ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1791, 29 December 1883, Page 2

ALEXANDRA.

On Thursday last Mr Sr P. Smiths, Assist- • ant Surveyor General, Mr Frank Edgcuinbe > Staff Surveyor, Mr Hazard Staff Surveyor, Rev. Mr Cotton, Church Missionary Society, and Mr JV K. Browne with a guide started from here with the intention of exploring the old native track, at the time horses were unknown amongst them, between' here and Kawhia, the weather was most unpropitious for the undertaking, rain coming down heavily and the mist &o dense in the bush that the party were quite unable with their guide to find their way, and so had to return after a day of severe hardship to Alexandra, Mr ' Brown who is, I believe in the Life Insurance Department of the Government being completely, knocked up." After, a night's rest Mr S. "P. Smith accoinpanfe'a by Rev. Mr,, Cotton and Hazard proceeded on horseback nto Kawhia via) Hikurangi while Mr Edgcumbe who was the first to report to the Government the possibility of making a 1 short and good road to Kawhia by «wdy of the old native track; ,'agam started with a Native ,gujde named Te Rosp who had travelled the road, MrTSdgcumbe return-^ ing the next day much fatigued, on account of iiiot' having been ablp to find any .water, while going over tHk 1 range.' ( '* " ; ( ' ( "-, Edgecumbe is convince^ an, excellent and much Bhorter road cap/ljo constructed,' than the present one by Hikurangi, whefa the joui-ney could easily be done from Alexij ( andra in a bugg3^jn,betweQij r thr|e anß ? four hourstime. 1 v The road a_fte"rjle»vihg/Alex- , aridra , is . 'o ver, r the Whatiwhatiljoewbridcre |hr&ufh J th^s%feC^ds&l®W "an olaSsottlement' named ,^e'|wi*^hey,o;'dt. ' ente^the'busji up a graduajlyirijsln^siiui', ;^iSg some i S^J^tJ^iM^Ed^e^nmwlMi?

<Mwi;^ponstrj^^*«a therJarenoengineeringdJ^^lcife^biEitever^i He went some distance dyjer the||vftterdhed, and^jj|imaW| tjj&t the dUjtancfpfoin 1 herfe to OgaraujSgTKawhia jdtfi *woaj<s onl^,),be soine>2o milks. , l"his is a^discbv^y of g£eat imi)i^j;ance* Sj to'tbe whole '^of tli^Waikato Distrjfct, ii^tnus^ewin^h^w easily be $>nnected to atgoddJi^bou^onJbMejWeat Cpagt oV rather the besfc^and Mi^^J^cumbe deserves every credit for proving such a road can bo conitructed. It is to be hoped Government will at once see their way to get the road commenced and - set Mr Edgcumbe' at the work a more suitable man for it, cbwJd hard)y b& A>«»4 he being , well-known and respected by all the natives in the district.

[»Y TKLKGIUPH.— OWN CORRESI'ONDKXT.] Tr Awamutu, Friday. On Saturday Mr F. Edgecumbe explored for a line of road between Alexandi a, and Kawhia. He thinks no difficulty will be experienced-in getting a first-class road from here to the nead of the harbour at Oparaa. Mr McKerrow, Snrveyor-Creneral, with Mr Smith, arrived on Thursday at Alexandra to inspect the proposed 'line. Mr Edgecumbe went with them yesterday. To-morrow Mr McKerrow and Mr Smith proceed to Kawhia en route for New Plymouth. Mr Cussen's i men have just arrived with a pack horse, and have gone through to Kihikihi. Messrs Edgecumbe and Spence leave Kihikihi next week to commence the survey of the -southern boundary for Ngatimaniapoto. Mr F. Fdgeeumbe has for the last twelve months been of opinion th.it the best road between Waikato and Kawhia is over the ground he has just now explored. May it prove true. Tawhiao has left for Kawhia again.