A.—No. 17

24

CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE

Enclosure 1 in No. 52. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Field to Mr. Buller, R.M. Sir, — Wanganui, 14th Febrnary, 1870. In the event of a second working party being employed on the Mangawhero-Taupo Bridle Road, a further supply of tools will be required for their use, and another overseer to take charge of the party. I think either Mr. G. Brooking or Mr. W. Hurley would be willing to undertake the duty. They are both steady, reliable men. The former has had some experience in making roads to his old residences at the Goat Valley and Tauraroa ; and the latter was for a long time engaged in gold digging, and is a good hand with pick and shovel. Both of them, from having lived at Turakina, are known to the natives, who would be likely to form the working party, and both speak Maori sufficiently to be able to make themselvee well understood. I have now got such a start of the present working party, that I feel no doubt of being able to keej> two parties fully employed right up to the plains. I have, &c, H. C. Field, W. Buller, Esq., R.M., Wanganui. Engineer in charge of Mangawhero-Taupo Road Party.

Enclosm*e 2 in No. 52. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Field to Mr. Buller, R.M. Sir, — Upper Huripari, near Te Pukohu, sth February, 1870. During the past week the Waipaika side cutting has been finished, and the line widened and levelled for more than a mile this side of it, over some of the worst ground along the whole route. I met with an unexpected check at the Huripari Stream. When Mr. Pilmer and I came up, we crossed it easily, there being a very good descent on the South side, and a fair average ascent on the North. As we crossed the stream just where we haj^pened to strike it without having to search for a crossing, and there was nothing to indicate that the spot differed from the rest of that part of the gully, I took no particular note of its position, or of the approach to it, and took the road line towards it, just according to the inequalities of the ground, expecting to be able to cross anywhere. I was much surprised, therefore, on Tuesday, at being told that there appeared to be no practicable crossing whatever, and that the stream seemed to run everywhere between precipitous banks 40ft. or 50ft. high. I found, however, that it did so, and it was not till Thursday morning that I found our crossing-place nearly half a mile above where I had supposed it to be. We have got a good lino over it at that place, with easy gradients and very little side cutting, so that the time has not been wasted. I have cut the line right across to the flat on the Te Pukohu side, and yesterday afternoon burned oft" the fern up to Te Pukohu, between which and the Mangawhero 1 shall burn it to-day, and so cut the line through to the river on Monday or Tuesday. It would, I think, be well if you could ascertain the intentions of the Matatera natives as regards returning, and if they are not likely to do so soon, to put on another party in their place, or I shall be getting so far ahead of the work as not to be able to see to it as I could wish. It is true I might leave off the marking of the line for a time at the Mangawhero, and return and help with the widening and levelling ; but this seems hardly worth while, except as a last resource. Our present camp is fully a mile beyond the work, and by Tuesday, at furthest, I shall have got the line three miles beyond the camp, and shall be wanting to shift to the other side of the river. It seems a pity that more Europeans cannot be put on at the work, as they not only do far more than Maoris, but the latter are as it were put on their mettle, and work far more steadily and better when mixed with white men than when working by themselves. No amount of mere overlooking will produce the same effect, and a mixture of work and overlooking seems, I think, to have rather an opposite tendency. Mr. Pilmer is a very hard and steady worker, but the mere fact that he had constantly to leave off to look to the Maoris and give them directions, appeai-ed to set them an example of taking frequent rests, of which they were not slow to avail themselves. I hope the matter will be arranged somehow so as to let the work be pushed on, as I should not like to lose the benefit of this fine weather for carrying on the line. I have, tkc, H. C. Field, To W. Buller, Esq., R.M., Wanganui. Engineer in charge of Mangawhero-Taupo Road Party.

No. 53. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Buller, E.M., to Mr. Cooper. Sir,— Wanganui, 23rd February, 1870. Referring to my letter of 19th instant, I have now the honor to forward an interim report from Mr. Field, together with a letter from Aperahama, claiming compensation for the losses sustained by the road party. I have further to report that I have (through Aporahama) engaged the services of an extra party of ten men, as authorised. I have, &c, The Under Secretary Defence. W. Buller, R.M.

Enclosure 1 in No. 53. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Field to Mr. Buller, R.M. Sir, — Huripari, 19th February, 1870. The Maoris have worked pretty well this week, and the road is completed as far as the crossing