The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 17, 15 December 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1877.

The Hutt- Waikan» Bailway Cony < mittee have reported favorably as to the schema of a "West Coast railway. They held a number of sittings and took evidence from competent judges. This evidence? as a whole, is strongly favorable to the Bcheme. The following is the report: — " The Select Committee appointed to inquire and report to the House upon, the suitability for railway construction of a line of road leading from the Upper Hutt to Pahautanui, and from thence by the Horokiwi Valley to Waikanae, with a view to the connection of Wellington with the Foxton and Palmerston Eailway by that route; and as to the expediency of an immediate survey for the; same, have the honor to report, — " That they have taken a considerable amount of evidence with regard to the matter referred to them, and are satisfied that the proposed line would bring into immediate use a very large extent of rich and valuable land, which must otherwise^ for want of communication with Wellington, remain unavailable. The prosposed line, moreover, appears, to your Committee- to offer the shortest route by which the whole of the country on the' west coast of the Provincial District of Wellington may be brought into direct communication with the City of Wellington. " That, m the opinion of your Committee, it is expedient that a survey of tlio. line should be made with as little delay as possible, m order to determine whether it affords a practicable route for the construction of |the proposed railway. .' " Your Committee append copies of the minutes of their proceedings m this matter, together with the evidence taken thereon, and beg to recommend that the same be printed." .■ ■ W. T. L. Teavbes, Chairman. 22nd October, 1877. The evidence of Sir "William Ktzherbert took the form of an address. After referring at some length to the natural features of the country, he said : I want to point out now that the result of the inrestigations pursued by the provincial authorities showed to them that the main road through the North Island, beginning from the Port of Wellington, must be a bifurcated line.. The great point under consideration always was where, the bifurcation should take place, and also whether there must not be more than one. The first point of bifurcation, m my opinion, must be the point leading into this HuttWaikanae line. Connected with this is another most important consideration. There is a tract of country about forty miles m extent, from the Manawatu River i to the Waikanae River on one side, and up to the Tararua Range, containing 400,000 or 500,000 acres. lam bound to say, and I .believe it is due to the interests of the colony at large to state, that the isolated position of the Port of Wellington, now the metropolis of New Zealand, should not be permitted any longer to continue by having this way barred up, when a practicable 'line of communication can be established "through it and between the East and West Coasts. This block of land is m much the . same state of nature as it was when I came to the country some thirty-five yeara ago. The only difference I see now is that the rivers a traveller had formerly to wade through or depend upon the capricious will of a Native to be crossed over m a canoe have ferries instead. This is the only difference I know of now m travelling along that coast. It, is simply travelling on nature's pathway along the beach; Efforts have been made,- and I believe, most successfully, for the purchase of the whole'of that large block of land by the authorities. The transaction has not been brought to a perfect state of completion; but the negotiations have so far proceeded, . and payments to such a large extent have been made, that m reality very little is required to bring the transaction to a close. I point that out because, independently of any other consideration, this is to be looked at as a practical question m connection with this proposed line of communication. If any one will : look at the map I hold m my hand, he will see that along the Takatarawana Stream, which runs through the piece of country tinted pink.

The track for several miles is through a wooded country — country, although I believe ultimately it will become very valuable for locating people upop, is not such as to command immediate settlement or money from settlers. It is, however, the highway to a tract of country capable of holding a large population, and if negotiations were completed thousands of people might be settled there, and the road would pay for going through the portion of land at present not available for sale. I point out also another important thing, that whenever the Masterton line might be completed further on, we have this difficulty to contend against, of a gradient of 1 m 15 : and whenever it should be completed, and the Manawatu Gorge penetrated for some three or four miles, the cost for a railway would be enormous as compared with the average cost of lines in-other parts of the country. But even supposing that were not so, if any one will look at the map, it will be seen that, if there be any correctness m the statement I have made, the land from the left bank of the Manawatu River to the Waiknae River could not be tapped by the railway over the | Rimutaka range, so as to bring the produce ] and. intercourse of the settlers into connection with the Port of Wellington. It would be valueless over the forty miles of country to which I have referred. This can be easily seen by any one who will look ' at the map. I thought it my duty to say so much,) because I have been intimately connected with this question, -and to show the grounds that' have for a number of years influenced the provincial authorities m endeavouring to get the work done. I have no hesitation m saying so much. , Chairman : Are you personally aware what the price of land has reached m the Fitzherbert;District—thatis, at the other end of the district? — I cannot say just now, what it • has reached toy but I would: say any price it. has reached to is just about as much m comparison with what it would reach, as " : |to : what ten acres could be sold for m iJ Wellington .some ten or fifteen years ago, and what the same area would fetch, at the present time. I have. been over the country on foot m every possible direction. . It was my duty to do so, and I gained an intimate knowledge of the country. When I see a tract of land forty miles m extent available for settlement, and so near the metropolis I cannot understand why it is not opened up I would point out here that if provincial institutions had not been abolished that line would be m progress now, and the same with regard to the large block of land-^it would be m possession and several thousand people would be settled upon it. I say m reply|to the question put to me by the Chairman, I believe that there is a great deal— l will not say how much—of thisland—you •will understand I mean a considerable portion — that would realize from £7 to £8 per acre. I am not Bpeaking of the high artificial prices given at times. Considering the prices given elsewhere, I say that this land would pay investors well.. I have met the chiefs there, and have gone with them over it, and I believe myself to j be a tolerable judge of the land. This district could be brought within two or three hours of Wellington, and within such reach that a long day would enable a settler to come to Wellington, transact his business, and return the same evening. 98. Hon.' Mr Ormond : Would you kindly say, Sir William, where the boundary of the purchased land is, going "northwards from Belmont ? • The Chairman : The purchase made from the Natives? . Hon. Mr Ormond : Yes ; the Crown land. "" Sir William Fitzherbert: There was first a purchase— '"-.'. 99. Hon. Mr Ormand.] I only want to know about the general boundary, if you will kindly give it ?— The land purchased from the Natives is about up to Waikanae. Then come the inchoate transactions. . The purchased land extends up. to the Waikanae. 100. The Chairman.] When the inchoate, transactions are disposed of, will there be a large quantity of this land open for sale ??- It is forest land, very rough and broken and at the back numerous wide ravines. Here and there may Jbe found spots available for settlement, and ultimately it will be settled upon, but not until a good line is laid down. ' .101. What is about the distance from Belmont to Waikanae ?— About eighteen or nineteen miles. ' 102. From Waikanae does the estimated distance of available country narrow ? — Yes. ' „■■.".,-■ 103. How far dbes that extend ?— lt opens out crescent-shape, and extends to about Ohau. It is not so narrow as may be supposed." . . 104. Then after we pass say Oahu, the country opens and continues so to Manawatu P —Yes. 105. And it is really m the neighbourhood of Manawatu that.the country is available for a distance? — Yes ; south ■ of the Manawatu River. South of that river and OtaM there is a great deal of bud available. 106. Have you any general idea as to the quantity. The Commissioner of Crown Lands say there are 490,000 acres P — l had this block surveyed, and up to the summit of the range there were from 400,000 to half a million of acres ; but I could not say all of that land was available. On the contrary, m my opinion,' the portion that might be called available land, and some of it excellent, is about 150,000 to 200,000 acres. Ido not think there :is any land m the country superior to it. . ; " 107. You spoke just now of the inchoate purchases. Are you aware of the way these lands were passed through the Native Land Court —In what way P * 108. You spoke of the purchases being; incomplete, and that they might with due exertion be completed ?— Yes j they passed through m very small parcels, and m strips , of land, to my mind, m a most incomprehensible manner at the* time. Still, I may be excused for saying that there is a good deal of mystery m connection with, such matters. I am bound to say a very considerable sum was spent, and it was the primary desire of the Provincial Government to have this land, The Judges said m open Court that they never had a more satisfactory survey of lands submitted to them for investigation. \ v " , 109. Can you say whether or not the country north of Otaki has passed' through the Court m strips several miles m length? r -~Ies ; I would recommend a setoroli being, made for the map that was produced before theCourjb. " .-.'■.

110. Do you approve the action taken with respect to acquiring those purchases ? — Up to a certain point I do. The thing was left m my hands. There came' a time when an officer m the Native Department, who was placed under me, acted m a manner L could not justify, and Sir Donald McLean insisted that he should be removed. By Mr Booth, who succeeded him, there was a different degree of progress made. The definition of certain reserves remained to be done. Speaking generally and still quite accurately, I may say that the whole of that land was purchased. I should have to refer to the officer to be able actually to 'state the particular blocks. In the main there were payments made over the whole of that block, and I believe myself that these, too, have been honest payment's — I mean understood by the Natives. Repeated interviews had taken place with them, and they all gave the sale their entire acquiescence.