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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Forests

Forests.

This part of the Colony is notable for its splendid and extensive forests, over one half of the land being still under bush. The Waimarino Forest has an area of three-quarters of a million acres. It is fairly level and densely covered with excellent timber, mostly totara, maire, matal, and rimu. Being far in the interior, however, this valuable timber will page 199 not be available till the country is opened up. Another large block is known as the Rangitikei-Hautapu Forest, 400,000 acres in extent, containing some first-class milling timber, which will be made available ere long, by means of the railway extension beyond Hunterville. Between the forests named is a vast extent of bush country drained by the Turakina, Wangaehu, and Wanganui Rivers. It is not anticipated that much of this timber can be utilised, owing to its inaccessibility, but there is no doubt that the land will be cleared and sown down in grass. In the Pohangina Valley and on the slopes of the Ruahine Range there is a further block of some 100,000 acres, much of which has already been selected, and is in process of exploitation and settlement. The Wellington-Manawatu Railway intersects a vast block of forest land on the west side of the Tararua Range, which extends from Pukerua to the Manawatu Gorge, and contains about 380,000 acres. A good many sawmills are at work, and this bush israpidly being transformed into pasture country, for which it is eminently suitable. To the north of Masterton, the chief town of the Wairarapa, is a block of over a quarter of a million acres in extent, known as the Forty-mile Bush. The Wellington-Ekctahuna Railway is being continued through this fine bush to Woodville, just over the borders of the Hawkes Bay provincial district, where it will connect with the Government railway from Napier. This country is fast becoming settled, and the timber is being cleared for purposes of agriculture; while at Pahiatua, Eketahuna, and elsewhere, sawmills are busily engaged. Another block of 100,000 acres of bush is situated to the east of the Puketoi Range, and on the same side of the Tararua lies the Wairarapa-Tararua Forest, which continues on both sides of the Rimutaka Range. Many other forests of lesser extent are found within the district.