198 



Art. XL VIII. — On the River Systems of the south portion of the Province of 

 Wellington. By J. T. Stewart. 



(With Map.) 



[Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, August 14, 1869.] 



The accompanying map is of a part of the Province of Wellington, and shows 

 the main rivers, with some of the principal lines of watershed, and the ranges 

 of hills. This paper is explanatory of it, and refers particularly to some of the 

 river systems. 



The portion shewn on the map is from the area drained by the Manawatu 

 on the north, and extending southward to the extremity of the province. 



Of the other portion of the province lying to the north of this, I have not 

 sufficient data to represent its rivers on the map, and consequently do not 

 attempt to describe them ; although they present many important and interest- 

 ing features, coming as they do, at least two of them, the Whanganui and the 

 Wangaehu, from the centre of the island, near Tongariro and Ruapehu. 



The approximate areas of the portion of the island represented on the map 

 may be stated thus : — 



Area of part of the province shown, 51 00 square miles, or 3,264,000 acres, 

 — nearly half the area of the province. Area of part of Hawke's Bay 

 province included, as drained by the Manawatu, 320 square miles, or 204,800 

 acres. Thus making the whole area treated of, 5420 square miles, or 3,468,800 

 acres, or nearly three and a half millions of acres. 



Subdividing this we have : — 



SQUARE MILES. ACRES. 



In the Manawatu drainage area . . 1830 1,171,200 



In the Ruamahanga, or Wairarapa drainage 



area 1300 832,000 



On the West Coast, from the Manawatu to 



Paikakariki, drained by the Horo- 



whenua, the Ohau, the Waikawa, the 



Otaki, the Waikanae, and numerous 



small streams running directly into 



the sea 550 352,000 



Between Paikakariki and Palliser Bay, 



including Porirua, and Wellington, 



by the Hutt, the Wainuiomata, the 



Orongorongo, and many smaller 



streams ...... 500 320,000 



By rivers on the East Coast, from 



PaUiser Bay to the Whareama . 570 364,800 

 By the River Whareama and its tribu- 

 taries 250 160,000 



By rivers on the East Coast, from the 



Whareama to the boundary of the 



Province, at Waimata, by the Waka- 



taki, the Mataikuna, the Aohanga, 



the Akitio, and numerous small 



streams running to the sea directly . 420 268,800 



Totals 5420 3,468,800 



Of this total area, about 2500 square miles, or 1,600,000 acres are covered 

 with bush or forest, so that little apprehension need be felt at the prospect of 



