The Road to Coromandel.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3810, 15 March 1881, Page 2

The Road to Coromandel.

(PEOM A OOEEESPONDENT.)

Having lately ridden from the Thames to Coromandel, I send you the following notes upon the state of the road, as such information may be of interest to your readers. The Tiki G-oldfield is^afc present excitipg some attention, and miners from the Thames may be tempted to visit the goldfield, and proceed overland instead of by steamer by way of Auckland :-—

The morning proved delightfully fresh and cool, and the sea air quite exhilarating, while the beautiful expanse of water in the Gulf, bounded by the bold outline of hills fringing its western shore; the islands lying like sentinels guarding its entrance, and the sound of the waves

lapping the shore beneath our feet, all served to raise our spirits as we pushed our horses along during the early part of the journey. The road after leaving Tararu sweeps boldly round the bluff known as Eocky Point. This portion of the road must have been expensive to make, which may account for its being made only '' one dray wide." The grade is, however, good, and we were enabled to spin along at a round trot, occasionally hauling ourselves up and walking quietly over the round beach stones, that are used in places as metal, which, being inclined to roll, have (like many people's toes) to be trod on gently. The dray road, however, soon dies out, and degenerates into a, horse track, that is, round the steep bluffs, where narrow sidling tracks are cut, but on the flats that occasionally occur between these bluffs, the horses have been allowed to make their own tracks, either on the fiat or beach, a plan which has long been known as a cheap way of road making. The Puru and Waiomo creeks have still the old single log bridges, placed across them many years ago by the late Mr Millet, Engineer to the Provincial Government. These are certainly a great advantage for foot passengers, but we trust at no distant date to see the dray road extended at least as far as Tapu or Waikawau, with good substantial bridges across the various creeks. The work is all the more necessary on account of a large amount of land being taken up and settled in the Puru valley. These settlers cannot be expected to prosper so long as the only land communication with the Thames is by a pack track. After one and a half hours ride we reached Tapu or Hastings, the worst part of the road^this far being the cuttings round the bluff, between the Whalebone Creek and Hastings, where the track is very narrow and in places not free from danger to horsemen, the hard rock being bare and slippery, the inside wall perpendicular the outside nearly sheer down to the beach, which is wild and rocky, and a tumble would result in the certain destruction of man and horse. HASTINGS Has a very different appearance from what we recollect it having in its early and busy days of goldmining. It still however keeps its two hotels, kept respectively by Hosts Hawkes and Jacobs, while the population visible to travellers has that peculiarity we have often noticed in other places in New Zealand, viz,, the greater proportion being children. We heard here, that the Thames County Council had made a road for the settlers up the Puriri valley, but having to push on, we had no time to examine it. The Mata and Waikawau creeks are the next crossed, and as neither of these are bridged foot passengers are under the disagreeable necessity of stripping, and during floods camping down or going back till the flood abates. The latter being a tidal creek, has to be caught at low water, or the chances are, your horse will have to swim across. The road between Tapu and Waikawau is generally along the beach, or by a narrow sidling cutting, insufficient for two horses meeting to pass. Should such a meeting take place, one must give way, and back till he finds some slightly wider point, where the two may with caution slip past one another. The Waikawau Creek is the boundary between the Thames and Coromandel Counties, and thus far it cannot be said we admired the road, but narrow as it was, we soon had reason to admire it when compared with the remainder of the beach portion of the journey to Wilson's " Travellers Rest" hotel, about six, to eight miles below Waikawau. This portion of the road has had little attention for -years and runs sometimes along the beach and sometimes over steep bluffs—the worst of which is the bluff known as the Darkies. It would, be a great advantage if a road were formed round this bluff, as the hill track at present is very steep and dangerous, but the safest plan is to get off and drive your horse before you, so that should he go over, you are saved the trouble of going with him. A HALTING PLACE. Wilson's may be considered the halfway house between the Thames and Coromandel, and as provisions can be had for man and beast, combined with civility a halt can be safely recommended. At Wilson's the track leaves the beach, and goes over some very steep hills to the head of Eireta Bay, at the head of which lies a small farm belonging to a Mr Foster. As there are a number of roads or bush tracks striking off near Foster's, a word of warning is here necessary for travellers, that is, to take the track over the hills which is followed by the telegraph line. The road from this point goes over a very steep hill, which we found quite difficult to walk up, even with occasional spells, driving our horses before us. From the top of this hill a magnificent view of the Manaia Harbour is obtained, for the head of which the road now shapes, following the beach line and passing through the native settlement. The swamps at the head of the Harbour are ditched and fascined, forming a good summer road, but>we would not like to vouch for it in winter weather. At the far side of the swamp we are forcibly reminded of the parable of the man who began to build his house and was unable to finish it by seeing a great cutting made for the purpose of filling up the swamp, the operations of which have been very suddenly stopped, leaving a very deep cut that would be dangerous for either man or horse to tumble into. From the Manaia the road passes over the low lying ridges that extend between the Manaia and the Coromandel Basin, from which a fine view is obtained of ■'Coromandel and its beautiful island dotted harbour. From this point half-anhour's ride will bring you to the beach, from which the dray at the Tiki and a good dray road |is made from here to Coromandel. A couple of miles takes you to where the road branches off to the new Tiki goldfield and at the junction is situated the Waiau Hotel, owned by an old Thames man, J. Uncles. A call here to refresh the inner man, to rest, and to hear the latest from the hill claims is usually made by travellers. The very best of refreshments is provided by the host, and the most reliable information on mining matters is readily given by Mr Uncles. A sharp trot for half an hour will bring you into Coromandel, and as you near the bridge on the main road, Glover's Royal Hotel appears conspicuous, and the host himself is at hand to see that every attention is given to your tired horse. The stabling in connection with Glover's hotel is the best in Coromandel, and the charges are very reasonable. Those travellers who wish to stay at Boyd's hotel will find every comfort at tbe hands of .the genial hostess, while the table is such as to please the most 1 fastidious.