Correspondence OVER THE RANGES.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 47, 4 October 1890, Page 2

Correspondence OVER THE RANGES.

I TO THE EDITOR «>F THE STAR. Sie, — I live at Maharetu on the east of the Ruahine ranges. Last year I made several attempts to get across to' you but failed. One reason was that I did j not know the character of the country your aide. I now find that when I get to the top of the range, three post offices will be belowjnamely, Apiti, Mangaone, and Peinberton. Would any one of your readers kindly send # for publication in your columns, a short description of Apiti ? Ib there any accommodation house ? What river runs near Apiti? How far can you go from Apiti towards the ranges on horseback ? Are any maps or sale plans procurable showing Apiti, and rivers and roads near it ? In a few daya I shall have a camp situated in a bend of the Tuki Tuki river, about 10 miles from the point where Longitude 176 and Latitude 40 intersect. This point, I conjecture, is 4 miles from Apiti. In a month more I shall have a second camp about 5 miles further up Tuki Tuki, so as to be within an easy walk of Apiti, if we can only make out what spur or saddle to make for on this side so as to come down to Apiti the easiest way. Perhaps by January one or two Apiti settlers might arrange to come over and strike our camp. If wp could prove that an easy track exists, or can be made, I think a road should be put j through. It would no be much use at present but as the country -get3 settled it would. My object at present is scientific, as I am after flowers and ferns, but this need not deter any of my companions from prospecting for copper or silver. I hope yery soon to have a fair lot of blankets, potatoes, etc., uptheriyer, and if- any one came over, having given due notice, I would provide dry clothes, etc., at the camp, so that he need carry nothing. It may interest your bush readers to know that from Maharetu we go first to the Tuki Tuki river, about 2 miles, then up the bed (shingle) to Kyber Pass, about 4 miles, then up the bed again about 4 miles (more shingle) to Moorcode's Flat ; here we made the first camp, as horses cannot go further. The next camp will be about 5 miles further up, wherever we can find a nice flat. The river bed is level but too full of boulders for horses. From this second camp I am certain a saddle can b« very easily reached when once we find the way. The difficulty is that you can see nothing from the bed, and it is very hard hard to select the easist spurs. — I am. &c. W. F. Howlett.