Wellington, 1st July, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 228, 6 October 1847, Page 3

Wellington, Ist July, 1847.

Sir, — I have the honor to inform you that the road from Wellington to Pai-tu-mokai, about three miles above the lake on the plains of Wairarapa, has now been laid outfiom end to end, the entire distance being about 39f miles. Judging from what has been already executed, making the most liberal allowance for all contingencies, and including expenses of every description, the total cost will not exceed £14,136 16s. Bd., or £9991 i3s. 4d. in addition to what i>as been already expended, and I have no doubt whatever, but that the whole road will be completed by May, 1848. The accompanying statement of the expense and tracings, will show in detail what has been done, and the relative cost of each part. On the whole line there will be no gradient with a greater average inclination than 1 in 20, so that a single horse may draw either way almost as heavy a load as could be taken along the beach at Wellington. From Pai-tu-mokai, to the head of the lakes, there is a good natural road, which only requires the banks of a small stream to be cut down, so that a cait and horse ma) ford it, to be immediately available. This of course, throws the road open to the present settlers at Wairarapa, who can easily bring their wools, or other produce, in boats to the head of the lake, and cart it !rom thence to Wellington, without risk, and at an infinitely cheaper rate than they can send it thither, by the present unsafe, tardy and most expensive way. In the north-easterly direction from Pai-tu-mokai, a read may be carried I believe for 30 or 40 miles, at an almost nominal expense per mile, and how much further I cannot at present pretend to say, most of the country being open, and in many cases having a hard gravelly bed, the only expense would be in going through the belts of bush, intervening between the plains, and in constructing bridges across rivers, many of which, however, might be avoided, by a careful selection of the line. Near the Wai-o-bine, at a distance of about 14 miles from Pai-tu-mokai, is a very large extent of excellent bush land, which will most probably be the site of a future settlement ; as it is the only considerable tract in the lower part of the Wairarapa, that would be worth settling, for the purposes of agriculture, as all the bush land lower down along the banks oi the Ruamahunga, is comparatively worthless, and as the land near the Wai-o-hine, is such as would not bring in any rent to the natives for grazing sheep or cattle, and as they have more than enough of bush land for all their present and future wants in detached pieces, I think it would be no very difficult matter to ■obtain a large extent of it from them. " From enquiries I have made on the subject, I believe that but one range of hills of any magnitude would have to be crossed between Wairarapa and Taupo lake, and by should imagine, from all I can learn, that I omitting to build bridges over the larger rivers, and merely establishing chain ferries that could be worked by a person on either bank, a road such as would answer for posting, or the conveyance of expresses, might be carried through with great rapidity, and at a very moderate expense. By making such a road not more than six feet wide at all difficult places, the expense would be very trifling, and at the same time would answer for many years, for the passage of troops, and narrow guage carts, that would bring them supplies, if required for such a purpose, in addition co its ordinary uses. From the tracing accompanying this report, it will be seen that the head of the Manawatu and Wanganui rivers would be thrown open by it, and of course render them no longer the &afe place of retreat they at present afford to rebellious or disaffected natives, besides opening up a vast extent of country for grazing and other

advantageous pursuits. The natives of Wairarapa, and those of their tribe, (Ngatikahunas), living at Ahunri, and the East Coast, although at first inclined to question the propriety of their allowing the road to go on have decided in its favor, and are now coming in considerable numbers to work on it, and are very anxious that it should go up the valley, towards "the interior, chiefly I suppose, for their own sakes, that they may all in turn benefit by working at it. I may here observe that the system of employing them as labourers on the roads, appears to have succeeded in a most extraordinary degree, and confers an incalculable benefit on tl.em ; from a lazy, indolent set of people, they are now becoming quiet, active and industrious, they are fond of money, and spend it well, generally for European clothing, or for provisions, and in acquiring other useful property. And I must say, after nearly twelve months experience, that I believe a very considerable advantage is derived by the Government iv employing them, for at the relative rates of pay between them and Europeans, I think they do almost as much as Europeans, although few of them have been accustomed to regular woik for a longer period than 8 or 9 months; as a proof of which, I may state that the contractors for portions of the road, have found it their interest to employ many ot them at 2s. 6d. per day. When they have been employed for two or three years, and live constantly on good solid_ food, I think they will be little inferior to the generality of Europeans, and far surpass them in many things, especially in the facility with which they acquire a knowledge of all new kinds of work. How it affects them in a politica' point of view, it is not for me to say, but it certainly must have the effect of keeping many restless and turbulent spirits, usefully employed, that might be engaged in mischief, if left to themselves. And with the supply of native labour that can in future be commanded, I am sure that by proper management, works of no ordinary magnitude might be undertaken, and carried through, in any required time by their means. I have, &c, &c, T. H. Fitzgerald, Surveyor. To his Honor the Superintendent, &c, &c, &c.