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ROADS, PASSES, AM AVAILABLE LAND. 
12 
whence an opening in the hills leads towards the Maruia in 
a south-easterly direction. 
The Matakitaki has to be crossed half-a-mile from its junction 
where an island divides it into two arms. From the Maruia plains 
i road mu „ st follow an opening, running south-south-west. In 
order to avoid the Bog-saddle, it must be kept on the eastern side 
ot the depression, as far as the junction of the Bog-saddle stream¬ 
let with the brown G-rey. From here it will be very easy to 
select a line, so as to profit by the terraces, of course always 
Hali-a-mile below the confluence of the Alexander stream the 
road may leave the (Trey, be carried due west, by compass bear- 
mg, until, by descending the terraces, it again strikes the river at 
the lower level of the plains. By this means many ugly gorges 
and gullies will be avoided. Our own blazed line will be of Sse 
for the guidance of the engineer. 
. As the G-rey can be crossed as far down as two miles above the 
junction of the Ahaura, the road will follow the open country, first 
on the left bank, and where the Waipuna grass land, or paki, 
ceases, then on the right bank to the junction of the Mawhera- 
iti. Here, by again crossing, we reach the open country, at 
the loot ot the Ohinetaki-taki terrace; and having arrived at its 
southern extremity, it ivould perhaps be better to continue on the 
left bank, by bridging the Ahaura, to the j unction of the Kotuku- 
wakao with the Grey. By this means all the fertile land on that 
side of the river would be easily reached. 
Above the junction ol the Kotukuwakao a ferry would have to 
be established across the Grey, and the road, after continuing for 
a few miles along the hills, would emerge upon the level triangular 
flat near its mouth. To reach the level country near the Karamea, 
I think it best to search for a road by the Wangapeka. As the 
chains south of the Buller are intersected by many transverse 
valleys, so the chains on its northern side, which have never been 
explored, will no doubt offer similar facilities for reaching the 
Karamea, should the quantity of available land there be considered 
worth the expense of a road. Even should this not be the case, 
however, I have not the least doubt that in the depression 
between the chains which the road would traverse, a most 
valuable gold-field would be discovered. I am unable to say 
whether vessels of any large tonnage can enter the Karamea; 
should such be the case, the country near it would be of course 
more valuable. 
Another road might be taken to the Karamea up the western 
branch of the Matiri, because, I as have already stated, an open¬ 
ing is visible quite through, and there would therefore be no 
serious difficulties to overcome in order to reach the West Coast, 
near the mouth of the Wanganui, from the Matakitaki plains. 
Even, therefore, if a fair road cannot be found by the Wangapeka 
