EAST COAST LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 370, 20 March 1902, Page 3

EAST COAST LETTER.

GISBORNE TO TO LA GO. (By Our Special Correspondent.) The present being “ carnival week ” on the East Coast, it would not he out of place to give our readers a few particulars with regard to the country lying between Gisborne and .the East Cape. This we propose to do in a number of articles which will appear in the Times during the next few weeks. On account of its inacces-

sibility as regards roads, but little is known of the East Coast by the majority of our readers, and as a rule

only those whose business compels them to travel care to undertake the journey. Want of attention by the Government has undoubtedly kept the district back to a very large extent,and there seems to he a growing feeling of dissatisfaction amongst settlers on account of the meagre response to their requests for votes for works. As one prominent settler humorously remarked, “ We never see anything of ‘Jimmy’ except at el ection. time, when he bobs up serenely full of pro-, raises, but which are forgotten as soon as the contest is over.” The road

from Gisborne to beyond Tolago .is under the control of the Cook County Council, whilst beyond that the Waiapu County Council are responsible for

the maintenance of the Coast road. With the limited funds at their disposal the Cook County Council do their best to proportion their expenditure so that each district receives its share, and the Coast road has not been neglected. At the present time it is in very fair order, and should continue so during the winter. The first four miles of road from Gisborne carries the traveller on to the Wainui beach, a fine stretch of sand which runs for two or three miles. The beach is a favorite hunting ground for concologists, and upwards of sixty and •seventy varieties of New Zealand shells are to he found there. It is also a popular pleasure resort for Gisborne residents. The monotony of travelling is broken when one strikes a good beach road for a few miles, and particularly in winter when the roads are bad the change is doubly welcome.

Tiie first property of any note that you pass en route to Tologa is Mr W... Cooper’s Wainui estate, which is in excellent order, and carries- a considerable ('quantity of stock. Coming off the beach is to be seen Mr Douglas Lysnar’s recently erected dairy factory the prospects of which are very bright indeed. Mr Lysnar is one of the most enterprising of our public men, and is the lirst station owner in this district who has turned his attention to the dairying industry. It is pleasing to observe that his example is being followed in different parts of the district. I was informed at Tologa Day that “Mr McFarlane is taking steps to start the industry in that district, as the conditions there for the prosecution of dairying are most favourable. Should he succeed in his endeavour there is undoubtedly a great future before that place. From Mr Lysnar s dairy factory the road runs over the Makarore Hill which is well roaded and in good order. From thence it stretches along the Makarore beach one of the best pieces of beach on the coast for travelling. Lysnar s Makarore homestead lies on the flat facing the beach. His property is of COIIs p lci ” erable extent, and all good sheep country. The Tatapouri Hill is next negotiated by the traveller. , ‘ piece of road has in past years- been most troublesome to the County Council on .account of the numerous laree slips. In lact it was only the winter before last that the road had to be closed for some weeks pending Spate On tile top o! the fill jthoo the road skirts the precipice the Coun cil would do well to spend a few pounds on fencing in order to Prevent a serious accident, which s ° ol^ r 0 later must occur if the road is left unprotected. There is a nasty bend at nt the top of the hill at this spot and when a gale is blowing it is dangerous. This road winds down the h “ l *°*. few chains and then runs back to the Tatapouri beach, A view of the hotel is obtained from the hill, and the house is the first stopping place oi McKinley’s Royal Mail Coach which runs biweekly from Gisborne to Tologa Bay- The Tatapouri Hotel is one of the most confortable places m this district to spend a. quiet holiday by the sea side. It is a favourite resort for newly married couples and invalids, and under the popular management oi Mr C. H. Burdett is increasing in favour with the travelling public. This house contains about sixteen rooms and has been built nine years. Its appointments are excellent, and the hotel is well fitted throughout. A recent improvement is the acetylene gas which has been laid on in the passages, sitting rooms and chief bedrooms. , . , r „ The Tatapouri Hotel was built by Mr R. Finlay, who had possession for some time, when he was succeeded by Mr W. Harding, a brother of Mr J. A. Harding, of the Masonic Hotel. Subsequent proprietors were Messrs H. Martin and W. Bailoy. Attached to the hotel is a general store and telephone bureau, the whole being in charge of Mr Burdett. Leaving Tatapouri the traveller again strikes the beach which with a fair tide is negotiated as far as Pakarae. The first station with frontage to the beach is Turehau, owned by Mr J. N. Williams, and managed by Mr Gordon Bremnev. There is a private telephone on at the homestead. A couple of miles further on one reaches Pouawa, where a stream bearing that name joins I the sea. At Pouawa there are a number of native whares near the coast, whilst inland there are several small stations, including that owned by Mr Fraser. Continuing along the beach for two miles is the Tapuwai cutting, which has been a source of great expense to the County Council. In winter slips frequently occur, and last year they were so bad that the Council abandoned the idea of keeping the cuttmg clear during the wet season and put on men to break the boulders at the bottom of the cutting in order to allow of wheeled traffic. The Tapuwai rocks negotiated, one continues for three miles to Waiomoko, where, if the tide is at all bad, one turns off and crosses a bridge and thence over the Whangara Hill, coming down at the late Mr C. Seymour's estate. This is one oi the largest properties on the coast. Nearly the whole of the estate is low undulating country, and carries a great number of sheep. At the back of Whangara is a sawmill owned and worked by Mr H. Hurry. There is a native settlement and church at "Whangara. The Maoris there do not, however, engage in agricultural pursuits on their ow°n "recount, preferring casual employment along the coast. From Whangara the road is along the beach to Pakarae, upwards of two miles. Thore is an hotel, store, and post-office at Pakarae, which are owned by Mr J. K. Shaw, whose genial disposition and hospitality have made him a mreat favorite with coastal travellers, as well as with the Gisborne public. Pakarae is about eighteen miles from Gisborne, and on Sundays and holidays has many visitors from town. Tho Pakarae Hotel affords splendid accommodation to the travelling public, and Mr and Mrs Shaw are untiring in their efforts to promote the comfort of their guests. It is related by a Gisborne team of cricketers that visited Tolago Bay recently that so

well were they treated at Pakarae that although they left town on Friday evening it was not until Saturday afternoon that they reached their destination. _______