—No. 11.—

Mr, Bell to Colonel Wakefield.

I Beg to acquaint you that I have recently visited the Block of Land lying South of the Sugar-Loaves' Boundary, of which I sent you a tracing (marked No. 2) in my Despatch of the 22nd September, No. 29/47.

The Inspector of Police has for the last two months employed several of his men in cutting a road to the Block, and laying out the line through it. I examined this road with some care, and found it to run about parallel with the beach, at an average distance of from 1,500 to 2,000 yards from the sea, through the Block as far as Tapuwae the boundary; it will be, I think, an excellent line, and there are only two gullies of any consequence to cross, the remainder being level or undulating. This road will not cost more than about three shillings per chain. I was better pleased with the district than I had anticipated. All that I went over was good soil; in many places very fine and rich. This is evidenced by the large growth of high koromiko and tutu upon the open land, here a sign of fertility.

The open land comprises about 2,000 Acres, or a sixth of the whole Block; it has been much improved by the depasturing of cattle, and a quantity of strong grass has thus page 61 sprung up, which (particularly the clover) promises some day to exterminate the fern.

The forest contains fine rata, hinau, karaka, rimu, pukatea, and koromiko: of the three latter I saw larger specimens than ever before, and in particular of the koromiko, which elsewhere I only knew as a shrub, but which here grows into a small tree. The rimu is here called "red pine," but is a much finer wood than the red pine of Wellington and Nelson, and is used for furniture as well as common purposes. In one part of the forest we came upon a park-like belt of young trees, chiefly toe-toe and karaka; near it is the site of an old pah, bearing marks of having been a stronghold in former days. At the pah, and in many places in the district, are set up marks, either on trees or stones, where distinguished warriors fell in battle. There are several clearings and old gardens, partly made by the Taranaki Tribe, and partly by the Pukatapus, until the expulsion of the latter, as before intimated to you. In one or two places were preparations for fencing, made by these only just before the Taranakis drove them forth. The Tapuwae stream is small but rapid; and in it, as in most of the rivers and streams here, a species of trout is plentiful at times, and excellent.

The direction of the slopes or spurs of the great mountain, which faintly extend to this distance, will admit of good branch roads from the main line, and facilitate the laying out of Sections otherwise than in the rectangular shape, so utterly inapplicable to New Zealand. A curious feature is the number of gullies which open on to the beach, but come suddenly to an end a few hundred yards inland; so that a traveller on the beach would form a very mistaken idea of the country, and think there was hardly any level land at all.

There are two pahs, called Omata and Tapuwae; the Natives are not only peaceably disposed, but most anxious for European settlement. They earnestly urged me to send them White Men; and Paora, the principal chief of Taranaki (with one exception), told me that he remained at Omata only to page 62 keep possession till White Men should come, and to prevent any attempt on the part of the Pukatapus to re-enter upon the district. The number of adult Natives is not large, but they are certainly increasing.

Upon the whole, the purchase may be a valuable one to the Company, and I propose, therefore, with your approbation, taking the necessary steps to obtain its transfer from the Government. The only stipulation which it strikes me ought to be made is, that the acceptance of it should not extend, or be construed to extend, to any prejudice of the Company's claim to the Block included in Mr. Spain's Award.

It remains for me to request your instructions whether I am to survey any portion of the district. I should not wish to expend any money in surveying forest land which is unlikely to be early available; but I would recommend your allowing me to lay out the open land, which is not so considerable as to make the work expensive (the present cost of cutting lines being about 4d, to 6d. per chain, instead of 2s. which it used to be), while the opening of it might have a beneficial effect pending the acquisition of the old Block.