimiha to Te Koura, a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles. It is never used except by horsemen, for the simple reason that it would be impossible to get a vehicle into the place. The object was to divert the traffic in connection with the construction of the trunk line to Whanganui. For this reason money was thrown away on the clearing of the river. The idea was to carry the road from Waimiha through to Taumarunui (it is finished as far as Te Koura, but there is still a distance of ten or twelve miles unmade) to which point railway material would be carried up the Whanganui. It would then be transported by carts and waggons to wherever it was required. A nice little plan for wasting the public money. If the line were made, a section at a time as it was required, the cost would be far less, as all material would be carried by train as far as the line was made ; but where so much cartage has to be done as at present, contractors must of course take this into consideration, with the result that tenders are, as a necessary consequence, very much higher than would be the case if the other plan were adopted. On my return I stayed about an hour at the tunnel, but as Mr O'Brien was away I was not able to get much information, and the manager did not appear disposed to say much on the matter. I learned that about three hundred thousand bricks had been made. Some of these were burned, and the remainder were in the drying sheds and kilns ready for burning. The drive on the south side of _ the hill had been carried in about a chain, and almost the whole of the approach on the north side had been made. The distance to the various points are about as follow: From Te Awamutu to Te Kuiti forty miles by the cart road, but by taking the short cut to Otorohanga it is not more than thirty; from Kuiti to the tunnel twenty-five, from there to Te Kouro about twenty-three, and from there to Taumarunui about ten or twelve, the whole distance from Te Awauiutu to the last mentioned place being about a hundred miles. More than half of this is through poor land, for though the hills are better than the flats, more especially those in Tuhua, those which I crossed being good, yet owing to its roughness the whole of that country could not by any stretch of imagination be called anything but inferior and utterly unsuitable for settlement. After getting in the Mokau valley the acquisition by Government of the land along the line would be a waste of money. With its beautiful streams and rivers the Tuhua would, if as fertile as Waikato, be a truly magnificent country, and I feel sure its rivers will yet yield a revenue in the shape of trout and salmon. When I got to the summit of the dividing range going into the Mokau Mr Berry pointed out a spot in a gully on the left where he said a sojun of conl cropped out. [f it is of any gre:it e.xtent and is near the line it will be valirihle, as it will be used to burn lime, tho limestone country coming as far as this rang*'. The roads are all good :it this time of the year. That from Kuiti to the tuuel, though it has very sharp pincho<, is very good to ride over. Indeed with a gooil pair of horses a strong buggy conlil easily he taken all tho wav there. Mr O'Brien spends large sums of monev miking this road. lie carts all his miterial over it by bullock teams, fourteen bullocks taking thirty-live hundred at u

load. After leaving Waikato there are few native settlements, and I could not help being surprised that Maoris, who know so well tho value of good land for cultivation, should voluntarily live in such places. In conclusion, I should recommend anyone contemplating a journey through that country not to take a valuable horse, as it would be liable to be injured in going over the tunnel hill, or that hill after leaving Te Koura. I rode a Maori pony, which carried mo well, but was not shod, with the result that one foot was worn down badly by the pumice and sand. If anyone has the time and the inclination a very pleasant trip could bo taken. Messrs Ellis and Westney made it a couple of months ago—that is, from Kihikihi to Tokaanu, on the south end of Taupo Lake, and from there to Taumarunui, and home the way I went. Of course, some of the country is poor and miserable, but there is a good deal to make up for that on this side and at Taupo also. Very little is known of Tokaanu and its neighbourhood, yet from what I hear, its hot Bprings, geysers, &c., are in no way inferior to those elsewhere.