132 
KOADS, PASSES, AND AVAILABLE LAUD. 
acres, having also terraces on both sides of the river, mostly 
covered with grass. , 
At the junction of the Inangahua with the Buller, we find a 
large amount of fern land in the Oweka plains, which Mr. Itoeh- 
fort, who visited them, estimated at 60,000 acres, which estimate 
tallies with observations made by me from the summit of Mount 
William above them. 
I think that, after making a fair deduction for hills, river-beds, 
swampy grounds, &c., we may safely estimate that the Grey 
plains, south of the saddle between the Inangahua and Mawhera- 
iti, contain 250,000 acres of level land, fit for agricultural and pas¬ 
toral purposes. If the Government contemplate reserving proper 
spots for townships in the Grey plains, I would suggest that they 
should reserve a tract near the junction of the Mawhera-iti with 
the Grey, on the eastern hank of the former. A mile from the 
mouth of the Grey we also find, between the low hills near the 
coast and the Davy mountains, some level hush land, about 5,000 
acres, in which the best site for a township in connection with the 
Grey will be found, as vessels visiting the harbour can ascend to 
this point and find shelter, during heavy freshets, in a small indent 
of the river. 
Along the coast, until we reach the Waitakere, there is not a 
spot which (unless gold or some other valuable metals can be 
found) offers the least inducement for a settlement. 
The delta of the Buller has a triangular shape, of which the 
mouth of the Waitakere on the south, and the mouth of the Wai- 
mangaroha on the north, form the boundaries. Between these 
two points it extends twenty-two miles, and its broadest part, near 
Cape I oulwind, is seven miles, running inland. It contains some 
50,000 acres of level country, of which nearly two-thirds consist 
of open terrace land, partly very stony and mossy, and partly 
swampy; so that only a small portion of it, in its present condi¬ 
tion, is fit for cultivation, although a good deal of it could be im¬ 
proved by drainage. The best land is here also found on the 
banks of the different rivers which traverse it, and is there covered 
with dense vegetation; similar land being likewise found on its sea 
banks. 
A township could be laid out on the southern bank of the 
Buller, where a deep water lagoon oflers considerable advantages 
lor a harbour. But, as there is not much back country, I think 
that the mouth of the Grey will always be preferable. 
The Karamea country contains some 25,000 acres of fine level 
forest land; and here also, on the southern bank of that river, a 
townshi d could be established, the more useful if it can be ascer- 
amed that the river can be entered by coasting vessels. 
It would lead me too far were I to enter into details concerning 
Q orest land lying between the Ihua Tuaroa point and the West 
anganm inlet, more especially as it is improbable that the mere 
