168-
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

hood is the mountain of Tawara, rising con-
spicuously out of the plain. A branch road
runs from here to Rotorua and the lakes.
Hence to Opepe it passes, through a fine level
country, to the numerous small settlements
situated on the skirts of the bush, remarkable
alike for the fertility of the soil, and the absence
of any springs or streams of water; the Natives
principally depending upon rain water caught
in the troughs made for the purpose. The
distance from Waikato to Opepe is twelve miles.
From Opepe the road continues through beau-
tiful grassy plains to Rangitaiki, a small shal-
low stream, which flows through the plains and
empties itself into the Whakatane Harbour.
Thence to the settlement of Whakatu, crossing
one small stream.

Leaving Whakatu, a small piece of bush, two
swamps close together, about a mile of broken
and hilly country, and a very difficult piece of
bush of two miles with two dangerous and
steep gullies in it have to be crossed; next
come the Waiharara River, 30 feet wide and
2 feet deep, with a rocky bottom, one narrow
creek and three small gullies; then the road is
good for about three miles, until it arrives at the
long, steep, and dangerous descent to Waipunga
River, which is about 50 feet wide, with a
gravelly bottom; this River has again to be
crossed three times in the next four miles, each
crossing place being bad from the steep descent
and ascent on either side. The road then
passes five swamps, two creeks, and through three
miles of bush to Tarawera, a large settlement,
of which the Rangihoroa is the chief. Leaving
this Settlement it runs through some fine grass
land for nearly two miles—avoiding the road
crossing the Waipunga (on account of its depth)
it is best to follow the new track to the Westward
up the hill and through the bush to a considera-
ble distance higher up on the Waipunga, where
the water is not more than 2 feet 6 inches deep.
The rise to the mountains of Turangakumu
commences immediately on crossing the river
Waipunga, and is the longest, the most tedious,
and the highest, of all the hills on the road.
Six small creeks are met with in the ascent.
Descending the mountain, the road runs for
about 6 miles through a very broken and hilly
country, principally covered with fern, but in-
tersected by small pieces of bush, to a large
bush about 2 miles long, through which the
Natives have cleared a good road, and over 2
miles more of open fern land, and crossing
two creeks to the Haroto, a Native settlement.
From here there are two roads to the Mohaka
river, one for foot passengers, with numerous
swamps, but only 1½ mile in distance, the other
3 miles long, being circuitous in order to avoid
the swamps and gulleys. The Mohaka is by
far the most rapid river on this road. I found it
at the crossing place only 2 feet deep, but so
rapid and strong was the current as to necessi-
tate two of my party being dragged across by
ropes; it is about 30 yards wide, but liable to
sudden and heavy freshes. From the Mohaka
there is an open but very hilly road for 2½
miles, crossing two small creeks and 6 swamps

to Titiokura, the point of the range where
the road passes over it, and where the first view
of the coast is obtained. After two miles more
through a level country, is a bush 2½ miles,
long, through which a good open track has
been cut by Mr. Grey, a settler living in the
district. There are two muddy creeks in this
Bush. Half a mile beyond it is the first Sheep
Station (Te Pohue, Mr. Grey's). From this
place the road, I understood, was to be altered,
I may remark that in the 20 miles to Petane
from Te Pohne, there are 45 River crossing,
7 swamps, and one Mountain, Karongamaipapa,
all of which will be avoided by the road pro-
posed to be taken through Crown lands some few
miles to the Southward of the present line, which
road has been explored by some of the Napier
settlers.

W. N. SEARANCKE,
Surveyor,
Land Purchase Department.

Treasury,
Auckland, October 20th, 1857.

PURSUANT to the provisions of the
"New Zealand Native Reserves Act,
1856," the following Reports are published for
general information.

E. W. STAFFORD,
In the absence of Mr. Richmond.

I, WILLIAM N. SEARANCKE, a person duly
appointed in that behalf under the provisions
of the "New Zealand Native Reserves Act,
1856," hereby report that I have ascertained
the assent of the aboriginal inhabitants of the
District of Kawhia to the Grant by his
Excellency the Governor of New Zealand to
the Superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission
in New Zealand or his successors in trust,
pursuant to the provisions of the said Act, of a
piece of Land, situated at Kawhia, on the
Waiharakeke River, and known by the name
of "Té Kahikatea," "Ohaua," containing one
hundred and sixty-nine acres (169 acres), for
the site and endowment of a School for Natives
and Half-castes in connection with the Wes-
leyan Mission.

WILLIAM N. SEARANCKE,
Govt. Surveyor,
Land Purchase Department.

10th September, 1857.
Report adopted, with the advice and consent
of the Executive Council of the Colony, this
nineteenth day of October, 1857.

T. GORE BROWNE,
Governor.

F. G. STEWARD,
Clerk of Executive Council.

I, WILLIAM N. SEARANCKE, a person duly
appointed in that behalf under the provisions
of the "New Zealand Native Reserves Act,
1856," hereby report that I have ascertained
the assent of the aboriginal inhabitants of the
District of Aotea to the Grant by his Excel-
leney the Governor of New Zealand to the