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A.—No. 4,

The country north of Carlylc to Mamutahi, contains about 30 settlers, a few dwellinghouses, about 600 or 700 head of cattle; a great amount of fencing will be completed during this season. There is a large proportion of land laid down in grass, and a considerable portion will be in crop this season. Those who are not employed on their farms are engaged in contract work on the roads, under the Road engineers. The Patea Flax Company has not made that progress expected of it. Although they have cleared a portion of their lands and have begun to fence, they have as yet no building erected or machinery on the ground. Carlyle has improved and increased rapidly within the last few months; it now contains many good substantial buildings, and its population will be about 150—including men, women, and children. At Wairoa, where a few months ago we had a garrison almost blockaded in its redoubt, there is now a rapidly increasing population of industrious and enterprising settlers, numbering about 140, who have erected 29 dwellings, have 1,100 acres laid down in grass, about 700 fenced in, will have a considerable portion in crop, and several hundreds of chains of fencing completed this season. There are sawyers at work in the bush, and the material is used up for building as fast as it can be cut. Since you visited this district, the inland road has been opened to enable the coach to carry passengers and the mails twice a week from Wanganui to Patea; and the telegraph has been established. No doubt the establishment of Sheppard^s coach and the telegraph have contributed in a great degree to the progress made. It needs but a railway now to open up the vast resources of these magnificent districts. I believe it could be accomplished at comparatively little cost, as the country is well adapted naturally, having few engineering difficulties. I have, &c, M. Noake, Major, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Commanding Wanganui and Patea Districts.

14

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE PATEA DISTRICT.

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