FROM WAIKATO TO WHAKATANE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2467, 3 May 1888, Page 3

FROM WAIKATO TO WHAKATANE.

A VKLL-Ksow.v Cambridge settler supplies the following account of a trip to Whakatane, via Kaimai and Tauranga, made by a party of four who went there on the strength of representations made that work was plentiful in that district. " With our swags and provisions on a pack horse, we left Cambridge at noon on the 'JSth March, and proceeding over the Hinuera range, by way of Taotaoroa, camped for the night at the first bridge. Next morning we reached Mr Geo. Walker's place, Manngawhero, and were hospitably entertained by that gentleman ..-iio advised us not to attempt going through the Kaimai bush until next morning, as the track was in a. very bad state. Acting on this advice we camped at the foot of the range aud tackled the bush road the next day. During the ascent of the range we fonnd the road fairly good, but descending the other other side it was in a frightful condition, and badly wants corduroying to make it passable; a great deal of fallen timber obstructs the track, and in one place we had a narrow • ■cape of falling several hundred feet over a precipice in attempting to go round a log, as the track skirts the gullies, and several times had to unpack and diverge from the road to get our horse along. This road is in charge of the Tanrantja County, and after fortyeight hours rain would be impassable by man and beast. At 1 o'clock we emerged from the bush, and halted for dinner. There is a native settlement here, which appears to be in a thriving condition, the cultivations being well fenced, and pigs and cattle numerous. The land in this neighbourhood is of the grandest quality, but after leaving the native settlement it gets poorer, and of a sandy nature. On the road leading to Tauranga what struck us as most noticeable was the substantial construction of the bridges, each one being fit to carry a locomotive. We camped for the night ten miles from Tauranga, at a bridge crossing a stream, where many lives have been lost before the bridge was built, owing to the treacherous nature of the stream, which, though insignificent looking, is full of deep holes. Next morning, after a delay, caused by our horse breaking loose, we passed over poor country, and uoticed the generally iinprosperous appearance of the farms until some two or threo miles from Tauranga, where the laud improvesin quality. Tannmga was reached at noon ; it is a pretty township with The Strand, one mass of shops and five hotels, and in the outskirts are numerous handsome residences, but business appeared dull. We put up at host Davidson's Tauranga hotel, where we found first-class accomodation. On Sunday we rode out to the Gate Pa, where the land is good, but the farms badly kept, indicating lack of capital to farm the land profitably. In the afternoon we visited the cemetery, which is prettily-situated, overlooking the harbour, and were impressed with the splendid order in which it ie kept, contrasting with the condition into which some of the Waikato burial grounds have fallen, and the lack of attention paid to the graves of the soldiers who are buried there. A start was again made on Tuesday, and finding there were two roads to our destination, one of which, across the harbour, involved swimming the horse, I sent two of the party via Te Puke, and my mate and myself started across the beach, getting drenched by the sea as we did so, the weather being rough. After crossiug the harbour the road runs two miles across sand hills, in which one finks to the knees at each step, until the beach ie reached. When we got to the beach the tide was nearly in, pnrl my mate keeping rather close to the breakers, was caught by a wave and nearly swept off his feet; the beach, however, is a grand road if the tide is out. On our left we could see the island of Motiti, owned partly by a Mr Douglas and partly by natives. We were informed that the island is remarkably fertile, growing 100 bushels of maize to the acre, and that at certain seasons if cuttle are lying down, they cannot he seen at a distance of two chains for the clover. We arrived at Maketu at half past eight p.m., tired and parched with thirst as not a drop of water was obtainable on the way. On the bank oF the river, the Waihi, wo had to coo-ee for an hour before two natives came over with a canoe, and demanded the modest sum of four shillings to put us across. We put up at Clark's hotel. There is one other hotel at Maketu, Robinson's, and three stores owned by natives, one of which would be a credit to any European settlement, and provisions were quite as cheap as in Cambridge. The population of Maketu is nearly all native, and in common with all these settlements it possesses a lari;e wharepuni with a big bell, which rings for service morning and evening every day. Next morniug we left Miikntu. One mile out is a ferry across the Otamarakau, where a charge it} made by the native ferryman of sixpence per head, and one shilling for each horse swum. The tide being in we could not take the beach track, so took the telegraph line, where we toiled through sand up to our knees for three hours when we again tried the beach, and on looking back were disgusted at the slight progress we had made. However, we now made headway, and at dusk reached a river, and after I had tried it and found it waist deep, we crossed by unpacking and humping the swags over. Two miles further, and it was too dark to go on, so making a tether line fast to a telegraph pole, we rigged our tent for the night. Along thin line there is plenty of fresh water. Next morning, after an early start, we came to another river in aboiu a mile, where we repeated the unpacking process, and reached Matata at 8 a.m. There is one European resident here, and about 400 natives; an accommodation house is kept by a half-caste, but he had run out of supplies, and we could only got biscuits and tinned mutton. The soil in this neighbourhood is of a grand deascription, but the natives seem poor ; the distance from Maketu is 20 miles, and from Tauranga 40. Leaving Matata for Whakatane, It) miles distant, the natives advised us to carry water with us, and after a tiresome walk through the heavy sand, we reached a linger-post denoting the road to Whakatane, which diverges at tins point. Here we sunk ankle deep in the volcanic dust from the Tarawera eruption, and after two miles arrived at the bank of the Whakatane river, where there is a ferry with the same charge as at Matata. Whakatane possesses one hotel, a couple of stores, a telephone office, and several private dwellings, and appears to be a dull sort of place, and very little can be seen of the country, aa the settlement is at the foot of a heavy range. Next morning we made along the Whakatane Valley, one of the most fertile spots that can be conceived, hundreds and hundreds of acres of maize growing luxuriantly from eight to nine feet in height, bearing from 70 to SO bushels per acre, and growing the same crop year after year, for five or six years, without a pound of manure. Where the land was in grass Or clover the sight was beautiful to look at, even after the dry weather that had been prevailing. For eleven miles we passed through land of this quality, even the swamps, which arc now being drained, until we arrived at the Wliakatane cattle station after 5!, days actual walking from Cambridge.

After a short stay, matters turning out unsatisfactorily, our party broke up, two going on to Opotiki while I unci my mate made for home. After crossing the river on our return we tried the inland route for a while, but soon returned to the beach, reaching Matata at 4 p.m., where we could get uo ration but two and a-shalf pounds of biseuita. Ahout sundown, three inilcs out from Matata, the sea rising and the weather looking bad, we made for soir.e acacias wo could see inhind, and found they were on the inland route. Here we camped thrc a storm that lasted all nigh! , , completely drenching our clothes, blankets, biscuits, etc., and were glad when at daylight we boiled tho

billy and got some little warmth in us. Keeping the inland route as far .is the Waihi pa, ten miles from Matata, we found it diverge very much from the beach, and on enquiry from a native were told that the distance to Maketu, inland, was double that by the beach, so we again took the beach for it, and arrived at the Otamarakau at 4 p m. Here we vainly coo-eed for a ferry until sundown when we camped on the wet sand, cold to our bones, and without either biscuit or fresh water. In the morning we coo-eed till we were tired, trying again until "2 p.m., when our only plan appeared to be to retrace our steps to the Waihi, and from thence take the inland route. Fortunately at the time we saw some natives on the opposite bank ; they had no canoe, but brought their horses across and got us over, charging us five shillings. It appears we were victims of the retrenchment policy, the ferry which existed at the Otamarakau when we first crossed it, having been kept up by a mailman, who had been retrenched in the interval. We reached Clark's at 5 o'clock, aud as may be imagined, heartily enjoyed our supper. While travelling alonn these beaches I found my feet blisted very much with the unwonted excercisc, until I tried walking barefoot which was an improvement; the salt water hardening the feet, and when the tide was out the beach is a good a place to walk on as an asphalte pavement. We were also fortunate in taking with us from Cambridge two pot 3 of Geinmill's ointment, which we found to act splendidly for blistered feet, chafes, etc. From Maketu to Te PuUe we travelled a grand road—made in a substantial manner, aud kept in splendid ordei — reflecting credit on the engineer, and a pattern to Waikato Councils and Road Boards. The country between Te Puke and Tauranga is good, and the farms all in good condition, and an appearance of prosperity prevails, contrasting greatly with the state of things between Tauranga and Kaiinai. On our way to Tanranga we crossed a bridge half a mile long, and arrived at Mr Davidson's at 3 p.m. Next morning we made again for the Kaimai, losing fully an hour dodging a mob of wild cattle, who persisted in charging us in all directions : after which we reached Mr Walker's hospitable roof without further misadventure, arriving at home the next day. During the trip we experienced much kindness from Mr Geo. Walker, Mr Davidson and Mr Frazer, of Te Puke.