1.—6.

The whole of tho bush in the Eao, the Mangaroa, the Waikaka, and the Ohura would be easier than ordinary bush to clear, as the tni'lei'scrub is of a light nature and free from supplejacks, and would be cleared out very mir-h by cattle, of which there are none running there now. Similar bush on the Kiwiten Block (Manawatu District) was rapidly taken up in consequence of the wild cattle having cleared away tho underscrub. The few Native tracks; are much overgrown. No Natives are settled on the Oimra permanently, except near its junction with the Wanganui and between the head of tie Ohura and Ongaruhe, nor are there any Natives on the Eao, the Mangaroa, or the Waikaka. There are several settlements on the Mokau-iti. The railway route from Stratford would tap tho whole of the good eountr; here spoken of. Independently of the railway there appear to he only two ways of getting at this country from the coast byroads: either by the Mimi or Toncoponun into the ■Uak.irakia. (You there into the Waitara, and from there into the Tangarakau, and out of that into the Eao; or in from the Awakino across the Mokau, and up the Mokau-iti into the Waikaka, All road work in the country itself would be The most central point, say, for a township would bo on the Ohura, about the junction of the Waikaka. Tile country was seen from the route and from many surrounding hills which I had occasion to climb. Having been engaged for some time in farming, and having been over much of the Wellington, Kelson, and Taranaki J.Vovbees, I venture to state that about !>"j().000 aeivs oi the country here spoken of is well suited for settlement—in fact would be readily taken up in the Wellington, and eagerly in the Nelson, Province. The nature of the country would admit of moderate-si^ed sections coming in for a share of bush and scrub or fern, and flat, with grazing hills. I have noticed that the few who have penetrated to this part of the country are too apt to undervalue it from the present temporary dilftculties to be met with ; also judging it by such a Standard as the Waimaio Plains, forgetting that such laud as that has long ago been taken up in Other parts of New Zealand. The Taupo track is much overgrown, and is almost imp.vi-.abie hir horses ; but, in the event of a gold rush taking place to Tuhua, a man could walk from the mouth of tho Mokau by this track to Tuhua in three days. Dr. Hoehatsttw travelled by this track; he appears to have mistaken the Waikaka branch of the Ohura, and he also describes tho pumice-stone as extending right down the Ohura, which it does not, as previously mentioned. With the exception of a few Wanganui Natives, all those met with were friendly and willing to assist in any way, I have, etc., The Chief Surveyor, New Plymouth. Ahthto J. Rawson.

No. 3. Mr. R. W. Holmes to the Engineer-in-Chisf, Wellington. Sm,— 19th June, 1884. I have the honour to report on the character of the land and minerals found along the proposed line of ra.ilway, between Strntford and Te Awamutu. From Stratford to"about twelve miles the soil consists of volcanic earths, with a good covering of vegetable matter, buitable for grass and root crops, but it docs not seem licavy enough, for growing grain. From twelve to iifty-one jniles the volcanic soil gives place to alluvial depo->r':>, eon sis ting of clay with a jiood black soil on top, and papa rock beneath. This laud 1 consider i^. butter than the pre'eedim:, but, owing to its broken nature, only small patches in the narrow valleys could bo utilized for cropping, the rem ■under would form good grazing land.-"The bush consists of whit a and red pine, rata, and uiaiai, the undergrowih being lighl, and open. From fifty-one miles to sixty-three miles in the Tit.ngarakau Gorge and vicinity, the land is useless for agricultural purposes"owing to the bad soil and precipitous nature of the country, the tops of tlm cliff-, being covered witli black birch. The black birch is all fagus fusca, of a good size, and will form good bridge material and sleepers. From sixty-three mill."; to eighty-thrc mil"* in liie Mao, \laug i.i'o.i. Ohura. and Waikaka Valleys the land is good, especially the i:>io and M"angaroa Valleys; all alluvial with clay subsoil. The continuous bush terminates in the Ohura Valley at about seveiily-t'nvo miles, it then becomes broken up with fern clearings ; where the fern has been growing undisturbed the top or vegetable soil is very good; but in many places, particularly along the Native truck*, it has been da.mag.'d by r.-peak-1 fern fires. There is first-class white and red pine, matai, and ra-ta in the Bao and Jlangaroa Valleys, particularly in the former. Prom eighty-three miles to ninety miles the soil is good, but the land is too broken for anything but grazing purposes. At ninety miles the continuous fern country begins, and continues all the way to Te Awamutu; the l:;.ii'l 's good, with a clay subsoil. From ninety-four miles to one hundred and twenty miles limestone shows in numerous places, cropping out above the surface. From one hinidrel and twenty miloo aul to Te Aw.vmutu very little limestone j s seen. Along tha alternative line, up the Ohura, the good land continues to eighty-seven miles, it then snterß the pumice-stone country, which continues for the remainder of the distance. The pumice

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