OPENING of the KING COUNTRY.

Patea Mail, 15 April 1882, Page 3

OPENING of the KING COUNTRY.

A European, who has been for some years resident in the Mokau district, writes as follows to a friend in Auckland :—“I came down right through the King country lately. I stopped at the leading kaingas, and the feeling is in favor of roads, (fee. The natives (Maniapotos) are astonished at a section of pakehas bolstering up Tawhiao. The natives say that Tawhiao can have nothing to complain of, because he refused a kingdom, and an annuity from Sir George Grey at Kopua. Wahanui will not support Tawhiao in closing or delaying the opening of the country. The proposed railway line is very level, and there is plenty of timber and stone (principally limestone) for building and ballasting. The line from Te Awarnutu to Waitara will be constructed for £SOOO per mile. From Te Awamutu to the Mokau it will be constructed for less than £4OOO per mile. You are (both sides) all adrift as to who is opening the country. It is neither the Government nor the officials—the truth is Wetere is the man. I told you last April that Wetere had broken away from the King at Hikurangi. Well, ever since that he has pushed the matter of opening the country to his utmost, and he deserves whatever credit there is in the affair. Tawhiao would not have dreamed of giving up his guns last June had he not been deserted by Wetere previously. I know this as a fact. In truth Tawhiao had a paper at Hikurangi (1881) for all the chiefs to sign, handing over their lands to him, and it was Wetere that tore it up and burst the bubble. Rewi and Wetere are working together. The land in the King country is good land, and for about 20 miles south of Kopua it will be fit for plough and agriculture, but from there to Mokau the land, although good, is not level for ploughing. It will make good sheep runs and carry heavy stock. The Lower Mokau is entirely valueless for either grazing or agriculture, being so broken.”