ON THE EAST COAST.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 947, 21 July 1903, Page 3

ON THE EAST COAST.

; FROM POUTUTU TO MOTU. i (By Our Special Correspondent,) No. 8. After spending a pleasant evening obtaining a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast at McCredie’s aecornmodation-house, we set forth for the Motu. Leaving Poututu the traveler immediately crosses the rivor for the ninth timo, the crossing being one of the most difficult to encounter. With very little expenditure the County Council may very easily improve the entrance and exit of this river which in its present state is somewhat dangerous. The road on from there for this timo of year was in vory good condition, and good headway was mado in a very short space of time. The land on the right hand side of this road is known as the Poututu block, which comprises upwards of 20,000 acres, the greater part of which is cleared. There is a good deal of undulating country, bosides some very choice flats. This property has a frontage to the main road and is eminently suited for close settlement, the owners being the Trustees of Wi Pore and other estates. Mr J. E. Foster is manager, and Mr A. Gordon, who is in charge, occupies tho homestead. On the left hand

side, about a mile from the accommodation house, is situated Mr W. O. Riddell’s property, which is a very desirable bolding of some six or seven hundred acres nearly all cleared. There is a snug homestead on the property, and the environments are most picturesquo. From Mr Riddell’s the road winds away over tho hills the view from which is very grand. We next come to Mr G. Rideout’s property ; which consists of 800 acres of pastoral land which is likewise nearly all cleared and is all good uudulating country. The next station to arrive at is Mr Peddle’s, which shows signs of having a good doal of labor and moDey spent on it; the area of tho property is upwards of 2000 acres. Tho road from Poututu was infinitely bettor than we expectod to find it, and in tho dry soason should prove to bo a good hard dry road, indeed it is much better formed than any other road in the district, and with a little judicious expenditure could easily bo kept in good repair all the year round. A small grazing run occupied by Mr Smith was next passed, then the properties of Messrs J. Winter, J. Thomson, and Henderson, who, from tho the appearances of the properties, must bo industrious settlers. We broke

the journey hero by accepting tho hospitality of Mr Thomson’s invitation to lunch. Mr Thomson’s homestead is beautifully situated on the sunny side of a hill, commanding a most extensive view all round, the area of his place is about 2000 acres, and carrios a large number of sheep and cattle. At present the telephone line ends at Mr Thompson’s residence, but it is hoped that in the early part of August it will have been carried on to tho Motu hotel. Tho settlers are showing great enthusiasm in regard to the erection of the line, the construction of which is being carried on to the Motu hotel at their own expense, Leaving Mr Thomson’s the next properties of note are those of Messrs Hay and Loudon, where the timber country of the .Motu may be said to commence. Bimu, matai, and kahikatea are to be Been in great quantities, but the forests are fast being brought under the axe to make way for settlement. Within five miles of the Motu there was a perceptible improvement in the class of country. This is first noticed in regard to the roads, after having crossed over , the hills. Approaching the Motu wo passed the properties of Messrs Bridge, Wright, Mortenson, and Bichardson ; the average area being from 1500 to 2000 acres of good bush land, and several holdings having been considerably improved. After five hours’ journeying from Poututu we arrived ,at the Motu hotel, where we were received most cordially by the licensee, Mr* Hansen, whose name is so closely identified with the history of the Motu. In the course of conversation with Mr Hansen that evening, we learned that the number of visitors to the Motu from outside districts had considerably increased within the last few years, and groat benefit was derived by those who visited the Motu as a health resort. My friend being anxious to gain information regarding the timber of the district the discussion turned towards that subject. * u What are the timbers found in the,' Motu ?” was the first question asked. “ It is mostly rimu ' and white pine ” replied Mr' Hanson. » But tfioroaro also great quantities of matai, rata, njaire, miro, and tawahi. The pine is not the same as the white pine of the flats. In the Motu it is yellow pine, and far superior for building purposes. The white pine on the flat in comparison is little better than cabbage tree. There is any amount of timber in the Motu, but unfortunately it is fast being annually burnt off to make way for settlement. People cannot form any opinion of the vast quantity until they visit the district, J. do not go so far as Mr Whinray, who states there is enough timber here to pay off the national debt; nevertheless, there i 3 undoubtedly a good deal towards wiping off the colonial d6 »I a m told the climate is particularly good for sufferers of asthma,” “ I can prove that to you,” rejoined our host. “ When we lived at Makauri my wife suffered chronically from this complaint. Many a night she had to sit in her chair, and oftentimes WP had to carry her out on the verandah. , I advised not to bring her to the Motu, fipt I risged it, and since she came here she has ney,er , on any occasion suffered in the slightest.! The strange part is that when she returns to Makauri she suffers from this complaint.” In addition to this Mr Hansen cited many other cases just as remarkable. Beferring to a lady well known to Gisbornites, Mr Hanson remarked, ‘“ When she oaine here she brought sufficient medicine to set up a email chemist’s shop with, but she was not long here before she was able to eat five meals a day.-” . • “ It must bo a stimulating pld-ce, remarked my friend. “ It is,” roplied our host; “ she was never so well in her life, and was quite cured of her asthma. I heard that soon after sho left here she got married again, concluded Mr Hansen. “ I was surprised at this, for I looked upon her as a hopeless case.” My friend, who possesses a keen sense of humor, laughed outright at th is remark. nr In answer Aj<? f.ujcthcr questions, Mr Hanson said that ttia land .of the Motu flats was splendidly adapted for dairying and general agricultural purposes, but was not so good for sheep. He had had several crops of potatoes giving 28 tons to the aero, aud had shown samples in Gisborne twelve and thirteen inches long. He had gone in for a small orchard, and was thankful to say that his apples were entirely free from codlin moth. The summer in the Motu was, in his opinion, too short for maize and pumpkins. All kinds of fruit did well, and he had been most successful with regard to his crops of apples, plums, gooseberries, and raspberries. Speaking of Opotiki, Mr Hanson informed us that by the present bridle traok the distance from the Motu was 54 miles, but when the new road was constructed it would not be more than thirty-odd miles. “I oan get my goods cheaper from Opotiki than I can from Gisborne, ho added; “you see, the steamers run dow# from Auckland to Opotiki, and the cost of packing .them from thero is not so much as coming through (liaborno, where tho port charges, are” so'beavy* ?h.e cost of carting from Gisborne is JO4 per ton, so you can see what an advantage it will be to bavo the railway here. The new road through to Opotiki will greatly assist in opening up this district, By the time the railway gets here most Oi the timber will he destroyed. Under the present circumstances you vsnppt save it. If one man tries to save it, his neighbor wi)l plear and make a fire, and so it goes. There'h»s .been hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of timber destroyed since I came here. It seems a great pin that it should be so. As for the quality of the timber, you cannot beat it; you oan search the colony over, and take the best of the kauri from Auckland, and you will not beat the rimu that we have here. As far as the timber goes, you have only to take the reports furnished by Messrs Prouse, Manson, and McLeod, which speak for themselves,” After a good night’s sound sleep, followed by a hearty breakfast, to which our country appetites enabled us to do ample justioe,' yve went forth from the hotel suitably'attired to explore the beauties oi

the river, lake, and bush. The river, which is an easy distance from the hotel, is fairly deep and uncommonly picturesque, each side of it being overhung with handsome native shrubs of various colors, including stately tree ferns and the gracefully flowing willows which fringed tho water’s edge. This river, which is well stocked with fish, affords great sport to tho lovers of fishing. The unique, though decidecKy primitive, method of crossing the river proved to us a delightful novelty. We embarked in a cage—capable of carrying three passengers at a time — and worked our passages across by means of tho rope pulley system, and on reaching tho other side we were particularly struck with the conspicuously charming entrance to the push of a naturally-con-structed canopy of stately palms and tree ferns, which greets the eye on leaving the cago. Passing through the inviting portico we entered the bush, and took the lake track, which is thickly carpeted with exquiste moss and miniature ferns, whilst on both sides of the track the bush perfectly abounds in palms and ferns of evory conceivable size, form and color, ranging from the delicate maidenhair fern to the majestic and stately nikau palm. This enchanting scene reminded one of the fairy woodland scene in “ Tho Midsummer Night’s Dream.” My frieDd, who is a conservative Englishman, remarked that it took his memory back to

the English woods, tho bounties of which eyery Englishman is for ever untiring in efforts to impress on the disinterested young colonial who has not had the luck (and in many cases thinks he doesn’t requiro it) of having been Home to judge for himself. After travelling a short distance along this woodland path we suddenly come in view of the Mirror Lake, which is undoubtedly truly worthy of its title, for we at once saw in its serene tranquility a matchless mirror of all the surrounding beauties of nature, and a true reflection of the various tints and glorious radiance of tho soft blue sky above. This beautiful lake, with its oval-shaped island in the middle (which possesses a prolific growth of rare and stately timbers) presents a picture over which a -most fastidious connoisseur of natural beauty would go into ecstacies,and, further, it compares most favorably with the famous iakos of Ireland and Cumberland, In short, tho natural beauties are incomparably excellent, and quite beyond description, and the only answer to satisfy an unenlightened enquirer would be—if you wish to know its rare beauties, then go and see it. After rowing on the lake for an hour, and exercising fruitless endeavors to catch some of the fine trout without a line, we went further into the bush, which is densely thick with rare specimens of timber. Some of the trees are grown to a tremendous height, and in many instances measure quite nine feet in diameter. I learn for building, purposes, most of this timber is unequalled, and it strikes one as being vory short-sighted on the part of the Government to allow, so much to be annually wasted by bush fires, when, if the locality was connected with a light railway, such a profitable return alone would be derived therefrom, besides advancing the whole district generally. On going further into the bush we came to a olearing, where we found encamped a jolly crowd of surveyors, who gave us a nearty welcome, and treated us royally to home-made bread and delicious tea, which we thoroughly appreciated in this homely bush camp more than we should have done in our own town homes. After resting awhile and expressing our thanks to the surveyors for their hospitality, we made tracks back to the hotel, where we found dinner awaiting us,' after which we drew forth our pipes, reclined back'Reeling somewhat tired after the day’s outing, and listened to my friend at tho piano rendering some of Chopin’s nocturnes, which, whenever I may hear again, I shall always associate with my pleasant sojourn at the Motu.

The next morning, before leaving for Gisborne, we set forth to visit the falls, which are sitiiqted some three miles beyond the hotel, The road is a good driving road, and on both sides are to be seen several well cultivated,, homesteads, which speaks volumes for the owners, who must have been very energetic in attaining such perfection. In the orchard of Mr Fisher is to be seen a splendid show of apples and quinces, which are of a very fine sample and flavour, besides being quite free from the codlin moth. The soil, we are informed, is of a first-class quality, and this statement is proved by che huge size of the potatoes, some of whioh measure 13 inches in longth. In summer time Mr Fisher informed us he reaps very plentiful crops of strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries. We reached the falls, which fall something between 40 and 50 feet, and thence flow under a well constructed bridge, which terminates the dray road and commences tho bridal track through to Opotiki. The falls are well worth seeing, although they cannot be compared with Te Reinga. Nevertheless, the scenery surrounding is much superior to that of Te Reinga, and visitors should not leave the Motu without seeing their beauty. As a health resort there can be no doubt that the h£otu .qopjos to the front, and we hope tho near future will flee a well up-to-date accommodation house ereoted. We left the' hotel at about 2 o’clock, and reached Mr MoCredie’s at Poututu at about 6, when Mrs MoUredie, who is an excellent hostess, supplied us with a sumptuous meal, the quality and style of which could only be obtained in a firstclass hotel.

In conclusion, we would humbly give our opinion that there must be a great future fqr this promising district, and trust tbe settlers Will not’'rest until the railway is pushed on Motuwards from Te Karaka.