THE NEW GOLD COUNTRY IN THE NORTH.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 979, 14 June 1872, Page 2

THE NEW GOLD COUNTRY IN THE NORTH.

(Wellington "Evening Post.") The alleged gold discoveries at Tuhua, near the centre of the island, naturally induce enquiry as to whereabouts the place is, what is the best way to get there, and how best to get the gold away if it should prove worth working. Dr Hochstetter, the specially geological and mineralogical member of the expedition sent out by the Government of Austria for a scientific voyage round the world in the Novara frigate, passed over the very country in which it is said the gold has been found, in April, 1859. Chapter XVI. of his very interesting book on New Zealand is headed " From the Waipa through the Mokau and Tuhua districts to Lake Taupo." The Waipa Mission Station, from which he started, is 88 miles from Auckland in a straight line, on the banks of the main branch of the AVaikato so cailed. Dr Hochstetter had come thither from Kawia. It took him a long day and a half to get from the head of the boat navigation at Kawia, at spring tide, to the Waipa Mission Station. He had to cross a pass in the dividing range, 1585 feet above the sea, and two deep ravines on its eastern side. Thence he was two days and a half on horseback, ascending the valley of the Waipa, and that of its tributary, the Mangapu, to a place 230 feet above the sea level, where the latter issues from a limestone cave. From this point, "in winter, at a high water level, the Mangapu river is navigable for canoes, establishing during that season an uninterupted water route to the Waipa and Waikato, of which the natives avail themselves for commercial expeditions to Auckland. He then, on foot, crossed the dividing range between the Waipa and Mokau districts. It is called Puke Aruhe, or Fern Hill, and the Bummit is 877 feet above the sea level. The Professor describes the country hereabouts as consisting oftrachytic tuff, forming the rounded tops of the mountains overlying the tertiary limestone formation. * * * Next he traversed a limestone country, about one mile wide " (grass plain), then a small defile, and then the ascent of a woodclad hill, half a day, in all three days from Waipa to Takapau, 823 feet above the sea level. Thence he descended into the basin of the Mokau River, and proceeded down its upper valley, which is 450 feet above the sea level, for two half days' journey, crossing the river above the Wairere Falls, which are 150 feet high, aud resting at Pukewhau. Dr Hochstetter thus speaks of this position : " Below the falls, the valley becomes very narrow. Several miles further down, the river receives the Mokauiti, or little Mokau. itsjprincipal tributary, from left (S.E.) The latter, the course of which we shall follow on our road from Pukewhau to the Tuhua district, rises on the dividing ranges between the Mokau district and the sources of the Wanganui river. A few miles below the junction the " river begins to be navigable for canoes, although '

numerous rapids render the passaJM difficult and even dangerous. $wH the mouth to the head of the canoS navigation "up the river the natiJß reckon two days journeys; COQ ■ sequently the distance may amount :'■ about 50 miles. * * * Pukewkau j,9 a central point in the Upper MokanM district. From here the roads ijj 1 verge in different directions. oi»| destination was Lake Taupo, 0 .1 for the present, the Tuhua district I towards E.S.E. The country we had ■ to traverse preaoLts the character of a M table-land cut up by deep.valleysii\tol long and steep ranges; its height I from about 1500 to 2000 feet above 1 the level of the sea. The road lies* through swamps and marshes, over hill and. dale, and cannot be without safe and expert guides." l[ e describes three days more of exees. sively'rough travelling over a succes. sion of very steep hills, from 1580 to 1933 feet above the sea level, into the valleys of the Ohura and Ongaruhe northern tributaries of the Wanganui riyer, to Petania (Bethany) on the Taringamutu, which flows into the Wanganui from the west, takiug jt a rise on the S.E. base of the Tuhua and Puke Atua Mountains, from the former of which, 3400 feet high, the district takes its name. Thus Dr Hochstetter took four days from the head of the Kawia boat navigation to tbe head of the "Waipa canoe navigation ; and thence, one and a half day more to a spot on the Mokau, fully a day's journey from the head of its canoe navigation, or three days from its mouth. To this central ! point, Pukewhau, it is therefore five or six days' iourney either from Auck. land or Kawai. And from thence to Bethany there are three days more of the most mountainous country, and difficult to make roads over, that can be found in New Zealand. The easiest road at present open is probably from Napier, by way of the south end of Taupo Lake, by Aera at the northern base of Tonp Riro to the Upper Wanganui grass plateau or table land, and down the northerly course of that river to the junction of the Taringamutu. But from Wellington, the Upper Wanganui plateau will be more easily reached from the Upper Rangitikei country ; and if gold be really found there in large quantities, a coach-road would probably be soon formed, by which the field would be reached in three easy days' ride from Wellington. To return from the goldfield would be far easier down the Wanganui Eiver, which is navigable for canoes up to the very spot, as we are at pre. sent informed. There are many rapids, making the ascent of the Wanganui tedious and urfit for heavy loads. But to shoot the rapids downwards is an easy and swift voyage to make, and can probably be accomplished in two days from the field to the town of Wanganui. ' """