A TRIP TO HIKURANGI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1923, 1 November 1884, Page 3

A TRIP TO HIKURANGI.

A coKRi>roNDKNi, P.K., sends us the following : — Being bent on seeing a little (if Maonland I took an oppoitunity of availing mys-elf of a trip to Hikurangi, making a st.irt froi" Alexandia. After nding over the Whatiwhatihoe bridge to my delight the roads weie veiy diy, with a few creeks to cioss heie and there, but little on the tiack to cause paiticulai attention. However, the country is of an undulating character, and veiy suitable for geneial farming operations. After nding about thiiteen miles I came to an enoi moui hill, which almost drove me home again. Aftci descending I looked back, and to my astonishment it seemed almost peipendicular. I commenced to wondci if I was on my right tiack, and after consulting a while 1 decided to mine on, as the day was passing away. Another mile or so on F. •arne to a laige but almost dc-cited village, which has evidently been a \eiy linpoitant hettlement of the nati\e-. I looked to see if theie was any indication of human beings, but to my sin pi l'-e theic wai none whatevei. A few pig- and a few head ot cattle weie .ill tint van to be been. Another half mile and Okoko camp was reashed, whine I found feed foi lxn-e and self. After lesting for the night J staited to nisj cct the mad, which it is intended to inn thmugh to Kawhia. Travelling for about half an-lioui T came to a paity of armed constabulary, wlio weie zealously working away, some sawing, (»tlieis dealing, and a numbei blasting. The load foi about one mile and ten chains, it> quite suitable foi a raniage with four-in-hand, and is fiom fifteen to eighteen feet wide, after which the width i& only about feet wide foi a distance of about ten and a-half mile--, all of which, with one except ion (an linnieiiie piece of rock which only awaiti ienio\al by the aid of blasting ~\>o\\ del) is completed foi tiathc, and will be (i boon to tiau'llei- who may wibh to\isitone of oui be^thaiboui^.. The whole of the, load to Kawhia 1- now let in contract-, and will, in the win -oof a shoit time, be available foi the tia\elling public. The grading is lcmaikablj good and easy, and lefiects gieat cicdit on the sui\ey<>i' and engiucrr, and the woik is being well done by the mcmbei-. of the Aimed Constabulary under Captain C.ipel'- chaige. 1 heal the ioyd was to ha\e been earned to some point on the Waipa, but now it i-> (tlnough some ])etition I am informed) to be canned to Alexandra.