NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY (REPORT OF MR. MORGAN CARKEEK, DATED 27th JULY, 1884, ON THE WESTERN ROUTE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session II, I-06a

I.—Ga.

Skss. 11.—1884. N K\V ZKALAN IX

NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY (REPORT OF MR. MORGAN CARKEEK, DATED 27th JULY, 1884, ON THE WESTERN ROUTE).

Hrturn to an Order uf (lie Ilouae of BsprUtHieti9tl, iatld UUk October, 188*. Ordered, "That them belaid Iwforc this HoOM the report of Mr. Kama (\ok. .k, Ntand to in parai;rnp!i 1' '■- of tin- luinulusof eridenat tnntjieil to tin , report of the Islmiml Main Trunk Ituilway Committee.." -(Mr. Sα

Mr. Mokoan Caukeek to the Chikf Sikveyok, Turanaki. Sir,— Otaki, 27th July, 1884. Tn reply to your telegram of the 26th instant, I have the honour to inform you that the oountn between Btratford and the depAt <>n the tfakuri River consists of good undulating bush land, well watered by the Patea River" and its tribut&rietf; the buih oontaini plenty of rimuand knhik;itru timber, of good tawing croality. Prom the Makuri to thu Mangaotuka the toil v poor, and the t-outitry for a short distance is rather rough, being a narrow steep range, about 600 feet high. The Mangaotuku Valley for the next seven or eight miles consists partly of light btuh and partly of open fern clearings, of light hut good toil : the llats. although narrow, are surrounded by low hills, about 800 foot high, with easy side dope*, covered with tawa and other light hush, easily cleared. |''or some distance now, the valley is covered alternately with kahikalea hush and iwampj patohei of scrub; the hills on both sides being still low, and covered with light bush and scrub. The valley llv doses in, and heroines near the source of the stream a mere swampy gully; the hills also increase in height from 800 Cast to about (><•() feet, with steep side slopes ; so that here the dividing mum i>.-t\\een the Mangaotuku and the Makahu is a succession of razor-back ridges, covered with black birch. Oroeainfl by a low ]>ass to the ICakahu tin? country improves, and continues good for Mime miles down the Makahu and up the Pohukura ; the llats, although narrow, are covered with both, which contains plenty of kahikatea and some riinu lit for sawing; the soil is good. Towards the !n ad ol the Pohukura the country becomes rough, with high bush ranges' on both sides, with steep side slopes and gullies, ending in papa-rock ciilTs. This country continues for some miles to the Wangamomona lliver, a branch of the Wang.uiui, when the country again improves. The Wangamoinonn Valley ii narrow, the soil is good on the ila.ts. covered partly by manuka and other scrub, an.l partly by bush, which contains good riinu, fit for sawing. From the head of the Wangamom >na tuTahoraparoa the country is broken, consisting of low hills, covered with tawa and other light bush, and in some pin s manuka and other scrub ; the soil is not good. From Tahoraparoa to the Tat garakau the soil [a bad, and th(! country rough, consisting of razor-back black-birch rang 's, divided by narrow deep gullies, with steep sides and papa-rock cliffs. The country continues ba lup the Tangarakau Biver; ooal is, however, plentiful here, and similar to that now being obtained at Mokau. 1, aving the Tangarakau, and crossing over to tho J!ao, the country improves, and continues good up the Ohura lliver ; but of this portion of the country you have a full report by Mr. A. Haw son. I have, &c, Mokoan Caukkkk, T. Humphries, Beg., Chief Surveyor, New Plymouth. Authorized Surveyor. ,

"6y AuUiority: (inonoE Diosbuhy, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB4.