44

at least in mild and temperate weather, how far it
may be available in the cold of winter it is difficult to
say.

It is quite probable that, as soon as the bullock-track
is complete, a system of packing, either by bullocks
or horses, will be established, and that goods will
then be delivered regularly at the diggings, without
being influenced by the uncertainty of river transit,
caused by freshes and floods.

Above the Lyell, the passage of the river is not-
safe for canoes, the falls becoming much heavier and
more dangerous.

The canoes, which always ascend in company, say
eight or ten at a time, are worked by natives, and
will carry, according to their size, from ten or twelve
cwt. up to two tons, occupying about three days in
the passage.

The charge for a passage up the river is £2 per
man, the price of flour at the diggings is £3 per 100lbs.
and other stores in proportion.

When the question of a Road to the West Coast
was under consideration, and it became necessary to
determine on some particular route on which to com-
mence operations, it was decided, on such in formation
as was then available on the subject, to commence
the road at a point in the Big Bush, to which a very
fair road was then open, and to pursue, if practicable,
the following route, viz.—Through the Black Valley,
past the Rotoiti, through the Lake run, then by the
river Howard, and round the hill to Roto-roa, up the
Leader saddle, into and down the Mangles Valley to
its junction with the Buller, and thence along the
southern bank of the latter river to the Coast.

The reasons for making choice of this line will be
made fully apparent in the latter portion of this
report.

I have accordingly examined this line of road, de-
voting my attention more particularly to the most
difficult portions of it, and am happy to be able to
state that it is practicable to form a good serviceable
road, for pack-bullocks or horses, for the whole dis-
tance.

The fact of the country being covered for the most
part with dense and tangled bush and much fallen
and dead timber, and in places with loose rocks, ren-
ders the exploration for road lines, in many places,
excessively slow, tedious, and fatiguing, but the real
difficulties in the way, though formidable enough,
are not so great as I had been led to anticipate.

The road, consisting partly of flat, and partly of
side-cutting, will be practicably level, and the work
easy of execution from the port to the first difficulty
of any consequence, which occurs at a distance of
about twelve miles from port, beyond the river Ohi-
ka-iti—and the next at about two miles further on:
these consist mostly of craggy hill-sides, which will
necessitate some patches of heavy side-cutting with
rock at intervals, at a considerable elevation, but
forming no serious obstacle, and capable of being
worked with moderate gradients.

The next difficulty occurs in that portion of the
country lying between the Lyell and Mangles rivers,
and consists mostly of a gorge, with steep hills on
both sides, rugged and broken, but with flat land at
intervals (already referred to in this report.)

This part will require careful examination, in or-
der to secure the best line, the chief obstacles being
the numerous deep gullies or ravines of all charac-
ters and sizes, which furrow the sides of the hills,
and the rocky shoulders or corners which almost al-
ways occur, where these gullies commence to fall
back from the face of the range.

Some of these gullies are very deep, and, in conse-
quence, will materially lengthen the line of road;
this, however, is unavoidable.

Large slips also occur in places, and these will give
more trouble than almost any other kind of obstacle,
from the difficulty of getting a solid track across the
face of them, or of rising to such a height as to head
them altogether. They are, however, not numerous,
and will not be difficult to avoid.

From the Mangles to the Mangles River, and up that
valley, to its second or upper portion, (some open land
intervening between) the country is all favourable
for road making. The Upper Mangles, where the
valley is narrow, will give some little trouble from
the soft nature of the upper soil, which will require
ditching and other works, to lay it dry, and render it
fit for a road; but the substratum is good, being
composed of gravel, and the distance through this
description of country is not great.

The gradient up this valley will be easy all the
way to the top of the saddle, from which to the Lake
Roto-roa is a very easy descent the whole way.

From the Roto-roa to the Howard we have to
ascend a range, at a considerable elevation, but with
good gradients at both sides, and a favorable soil to
work in, with patches of rock at intervals.

From the Howard through the Lake Run, across
the Buller, and through the Black Valley, the road
is of a level character and mostly on sound ground;
the last few miles being through bush, which though
necessarily of a softer character is not bad, and is
capable of being made a good road.

I may here state that in about a week's time the
road will be completed to the Roto-roa, and that
drays can now be taken within about six miles of that
place.

The works here I am glad to say are progressing
satisfactorily.

At the western end of the road, a length of about
six miles from the Port was completed on my depar-
ture, and the work was progressing at the rate of
about two miles per week—should we be able to
keep up this rate at both ends of the road throughout
the winter, the whole might be completed right
through in about four months from this time; but as
the winter will probably retard our operations con-
siderably, this time may be extended to six months.

Long before this, however, the road will be service-
able in a measure, at both the eastern and the wes-
tern extremity.

Besides the actual road party working up the river
from the mouth on the bullock track, I have ap-
pointed a second but smaller number of men under
another foreman, to precede them, and to cut a walk-
ing track from four to four feet wide, so as to enable
diggers and others to get up and down the river,
without the aid of canoes.

This party has also directions to cut all towing
paths along the river banks wherever necessary, to
facilitate the passage of canoes up the river.

The overseer of works there, is himself again in ad-
vance of the second party, and is employed in search-
ing for, and blazing the best line, as to gradients,
fords, cuttings, &c., &c.

The walking track, I calculate, should be finished
as far as the Lyell in about four weeks.

I annex a table of the approximate distances be-