3

D.—lb

country for about eight miles, comes oat at Opoiti over some fairly-sloping table-lands. The block generally is principally bush, and has hills of considerable elevation. Stone could be obtained, I think, easily. The remainder of the route would be principally over open, flat country abutting on the Wairoa River. Timber could be obtained only on the Mangapoike and Tauohiro Blocks. Maraetaha No. 2, is almost entirely open in the vicinity of the proposed line. Towards the middle and south it is heavily timbered and very broken, with high hills. No. 2.— Gisborne to Kawakawa Roadstead. Twang anui No. 2. —Occupied as township. Plat sandy soil. Matawhero No. 5.-—Flat and light soil, mostly in grass. No. 1, ditto. Mangamoteo. —Occupied as Makaraka Village. Flat and light soil, mostly in grass. Tutaeorewhanga. —Flat and light soil, in grass. Matawhero No. 6. —Ditto. Pouparae. —Ditto. Makauri. —Alluvial fiat, patches of bush, mostly in grass. Mission School Estate. —Alluvial flat, all in grass. Muhunga Military Settlement. —Township of Ormond. Alluvial flats, backed by clay hills to the east. Ngakoroa. —Undulating land, patches of bush, clay soil, good flats on River Waipaoa. Ahirau. —Hilly land with bush on it, clay soil. Mangaoae. —Ditto. Waihora. —Hilly land, good clay soil. Makotukutuku.- —Hilly land, good clay soil, patches of useful bush. Waingaromia No. 3. —Hilly pastoral land of good quality, patches of useful bush. Waingaromia.- —Hilly pastoral land of good quality, having a good bit of bush. Arakihi.- —Hilly pastoral fern-land, patches of useful bush. Paraheka, Puremungahua, Spc.—Hilly pastoral fern-land, heavily bushed to the north. Waingaromia No. 2. —Hilly land, mostly bush. Tanwhareparae. —Hilly land, mixed fern and bush, good soil. Tuakau. —Ditto. Tuakau, Pirauau. —Ditto. Ruangarehu. — Ditto. Puketiti. —Hilly land, open, with some useful patches of bush ; a good portion in grass, and fenced. Rangikohua, <sfc. —Broken land, mostly fern. Sandstone crops out in this and on the Puketiti Block. Waipiro.— Undulating land, mostly open. Orua.- —Mostly bush, and broken on the east side, with stone showing freely. To the north and west, land cultivated. Makarika. —Mostly fine rich flat, in cultivation. Te AM o te Atua. —Mostly fern, with good flats, but having centre ridge. Puhunga. —Rich alluvial flat, backed by high hills. Waitangi. —Ditto. Rotokautuku. —Rich alluvial flats on Mata River, with low hills at back towards the west; oil indications. Native lands on west side of Mata. —-Mostly good flats, backed by hills towards the west. Waiapu to Kawakawa. —The line would cross almost entirely through bush, over a broken mountainous country. The land by the west side of the Awatere Stream is principally good flats, backed by high ranges. Indications of petroleum exist from Waingaromia to Kawakawa. Stone for ballasting could be probably obtained between Paraheka and Orua. No. 3.— Gisborne to Opotiki. Ngakoroa. —Undulating land, patches of bush, clay soil, good flats near Waipaoa. Ruangarehu. —Flat towards Waipaoa River, Lacked by hills. Pukepapa. —Ditto. Waikohu. —Flat towards Waipaoa River, backed by hills, gradually becoming more broken to the west. Waikohu-Maiawai. —Mostly bush and broken ranges ; flats by the Waikohu River. Motu. —Broken bush country. The main range would be crossed near the southern boundary of this block ; and nearly flat land exists to the Motu River, which offers peculiar facilities for a bridge at this point. Maps accompany this report, which show the tenure, quantity, and quality of the land through which the routes pass. I have, &c, The Engineer-in-Chief. C. B. Knokpp, Inspecting Engineer.

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