COAL IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1922, Page 9

COAL IN TARANAKI.

EARLY REPORTS. WHAT “INSPECTION” MEANT IN THE “SIXTIES.” WANGANUI TO OHURA, VIA TAUPO.

(By

“Juvenis.”)

(VII.) * We had now been for some weeks entirely out of pakeha provisions, our very tea and sugar having been for some time exhausted. It might have been expected that I should have welcomed a return to European fare; but it was with a feeling of disgust that I sat down to the coarse huge joints and badly boiled potatoes provided for us at the Rutland Hotel. The contrast between this and the elegant stews of game and eels cooked by the Maoris, under the skilful superintendence of Mr. Deighton. with potatoes turned out fr.pm the Maori ovens in first-rate style, produced a feeling of anything but satisfaction. I was reminded of proceeding from Paris, via St. Malo, to Jersey, where I arrived in time to sit down at the club to a dinner composed solely of an enormously fat and large saddle of Leicester mutton, just arrived by the steamer from Plymouth. After having enjoyed the dainty cookery of the French capital, I could with difficulty, while so near the shores of France, reconcile myself to the coarse fare of the insular Briton.

FOREST AND BROKEN COUNTRY. I had now penetrated, upwards by the Rangitikei and downwards by the Whanganui, the great belt of forest country which separates the west of Cook’s Strait from the volcanic plateau of the interior and from the sources of the YVaipa. This forest country may average in breadth from forty to fifty miles. It is entirely composed of marine tertiaries rocks, except where mixed with the volcanic products of Ruapehu and Tongariro. These rocks on the east rest on the palaeozoic or mesozoic formations of Ruahine, and approach ion the north the similar rocks of the Kaimanawa range. Thence, the boundary sweeps round the southern end of Ruapehu, stretching towards Taranaki and Mokau.

This great tract of country is extensively broken up by ravines, but its broad outlines leave the impression of having been originally a. level surface, or rather an inclined plane, which has in course of time, been furrowed and broken into hill and dale by the action of the present- streams. The surface between two gullies is frequently tabular, but often angular. Although much of this country is difficult of access, and serious obstacles will be encountered in opening it up by roads, yet, as it is fertile and will support a considerable population, its settlement is only a question of time. It has a climate favorable for such cultivation as that of the vine or the olive, hut it is entirely unsuited for cereal produce, except on a small scale. The immigration here of settlers from the south of Europe, would be a great acquisition to the colony, for they would bring with them the knowledge of the culture of vines and fruit trees, of tobacco and other plants which do not grow in the British Island.

WANGANUI RIVER SCENERY. The Whanganui river is tire great artery of the district; but considering the large Maori population on its bank, it is probable that only a partial settlement would prosper there, and that settlers would at first have to open up the land on the smaller rivers. I look upon the Whanganui for beauty of scenery, and I may say a certain poetical interest, as the queen of New Zealand rivers, far superior in this respect to the Waikato. The latter’ is generally considered to be the largest river of the North Island, and is far superior for purposes of navigation to the Whanganui, but my impression is that it does not discharge so much water. I made the following estimate of distances in descending the Whanganui, supposing our rate of speed to average six miles an hour, although I am inclined to think that this is an underestimate, and that seven miles an hour would be nearer the truth. Commencing from Tapuia Kumera, which is some distance below the head of the canoe navigation, I found as follows: Tapuia Kumera to Kepara 8 hours, 48 miles; thence to Maraikowhai 1| hours, 9 miles; thence to Kirikiriroa 2| hours, 13J miles; thence to Tangarakau 2J hours, 15 miles; thence to Utapu 2% hours, 1.3 A miles; thence to Maunganuiateao 1 hour, 6 miles; thence to Ngaporo Rapids % an hour, 3 miles; thence to Pipiriki 1 hour, 6 miles; thence to Pukehika 1 hour, 6 miles; thence to Karatia 1 hour, 6 miles; thence to Atini 2 hours, 12 miles; thence to Parekino 13 hours, 10J miles; thence to Kaiwaike 2} hours, 13} miles; thence to Whanganui (slower rate) 2J hours, 11 miles; total 29%hours, 173 miles. If we add, say 27 miles, for what I think is an under estimate of speed, we get a distance of two hundred miles from Tapuia Kumera to the town of Whanganui.

RICH PASTURES. T now remained -for a few days in Whanganui, and during that time had the opportunity of seeing nearly the whole population of the town and neighborhood collected at a picnic at Kai-Iwi, about nine miles north-west from the township, to say farewell to Mr. Treeweeck, who had sold the fine Kai-Iwi farm, and was about to leave for Otago. It was a remarkable contrast to the scenes up the river. The road passed through some of the finest farms in New Zealand, well fenced, well grassed, and with splendid stock grazing on the rich pastures. There was a bright sky overhead, the sea glistened in the. sunlight on the left, Mount Egjnont was visible in front, and on the right, beyond the cleared farms, was the dense forest of the district; horsemen, men on foot, buggies, and traps of all kinds, hurried to Kai-Iwi. The provision was ample, the guests were jjolly; but apart from the scenery givqn by nature, there was an entire absence of the picturesque. Whanganui is peculiar in its society. There are rich people and poor people, but for social equality I never saw its equal. All classes of society seem to mingle freely together without any signs of superiority.

On February 21, three large canoes passed down the river to Putiki, filled with Maoris. These were all kaingararas, or lizard-eaters, bent on a lizardeating expedition to Putiki. As Hug

neared that place, they hauled down three white, and hoisted throe red flags During these journeys I often envied the Maoris their freedom from the trammels of shoes and stockings, and other encumbrances of European clothing. When a Maori gets up in the morning, all he has to do is to shaxce himself; he may go to the stream and wash, but oftener than otherwise he saves himself the trouble; these habits are no doubt dirty, but they save a good deal of time. In the matter of going' barefoot, however, the feet are more likely to be frequently washed than when they are covered. One of the disagreeables of New Zealand travelling is the putting on wet boots in. the morning. The Maori with his bare feet is saved the nuisance. Be it observed, however, that bare feet cannot stand many days travel without a rest, and of course are liable to be injured by thorns or sharp stones, so the advantage is somewhat balanced.