CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE

A.—No. 17

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No. 69. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Buller, E.M., to Mr. Cooper. Sir, — Wanganui, 17th May, 1870. I have the honor to forward herewith the accompanying progress report from Mr. Field for the information of the Government. I have, etc., The Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. W. Buller, E.M.

Enclosure in No. 69. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Field to Mr. Buller, E.M. Sir, — Mangawhero, 14th May, 1870. As my son is going to ride down to Kennedy's to-morrow for some things which we want, I take the oppoi-tunity of writing to report progress. I started from Huripara just after I last wrote to you, but on reaching the Mangawhero I found it «till too high to cross, and though as the water fell I tried the ford three times, I was compelled to remain at Te Mai till next day, when I joined my son and Edgeeombe in continuing the leading line ; and on the following day shifted our camp to the edge of the bush beyond the Tahukoro stream. Since then we have been cutting steadily on, except on last Tuesday when it rained heavily all day, and during a few heavy showers on some other days. We emerged from the main bush on Thursday afternoon, and are now crossing the Koromiko Flats, which lead up to the saddle above the three lakes. The line we are taking is that indicated in my report to Mr. Fox, the only variations being that, owing to a slip which has occurred since I was here in Januaty, I had to carry the line rather higher above the river, about a mile from Tahukoro, than I had previously intended, and on reaching the " toi" flat in the middle of the bush, I found the back of it so wet that I took the line behind it. The line conies out even better than I had expected, as several places over which we carried it, merely as affording better levels, prove to be very short cuts, a fact of which from my necessarily imperfect knowledge of the country I was previously not aware. Now that I know the various hills and gullies by sight, so as to be able to identify the various points I passed in December, I am quite amused at seeing what long and useless circuits I made through my ignorance of the country, iind how greatly I have over-estimated some of the distances in consequence. Some of the points are actually only about half as far apart as I had previously supposed them, from the length of time it took us last December to pass between them. Our progress jtist at present is very slow, owing to the enormous quantity of bramble overgrowingthe Koromiko scrub ; but if the weather continues fine, I hope to reach the lakes on Tuesday or Wednesday, and the foot of the ridge over which we pass to the plains in the beginning of the following week, or possibly even a day or two sooner. After that our course will be more rapid, as there is pretty sure to be something of a pig track along the ridge, as well as less bramble, and less time will be lost in groping my way through the bush from point to point, so as to let my son know in which direction to cut the line. I find there is more gravel in the country than I had supposed, as, in searching along the beds of streams to find the best crossings, I everywhere met with coarse gravel at intervals, and in cutting the line have constantly met with large blocks and boulders, which have evidently rolled from somewhere higher up the hill sides, and have come out of beds of coarse shingly gravel, such as we found in forming the road lower down the valley. I have, <fee, H. C. Field, To W. Buller, Esq., E.M., Wangauui. Engineer in charge of Mangawhero-Taupo Eoad.

No. 70. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Booth, R.M., to the Hon. Mr. Fox. Sir, — Wanganui, 23rd May, 1870. I have the honor to report that Kemp, Topia, and the rest of the Wanganui chiefs are very desirous that the road from Eanana to Murimotu shoiild be commenced as soon as possible, so that it may be finished and ready for use in case To Kooti returns to Taupo. Kemp was very angry with the Eanana natives (old men) for opposing the exploration of the country for a road before his return from the East Coast. Pehi and Tahana make no opposition to the proposed road. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. James Booth, E.M.

No. 71. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Coopek to Mr. Booth, E.M. Colonial Defence Office, Sir, — Wellington, 25th May, 1870. Referring to your letter to tlie Hon. the Premier, of the 23rd inst., respecting the road from Itanana to Murimotu, in connection with Mr. Field's line of road from Wangamri to Taupo, I am directed by the Hon. Mr. Gisborne to request you to be good enough to proceed at once to examine the best .line for a permanent road, and to commence cutting a horse track. I have, &C., G. S. Cooper, James Booth, Esq., R.M., Wangamri. Acting Under Secretary.