A ROAD FROM WAIKATO TO TAURANGA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1830, 29 March 1884, Page 3

A ROAD FROM WAIKATO TO TAURANGA.

Mil William A. (tH \ham writes as follow, to a Tauranga contemporary, in reply to a lucmoianduiu from tho editor :—: — Dear Hir,— l am in receipt of yom mcmoi.indum. I would state that, if the information I ha\e received from a native chief of the Xratihaua ti ibe be coi rcct, there is a iw-b — asyetiiiiknuw n toEuiopeans— which loads through tho dividing ranges of Tanrtnga and tho Uppei Thames Valley : and thi-> pass is stated to i»o to be the best route for a load— 01 even a railway— to connect Tauranga with the Upper Thames, Waikato and Auckland. Fiom your side of the ranges the load would enter bomewheie near Mr Esclulo'h farm, and following up a cieek a considerable distance, will ciobs a nairow neck of the range — by cutting, or a shoit tunnel — and .strike tho Waikalnkatea Creek, bianch, 1 think, of the Wairakau tiibutary of the Waihou River. This poss has been in disuse .since the days of the noted wan lor-chief Te Waharoa, who, I believe, closed it foi-btiateglcal purposes, when he bioke up his settlement on the WhakiurMiiMiia and Te Puna block, and letncd upon Mtit.iiu.ito, fiom the Tauranga J)istnct. Since tir^t healing of the Pass, I lia\e felt convinced in my own mind that to Tauianga settleis, tint, route — even if it weie at the fust a costly one — is most woithy of their undivided attention, being centrally situated between the Katikati and Tauianga townships, and the neaiest and most dnect loutc to connect with the Itotoin.i, Thames and Waikato-AucMand s\ stems of railways now_ existing, or in course of actual formation. A line of coaches « mild piepjrethe way foi a lailway, and would in the meantime, by this roote bring large numberb of Waikato and Auckland families : whe would be only too glad to spend their sutnmei mouths and hoalth money at Tauianga, and enjoy that uuiivallcd treat, to an in land settler— a picnic at Maunganui and its beautiful ocean beach. I feol suie, if youi sottleis vvill move themselves in tins matter, they will meet with the wai m co-upeiation of all Waikato and Te Aroha settleis. And fmthcrinoic, as a load through this pass, would open up the Waiharakeke and othei Ciown lands for settlement, the Government .should see their way to suppoit the mattoi. ]\[oieovei, lam infoimed by one of the natives who acconipamod Dr. Shortland—on the occa-ion of Ins going to Tauianga by this tiaek, many yeais ago — t!i it on one of the steep spuis dippinsr into the |j.f-s was picked up a specimen of quaitz. showing gold. The native chief before mentioned has offeied, o - i be\eral occasions, to accompany me, or anyone who may be appointed to esploie this route; and I mentioned this fact to your enterprising eoich-piopiiotdi, Mi RubLMLsoii, when ] List saw him in Hamilton, and suggestel to him that he should move >our council toappouit C.i pt. Tinner (whose proved e\|)eutMice and success in piospecting loads thiough difficult wooded country eminently qualities him for the position) to nuclei take the w oik of e\plonng and estimating the cost of a road for coach tiaffie thiough the above-named pass; and if this be done, I shall be happy to lender that gentlemen any assistance I can m mtioducing him to the natives win) will guide him tinough, or in any other way that I am able.