286 Transactions. — Geology. 



will be much more interesting when made suitable for the abode 

 of man. 



As showing the vast and comparatively rapid changes that 

 have taken place in the facies of the plain within the memory 

 of some of those who are amongst our oldest and most honoured 

 members, I quote the following interesting description by 

 the Eev. W. Colenso, F.E.S., taken from his paper describing 

 his first, and to me, remarkable journey over the Ruahine 

 Mountain Range, so long ago as the year 1845, or forty-two 

 years since. Mr. Colenso says : "I have mentioned the track- 

 less mountain forests of the Ruahine, but, if anything, some of 

 the open swampy plains near the sea in Hawke's Bay were 

 worse. I may particularly notice the present well-known ex- 

 tensive grassy plain lying between Farndon and Pakowhai — 

 then a long peninsula bounded by water on three sides. Words 

 would fail me to show the original state of that land. In those 

 days there was no communication overland between the villages 

 (Maori). . . I have often, of late years, asked myself which 

 of the two wonderful alterations or changes — the building of the 

 town of Napier, or the great transformation of those swamps, 

 I considered the most surprising, and I have always given it 

 in favour of the plains." 



The height of the plains, which, for simplicity, I shall call 

 the Heretaunga Plain, varies considerably, although between 

 Awatoto and Pakipaki it appears to be almost a dead level. 

 Through the kindness of Mr. Rochfort, C.E., our townsman, 

 and engineer of the Hastings Borough drainage scheme, I have 

 been put in possession of data showing the various heights of 

 the plain between Maraekakaho and the sea — Mr. Rochfort 

 having taken many hundreds of observations, with the object of 

 providing against the alteration in the bed of the tickle Ngaru- 

 roro. At a point on the plain a mile or so to the west of Roy's 

 Hill, near Maraekakaho, and about 15 miles south-west of Napier, 

 where some years ago important embankment works were car- 

 ried out on the right bank of the Ngaruioro, the height of the 

 plain is 1GG-40 feet. For our purpose this may be set down as 

 the highest point on the plain. From this place to the sea- 

 beach near Awatoto the distance is about 14 miles. Between 

 Pakipaki and Awatoto the distance is about 13 miles. Pakipaki 

 is 32-39 feet above sea-level. Havelock, at the bridge over the 

 old Ngaruroro river-bed, is 34 feet above the sea. East Hast- 

 ings, at the junction of the Karamu and Havelock Roads, is 

 39-90 feet. West Hastings is 44 feet. Omahu, at the bridge, is 

 73 feet, at the pa G3 feet, and at the mill 48-2 feet. At the 

 junction of the Clive-Havelock and Clive-Hastings Road the 

 height of the plain is 15-3G feet. At the Clive Bridge Hotel the 

 height is 11-54 feet ; near the bridge at the Waitangi the height 

 is 7-29 feet. Pakowhai is 18-47 feet above sea-level ; Papakura 



