A TRIP TO THE KANIWHANIWHA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2742, 8 February 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

A TRIP TO THE KANIWHANIWHA.

[BY OUB WIIATA WUATA CORRESPONDENT.] Tuose who have read " Gerstackor'a Trip to the Diggings in the Rainy Season," will have a good idea of w&at a trip to thoKauiwhaniwha in formor times meant; then the first quoetion aeked by travellers meeting on the roa,d was, How ia the Mangakohi and the Kaniwhaniwha ? as though these mountain streams were delicate patients, in whose progress the tired wayfarer was deeply interested; but the secret lay in the f ict that there were no bridges, and tho pleasant crossing of today might be the dangerous ford of tomorrow, All this ia changed, and anyone desiring a pleasant and healthful drive through picturesque scenery should have accompanied tho writer on a recent trip to tho Kaniwhauiwha. Grossing the handsome bridge spanning the Wai pa at Whatawhata, which stern economists may say was built some years before its time (though this remark might perhaps be applied to the majority of our public works) the remembrance of the opening day comes back vividly. Tho string of settlers from Raglan and the Waipa, the late Mr F. A. Whitaker (our member at that time) in the midst of them, delivering an eloquent speech. Once over the bridge, wo pass tho prettily-situated farm of Mr A. Calder, and its well-kept fences and European looks, form a striking contrast to the large block of native land adjoining, upon which some natives are settled. The small, irregular patches of their crops showing green, side by side with the brown plots full of weeds and thistles, where the crops of last year were grown, and here and there straggled over the whole block, are native whares and tethered horses, all forming a scene characteristic of Maori life, which once so common is now so seldom seen. The western Waipa road runs close to the river, touching it, so to speak, at every bend. Passing through very fertile land to the left we leave Mr McLeishs' and Mr Swanson's farms, and at the Mangakohi we reach the valuable block known as Kiaaling's row, owned by Mr Bruce. Here the Raglan road turns off direct to the mountain where the white line of it may be seen winding up the slopes, while we keep along the river, and just across the Waipa at this point is the old and now deserted native settlement of Tnhikaramea. Gone are the maize and potato plantations, the landing place, once crowded with canoes, is deserted and silent, a few stakes here and there showing where the palisade fencing has been, a whare or two in the fast stage of decay, is all that is left of the once busy and populous settlement. From here we follow the deviations made to avoid the hills, and the former track, perched high upon the side of the range seems a curious place for a road, yet it is the surveyed line. The extraordinary places which these old surveyed roads passed over, has been a source of wonder to many, but it has, I believe, been satisfactorily explained by the number of empty bottles which are always found in the neighbourhood of the old survey camps, and it has been asserted (though I cannot vouch for the accuracy of it), that the vagaries and eccentricities of these old roads correspond almost exactly with the number of " dead marines " strewn about. Be this as it may, the Kaniwhaniwha settlers have now a beautiful road and at this point it passes through picturesque and romantic scenery; on one side, far below us, runs the Kaniwhaniwha River, its banks fringed with tall shrnbs and bushes, and as the road winds along short reaches of this pretty stream come into view ; while on our right hand, the rugged ridges and ravines of the Hakaramata range rise higher and higher, until far above a few dead monarchs of the forest, scarred and battered, stand out against the eky like old warriors, who, in spite of age and decay, still defy the elements, and no one can doubt that, valueless as we may at present regard them, these heavily wooded ravines and slopes will yet become of great public value, particularly if we remember that a good navigable river skirts the foot of them. For a time we leave the Kaniwhaniwha River, and it disappears under a leafy canopy of tall trees, whose boughs hang over it, the grassy banks suggesting a delightful spot lo r picnic parties, and there, under a large spreading tree with a carpet of velvoty moss, we could imagine the fairies of our younger days, coming- forth in the bright moonlight to have., their dances and games; and why should we not believe it still? Surely an honest belief in such a harmless and pleasant fiction would be better, than the chronic state of doubt and sceptism, that seems to have overtaken us all, and which is best described in the memorable words of the immortal Tigg, who didn't believe, no, not even that he didn't believe. We cross the Kaaiwhaniwha on .'a handsome bridge, and there is no longer the necessity of doing what wo did in old days, driving the cattle across the ford, pulling the weaker ones out with a rops, for which attention they always rewarded us, by charging all round, directly they reached terra firma; showing that gratitude is not confined to the human family. And now we have reached Noble's, the farm par excellence of the Waipa; but where are the peach groves, for which this spot was once so famous 1 row npon rows of peach trees, laden with fruit, some white, some yellow, others larpe red cheeked ; of a quality not to be found in our cultivated orchards ; tho narrow winding paths leading from one grove to the other, where in the season aged Maori dames would frequently be met bending beneath the weight of large kits of the luscious peaches, all are gone. The axe and ploughshare of Messrs Anderson and Noble have obliterated every trace of them, yet the green sward which now occupies their place, more practical and valuable, il may be, seems but a poor substitute for the attractive peach groves of former days ; and those who know how Maoris in the season, almost lived .upon the peaches, can understand how much they must feel the loss of them, and we might almost suppose, that the disappearance, of their national fruit, had something to do with the decadence of the Maoris themselves. We are passing along the splendid road juet recently made by the well known contractor, J. C. Booth, tho coat of which was made tie subject of a sharp attack on our late member ; but it speaks well for poor Major Jackson, that his political opponents should roquiro to seize upon so useful a public work, to found a groivanco npon. At last wo stand upon the ridgo overlooking the Kaniwhaniwha Valley, and it seems only tho othor day, that Captain Rosa, a former settler, was patrolling here, carbine in hand, keeping, as ho said, a lookout for tho Maoris ; on this spot a school now stands, with its little flock assembling daily. The panics and native scares, to-« gether with the old block-house, having , disappeared for ever, the only native difficulty now remaining, boing one of our own construction, and a formidable one it is, for the interminable processes, through which every legal transaction with natives, has to go, nominally for the protection of the unsophisticated aboriginal ; but in the opinion of tho general public, really for the purpose of supporting our army of official middlemen, constitutes a native difficulty, of no mean order, and many a man who has faced the Maoris bravely in the field has retired in despair before a Native '.Land Court case. As we stand, the whole Kaniwkaniwha Valley is spread out before us, the farms of Smith, Zolfol and others, and thousands of acres of fertile land still unoccupiod ; and now we oan see the necessity for such roads as we have passed over, the tide of mea and money flowing into Waikato, has followed the well beaten and good road, and, as a consequence, we frequently see land in what we may regard as advanced districts, but which, for quality, is not to be compared to this Kaniwhaniwha soil, selling for as many pounds as it could be ,

obtained here in shillings. This district, indeed the whole of the western Waipa, has boen neglected because unknown. A very familiar Bound draws our attention to tlio fact that here, almost beneath us, is Maunder's newly erected flux mill, lots of flwc, lots of water, it should bo a profita™ mill, and "T. W." yon will cause no annoyance to anyone hero, you may grind out in peace, tliose unearthly sounds, that constitute the noise of a finxmill, which, sweet enough no doubt to the proprietor's ear, seem to have a galvanic effect upon the average country horse. And now for home, tho fresh sea breeze blowing all day, bringing with it health, and strength tD the toilers of Waikato, has died away, the last rays of the sotting sun, gilding tho tops of the groat range, throwing the dark ravines into deeper gloom, tho lengthening shadows of approachingnight softly falling upon tho delta, tho hoarse oall of tho "more-pork," mingled with the sharp cry of the " swamp-hen," all betoken fhe closo of another day ; and the thougtful traveller, pressing onward through the fast gathering darkness is filled with an earnest hope that the children now growing up, may be led to understand and appreciate the natural beauties of the charming and impressive scenery with which a beautiful Providence has surrounded us, teaching us, if we will only ace it, a lesson more beautiful and lasting than is contained iu all our theological forma put together, and that may perhaps help to counteract the effect of our somewhat hard and struggling lives, which seems to jrrind the better part of our natures out of us, leaving only what is selfish and mercen- ! ary.