WAITOTARA.

Patea Mail, 30 December 1880, Page 3

WAITOTARA.

[FROM 0 U K C 0 K R 1C SI’ONDEN T.”] Wednesday Evening. Since wilting my last, and before finally replying to “ Ratepayer,” I resolved to go over tho ground myself in order to be able to speak from personal knowledge instead of hearsay. I started alone on Sunday lorenoon from the township. After passing through McKenzie’s lower fields, a bluff was readied which would require 7U or 80 yds of side-cutting, but as the material is hard it would easily he kept in order. The track now lay along grass flats on a level with the river all the way. About a quarter of a mile from McKenzie’s bluff’, two small rivulets run into the river, about 20 yds apart. Those would require culverts with 8 inch pipes. Half a mile further there is the Aniilo of fallen bush, mentioned erroneously in my last as across the Momaliaki. Running through this is a small stream which, although about three feet in width would he more easily bridged than the two little creeks already mentioned. The

track now’ led through grass flats with rye and clover almost to the knee, making one long to bo the happy possessor of something as good. About a hundred yards from the Momaliaki, a spur comes clown to the Waitotara riverbank which, would require some twenty yards of a cutting. Tin's and McKenzie’s bluff are the’ only ones on the route. Arrived at the Momaliaki stream in 45 minutes from the township, walking easily, fie re a mistake was made in uoing half -way up the hill towards Mr Nicholson’s house instead of crossing the Momaliaki on the eel weir near its month by which 20 minutes time was lost. After crossing, a small clearing is met, and the track then follows a survey line for some two hundred yards through upstanding bush, with thistles shoulder high on cither side sticking their spears into legs and arms. This line seems to end in a track leading over a hill, or end of a ridge, towards Papatnpn. Here, having no guides, another fault was made (where Messrs Brewer and Nicholson also went wrong), hut by describing a small semi-circle, the right track was again struck, which being followed up for about 250 yards, still through bush, brought me out on the road leading from the table lands to tlie river flat, at a point where it turns from the foot of the hill almost at right angle westward. A farther level walk of half-a-mile along a cleared and grassed road brought me to the. No. 9 bridge over the Momaliaki stream, which was the winning point for Messrs Brewer and Nicholson. The point where the road from the upper lands diverges on the flat should have been the goal, as Brower walked and scrambled nearly a mile after crossing the boundary end of the block, whereas Nicholson only walked to the said boundary and stopped short. Crossing the No. 9 bridge, a short steep rise out of the valley is encountered, the grade being I should think about 1 in 10, and certainly much steeper than the rise from Waitotara township to-j wards Waverley. This part of the j road is all side-cutting, which unless im tailed will bo a terror in winter, j Again on the level, the track led through ' the Williamson property. About two miles from tbo bridge I came to Mr F. Williamson’s celebrated “ bush cottage.’ , I beg leave to remark, en passant, that] the said cottage is in full view, and within ■ a mile of the main road ; the ” bush ” j consisting of i'onr ngaio trees and a cab-; bage tree. Here I obtained a re-1 fresher,” and then struck for the main mad, thence some three miles back to the township. The whole trip occupied three hours and a quarter, including all stoppages, besides the bush being wot from rain. The return journey along; Nicholson’s course must be at least six j miles, and he must have walked like a ! professional. The foregoing is a lailhiul j description of what appears to lie a terra j incognita to the, Wairoa Highway Board, ; and which, if once traversed by that, tody, would be divested of its terror (ex- ; ease the pun). My former conclusion is fully confirmed, i.e., that the river | road is die natural and direct outlet for the Momaliaki and Kaitangiwhenua settlers. It is as level as the river the whole way ; and the difficulties about bluffs, heavy bush, distance, and streams, referred to by “ Ratepayer,” would vanish at the cost of a hundred or two. The final signatures were obtained, and payment for the Kaitangiwhenua block made here yesterday by Mr i». J. Gill, Under-Sccr<Hary. One of the grantees named Urn Tc Angina, being sick, was brought in a covered buggy from Maxwclltown to sign. The payment was in the form of a £4,500 cheque. Some very successful children s sports were held on Monday last, an account of which must be held over till my next.