56

TARANAKI GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

the Mokau River. Another great
cause of anxiety was the unfavourable
weather. For more than three weeks
we had but two or three fine days,
every other day it rained more or less,
and during the whole of the time we
had no dry clothes to our backs, but
were wet through every day. I think
you will at least give us credit for
doing our "level best" to get through
to our destination in the face of great
difficulties.

With regard to the nature of the
soil, minerals, timber, &c., I have to
report—

That for the first ten miles the soil
seems to be of the same nature as that
in the neighbourhood of the Mountain
Road. A light soil of a loose, friable
nature, more suitable for grass than
ploughing. The first indication of a
change of soil was noticed at the
Makuri River, where there is an entire
change. Instead of clear water and
strong boulders, as seen in all the
rivers flowing from Mount Egmont,
the river has a sandy bottom, and the
banks a mixture of clay and sand, and
from this point to the banks of the
Waitara River, some fifty miles, we
noticed the entire absence of stone in
the rivers, and the same stiff soil emi-
nently suitable in the valleys for fruit
trees and root and grain crops.

The timber varied as we proceeded
on our route. For the first twenty
miles very little change was noticed,
except the increase of red pines (rimu),
and in the valleys, white pines (kahi-
ktea); also maires were more
numerous. About thirty miles in, we
noticed some fine totara trees on the
ridges, which continued throughout
the journey. On the banks of the
Waitara River we found many fine
matai trees, and on the very highest
and steepest ridges some fine black
birch trees, but in no case did we see
any "patches" of any of the above-
mentioned trees, except the kahikatea,
which abounded on the flat lands, in
the valleys.

I have also to report the entire
absence of minerals of every description.
We found in some places near the
Patea River, quartz pebbles with mica,
in fact, mica is to be seen in every
creek however small. But from the
Patea branches to the Mimi River we
saw no sign of quartz or any other
stone except on the Waitara River,
where we saw some hard blue stone,
suitable for ballasting or metalling.

On the Makuri River, about thirty
miles in from the Mountain road, we
saw a mass of conglomerate, composed
of quartz and shells, embedded, in the
rock. The same conglomerate forma-
tion was noticed, at the mouth of the
Onairo River on our return journey by
the coast, and also, I believe, the same
formation is to be found at Taupo.
With these exceptions there was a
great dearth of anything in the shape
of minerals or any valuable product of
nature, the mass of the hills being
composed of soft sandstone; and the
beds of the small creek was composed
of soft sandstone boulders. I may
mention that on the Mangaotuku
River and on some of the creeks, some
small seams of fine blue clay were
found, very suitable for pottery works.

To summarise the whole report, I
may state that the first sixty miles is
undoubtedly a good line for railway.
Starting from the Patea River at the
Mountain Road, the line would run
nearly due east for twelve miles, and from
thence up the Makuri River, over a low
watershed into the Mangaotuku River,
following this river to its source, and
over another watershed into a tribu-
tary of the Waugauni River. Again,
over another watershed into, the Wai-
tara River, which if followed would, I
think, lead into the watershed of the
Mokau—a few miles from the Mokau
River itself; but this portion of the
country will require a thorough pros-
pecting to find an easy route, owing to
the broken nature of the country—
being the watershed of the Mimi,
Tongaporutu, Waitara, Mokau, and
Wanganui Rivers. I am fully satisfied
that there are no great difficulties in
the way of a line being taken along
the route I have just mentioned, and
which you will find sketched on the
plan accompanying this report. I do
not profess to have found the best line
of route, for my instructions were
simply to report on the practicability
of a line through this so-called impass-
sible country; and I had no time to
prospect at any difficult places along
the track. But although I can see
many places where deviations would
be advisable, yet I do not think a more
successful line of route will be found,
even after a careful survey.

I cannot conclude this report without
expressing my utmost satisfaction with
the conduct of the men who went with
me on this expedition. Cold, wet, and
hunger were endured with cheerfulness.
My special thanks are also due to Mr