HOW TO EXPLORE RIVERS.

Patea Mail, 21 June 1882, Page 3

HOW TO EXPLORE RIVERS.

The Hanger of the Taranaki district says :—“ Some years since I was one of a party sent by the Provincial Government of Taranaki to explore the country lying cast of the Mountain Road. During our journey, we crossed the Upper Waitara, and followed its banks many miles. What I then saw of the country leads me to attach great importance to the proper exploration of the Waitara river, from the end of the Tariki road. Below that point the river has several rapids, rendering it unsafe for boating purposes. Above the point I indicate, I feel confident it could be made a useful highway, by which to settle large areas of land abutting on the Waitara river. The exploration of the river would at serve a double object. It would at once decide as to quantity of available land for settlement along its banks, and as to whether the river could be used for water carriage ; and it would be the means of fixing the exact course of the river upon the map, and perhaps lead to the discovery of a good railway route to connect Taranaki with Auckland. The exploration could be conducted easily and cheaply by using small flat-bottomed canvas canoes, each capable of holding two men and a month’s supply of provisions. . When loaded they would float in six inches' of water. They could be easily lifted over logs or shallow places, and could be made strong and light and durbalo enough to last a season. One of the chief difficulties in exploring a bush country is the carriage of survey instruments and food and tents. The using the river and canoes would get over this difficulty, as in no case would the explorers have to travel more than one or two days’ journey away from the canoes in exploring the country each side of the river. Should supplies run short, or a man get hurt, the means of returning quickly would be always open to them. With two such boats—that is with a surveyor and three men—a very large amount of useful information could be obtained

in one season.”