Europeans against the natives; the greatest good
feeling has existed between them, nor have I
heard a case of misconduct alleged against any
one of the natives who have been in my em-
ployment. I have the honor to be,
your Excellency's most obedient servant,
C. HAMILTON RUSSELL, Capt. 58th Regt.
Supt. Military Roads,
To His Excellency, the Governor-in-Chief,

Wellington, 1st July, 1847.

SIR,— I have the honor to inform you that
the road from Wellington to Pai-tu-mokai, about
three miles above the Lake on the Plains of
Wairarapa, has now been laid out from end to
end, the entire distance being about 39 miles.
Judging from what has been already executed,
making the most liberal allowance for all con-
tingencies, and including expences of every de-
scription, the total cost will not exceed
£14,136 16s. 8d., or £9991 13s. 4d., in addition
to what has been already expended, and I have
no doubt whatever, but that the whole road
will be completed by May, 1848. The accom-
panying statement of the expense and tracings,
will show in detail what has been done, and the
relative cost of each part. On the whole line
there will be no gradient with a greater average
inclination than 1 in 20, so that a single horse
may draw either way almost as heavy a load
as could be taken along the beach at Wellington.

From Pai-tu-Mokia, to the head of the Lakes,
there is a good natural road, which only re-
quires the banks of a small stream to be cut
down, so that a cart and horse may ford it, to
be immediately available. This of course, throws
the road open to the present settlers at Waira-
rapa, who can easily bring their wool or other
produce, in boats to the head of the lake, and
cart it from thence to Wellington, without risk,
and at an infinitely cheaper rate than they can
send it thither, by the present unsafe, tardy and
most expensive way.

In a north-easterly direction from Pai-tu-
Mokai, a road may be carried I believe, for 30
or 40 miles, at an almost nominal expense per
mile, and how much farther I cannot at present
pretend to say, most of the country being open,
and in many cases having a hard gravelly bed,
the only expense would be in going through the
belts of bush, intervening. between the plains,
and in constructing bridges across rivers, many
of which however might be avoided by a care-
ful selection of the line.

Near the Wai-o-hine, at a distance of about
14 miles from Pai-tu-Mokai, is a very large ex-
tent of excellent bush land, which will most pro-
bably be the site of a future settlement; as it is
the only considerable tract in the lower part of
the Wairarapa, that would be worth settling,
for the purposes of agriculture, as all the bush
land lower down along the banks of the Rua-
mahunga, is comparatively worthless, and as the
land near the Wai-o-hine, is such as would not
bring in any rent to the Natives for grazing
sheep or cattle, and as they have more than
enough of bush land for all their present and
future wants in detached pieces, I think it
would be no very difficult matter to obtain a
large extent of it from them. . .

From enquiries I have made on the subject,
I believe that but one range of hills of any
magnitude would have to be crossed between
Wairarapa and Faupo Lake, and I should ima-
gine, from all I can learn, that by omitting to

build bridges over the larger rivers, and merely
establishing chain ferries that could be worked
by a person on either bank, a road such as would
answer for posting, or the conveyance of ex-
presses, might be carried through with great
rapidity, and at a very moderate expense. By
making such a road not more than six feet wide
at all difficult places, the expense would be very
trifling, and at the same time would answer
for many years, for the passage of troops, and
narrow guage carts, that would bring them
supplies, if required for such a purpose, in addi-
tion to its ordinary uses. From the tracing
accompanying this report, it will be seen that
the head of the Manawatu and Wanganui rivers
would be thrown open by it, and of course ren-
der them no longer the safe place of retreat they
at present afford to rebellious or disaffected na-
tives, besides opening up a vast extent of country
for grazing and other advantageous pursuits.

The natives of Wairarapa, and those of their
tribe, (Ngatikahunas), living at Ahuriti, and
the East Coast, although at first inclined to ques-
tion the propriety of their allowing the road to
go on have decided in its favor, and are now
coming in considerable numbers to work on it,
and are very anxious that it should go up the
valley, towards the interior, chiefly I suppose,
for their own sakes, that they may all in turn
benefit by working at it. I may here observe
that the system of employing them as labourers
on the roads, appears to have succeeded in a
most extraordinary degree, and confers an incal-
culable benefit on them; from a lazy, indolent
set of people, they are now becoming quiet,
active and industrious, they are fond of money,
and spend it well, generally for European clo-
thing, or for provisions; and in acquiring other
useful property. And I must say, after nearly
twelve months experience, that I believe a
very considerable advantage is derived by the
Government in employing them, for at the re-
lative rates of pay between them and Europeans,
I think they do almost as much as Europeans,
although few of them have been accustomed to
regular work for a longer period than 8 or 9
months; as a proof of which, I may state that
the contractors for portions of the road, have
found it their interest to employ many of them
at 2s. 6d. per day. When they have been em-
ployed for two or three years, and live con-
stantly on good solid food, I think they will be
little inferior to the generality of Europeans,
and far surpass them in many things, especially
in the facility with which they acquire a know-
ledge of all new kinds of work. How it affects
them in a political point of view, it is not for
me to say, but it certainly must have the effect
of keeping many restless and turbulent spirits,
usefully employed, that might be engaged in
mischief, if left to themselves. And with the
supply of native labour that can in future be com-
manded, I am sure that by proper management,
works of no ordinary magnitude might be un-
dertaken, and carried through, in any required
time by their means.

I have, &c., &c.,
T. H. FITZGERALD,
Surveyor,

To His Honor the Superintendent,
&c., &c., &c.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, August 6th, 1847..

HIS EXCELLENCY the Governor has been
pleased to give directions for the pub..