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Wellington. —About 30,000 acres of surveyed land in Pahiatua and Mangaone Blocks, Fortymile Bush, require opening out. Also about 7,000 acres of Crown lands near Mauriceville, now under sectional survey. These lands are close to the Masterton'-Woodville coach road, and require a few miles of cross-road run in from several points, to connect sections with main road. Fitzherbert Block, of 7,000 acres, requires further clearing of road lines. Tokomaru Block, of 18,000 acres, from twelve to twenty miles from Wanganui; 5,000 acres under sectional survey. It should not be offered for sale until a track is cleared connecting with settled districts near Brunswick Road. Otamakapua and Waitapu Blocks, about 100,000 acres, from fifteen to thirty miles inland from Feilding. This is a great expanse of plateau bush land, lying between the Rangitikei and Oroua rivers; land known to be fertile. The Kimholton Road from Feilding has been cleared and metalled close up to its borders. It is proposed to continue this road-line, and to survey sections along it, and afterwards open cross-lines as settlement advances. The Wanganui Harbour Endowment, of 25,000 acres, lies on the east side of Oroua River, opposite to these blocks. It has recently been surveyed by the Government for the Harbour Board, and that body contemplates the clearing of road-lines before asking the Land Board to sell the land. Pohangina Block, east of Pohangina River.— About 10,000 acres of Crown lands along this river, and at the base of the Ruahine Range, is now under sectional survey; the opening of a road to it is absolutely necessary before it can be settled. The Otamakapua, Waitapu, Wanganui Harbour Endowment, and Pohangina, form one compact block of about 150,000 acres, on which a great deal of settlement would take place, if only a proper start was made in road clearings and formation. Kukutauaki Block, of 5,000 acres, is about six miles north from Otaki, on the main road and railway lines projected from Wellington to Manawatu. Road-clearings required. Nelson. —Cobden, via Coal Creek, to Seventeen Mile Beach Diggings.—This will open out Crown lands, and at the same time greatly improve access to a mining population of three hundred persons. Grey Valley, via Bell Hill and Lake Brunner, to Bruce's paddock, Teremakau.—This penetrates an extensive area of level bush land of about 40,000 acres, suitable for settlement, and known to be auriferous. Aorere Valley.—ln continuation of road already formed, so as to open through communication to Gouland Downs. Wakefield to Stanley Brook.—This will improve communication between Wakefield Railwaystation and a district partially settled in the Upper Motueka Valley. There are several thousand acres of Crown lands interspersed along line of road. Marlborough. —Awatere Shearing Reserve, 12,000 acres, is well adapted for pastoral farms from 500 to 1,000 or 2,000 acres each. Under " The Awatere Shearing Reserve Act, 1879," arrangements have been made for the construction of about six miles of road. The land will be surveyed and offered for sale after the road works are well on. Rai Valley.—There are a few thousand acres of level and hill-side bush Crown lands in this valley, with some excellent timber. The old bridle-track from Havelocl. to Nelson went over the range at the head of the Pelorus at a very high altitude, and it was very steep. A much better line and lower saddle is got by leaving the old track at Pelorus Bridge and taking the line up the Rai Valley, and across the saddle to Whangamoa Valley. The line is on grades practicable for coach traffic, and the formation of it wide enough to admit of drays would be an impetus to the settlement of the district. Canterbury. —ln connection with a triangulation last season conducted across the main range from Westland to Canterbury, Mr. Mueller had occasion to visit the Upper Rakaia Y alley. He was instructed to examine and report on the country at the head waters of that valley, with the view of ascertaining if a practicable pass existed there leading into Westland. He found a pass over which a track can be made. One great advantage of this route is that it crosses the main range of the Southern Alps at a very narrow place, so that, if the track were made, cattle could be driven across the range from the Upper Rakaia to the valley of the Hokitika River in one day. Road to Upper Ashley.—This road-line has been graded throughout for twenty-eight miles, and formed as a bridle-track along the sidlings. It is now being widened as a dray road from the quarries near Macfarlane's station, across the Kuku Pass, to Waipara Valley. It is desirable to extend the widening until the road is fairly into the valleys behind the front range. The land in this part of Canterbury is still withheld from sale. Westland. —It is proposed to continue the] main road-line from Lake Mapourika to Gillespie's Beach, and from Moeraki River to the mouth of Waita River, about six miles from the Haast River. If these sections were completed the line of road, or rather bridle-track, from Hokitika to Jackson's Bay, and to Otago via Haast Pass and Lake Wanaka, would be opened throughout. This is a line of communication through an almost uninhabited country, in which the explorer is met with formidable rivers and impenetrable forests. It is of great moment, more especially in the interests of mining, that the line be opened out, so that the country may be prospected. A graded survey line has been run through it, and the Survey Department is in possession of full information from which to set out the construction works,
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