A TRIP TO THE TUNAIKE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2958, 30 June 1891, Page 2

A TRIP TO THE TUNAIKE.

[WHATAWHATA CORRKSPOXDKNT. ] Havinu received an invitation from Mr RichmoaJ, a settler who has recently taken up laud under the perpetual lease system at the Tuuaike creek, to pay the district a vibit, your correspondent found himself one day last week leaving Whatawhala iu company with Mr Richmond, bound for the Tuuaike. The road, or rathor track, leaves the main road to Raglan at Mr Higgiusou's corner, and heads, so to speak, direct for the lauges After ascending the ridge of foothills, which run parallel with the river, a good view of the Tuuaike valley is obtained, and few would credit the large area of good open land which it contains. The Tuuaike creek takes its rise iu the mountains, aud after winding through this valley, empties itself into the Waipa, some five miles below Whatawhata. The land along it is of excellent quality, and in some places, where alluvial Hats appear to have been deposited, ia very rich indeed, and well coated with cocksfoot and other grasses. One peculiarity about this creek is the heavy growth of flax along its banks, so that standing on any of the surrounding hills the windings of the Tunaike arc plainly distinguishable by the green line of flax. This commodity will be useful again, now that the Karakariki mill is about to resume operations, the business being taken over by Mr Hansen. The ouly settlers iu the Tuuaike Valley at present are Mr W. McLeish, j'uu., and Mr Richmond, but others have recently obtained sections, so that there ia every probability of the district being better developed before very long. Mr McLeish has affected considerable improvements upon his section, having a commodious residence, and a considerable breadth of land ready for spring sowing with grass. We pushed on pist Mr McLeish's, following the Tunaike, which up here becomes a real mountain stream, with gravelly bed, but still carrying its wonderful growth of flax, until we reached Mr Richmond's selection. This is at the foot of the main range, being perhaps five miles from the Waipa river, aDd contains somo very rich flats, as well as valuable bush, a number of totara posts now being taken out. After partaking at Mr Richmond's hospitable table, of some real bachelor's fare, including what he called " Captain Cook's wild pork," we again started up the creek. High up as Mr Richmond's selection is, there are others still higher, and which arc open for selection under perpetual lease. These, it may be remembered, wire surveyed sumo time ago by Mr Philips, and though it might be supposed that land lying so fur back iu the ranges would be quite useless, it is astonishing the extent ot open laud there is 1 ; much of it ploughable, and of th« best quality. For sheep aud cattle runs such land should be very valuable, and grass seed could be surface sown, or harrowed iu. Mr Richmond, who comes from Hawke's Bay, stated that such land down there would be very quickly grassed and stocked. The air upon these higher lands is very clear and braciuc, aud there can be little doubt that at no distant date these fertile and healthy mountain valleys and slopes will be the homes of many industrious and prosperous familes. In wishing good-bye to the Tuuaike, perhaps I may add, that should auy of my readers want a day's outing amid mountain scenery, and are prepared for what racing men term a pipe-opener, they cannot do better than place themselves in the hands of Mr Richmond, who though advanced in years, seems to step over these hills with the lightness and activity of a chamois,