The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1902. OPENING UP THE BACK COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 3 April 1902, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1902. OPENING UP THE BACK COUNTRY.

Ik a recent issue, attention was called to the return of Mr James Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands for Taranaki, from a tour of inspection of the Crown lands in the nortb-eagtern portion of the province, including those situated in the famous Ohura valley. In Beaton and out of season we have continually urged the construction of the roads from this side so as to give access to these blocks of valuable land, people on this side have been so divided, some working for the Wanganui river route, gome for metalling the portion of the road already opened, and some'for a railway peliey, that there still remains a few miles of the road impassable for horses. It is certainly a reproach to the Roads Department that the Commissioner of Lands should have to travel all the way round to Auckland to inspect these valuable blocks Taranaki land. More important still Taranaki settlers are greatly handicapped in taking up these lands when thrown open if unable to reach them by the the Ohura-road, which runs right through the valley in which these valuable blocks are situated. The question of opening these lands from this end is important f i oca a commercial standpoint, and also has an imporh'at bearing on the future welfare of Taranaki in general, and particularly New Plymouth as the chief port of the province. One thing is very certain, that unless vigorous steps are taken to open up the road from this side, the whole of the trade ef the enormous area between the Tangarakau and Ongaruhe will go to Auckland. Even as it is,! the land is fairly accessible to the Auck-' land end of the North Island main! trunk line at Kawakawa, which here' deverges ta the east towards the Wan- j g.: nui river. Kawakawa or Ongaruhe is now the terminus of the line from I Auckland, and until the StratfordOugaruhe line is made, will be the nearest railway to the land in cho! Ohura valley. Approaching these lands from Ongaruhe railway station, the Ohura-road is constructed as a good! dray-road for a distance of 32 miles, and beyond this coming towards the head waters of the Tangarakau, there is a good riding track for another 12 or 15 miles. The first block of Crown land begins about 17 miles from Ongaruhe, and from that southwards alternates with blocks of native land. Four survey parties are now hard at 7c cutting up and preparing some 45,000 acres of this land for settlement in sections of from 100 acres up to 2000 acres, according to the nature of the country. A good deal of this area, we are informed, will ba ready for selection before the end of the present bush felling season, so that selectors can make a start this year. A great deal has been said of the quality of this land, and it is gratifying to learn that a considerable proportion of the land now being surveyed is suitable for dairy farming, some of it being under fern or very light busb, and the soil in many places first class. Iu some parts it is inclined to be of a , lighter nature, but the whole is well , adapted for mixed occupation. It is generally well watertd, aad has an ■ altitude of from 500 ft. to 1500 ft. above , the sea level. The bulk of the land lies in the valleys with spurs sloping 1 down to the Ohura, Maugaroa, Wai i paka, and Eao streams. Owing to thy '

lay of tbe land many secliors, although away from the main dray road, ara even now fairly uccflsgible by pack tracks, or, where fronting streams, by canoe. Thono streams are sluggish and : deep, giving good means of access to many parts of the block in a cheap and efficient manner, being large enough for tbe employment of a steam launch. It is gratifying to learn (hat a party of • men is now uns«g«d making a temporary riding track to connect the main road on this Whangamomona side with the riding track en the Ongaruhe side of the Tangarakau, The distance is only five milos, and this would give intending settlers on this side an opportunity of riding their horses through to inspect the block, which would be a great convenience to settlers here. At present there is only one sett'er on the block, who is running a separator and milking 30 cows. There is not a very great extant of milling timber, but there is a very general sprinkling of timber useful to new settlers throughout the whole of the sections, such as totara, matai, rimu, mairi, etc. Goal also crops out occasionally. Native and imported game are plentiful, while wild cattle and pigs are found in considerab'e numbers. From the nature of the land a prosperous settlement is assured. What is wanted is a ,gcod road, and every effort should be jhade to induce the Government to place sufficient money on the estimates to secure a good coach rond bsing put through at once.