THE ROAD TO TINUI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2443, 2 November 1886, Page 2

THE ROAD TO TINUI.

[By odk Special Reporter ]

The Tinui road with its bogs, slips, and Bteep hill cuttings which are collectively a sourco of anxiety to the County Council, an impediment to settlement, and dangerous to travellers, is \& present in anything but a creditable state Having just, accomplished the featof driving through the first buggy'and'pair of horses this winter from Masterton; an account of the trip will give the' town residents an idea of up-country travelling during the wet season of the year. To most people in Masterton'a drivo to Tinui would be looked forward to as a pleasure trip, but the journey at the present time would shake the pleasing illusion out' of them and substitute aohes and paius that would do credit to the racks of the Inquisition, It would also generate a sympathetic feel« ing for their fellow settlers who are

•isolated iuom the want of passable' toads. ;}£§ mentioned that the roads. year than they have been af «s o fsfl ponding BeasonMany year,": pI&S ti| ideaoau be formed «i. tnej:pj&&2|ui ericea in travelling in thai oiilsiJJ:'fo (a party! of fourjhiado teitonon Saturday arid wore soon bowling aiorig-iile'le' Ore Ore road, which is skirted'by Healthy looking fields of young crops, the present soason being evidently favorable for- the growing of cereals in this diafcric'tj'if those we passed are to be taken as a'criterion.

The roads being in good condition,'' the horses ditto, We were not long/ 111 reaching tho luxuriant piißturago grounds of Bonnet's Hill, the vicinity'of which is . at the present timo a perfect looking glass. The rich flats'of tho Tauoru valley, with its lazy .fatcattle'aud tho heavily timbered background were passed, and formed a pleasing panorama, and by the time, we- reached 'the' Taueru Hotel the appetites were sufficiently advanced to do full justicel .to Spst Roger's liberal faro. Eye'rythmgf'irat' the Taueru has a progressive appearance. Mr Donald's 'sawmill, .fevN-» chains up the now' road loading to Brancepeth is in full working orJpr, and the enterprise of fclie proprietor ja : manifested in the mannoriu .which'hb mill and plant is erected.. The tram;laid down for bringiug the lo?a in from tho bush runs parallel with the main road for about a milo and A-halft On the opposite side of the valley Messrs Whatman Bros, have considerably altered' tho appearance of Abbotsfordsinco.they have beenjn possession. From ableak,dosqlate ) looking surrounding has sprung up stocked and vordant paddocks, the mm' being covered with feed,, while the suitable flats aro broken up for turnip and other orops. The homestead has also a very inviting aspect, and shows what can be accomplished on our hilly coontry when settled, upon by •industrious and persovering owners, Perhaps .the ODly thing that don't seem to go 'well' in this place is the pound. It has. been erected no doubt for a good purpose, but the settlors generally don't see inutility. An endeavor has been made lately by the County Council to keep straying cattJe off the road.butiu this part there is a ■: little difficulty, as the big paddock-;is' used by one and all If proceedings are commenced against offenders in this rospeot, two witnesses cannot be got to ajesar against them, as all parties being eSffilly guilty, tho instinct of self-preservation forms a union among them, that evon tho County Council caunot break tluwjgh. •Such ia the case as reported: 'by' one o{ i thoso interested in putting down the nuisance. The Taueru School niay, perhaps, bo-put down among tho n'on-pro* greßsivoinstitutions, asitlias for a mouth owing to the Oomuiitteeind maßtor not pulling the sawo way. The scholars have thus lost- &. valuable amount of time previous to -the examination, aud as the holidays are close at hand their tuition will to

Bomewhat limited undor the oircumstances, although they may havka : new master appointed by the Board." The drive to Mmarau was uneventful as the roads were fairly good, the weathor fine, and the scenery varied and pleasing; the numerous valleys en route-, beijitr covered with' the blossom of tW Rangioratreo. Carsweli'a hotel was reached about 11 o'clock,. at which a- slight' halt was made. This hostolry ia.Bituatod at the junction of the Blairlogjeiaridlifci main road from Masterton to Tinui,:jf& well and> comfortably furnished, Ind should prove an aoquisifciou. to tho district, and a source Of revenue to the proprietor, who deserves more than thanks from the travelling public for' erecfciug suoh a creditable establishment ill a position so 'convenient. There are wa'jk finished and ventilated bedrooms jgß the windows of eaoh a magnificent «B of tho surrounding country ieobtaiiSp* There are the usual dining and sitting rooniß, bar, parlor, and every other convenience for conducting the busiuoss, and judging by tho claßs of pictures that adorn the wallß of every room in tho house, Mr Carswoll must bean admirer of the fine arts, his collection ranging from Wyllie'a cartoons to engravings of pictures by Rembrandt, Dore, and other masters of the art. Opposite tho hotel is the private um course, or training ground of Mr J, 0. Vallanoe, which for situation is unoqualled, as the natural formation' of the surroundings gives a view to the spectators the whole distance. Mr 'Catswell is trying to arrange a midsummer race meeting hore, which, if ho is successfull iu doing, should prove a decide. advantage to our sporting men, <sosß|[ that it is easily accessible from all parts of the district. _ On leaving Oarswellß tho troublo of the journoy commenced. For tho first twenty or thirty ohains, the road winds down the hillside, and not haying been metalled the continual traffic has out it up terribly. Once over this we reached the metalled road of Muugapakeha which ie in splendid condition, although there, are short pieces which throuph 'slips 'yJL overflowing creeks require a little extra™ piloting to get through. The drive through tlio Mungapakeha Valley is rather uninteresting and as tho beauty of it has" been spolied through the • toi tbi 'and cabbage-'trees having been' burned off it is now mora monotonous thau .'ever. By way of digression, it . will-' % of iufceresfc to some of our readers to quota aebort history of one point on the 'road, viz., Hangman's Bridge, which derived its namo-.from a ciroumstanoe that happened in the early part of the district settlement. At the time referred to Meßsrß Girdwood and Pell had contracts' for the formation on either side -ot the valley, at which a number of men were employed. ' Among Pell's gang was a Scandinavian, who was a quiet hardworking man, and reputed to be little money aud some jewellery, wb-MP he oarried about on his person. Tho camp was pitched close to tho site of this bridge and ono day the Scauditiavian was miss-

sing; hut as tho workmen in those days stood vory little on ceremony, 'it was / supposed that he had oloared out, Things went on for several days in the usual ) course, when attention was attracted to J the bush olose to the camp, through J&m, very disagreeablo effluvia arising "froO W it. On investigating the cause, the mjtfs. N -v ing man was found hanging to a branch -' , of a tree in a 3tate of decomposition'! As policemen and coroners wero scarce in - those days, very little trouble was taken to find out how ho came thero, and he was buried as a suicide. When the excitement of the affair blew over, it began to dawn upon Bomo of the wen that perhaps thero had been foul p!ay, arf. this was more than borne out by theiwthat neither the money nor joweilery cou,\T bo fouud. Tho authorities, however, did not probe tho matter very mach, and as he WBB " only a Scandinavian" tho whole thing was allowed to die quietly out. The tree oniwhich ho.was found hanging is': now known as Hangman's Tree, the same name dinging to tho bridge, both of which aromonumonte to the dangora ofo pioneer settlement. When we reached™ Pine Tree Hill, two of the party walked round on the low level whilst the others drove over the long circuitous road. The pedestrians although taking matters very easy, demonstrated the utiSty of carrying out the proposed deviation at this point. The present road rises up the hill by the usual zigzag method, and then B<?flj(W up s valley about half-a-piie and reiuW-, to within a few chains of- the hil)shiu : *f forming a very elongated horife j'ffibe road. The. proposed deviation'will give travellers' a comparatively levit rottf-"

and save halfowuile in distance, besides ... >.. going througha pqrtion.bf. the bill that " "has already been cut gut'.for' metalling tho notorious Burgess boYitract.. This in | will be a great boon, as the heaviest ,4$ th« work is already, done, and there is *ttn abundance of metalb.n tho spot. Some . of the Tinui settlers are'lyitfavorablo to' . _' this deviation, as tlioy are afraid that the ■ '..'■'. river whichflows through tho .centre of ■ the valley will scour into the new work, ',.' Writ they will take a panoramic view of the valloy from tho top of tho hill they AvWill bo satisfied that it is an easily JBkjjjvjrted stream, and that tho scour is ■ VT&ttinpf away from tho hill instead of • towards it. If tho proposed work is carried out it will be one of the best pieces of engineering on tho -wholo line, . and would prcvo of inestimable valuo to . travellers along the road, and also a treat : .saving iu the road maintenance. Leaving ~ Pine Troe Hill our jpumoy was unevont'"fuluntil the Mungapakoha bridgo was reached, whan our troubles commenced ''.in earnost. What they wofo must bo ■(Mfi -to anothor chapter. ■.. v ■ .. (To he continued.) .