47

D.—1.

suited for small holdings up to 320 acres. The soil is generally good, and the timber is of the kind usually in this district—tawa, pukatea, rimu, &c. There are only a few patches of black-birch in this area, which parts alone would be unfit for pastoral purposes. The next seven miles runs through an intensely rugged country—steep razor-backed ridges, covered with black-birch. Of the tenmilo belt, comprising about 64,000 acres, 42,000 acres may be considered useless for settlement purposes, 2,000 acres only suitable for small holdings, avid 20,000 acres for pastoral purposes. There are several outcrops of coal in this section, and it is, without doubt, part of the coalfield now being worked at Mokau. The timber (black-birch) is here very fine, and will be useful for bridge-work and other purposes when made accessible. This length runs entirely through Native land. About half of the area of 64,000 acres is under negotiation to purchase by the Government, the remainder being in the Eoho Potae or King-country Block. The next nine miles, to Wanganui Eiver, is entirely through the Eohe Potae Block. The country is mostly open, and the soil good : 25,000 acres is agricultural land, and 35,000 acres good pastoral. The remaining nine miles, running up the valley of the Wanganui to the central line at Taumaranui, is through a country mostly covered with pumice, that may eventually be used for large runs, but it will not carry much stock. Steatfobd Line. The other route for a line of road would be from Stratford, passing up through the centre of the district for forty-seven miles from Stratford, and striking the Mimi line, already described, at Tangarakau. From there on to the central line at Taumaranui, a distance of twenty-six miles, it is the same line as that of the road from Mimi. This makes seventy-three miles from Stratford to central line. Stratford to Confiscation-line. —On leaving Stratford the first six miles and a half is through private holdings. The road has been felled and partly formed, but would require an expenditure of some £1,200, widening the clearing, renewing the culverts, and one small bridge, so as to prepare it for gravelling. Confiscation-line to Pohokura. —From the confiscation-line to Pohokura, twenty miles and a half, the line is favourable to road-making; and, with the exception of crossing a low saddle between Makuri and Mangaotuku Streams, there will be no hills. Five bridges will be required— four from 40ft. to 60ft. spans, and one 30ft. The cost of this section, to form 20ft. wide, bridging and culverting, &c, £10,700. Pohokura to Tangarakau. —Pohokura to Tangarakau, twenty miles. The work on this portion is heavier than the last section, as the line has in a great measure left the valleys running in the direction of its course to cut across the lay of the country. Then there will be seven bridges on this section, from 30ft. to 50ft. spans, and the total cost, except gravelling, will be about £15,800. This brings us to the line from Mimi, already described, and from this forward the course is common to both lines. The next eight miles is identical with the latter part of the twelve-mils section, Waitara to Heao, described in the Mimi route. It will be very heavy work, as previously stated, and the probable cost of the eight-mile section is £8,500. Summary. —To summarize the foregoing, and the latter portion of the line given before, we have— £ Stratford to confiscation-line, 6-|-miles ... ... ... 1,200 Confiscation-line to Pohokura, 20J miles ... ... ... 10,700 Pohokura to Tangarakau, 20 miles ... ... ... ... 15,800 Tangarakau to Heao, 8 miles ... . . ... ... 8,500 Heao to Wanganui, 9-| miles ... ... ... ... 6,000 Wanganui to Taumaranui, 8-J- miles ... ... ... 3,700 £45,900 Gravelling. —With regard to gravelling, the remarks made on the Mimi line will apply; and consequently the same rate of £400 a mile will be used. Then— £ To form 20ft. wide, bridging, culverting, &c. ... ... ... 45,900 Seventy-three miles' gravelling, at £400 per mile ... ... 29,200 From Stratford to Taumaranui ... ... £75,100 Quality and Area of Land. —The road leaving Stratford runs, as before stated, for the first six miles and a half through the settled district to the confiscation-line. Then the proposed line passes through three Native Land Court blocks in the hands of Europeans—viz., Toko, 16,340 acres, seven miles; Hurakawa, 8,540 acres, five miles and a half ; and Pohokura, 29,500 acres, five miles and a half; 'and two miles and a half through the Government Block, Mangaotuku. The twenty-one-milo section is all covered with forest, but runs through a considerable area of first-class land in the private blocks. Taking a ten-mile belt, as in the case of the former route, we have about 110,000 acres. Of this, 47,000 acres is Crown land, with about 10,000 acres of it fit for small holdings. The remainder may be classed as fair pastoral; but there will possibly be found some fit lor ordinary settlement amongst it. Sixty-three thousand acres are Tn private hands, a large proportion of which is really first-class. The timber is that common to the district, and the pines, both rimu and white-pine, of fine quality and size, but, as usual in the district, rather scattered. From Pohokura to Tangarakau we have some 128,000 acres, of which only 14,000 acres are Crown land, the balance being Native land under negotiation for purchase. The Crown land is some distance from the line, which passes entirely through Native land. The principal part of this is only fit for runs ; but along the valleys there are some flats of small extent; and at Tahoraparoa, the northern end, there B—D. 1.