COUNCIL PAPERS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 33, 13 February 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

COUNCIL PAPERS.

The following were crowded out of our last issue;— Napier, 26th December, 1861. Sm, —As requested by Your Honor I have carefully examined the country between Napier, Clive and Havelock for the purpose of ascertaining the main road to the South, with a view to shifting the Ferry to the proper point for crossing the Ngaruroro, and have to inform Your Honor that in my opinion the line of road marked A on accompanying tracing is the best to be found to connect the Fort with the Te Aute and Middle Eoads. Starting from the Fridge at Tareha’s Creek this road will keep the old track as far as the Maori Church atWaitangi, pass to the right of this church and cross the creek by a Fridge 40 feet long, (the creek being reduced to this width by filling on each side), thence along the old track to Pakowhai and across the Ngaruroro about half a mile to the westward of Tarenuiaurangi, thence in a direct line by the western extremity of the Pakiaka Push to the Fridge at Wahaparata : this is the shortest practicable line of road, and the ground high and dry along the whole line except about 30 chains near the Fush, and until this is formed and metalled the drays w'ill find a good track by diverging a little to the westward. There appears only one objection to this route, but that is an important one, viz, that it necessitates a branch road to Clive 2\ miles in length, of which one mile would be through swampy ground and the distance between Napier and Clive would be increased 31 miles; — therefore to accommodate the settlers at Clive as far as possible without increasing the length of the trunk road, I would recommend the line marked F on tracing herewith, crossing the river la miles lower down, being the first point on the river where the land is high on both banks ; from this crossing a branch road 11 miles long would reach Clive with only half a mile of swampy ground to pass through, and increasing the distance between Napier and Clive only f of a mile ; the length of the main road being the same as by the line A, but passing through 20 chains additional swamp immediately behind Ivaraitiana’s pa. I cannot recommend to Your Honor any line of road that would cross the Ngaruroro nearer its mouth than the line E, as below this the river is bordered on one or both banks by low swampy ground, which is covered to a depth of 3 feet to 4 feet during floods, and the embankment necessary to carry a road over this would be not only expensive but highly injurious in damming up the flood watsrs.

There is one other line of road from Napier to Wahaparata, viz., by the Spit to Tareha’s Bridge, thence by the Awatoto Road and the eastern end of Tareha’s bush, direct to Pakowhai and Wahaparata ; this line runs on dry ground the whole way except 5 chains near Tareha’s Bush, and could be rendered available at least expense, but being li miles longer than line B, the advantage offered by the dry ground is lost in the increased distance.

The distance from Napier to Wahaparata is,— By Road through Clive 12 miles. By Road as Line A ll£ miles. By Road as Line B 11£ miles. By Tarcha’s Bush & Pakovrhai 12£ miles. —These distances are by scale from the district

map and not absolutely correct, but should the several lines be measured I believe the distance will be founnd still greater in favour of the line by Tarenuiaurangi—the cost of which I estimated at £I4OO, and £7OO for the branch road to Clive, that is, to bridge the creek near Waitangi and to form and metal the roads where they pass through swampy ground ; the removal of the Ferry house and Ferry, and making the approaches to it will cost about £2OO additional.

In connection with the above I would suggest for Your Honor’s consideration whether it would not be better to substitute a Bridge for the Ferry over the Ngaruroro. At the point of crossing (line B) the river is about 400 feet wide, and the Bridge (taking that over the Meeanee as a guide) would cost about £2OOO ; but as the Meeanee Bridge was taken at a low figure, and a margin is required for some necessary alterations in the design, the cost of the Ngaruroro Bridge may bo estimated at about £3OOO. Against this should be set off the cost of maintaining the present Ferry, say £IOO per an., and the rental to be derived from the Bridge, say £l5O, giving £250, or over 8 per cent, on the total cost. The punt was leased this year at £IOO per an., and requires the constant attendance of one man to work it, but as the the Bridge involves no labour, and but little trouble in the collection of the Tolls, might be leased with certain privileges that would ensure the above rental.

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Edwaed G. Weight. Engineer’s Office, Napier, 3rd Fob., 1862. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that I have examined the neighbourhood of Clive, with a view of selecting a more permanent situation for the Ferry, and one that would meet the requirements of the inland settlers as well as the inhabitants, of Clive. My opinion is that the present site possessses some advantages deserving of attention, viz,; —the width of the stream is not considerable ; during freshets the currents are checked by tidal influence, and prevented from interfering with the working of the punt; the length of road to be made to connect it with the present line will not be great; and the approach on one side is good. Opposed to these are facts that it is exposed to a similar accident to what interfered with the position already (the breaking through of the bank by the rivers), which would necessitate a fresh move and revive the native difficulty. Neither would the position of the inland settlers be in any way improved. Unless the punt wm shifted above Tarenuiaurangi they would derive no advantage ; and such a change would be a serious inconvenience to the residents of Clive and along the coastsouth, who, to proceed to Napier, would have to proceed some distance inland first. Weighing all the foregoing circumstances and the different conflicting interests concerned, I see no way of meeting the difficulty except by placing an additional ferry between Pakowhai and Taranuiaurangi, whore the banks are gravelly and not very high. This, as well any ferry up the river, will be more liable to interruptions from freshets than the one at Clive. Before selecting a site for a bridge to connect the

inland districts south of the Ngaruroro with Napier, the river and country abovo Pakowhai should be examined for some miles. I am disposed to think that a crossing close to where the Pukipuki creek enters the Ngaruroro, is a favourable place. The banks are good and not liable to suffer from the wash of the current; the road by this direction across the plains is direct; the river has a sound bottom for piling. Two creeks would have to be bridged on the plains, but they are not of magnitude. I have, See., (Signed) Thomas G-iil.