﻿Field. — On the N.W. District of Wellington Province. 133 



tli8 gravel level to be likely to be a desirable liu3 of communication.* The 

 Turakina River rises close to a hill called Tuhiraugi, about fifteen miles 

 south-east of E.uapeh^^, and Hows a little to the eastward of south for 

 about twenty miles, and then towai'ds the south-west for about twenty miles 

 farther till it reaches the boundary of the settlement. For the greater part of 

 this distance it runs in a chasm similar to that of the Wangaehu, but of less 

 dejDth ; and, like the latter river, has a very rapid course, much encumbered 

 with boulders. There is, however, this distinction between the two, viz., 

 that while the boulders of the Wangaehu consist largely, or chiefly, of volcanic 

 rocks, those of the Turakina are of primary rock and sandstone. There are 

 two falls on the Tui'akina, each about six or eight feet in height. Tbe first of 

 these is about ten miles inland of the Turakina upper boundary, and the other 

 considerably higher np. There are, so far 1 can learn, no actual falls on the 

 "Wangaehu ; but in one of the rapids near Matahitira there is a large rock, 

 with a hollow in its upper side, and the recoil of the water within this hollow 

 produces a humming sound which can be heard for several miles. In the 

 Turakina Valley there is a large extent of rich level scrub and bush land, as 

 well as a great deal disposed in terraces on the hill sides. On the eastern side 

 there is also an immense extent of level table land, extending nearly to the 

 Rangitikei River. This is covered with scrubby bush, interspersed with large 

 grassy openings, and the whole is so intersected and opened up by the tracks 

 of the wild cattle, (which exist here in thousands), that the natives i-ide all 

 over it in hunting them. A belt of broken ground separates this level 

 district from the Rangitikei and Turakina settlements ; but as these wild cattle 

 are strays from the settlements, or their progeny, there seems good reason 

 to believe that ])racticable road lines exist through the hills, though as yet 

 their whereabouts are not ascertained. I believe the natives who own the 

 recently surveyed block would be willing to sell it for about 7s. or 8s. j^er 

 acre, and that it would be well worth the while of a capitalist or company to 

 buy it, and cut it up into moderate sized farms for sale to settlers. The block 

 consists of nearly 50,000 acres, and there is a large extent of similar country 

 inland of it. Half, or nearly so, of the water in the Turakina River comes 

 out of a large stream called the Mangapapa, which rises somewhere a little 

 south of the Turangarere Falls, and^ after 23assing for some fifteen miles thi'ouo-h 



* Since the above was written, Mr. Booth has returned to Wanganui, and reports this 

 line quite impracticable. For some distance it promised well, but as it is ascended the 

 Mangamahu forks into five or six tremendous gulhos, descending from the sides of 

 Maunga-karetu and Puketoui, which break up the ground so that no road could cross it 

 without enormous earthwork. He found, however, a route about four or live miles to 

 the northward, which he considers practicable, though it evidently rises over hills at 

 least 1,200 feet high. 



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