THE INLAND ROUTE TO WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1572, 1 May 1874, Page 202

THE INLAND ROUTE TO WAIROA.

MR. JAS. ROCriFOUT'S REPORT. Napier, April-25, 1874.,, Sik, —I have the honor to state that, in accordance With your instructions, I have inspected the country between Napier and Wairoa, and find that a good line for a road exists by using the present Taupo road as far as it follows the Esk river,' thence either to take up the range at once to about 800 feet above the sea level, rising . gradually to 950 feet, at about H miles south of the Waikawao river, or keeping up the Esk river about one mile, and thence gradually rising to 950 feet, thence keeping to the west of 'the Tutira lake, crossing the Waikawao ravine, which is about 180 feet deep, with cuttings and a ford; (hence crossing the Tutira and Fapakiri, two small creeks, on to the Matahorua ravine, which is about 220 feet deep, and would have to be crossed by cuttings about 100 feet down, and a bridge about 150 feet long. From the Matahorua on to the Waikare ravine, which is about 230 feet deep, and would have to be crossed in the same way as the Matahorua, with a bridge of about the same length. From the Waikare on towards Kakariki, taking about the line of the present bridle track from the saddle of the Kiwi creek to Mautoa. From Mautoa on over the terrace to a point about one mile above the Maungapouri creek, where a cutting would have to be made down to the Mohaka river, which may be crossed by means of a ferry, the river at this part being suitable | as to depth, and in case of heavy iloods bringing down timber, the Mangapouri creek would afford a safe place for the punt to lie out of the current. Thence up on to the terrace on the north side crossing the Manga .Turanga creek, then turning up the range and over a low saddle to the Kiwi creek, down that creek on the south side to near the present crossing of the J Waihua ; this creek will have to be bridged a little above the ferry. From the Waihua up over the saddle between the Ohinepake and Waihua valleys, and down the Ohinepake valley through Turiroa to Clyde. The main advantages of this line are the unbroken nature of the country, the changes of level not being great and extending over good stretches of country, thus making the inclines easy ; the draiiiage from the road would be good all through ; the ravines through which the rivers run, which also at first might be considered disadvantageous, really offer considerable advantages over rivers running through flats; the banks are more stable, there will be no pile driving necessary, plain stringer bridges will answer, and they will be out of reach of damage by floods. It will open up a large extent of country, which will eventually become capital grazing land; it will also form part of a main trunk line to Poverty Bay, the Bay of Plenty, and East Coast settlements, connecting with the inland road from Wairoa at Te Kapu ; and no doubt, as the country becomes settled, other roads will branch out from different points. The total length requiring to be made on this route, will be about fifty miles between the point where the Taupo road leaves the Esk river and Clyde. The roughest portion of the line would be between the Esk and Waikawao rivers, going round on the western slope of the high range which rises on the east side of J the Esk to a height of about 2100 feet above the sea level. The drainage across this part of thciine is small, but the face ofthe range is broken by small spurs and gullies. The level of the line about bundles south of the Waikawao river would be about 950 feet above the sea, falling gradually to 600 feet at the Waikawao river, and again to 310 feet at the Waikari river in a distance of a'>!;ut nine miles. From the Waikari river, a gradual rise takes place to a level of nV-.t 900 feet above the sea, about one mile south ofthe saddle at the head of Mohaka (Kiwi creek) in a.distance of about five miles, falling again gradually to about 480 feet at Mautoa terrace. The level ofthe terrace at the Mohaka crossing is about 400 feet, the river running below at a level of 100 feet. On the north side of the Mohaka river the bank rises in several terraces and falls again at the Manga Turanga creek. After crossing this creek, a rise takes place to a saddle at the head of (Waihua) Kiwi creek about 650 feet above the sea. From the head of the Kiwi valley, the road would fall gradually to the sea level at the ferry at Waihua, in a distance of about six miles. This part of the line is crossed by a number of small creeks running in from the range on the south side, but the deepest is not more than 35 feet. From the Waihua, the saddle between that valley and the Ohinepake has to be crossed at a level about 320 feet above the sea, and from the foot of that saddle there is a wide valley, with a gradual fall all the way to Turiroa on the Wairoa river. From there the road would follow the bank of the last-named river to Clyde. The formation of the country through which this line passes is generally papa, with a stratum of pumice, varying from 6 inches to a foot in thickness, over it, and about 9 inches of black soil on top. In some parts there are bands of gravel, and in the range westwards soft sandstone and general conglomerate. Considerable lengths of the road would, I think, with proper care, stand light traffic without metal; but wherever cuttings are made on papa, metal will be required. The bridges across the Matahorua and Waikare can be formed in 20 feet spans by means of struts, at an angle of 45 degrees from the sides of the rayines below the bridges. There is plenty of good totara a little above the line in the Waikare, which would keep down considerably the cost of that material. » The cost of the formation of the fifty miles, including bridges over the Matahorua, Waikare, and Waihua, and a ferry-punt, with wire rope, on the Mohaka, I estimate at £21,700, The metalling, where necessary, will be better estimated when more detailed information has been obtained. The cost of engineering also is not included in my estimate. From the character of the country, the maintenance will not,_ I think, be more than ordinarily expensive. In the course of my examination of the country, I went over from the Ohinepake to the Waiau, and again across from the Waiau tp the Mpljaka, also round by the range between Mohaka and Kiwi Creek, crossing over the head of that creek to the range between the Waihua and Kiwi, and down that range to the Waihua ferry, and found the greater part of that country covered with very high fern, tutu, karamika, and other shrubs, proving, beyond a doubt, that when once grassed, it will carry a large quantity of stock. South of the Mohaka, I also found the greater part ofthe country over which I travelled of a similar character, the flats throughout being the worst, the ranges the best. I have enclosed a tracing, showing with a red line the route proposed, aud I have the' honor to remain, Sir, yours obediently, James Rocheobt, C.Ey A. Kennedy, Esq.