D.—6

2

consequent addition to the long downgrade to the Wanganui Eiver at Taumaranui; and the poor nature of the country in the region of the Waimarino Plain and the Ongaruhe Valley. The objects in view were, therefore, to obtain a line which should not rise any considerable height after passing Ohakune until after crossing the Wanganui Eiver, and which should pass through country more suitable for settlement by means of small farms. To effect these objects, the idea was to utilise the Valley of the Ohura Eiver, a long tributary from the westward of the Wanganui Eiver, which valley was known to be suitable for railway construction for a considerable distance, having been previously explored for three-quarters its whole length in connection with and utilised for some twenty miles for the Stratford route of the North Island trunk line, surveyed a few years ago. Such a course would therefore aid in shortening the Stratford line, the future connection with Taranaki, to the extent of one-quarter of its length. The first efforts were devoted to obtaining as direct a line as possible from Ohakune to the Ohura Valley. The confluence of the Ohura Eiver with the Wanganui Eiver lies due north-west (mag.) from Ohakune. Following this course for about nine miles the country is a slightly undulating plateau, with a decided slope in the direction of the courses of the rivers, so that the rises and falls caused by the undulations could be lessened or avoided altogether by contouring. At the end of the 9m. the elevation is about the same as at Ohakune. A sudden change in the features of the country then occurs, the plateau being succeeded by a mazy succession of sharp ridges and gullies with precipitous sides. This necessitates following the valleys to obtain a suitable line, and forces a slight deviation to the westward from the course. The main valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao Eiver first presents itself, being followed down to the confluence of the Pekanga Stream. The lowest level reached in the Valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao is where the turn up the Pekanga Valley occurs. It is about I,OOOft. below Ohakune. This descent is accomplished by a continuous grade of 1 in 50 from the 9m. point. A tributary of the Manganui-o-te-Ao Eiver, called the Orautaha, would be followed a short distance on the plateau between Bm. and 9m. ; thence, as this valley falls too rapidly to be utilised, the line would have to turn up the Manganui-o-to-Ao Valley in order to obtain sufficient distance for the grade. This makes the lowest point at the Pekanga Stream, about nineteen miles from Ohakune. As the general fall in bottom of the valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao Eiver is approximately as steep as the grade of the railway, it necessarily follows that the valley must be followed up to reach the bottom. This is an objectionable feature, causing an increase in distance ■ without getting ahead. The line would then follow up the Pekanga Stream for half a mile, and enter the valley of the Mokau Stream by means of a tunnel, some 25 chains in length, through the intervening ridge. The Mokau Stream would then bo followed up to its source in the divide between it and the Eetaruke Eiver, requiring a rise in the time of some 900 ft. The actual saddle is about I,looft. above the lowest point, or 100 ft. above Ohakune; but about 200 ft. of the rise can be avoided by tunnelling, thus reducing the summit-level to the 900 ft. mentioned above. The line has now proceeded about thirty miles from Ohakune, and arrived at a point only 100 ft. below that place — i.e., instead of fulfilling the object of not rising any considerable height before crossing the Wanganui Eiver it has risen 900 ft., or some 200 ft. more than the original route. Further progress along this route was barred, by the country ahead consisting of precipices, down which it would be impossible to construct a line limited to l-in-50 grades with anything like reasonable expenditure. Further examination of this route was therefore abandoned. The country passed over to 9m., being a plateau with fair soil, offers special facilities for settlement. Beyond this the country is simply a mass of precipitous hills and gullies, being fit for little else than a forest reserve. Both the Pekanga and Mokau Streams run in small gorges with precipitous sides in the valleybottom, the spurs from the main ridges on either side generally running out to the creek gorge and terminating in a bluff, rendering travelling along or across the valleys an extremely difficult and arduous undertaking. This formation of the country will also cause road construction anywhere but on the ridge-tops to be almost impracticable. The main valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao Eiver is also very broken, the river having for miles perpendicular banks on both sides cut in the sandstone, varying in height from 40ft. or 50ft. to 100 ft. or more. In other places, the banks are easy slopes, alternating with high bluffs, so that a fairly even road parallel to the river is out of the question. As regards scenery, both picturesque and grand, the valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao Eiver, in its present state, with its clothing of indigenous forest, will be difficult to surpass, and would prove a great attraction to tourists. No doubt, a road judiciously located with this object between the Wanganui Eiver and the Waimarino Plain, via the valley, would form part of a highway from Wanganui to Eotorua, which, as a tourist route, could not be excelled in New Zealand. The geological formation of the country in the region of the plateau is distinctly volcanic, the subsoil being volcanic tufa, whilst the rest of the country consists of a soft sandstone, interspersed with fossil remains of sea shell-fish and indurated pieces forming boulders. The bush consists of rimu, kahikatea, tawa, matai, towai (Weinmannia racemosa), rata, hinau, maire, pokako, with a few kawhaka and totara trees on the plateau, and some beech near Ohakune and on some spurs down the Manganui-o-te-Ao Valley, Fagus fusca, F. cliffortioides, and F. vienziesii being noticed. The soil on the broken country appears to be generally of good quality, and much superior to that on the plateau, the difference being very marked as the mountains are approached. If the country were a little less broken, the superior quality of the soil could be taken full advantage of, and a large population located on some small holdings, with an outlet for their produce by the Wanganui Eiver, via the Valley of the Manganui-o-te-Ao, but as it is the rougher parts are only suitable for forestry, the rest for large sheep- and cattle-runs. There can be no doubt that when the bush is felled and the roots decay a large percentage of the surface-soil will be lost