THE CENTRAL ROUTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2769, 12 April 1890, Page 2

THE CENTRAL ROUTE.

[by telegraph.—press association.] Ohaupo, Friday. The Ministerial party divided on April sth, Messrs Russell, Fergus, Murray and Bell going.to Moawhanga, and Messrs Bruce and Newman rode to Studholme's station. The remainder, with pack horses, went along the railway line. On Sunday all parties unite, preparing for a inarch to Turaneiri, 65 miles from Marton. For 50 miles the most luxuriant sward of grass was met with, and the party express surprise at the richness of the soil and the splendid forests of white pine, maitai and totara country, stretching 25 miles across to Ruahine. At Taurangiri the main road from Napier strikes the North Island railway line, and many other roads converge there, and tins will be an important township. The land east and west is clear of bush, and all first-class. Inland of Patea there is a very extensive clear country, nine miles inland, between the confluence ot the Hautapu and Rangitikeirivers particularly fine self-sown grass was passed through. The Ministerial party were much struck with the resemblance of the vegetation on the Muromotu plain with that of Otago. The central Murotrotu plain is only poor country. On the railway route the watersheds of the Turakina, Wangaehu, and Whanganui rivers are mostly capital forest land, with rich soil, and useful timber is very abundant. This is the largest primeval forest in the colony, andwill provide work for mills for a number of years, all this traffic drawing into the central railway at Karero. On Monday the party started for Waimarino and passed through a splendid country, on Tuesday they rode to Taumarunui through dense bush and soaking rain. The ministerial party expect to reach Wanganui at midday on Tuesday, the whole trip has been very successful, tha average distance has been 27 miles a day over bad roads, and bush tracks. Very few natives Were seen along the route, and all looking very poor almost squalid, with wretched places and ruined whares. The road from Taumarunui to Mokau runs through a very poor country chiefly fern. No casualty occurred, and the party is lookintr forward to the trip down the VVanganui River. InMongahuhia Valley is a splendid totara forest, the finest portion being on the Waimarino block 72.