46

There are other promising districts available for
settlement along the Buller, the first of which in
point of distance would be the Owika, a fine flat coun-
try from 16 to 20 miles from the port.

The Inangahua, 25 miles from port, which is a most
attractive looking and extensive district, and splen-
didly timbered. The Maraia valley and the magnifi-
cent stretch of flat land at the junction of the Mata-
kitaki, Matiri, and Buller rivers, where the land and
timber appear to be of excellent quality. These are
the principal and most extensive districts, but there
are many other valley along the whole course
of the Buller, in all of which some good and available
land will be found.

I must now enter into a few details as to what will
be required on the line of road along the Buller, in
order to give every facility to travellers, and to provide
for their safety.

Commencing at the Port I have to make the
following suggestions:—

The appointment of a Harbor Master, and the
arrangement by him of a set of signals, &c., for the
guidance of vessels frequenting the Port.

A good whale boat, or life boat, to be always in
readiness, and in full equipment, in case of accident,
to be under the charge of the Harbor Master, and
kept in a proper shed built for the purpose.

The establishment of a Ferry Boat, to convey
passengers across the river, the same to be placed
under strict regulations, and in charge of some
capable and responsible person, the charges and rules
being of course fixed by Government.

The laying out of a Township, on the north side of
the river, larger and extending more up the river
than by the present plan, and the survey of the back
land into suburban and rural sections, a broad line of
road being first laid out, leading to the coal districts.

It appears also, that it would be desirable to
reserve a breadth of road between the river and the
town and other sections, as the necessity for a long
Wharf or Quay for shipping purposes, will be felt as
the settlement progresses.

The reserve of the island lying a short distance
from the mouth of the river for public purposes.

The laying out of a township at the commence-
ment of the road on the South Side, above the Maori
Reserve, proper reserves being made for the ferry
and other purposes.

A Reserve for an Accommodation House, about 12
miles from Port, say at the first river Ohika.

The laying out of a township on the Inangahua
River where the line of road crosses it, a ferry being
established, and a reserve made for it. (The present
ford is ordinarily about knee-deep and 100 yards
wide, with fine flat shingle; a good site for a ferry
exists just above.)

This I anticipate will be a most important station,
as any road leading from the Buller to the Grey,
must be taken from this point up the Inangahua
valley, and down the Mawhera-iti to the Grey. I
should strongly recommend that at least a foot-track
be made between these important rivers.

The establishment of a ferry on the Buller as near
the Lyell as possible; the river is not adapted for a
ferry at that point, being rapid and dangerous; but a
safe part of the river could be chosen, say a little
above, and a track cut along the banks to the Lyell.
This suggestion would apply to any other portion of
the river where diggings might be established on the
north banks, and to which a road was not made.

A ferry and reserve at the Maruia; in this, however,
we have choice, as a favorable site exists for a bridge,
a little above its mouth, and I believe a bridge could
be built as cheaply or nearly so, as the additional
length of road could be made to the fordable part of
the river, where the ford is in two branches, with an
island between, each 100 yards wide and two feet
deep; a place for a ferry could be found close by.

A foot-track up the Maruia (this has already been
blazed for some distance,) to communicate with the
road from Hanmer Plain to the Grey.

At the Matakitaki, a ferry to be established; a very
good place exists for it just above the present ford,
which is in two branches, each about 60 yards wide,
and two to two and half feet deep; (also a foot road
up the valley.)

I may remark that just above this river, the Buller
is fordable in ordinary weather, the Matiri valley
lying opposite, of considerable breadth and extent,
and apparently offering facilities for a road being
made up it. Above this we come to the Mangles,
which we do not cross, except where it is very small,
and arrive next at the Roto-roa, or Big Lake. Here
we have a good ford, eight to ten chains wide, and
two feet deep when low, but ordinarily much higher.
A ferry should be established here with a good large
reserve.

A bridge will, I think, be needed on the Buller,
somewhere just below Roto-iti, where the banks ap-
pear to be high and favorable for its erection, and
the river of no great breadth. I should remark,
however, that this part of the river is easily passable
in ordinary times, and is neither deep nor broad.

At the junction of the Black Valley and Big Bush
there is a reserve to be made for an Accommodation
House.

It is quite probable that I may have neglected to
mention many points of interest connected with the
Buller district; but should such be the case, they
shall all be included in a supplementary report.

My report on the Buller and Grey Coal-fields shall
be prepared as soon as possible; and I shall conclude
this with a few brief remarks on the subject of rail-
ways, which may not be inappropriate here.

Looking to the probability of a railway being at no
very distant day required to connect the large and
important district of the Buller with Nelson, I have
from time to time directed my attention to the subject,
and since my last journey, am enabled to state that a
line, indicated generally by the course of the main
south road, viz., by Wai-iti Valley, Motueka Valley,
and Motupiko Valley, thence to the head of the
Buller, and down that river by way of the Devil's
Grip, could be easily carried out, that the gradients
would be favorable, and the works not heavy, at
least as far as the Maruia, below which greater
difficulties would have to be overcome, but would not
be insurmountable.

The bridging of the large rivers and numerous
smaller streams and gullies, and the cost of the
items of expense, the more so that the general level
of the road would require to be kept high to be clear
of the very heavy floods to which the Buller is sub-
ject.

The line already described by way of Tadmor
Valley to the Buller, would also offer an easy route,
but not I think with such favorable gradients as that
above described; it would however have this advan-
tage, that should the Wangapeka and Karamea dis-
tricts be opened by railway, this line could be formed
as another branch of the same.