THE ROAD TO TAUPO.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 12, 15 April 1871, Page 6

THE ROAD TO TAUPO.

[Hawke's Bay Hebald, 7th instant]

The Petane route for this road, in contrad istirjetion to the routes via Peka Peka or Glengarry, may now be considered as adopted. It is the shortest, and is already open for drays for a considerable distance, except in time of floods. The portions of the road which presented the greatest obstacles *to traffic were those at Rangimaipapa and at Kaiwaka, where the excessively steep inclines rendered the passage to and fro of wheeled vehicles an impossibility. These difficulties are now being removed by the formation of a new road with an easier gradient. ' The work is being done at a✓ comparatively small outlay, and, at the same time, very completely. When it is finished uninterrupted communication will be secured, and the road thus improved will form part of the ultimate permanent lineThe ascent to Titiokura, the estimated height of which is 2000 feet above the sea level, and the descent thence to the Mohaka, which is about 900 feet above the sea level, is accomplished on very gentle grades, the most severe being not steeper than one in ten. Grades even of this degree of steepness are found only at one or two pinches. The Mohaka river terminates the first series of contracts, already in the hands of Europeans ; and, at the north bank of the Mohaka, commence the sections of the road, for the construction of which tenders are now being called. The first three contracts will carry the road the length of New Te Haroto. Where they end, the portion which is in process of construction by the constabulary stationed at Te Haroto commences. Going along the line till we past the portion that is under contract to the large native party, under Rawiri. This contract extends along the next six miles of the line as far as the Waione creek, at the base of Turangakumu. In Rawiri's party there are natives from all parts of Taupo, chiefly from the southern and western shores of the lake, from Tokano, and Rotoaira, and inland as far as Tuhua. The work done by this party has been very excellently executed, and the natives engaged deserve great credit for their skill and industry. The line hetween the end of Rawiri's work and Tarawera is comprised in three of the contracts for which tenders are now invited. North of Tarawera all the road, between that post and the point where the track opens out on the Kaingaroa Plains, with the exception of some five or six miles, is either already completed, or tolerably far advanced towards completion. This five or six miles has, we iearn, lately been divided between the natives and the constabulary, and its completion will open up about 120 miles of dray road in the direction of Auckland. There will still be a gap in the communication between Auckland and Napier, not owing to any engineering difficulties, but owing to the "Aukati" between Niho ote Kiore and Cambridge. This " Aukati" is still about thirty miles in extent, notwithstanding the considerable reduction that has been made in it, owing to the secession of the Ngatiraukawa from the King party, It is satisfactory to observe the vigor with which these road works, as well as those in Wellington and West Coast direction, are being pushed forward. All the more so, when we notice that the enterprising proprietor of Cobb's coaches in this province, is ready to lay on a line of coaches to Taupo whenever the road is finished; and, as we noticed some time ago, by an article in the " New Zealand Herald," Messrs Quick and Co, of Auckland, are ready to put on a line between Napier and Auckland immediately that that enterprise becomes possible ; not to mention the rumors of other undertakings' of the same description. It seems probable that we shall have no lack of coach communication in every direction shortly.