The Taranaki Land District is situated on the western side of the North Island of New Zealand, at about its widest part, and may be said to be the most compact and fertile district of the colony, for, with the exception of the upper half of Mount Egmont, and of the ranges adjoining, which absorb about 36,000 acres, the whole of the area—minus what is taken up by the rivers, streams, and lakes—is suitable for settlement, and certainly two-thirds of the district is good land. The gross area of the district is 2,430,000 acres.

Physical Features.

Of mountains, the principal one is the beautiful volcanic cone from which the district takes its name, Taranaki, otherwise called Mount Egmont, which has an altitude of 8,260 ft. This mountain is the centre of distribution for a radius of twenty miles of the volcanic formation known as the "drift," which covers the volcanic rocks below an altitude of 3,000ft. Hummocks composed of trachyte boulders and cement crop up here and there and make excellent metal-quarries.

Beyond the volcanic formation—that is, from about Urenui on the north and Hawera on the south—the country is generally broken, and the formation is. known as papa, a calcareous blue clay, capped in many places by shelly limestone.

The northern portion, between the Tongaporutu and the Mokau Rivers, contains also limestone, greensands, and coal outcrops. At Panirau, a small tributary of the Mokau, about thirty miles from the sea, there is an isolated patch of volcanic agglomerate and tufas, and a similar formation is found at the north-eastern corner of the district.

Eastward of the base of Mount Egmont there are few, if any, mountains worthy of the name, although there are many ranges varying in height from 1,000ft. to 1,500ft. above sea-level, and, in a few instances—such as the Matemateonga and Waiaria Ranges—they run up to 2,500 ft.

The principal river is the Wanganui, which bounds the district on the east between Taumaranui and Pipiriki, a distance of about ninety miles. Its average width varies from 2 to 3 chains. For nearly the whole distance it is shut in by high precipitous hills, and in many places by perpendicular walls of rock. The scenery is very grand and beautiful. There are numerous rapids, but few of them are dangerous to skilful canoeists. A steamer runs regularly from Wanganui to Pipiriki, a distance of fifty-five miles. Another small steamer of light draught and considerable power is now being built. This is intended for opening up the tourist and trade traffic on the upper portions of the river between Pipiriki and Ohura, a distance of some sixty miles. A channel is now being snagged up the Tangarakau River as far page 28 as Putikituna, a distance of twelve miles. From this point it is proposed to construct nine miles of road to join the Ohura (or East) Road at a point about forty-seven miles from Stratford, and in the middle of the Whangamomona Improved-farm Settlement, the settlers in which and surrounding blocks will thus have double communication, with Wanganui on the one hand and Stratford on the other. When the road is completed through to Auckland (say within the next two or three years) tourists can enjoy a trip up the Wanganui River as far as Ohura, then back, and up Tangarakau River across to Ohura Road, then on to Auckland, or back to Stratford, as they desire. The principal tributaries flowing into the Wanganui on the Taranaki side are the Whangamomona, at eighty-two miles; Tangarakau, at eighty-five miles; Ohura, at 114 miles; Ongaruhe, at 143 miles respectively from the Town of Wanganui.

The next river in size is the Mokau, bounding the district on the north. It is navigable for small steamers of 20 tons or 30 tons as far as the coal-mines, about twenty miles from its mouth, and for canoes as far as Totoro, twenty-six miles further up. Several outcrops of coal are found on its banks, and, as limestone is also present, the river is likely to become the most important waterway of the district. The scenery on either side, although not on quite so grand a scale as may be seen on the Wanganui, is very beautiful.

The other large rivers are the Waitara and Patea. The former has its source about midway between the coast and the Wanganui River, in an easterly direction from Pukearuhe, between New Plymouth and the Mokau. It is about a hundred miles in length, and runs out at the Town of Waitara, some ten miles north-cart from New Plymouth. There is a bar at the mouth, but steamers of 300 tons can enter safely in calm weather, and, although there are numerous rapids on its course, it is navigable for canoes for about ninety miles.

The Patea River rises in Mount Egmont, and, after traversing a tortuous course of about 110 miles, runs out at the extreme southern end of the provincial district. It has a bar-harbour, with a depth of 13ft. to 14ft. at spring-tides. Steamers of from 40 tons to 50 tons trade regularly to the town of Patea, which is situated a mile or so north of the mouth. The Patea is navigable for canoes for fifty miles.

Besides these rivers there are many smaller ones, and streams innumerable—in fact, no district in the world could be better watered and at the same time so secure from disastrous floods. It is estimated that between the Mokau and the Patea there are no fewer than eighty-five named streams emptying themselves into the Tasman Sea, fully sixty of which flow from Mount Egmont.

Excepting the Ngaere Swamp, a block of open land near Eltham, 3,700 acres in extent, now partially drained and recently disposed of for settlement purpose, there are no plains, properly so called, in the district, although the stretch of very fertile country lying between the Waingongoro and Otakeho Rivers, comprising as area of about 25,000 acres, is known as the Waimate Plains. Of this area 13,500 acres have been disposed of, and the remainder, 11,500 acres, has been handed back to the Natives as a reserve.

There are no lakes worthy of the name. The largest sheet of water is Rotokare, situate about twelve miles from Eltham; it is about half a mile in length, with an average width of six chains. There are also a few small lakes inland from Waverley, at the southern end of the district.

The whole of the district, with the exception of a fringe of open country along the coast from Pukearuhe to Patea, averaging three miles in width, and containing about 250,000 acres, and some valleys at the north-eastern corner of the district, about 150,000 acres in extent, was originally covered with heavy forest. Estimating the area already cleared for settlement at 210,000 acres, it will be seen that there still remain about 1,630,000 acres under bush.

The larger timber is chiefly rata, rimu, matai, tawa, kahikatea, kohekohe, pukatea, re ware wa, hinau, with a few totaras scattered here and there. Among the smaller trees may be mentioned the kotukutuku or fuchsia, karaka, and mahoe.

As regards the timber industry, there are altogether twenty-two saw-mills, and the total quantity cut in 1896 was 12,422,000 ft., chiefly rimu (red-pine), kahikatea (white-pine), and matai (black-pine).

An area of 72,565 acres, measuring six miles on every side from the summit of Mount Egmont, has been set apart as a forest-reserve. At about two miles within the reserve the forest begins to get stunted; and at three miles it gives place to low wiry scrub, which ceases at four miles, or an elevation of about 4,000 ft. At 5,000 ft. the moss ends; beyond this point to the summit the mountain is composed of loose scoriæ and lava.

A comfortable mountain-house has been built at an elevation of 3,200 ft. on the northern face of the mountain, at a diatance of nineteen miles from New Plymouth by the Junction and Egmont Roads. Fifteen miles can be driven over, and the remaining four ridden. This house is maintained by the North Egmont Forest Board of Conservators, and is open for the accommodation of visitors from the middle of December to the end of March in each year. The keeper acts as guide also. There are women's rooms at one end of the house, men's at the other, with large common living-and dining-room in the centre. Visitors provide and cook their own food; a small charge is made of 2s. if stay is for one night only; if for longer, then 1s. per night throughout the visit. Guide's fee for mountain, £1 per party. During the past season there were 283 visitors, remaining various periods of from one or two days to as many weeks, while the total number of visitors to the mountain was for the season 520. In fine weather, when the snow is off, the mountain can be ascended without risk.

The mountain can also easily be ascended from Stratford side, the return journey occupying about thirteen hours, including stoppages. Tourists can ride over the first twelve miles to a rough shelter-shed near the grass-line, altitude 4,325 ft.: time occupied, about three hours. Here the horses are left, and the remaining climb has to be done on foot: time required for fair walker, a good three hours, although, coming down, the distance can be done in two hours. 436 persons visited the mountain by this route during the season. Good hotel accommodation, guide, horses, and provisions, can be obtained in Stratford on reasonable terms. The return trip can be varied by visiting Dawson's Falls and Kendle's Cascade.

Another route now coming into favour is from Hawera or Eltham viâ Manaia or Kaponga and Dawson's Falls. At the latter place a comfortable shelter-house, capable of accommodating over thirty people, has recently been erected (altitude' 2,990ft.). This house, which is close to the Falls (65 ft.), is within an easy two hours' ride of Kaponga. During the season the house is in charge of a caretaker, and food, bedding, horse-feed, and paddocking can be obtained. The number of visitors to Falls and mountain by this route is said to have been about a thousand for the season. From the house to top of Mount Egmont occupies a good six hours' climbing at a moderate pace. From the top, where the whole Taranaki District lies spread out to view at one's feet, the tourist can, instead of returning by same route, drop down to the mountain-house on the north or New Plymouth aide of and 3,000 ft. up the mountain. The walk would not occupy over two hours, easy walking.

Soils.

The volcanic soil, the boundaries of which have been already described, varies a good deal in quality. The best is believed to be on the south side of the mountain, between Stratford, Hawera, and Opunake, but not less than two or three miles from the forest-reserve boundary. It is thought that the country now being opened to the north and east of the volcanic deposit—that is, the papa and limestone formation—will, from the presence of lime, be much richer and more lasting as pasture-land than that around the mountain. The carrying-capacity of the land is, on an average, three sheep to the acre.

Dairying, Grazing and Agriculture.

Taranaki is essentially a grazing and dairying district, its chief products being butter and cheese, of which, during the year 1896, there were 3,228 tons exported, valued at £276,443. There are forty-seven registered dairy-factories and thirty-three creameries scattered over the district, besides numerous smaller private ones of which we have no records. Of those registered, thirty-one produce butter only, ten page 30 combine butter and cheese, and six cheese only; forty of the factories and creameries are proprietary companies, while the other forty are run on co-operative lines: the total output of these, last season, to 31st August, being 1,786 tons butter and 1,124½ tons cheese. This return does not include unregistered producers on farms, &c. The enterprising owners of the Crown Dairy Company also propose during 1897 to establish a factory for the manufacture of condensed milk, the necessary plant for which has been ordered.

In September, 1896, a new work in correction with the dairying and meat industries was started in the shape of the Taranaki Freezing Works. They are situated at Moturoa, near the breakwater, and close alongside the railway-line. Substantial buildings have been erected, and a railway siding laid down. The machinery consists of a "Paxman" compound surface-condensing engine of forty indicated horse-power, driving a "Livide" compressor, capable of freezing 400 sheep per diem: although up to the present time the company has confined its attention wholly to the freezing of dairy produce, 59,264 packages of butter and 6,570 cases of cheese having been sent from the works to the Home market, besides 1,000 packages of butter for the local and Australian markets. During the hot season the factories and railway-vans carrying butter have been supplied with ice from the works at a nominal cost.

Another somewhat similar industry has just been commenced at Fitzroy, called the Taranaki Bacon Factory. Substantial buildings have been erected, and a 6-horse power "Livide" machine fitted up, and the owner, Mr. Drake, hopes to hare the works in full swing during the season of 1897. The pigs are purchased from the farmers in the district and delivered at the styes in connection with the factory, where they are topped off with corn-feeding for fourteen days before being slaughtered. An industry like this should prove a boon to all dairy-farmers, and should be vigorously supported by them.

There are in the Taranaki Provincial District 17,912 horses, 201,518 cattle, 402,258 sheep, and 17,672 swine. These figures include all kinds and ages.

Agriculture has not hitherto been carried on largely. The total area under grain-crops (for threshing) was 8.203 acres; under green and other crops (including those cut for chaff, green food, and ensilage, also root crops, gardens, and orchards), was 14,205 acres; area in sown grasses, 595,878 acres; total under all kinds of crops, 618,286 acres, 617 acres fallow land, and 1,397 acres of forest-tree plantations.

The average yield of different grain-crops in bushels per acre, as estimated for season of 1896-1897, is: Wheat, 30; oats, 33; barley, 32; rye, 23.

Mining.

The only mining going on at present is at the Mokau Coal-mine, which is situated on the Mokau River, about twenty miles from the sea, the river being navigable right up to the mine for vessels of 6 ft. 6 in. draught. This mine recently changed hands, and is now held by a Scottish company, known and registered as "The Mokau Coal-mines Syndicate (Limited)," which occupies under a sixty years' lease from the Native owners. The coal is of best class of pitch brown, and is rapidly gaining favour as an excellent household coal, and is also good for steam purposes. Eight distinct seams of this coal are already known, one overlying the other, and varying in thickness from 2½ ft. to 8 ft. The one now being worked is the fourth of the series, and 8 ft. thick, with a 6 in. band of slate in middle, but this band is rapidly running out. At the entrance to the drive, which runs some 15 chains into the hillside on an upward incline of 1 in 24, and is laid with the usual light mining rails, on which the trucks are worked by horses, the altitude above level of the river is about 40ft. The broken ground has now been passed through, and a face of 250 ft. of good sound coal exposed. It is proposed to sink on the lower seams to test their thickness and quality. Ten men are at present employed, and the coal continues to improve. The output for 1896 was only 1,943 tons. The operations of the company have been greatly hindered through loss of two small steamers at sea. Extensive improvements have, however, been made in the shape of new buildings, in relaying the lines with iron rails, and in page 31 pushing on the construction of a new air-drive, which, when finished, will be sufficient, to thoroughly ventilate all the workings for years to come. The company hopes to have one or more steamers in the trade again shortly. A considerable amount of work has been done both by the Government and coal company in snagging and opening up the river for traffic, which must also prove of great advantage to the lands on both sides for miles above the mines. A signalman has been appointed at the entrance of the river.

After a lapse of many years, boring for petroleum has been resumed. A new bore was sunk at Moturoa, close to the former bore, and at a depth of about 875 ft. oil was struck in considerable quantity. After fully testing this well, it was found that it was impossible to "shut off the water" from below, which seemed to rise and fall with the tide, thus indicating the existence of some fissure or other means of inlet, from the sea. The result was that only about two or three barrels, of 42 gallons each could be got per day, the oil rising at intervals only, and all efforts to pump having continuously failed. The company then chose a site about half a mile inland, and sank a bore to the depth of 1,534 ft. without, however, obtaining any oil. A third bore, which is still open and cased, was then sunk about a quarter of a mile from the first, and in this gas in a great volume was struck at about 908 ft., followed at 910 ft. by oil in great quantity and of excellent quality. Unfortunately, this was struck in soft papa, and after about twenty barrels had been pumped, and when the company was beginning to sell and to export its crude petroleum, the supply suddenly ceased. The gas, which had previously issued in sufficient quantity to enable the company to dispense with other fuel, ceased at the same time. The most probable explanation of this mischance is that the soft papa, of which the roof of the oil-seam is composed, having been deprived of the Support of the formerly imprisoned gas and oil, has collapsed, and thus choked the oil-seam lying in the vicinity of the bore. After further efforts to pump out the mud filling the bore, the company resumed drilling with the hope of obtaining another oil-supply at a greater depth. At 1,384 ft. oil was obtained in small quantities, and gas was thrown up in great volume. At 1,865 ft. the bore passed through the sedimentary papa rock and entered sandstone, which continued to the bottom at 1,976ft., where a large quantity of oil and gas was struck. The bore was cased with 6-in. casing down to 1,379 ft., where a thin hard streak of sandstone was found embedded in the papa, and was taken advantage of to shut off the water from above; but, unfortunately, water was again met with below this, and as no other hard stratum was passed between that and where the oil was struck, it was found impossible to shut off the water, although a 5-in. casing was sent right to the bottom. Packing was also tried several times. Each time the packer succeeded in shutting off the water for a few days when oil was pumped at the rate of about eight barrels per diem; the sides of the bore around the packer, however, kept crumbling away each time, and the rush of water from above effectually prevented further pumping of oil, and the company was reluctantly compelled to abandon this their third bore, the plant being unequal to deeper boring. Undaunted by frequent failures, another bore has been commenced about 100 yards further west, and at-time of writing this bore is down some 700ft., the strata passed through being similar to those in last bore, but considerably harder. It is expected oil will be struck in papa at between 900 ft. and 950 ft., but it will probably be necessary to go down 2,000 ft. to clear the papa deposit. The local directors are in favour of extending boring operations inland, including procuring a second plant and an additional staff of borers; but, as the difficulties are numerous and disappointments frequent, it is doubtful if the necessary capital will be forthcoming.

An enterprise like this, if successful, would enrich and give an immense impetus to the trade and importance, not only of the district, but also of the colony generally. Should the efforts now being made be abandoned through lack of capital, it is unlikely that further steps will be taken for many years to further test the value of these deposits, of the existence of which there can be no doubt.

lronsand is found in great abundance on the seashore from Mokau to Patea, a distance of 130 miles. It produces, when smelted, from 50 to 60 per cent, of iron of the finest quality. The first attempt to smelt this sand was made in 1848, and page 32 several trials have been made since, but the heavy cost of production and the absence of capital and modern appliances have, so far, retarded the industry. Strong efforts are now being made to remedy this by the introduction of outside capital and it is hoped these will shortly be successful.

Climate.

The mean barometric reading was 29.86 in.

At New Plymouth, rain fell on 186 days during the year, the total rainfall being 66.66 in., or an average of 5.55 in. per month. But the rainfall varies considerably with the locality; for instance, at Norfolk Road, near Waipuku, the highest point of the railway, about east from Mount Egmont, and twenty-four miles south-east from New Plymouth, the fall for the year was 106.61 in., while rain fell there on 208 days. The average yearly rainfall at Norfolk Road during the past five years equals 122.57 in.

Chief Towns.

The principal town of the district is New Plymouth (population about 3,850), situate on the seashore, about two miles from and to the north-east of the picturesque rocky islets known as the Sugar Loaves. The general appearance of the town is very attractive, and it abounds in neatly-kept gardens. The Recreation Grounds, from which a good view of Mount Egmont is obtained, form a favourite resort.

New Plymouth is 252 miles by rail from Wellington, the railway running in a northerly direction through the district from Patea to Sentry Hill, where it turns at right-angles westward for eight miles to New Plymouth. From Sentry Hill there is a branch line to Waitara, four miles distant.

The Port of New Plymouth is situated at the Sugar Loaves, two miles from the town. Protection for shipping is afforded by a concrete mole or breakwater running in a north-east direction for a distance of 1,900 ft. Under the lee of this there is wharf-accommodation provided for the coastal trade. Steamers of 500 tons can be berthed here in almost all weathers. The wharf is connected with New Plymouth by both rail and road. The breakwater was built at. a cost of £200,000, borrowed under security of one-fourth of the land revenue of the Provincial District of Taranaki, and the right to levy a rate over certain lands. The present rate levied is ¾d. in the pound on the capital value. The principal exports for the year (by sea and rail) were: General merchandise (mostly dairy produce), 3,973 tons; wool, 884 bales; hides, 3,991; grass-seed, 472 tons; horses, 278; cattle, 3,774; sheep, 892; timber (by sea), 6,500 ft. Value of over-sea exports only, £204,612. Imports by sea: General merchandise, 9,863 tons; flour, 1,283 tons; grain, 1,283 tons; potatoes, 247 tons; coal, 2,590 tons; timber, 114,300 ft.; cattle, 76; vehicles, 29. Value of imports from over sea, £35,963. During the year 378 steamers, of gross tonnage of 96,931 tons, also two sailing vessels of 193 tons, visited the port.

Manufactures in New Plymouth are represented by a sash-and-door, a boot, butter-keg, and three coach-factories, a brewery, a cordial, and also a patent stopper-factory, a flour-mill, tannery, fellmongery, bone-mill, and iron-foundry, with freezing-works and bacon-factory in the suburbs. The town has both water and gas laid on.

Hawera, the next largest town, is situate on the eastern edge of the Waimate Plains. The population is about 1,800. The Wellington-New Plymouth Railway runs close to it, the distance by rail from New Plymouth being about forty-eight miles. Hawera is surrounded by a first-class dairying and grazing country, capable of carrying a very large population.

The Town of Patea is situated on the const, at the extreme southern end of the district, and has a population of about 750. There is a splendid grazing district inland, with a large area of land yet to be opened up. The principal industry is the canning, freezing, and boiling-down of meat. A dumping-plant has been erected by the Harbour Board. Exports for the year were: Wool, 5,086 bales; fungus, 147 bales; tallow, 950 casks; pelts, 180 casks; hides, 3,402; corn, 10 tons; grass-seed, 1,899 sacks; butter and cheese, 5,357 boxes; flax, 306 tons; tinned meats, 4,542 cases; cattle, 70; sheep, 209; bone-dust, 385 tons; potatoes, 346 tons; sundries, 82 tons. Gross value, £113,784. Imports: General merchandise, 5,314 tons; coals, 452 tons; number of steamers in and out, 128.

Stratford, a comparatively young town, lies about midway between Patea and New Plymouth. It has already a population of about 1,300, and is growing fast. The height above sea-level is 1,000 ft., and the climate is bracing though somewhat moist. The main road to Auckland—known as the Stratford-Ongaruhe (now Ohura Road)—starts here. It has been formed as a cart-road for thirty-eight miles, and as a bridle road to fifty-three miles. If the work is continued energetically, communication with Auckland should be opened up in about three years' time.

Waitara, a small seaport town of 500 inhabitants, is situated on the river of the same name, a mile up from the sea, and about ten miles north-east from New Plymouth. The meat-freezing works have been reopened, and during the year exported 1,039 tons of frozen meats, 20,267 boxes of dairy produce, 2,204 bales wool, and 124 tons tallow. These Egmont freezing-works possess two powerful Haslam freezing-machines, capable of freezing five hundred bullocks per month; they are also gazetted a Government grading and cool store, a great advantage to the outside dairy factories, whose butter thus avoids all risk of injury after grading. All produce is conveyed on board the New Zealand Shipping Company's ocean-going steamers (which anchor in Waitara roadstead) in specially-constructed and insulated bags.

Inglewood, situated on the railway-line, sixteen miles south-east of New Plymouth, is a flourishing little town of some 650 inhabitants, rapidly coming to the front.

The only other towns of importance are Eltham, population, 582; Opunake, population, 400; Manaia, population, 480; and Norman by, population, 400.

Roads and Railways.

The chief means of communication is the railway from Wellington, which traverses the district between Patea and New Plymouth—a distance of sixty-six miles. Trains run every day between New Plymouth and Palmerston North—164 miles—and on Tuesdays and Fridays there are through trains between New Ply-month and Wellington—252 miles. The Main North Road runs from New Plymouth, passing through the Towns of Waitara and Urenui; it is formed as a cart-road as far as Pukearuhe, a distance of thirty miles. From here a horse-track connects with the Mokau and Awakino Rivers, and from Awakino there is a track to Te Kuiti, in the Auckland District. About midway between New Plymouth and Waitara on the above road the Mountain road diverges and runs almost due south, and chiefly along the railway, for a distance of forty miles, connecting with the Main South Road at the Town of Hawera. This is at present the principal road in the district, tapping, as it does, large numbers of district roads, and passing through the Towns of Inglewood, Midhurst, Stratford, Eltham, and Normanby.

The Ohura Road branches from the Mountain Road at Stratford, and is formed as a dray road for a distance of thirty-five miles; it is being extended into the interior so as eventually to connect with Auckland, and will open up a large area of fertile country.

The Main South Road from New Plymouth follows the trend of the coast to the south, and was at one time the coach-road to Wellington. It passes through the Villages of Omata, Oakura, Okato, Rahotu, Otakeho, Manutahi South, and Kakaramea, and the Towns of Opunake, Manaia, Hawera, and Patea.

The Junction Road runs south-east from New Plymouth, and crosses the Mountain Road and railway at Inglewood. It is formed and metalled for nineteen page 34 miles, and formed only for a further distance of thirty-two miles beyond this point, connecting with the Ohura Road at a distance of thirty-one miles from Stratford. This road crosses a number of district roads; hence its name.

The Opunake Road runs from Stratford to Opunake, twenty-six miles, skirting the southern base of Mount Egmont. It is formed and metalled for twelve miles from Stratford; the remainder is open for horse-traffic only.

The Eltham Road runs from Eltham to Opunake, twenty-five miles, connecting with the Opunake Road at Punehu, seven miles from Opunake. This is formed and metalled throughout.

The other main roads in course of construction are the Awakino Road, branching from the Main North Road at the Mimi; the Rawhitiroa Road, leaving the Mountain Road near Eltham; the Waitotara Valley Road, starting from the Main South Road at Waitotara Township; and the Otaraoa, Moki, and Okoke Roads.

Crown Lands available for Settlement.

Of the above, about 150,000 acres are open valleys and hills in the north-east corner of the district; a good deal of it more or less pumice-land, but still suitable for grazing. From the rest may be subtracted perhaps 10,000 acres for area absorbed by rivers, gorges, &c., and there remain 795,460 acres of forest-land yet to be dealt with. Of this area perhaps 50,000 acres, made up of strips of flats and terraces, may be suitable for agriculture; while the balance—745,460 acres—will be good pastoral land.

It may be said, in conclusion, that there is every sign of genuine prosperity throughout the district, which has advanced rapidly during the last few years, and will no doubt continue to do so.