JACKSON’S BAY AND MARTIN’S BAY SETTLEMENTS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 395, 17 September 1875, Page 3

JACKSON’S BAY AND MARTIN’S BAY SETTLEMENTS.

A correspondent of the Wahatip Mail contributes the following regarding these two settlements: —

I have lately returned from a trip to the new settlement in Jackson’s Bay, where there are some friends and old mates of mine settling; everyone is busy and apparently well satisfied with the place and the arrangements of the settlement, the greatest drawback at present being the difficulty in getting in stock, which can only be remedied by an overland track, and the Haast seems to be the chosen route. Now, I believe there are more permanent and lest expensive tracks to be got, that would be of more importance both to Westland and Otago by opening up thousands ol acres of valuable land (for agricultural and other purposes) that neither of the provinces know anything about, so far as their maps are concerned, for by reference to their latest surveys, compiled from all information, I find the head waters of the principal rivers between here and Jackson’s Bay laid down wrong. For instance, by looking on the map for the head waters of the Awarua, in Big Bay, you will find it laid down as coming from the Red Mountains (6500 ft.) Now, the fact is, not a drop of water from the latter empties into Big Bay—all the water coming from the western slopes of the Red Mountains, after traversing extensive flats and two lakes—the upper marked as an insignificant lagoon—it empties in the Hollyford, about four or five miles above Lake M'Kerrow, and called Pyke’s Creek. The head waters of the Gorge and Cascade Rivers are also so much out that I am convinced no surveyors have ever seen the country; and except it was explored previous to 1863 I know of no one having travelled through it all but myself. The route I mean in preference to the Haast could commence at the south side of the entrance to the Arawata, close by the new settlement in Jackson’s Bay, when, by following up the main river for about four or five miles, a branch comes in direct from a low saddle that leads into the head of Cascade Flat; from the latter another low flat can be got across both branches of the Gorge, and into another saddle leading into the head of Big Bay Flat, and the latter will lead into Pyke’s Creek at Hollyford, and, of course, join the Greenstone, I do not believe any of the saddles are so high as the Greenstone, and the half of it would require little or no cutting; in fact, I know of no difficulties worth mentioning and am confident that in moderate weather I could travel it with ease in five or six days, there are no gorges, glaciers, or precipices to contend with, and clear of snow summer and winter. There are thousands of acres of fine agricultural land adjoining the Otago boundary—and in close proximity with Martin’s settlement—that the track would pass through, and better land than any yet surveyed on this side of the saddle. Branch tracks could be made to Big Bay, Gorge, Barn Bay, and Cascade Rivers, with very little cost, and I have no hesitation in maintaining that should the Haast track be carried on in preference to the route 1 have roughly alluded to, it will be found ultimately like Lake Harris instead of the Greenstone.

Now, I am well aware that if a man is not fortunate enough to be a Government official he has no business to put forward any opinion on such matters ; at the same time, I consider myself a bit of bushranger, and am not afraid of giving my opinion on a country that the Government know nothing about. With reference to the new settlement in Jackson’s, I see no advantage, in any shape, it has over Martin’s, either as regards its possition or resources ; |as far as coal is concerned, there are fully as good indications in and around here as any in Jackson s, and I am fully persuaded there are 100,000 acres of as good agricultural land in this district as any in Jackson’s Bay, that has never been visited by a surveyor ; aud I am also in the belief that Big Bay will be found as good for anchorage as Jackson s ; and, lastly, I know of no river on this side of the Buller that could be made—with a very little cost —as good as Martin s, for. during my experience of twelve yeais, I never found less than Oft (in the channel) on the bar.