Report on the Lower Waitangi Country, from Cape Wanhou (Makotukutuku) to Pukewhinau, December and January, 1852-53.

1.	Pasture.
2.	Fuel.
3.	Timber.
4.	Inland Transport.
5.	Shipment.
6.	Miscellaneous.

1.

The pasture is good throughout; and a large extent, especially inland to Fire Beacon (Rakaikuruwheo), indeed wherever the porous tertiary limestone occurs, bears natural growth at least equal to any which I have seen on unstocked land in New Zealand. Messrs. Suisted, Nairn, D. Scott, and Cormack will (so far as they have seen) corroborate this opinion. The only drawback is tumatakuru, of which there is a great deal in some parts of the plains; but this, I believe, disappears before stock and burning.

2.

Fuel.—In the eastern portion very scarce; but probably, or rather almost certainly, lignite will be discovered in the Waiareka or Kakaunui country.

Peat is found on the hills between Kakaunui and Maerewenua.

Wood being so scarce, I deemed Te Warekorari's assertion that there was coal one day's journey inland of his kaika, although contradicted by the other Natives, worthy of investigation. I therefore went up the South Bank through the gorge to Te Awawakamau, where we crossed the river on mokis, and found the lignite on the Pukewhinau Stream, made a large fire with it, and brought away about 3 cwt of specimens, which I left at Punaomaui and Tauhimi. I also arranged with Warekorari for the delivery of it at stations along the river, which he will effect by means of large mokis carrying upwards of a ton; the price per ton to be fixed by me. To aid me in fixing the price, it was necessary to have a more distinct idea of the difficulties of the moki-navigation of the Waitangi. I therefore came down in a moki, the voyage or "rere" from Pukewhinau to Te Hakaturamea occupying one hour, and that thence to Te Punacmaru four hours. I propose to fix rates, varying according to the distance, from £1 to £3 per ton, for the lignite delivered at the river's side at places which drays can reach. As the lignite is perhaps not in my district, I would request the sanction of the Governor for this arrangement, and that His Excellency would also be pleased to confirm my direction that no Native but Warekorari be privileged to work at the lignite in question; should it ever be thought worth working by Europeans, this arrangement would not be an obstacle to their obtaining the necessary license. Lignite also occurs high up the Hakataramea; and I may further mention, that from an intelligent Native who accompanied me down the coast in 1848, I learn the existence of beds of lignite, some of good quality, commencing near the Elephant (Pohowaikawa), and running thence about N.N.W. to the upper Waihau country. I have the honor to forward small specimens from Pukewhinau which you will perceive is not of first-rate quality.

3.	Timber must be imported, or obtained from Blackwood or the woods on runs Nos. 11 and 12. The great forest, though clothing three sides of Hawea and Wakatipu, comes no lower than the upper course of the tributaries of the Waitangi Lakes, which are themselves woodless. Much of the limestone is fit for building, and cleavable slate is reported inland.
4.	Inland Transport.—The plain commencing at the mouth of the Hemans continues without interruption to the Gorge, about thirty miles; passes through it in two terraces from 100 to 200 yards wide, and thence stretches, widening and narrowing alternately, to the lake, whither I should have no hesitation in taking a dray at once. Just below the Piriamokotaha (an impassable cliff on the North Shore) the river narrows, between vertical slate cliffs of 20 to 30 feet high, to less than 100 yards. It is evident, at a glance, that this is the place for a bridge, and the two terraces form a beautiful site page 233for a town which should eventually be one of the most important inland towns in the Island. This spot is about North from Mount Domett, the snowy peak mentioned in a former report.
5.	Shipment.—This must be effected at the mouth of the Hemans, which, sheltered on the South by Cape Waubrow and on the North by Point Sigourney, a low level promontory, and having what is reported to be a good roadstead, is a really valuable place on a harbourless coast. When I was there the wind was N.E. mod., and the sea in the bight so calm that a small canoe might have landed with perfect safety. There is a second boat harbour at the Cape, practicable when the Hemans landing is not.
6.	The conjecture which I hazarded in a former report, that the remains of the Moa would probably be found in a district so suited to the habits and wants of that bird, has been borne out by our discovery near Cape Waubrow of a forgotten kaika of the aboriginal Waitaha Tribe, the umus filled with bones and eggshells of Palapteryx aptornis, &c., burnt stones, charcoal, and remains of dogs, seals, &c.