D.—l

Enclosure 4 in Appendix H. WANGANUI RIVER: CLEARING AND SNAGGING (BEPORT ON).

Disteict Engineer to the Engineer-in-Chief. Public Works Office, Wanganui, 11th December, 1885. I forward notes taken when coming down the Wanganui Biver from Taumaranui, where the North Island Main Trunk Line approaches the Wanganui Eiver, in end of October and beginning of November, 1885. General Note. —ln regard to the following notes : — The course being down river, where, in describing positions, the right is mentioned, it refers to proper right bank of river, and similarly in regard to left. The Native kaingas mentioned are many of them old and abandoned settlements. The water-level of river at the time was said to be about one foot above what is known as the " low level." The character of the Wanganui Eiver — generally that of well defined banks, not much liable to scour or widen out—is what renders it of a promising nature as to adaptability to suitable lightdraft navigation. This character is in contrast to such rivers as the Manawatu in its upper course above Ngawhakarau, which is by the river about forty miles above Foxton, and the Eangitikei from a few miles from the sea, both which rivers widen out, wash away their banks from time to time, and spread their channels over wide shingle beds. In the Wanganui Eiver this stable, defined character of channel is more especially the case in the portion from about fifty-seven miles above Wanganui to 123 miles above Wanganui, where the character of the river between the distances mentioned is that of a course confined between well defined banks or faces of papa rock on both sides. (Sketches Ito 6 attached will give some idea of appearance of this portion of river.) The banks, however, on the lower course from Wanganui up to the fifty-seven miles are also well defined, and do not alter much, and still give to the river the definite character referred to as favourable to navigation. For about eight miles below the junction of the Eiver Ongaruhe, near Taumaranui, to Taumaranui, about 136 miles above Wanganui, the character of the river is not so favourable, although the banks here are also generally fairly defined ; and this portion will be more difficult, and take more work to improve it. A good dray road could, it is said, be got from Taumaranui for eight miles down the Wanganui River; but, as this would break the water carriage, it would be preferable to give more attention and work to improving this portion of the river also for a suitable light-draft navigation. The numbers of the rapids coming downwards from Taumaranui are shown on the tracing in blue figures giving approximate position. Where no work is mentioned in the notes to be done at a rapid, it means that none appeared to be required, although possibly on more detailed examination some might be found necessary. Although the list of rapids appears formidable (200 between Taumaranui and Atene), yet it will be observed that many of them are easy and many noted as requiring no work in clearing. There is, however, a very large amount of work to be done in those requiring clearing and improving. Between the rapids there are good reaches requiring no work and easily navigated, so that the length occupied by the rapids bears but a small proportion to the total length of the river between Wanganui and Taumaranui. In the state of the river at this time—viz., as said to be about one foot above " low level," the greatest speed of current observed in the rapids was a little over six miles per hour. There are several rapids with approximately this speed, and a speed of current of four to four and a half miles per hour occurs more frequently in others. i—D. 1.