I.—«.

land is very bad, the only good soil being seen on the tops of the hills, and consequently is very limited. A few uii.ara ti ci s.l re flowing m [he patches ot bush along this line. Of minerals nothing was noticed but the coal seam in the Tangarakau Gorge ; this is a similar coal to that now being worked on tho Mokau Eiver ; the seam is about five feet thick. A little hard cemented gravel was seen in the Tangarakau Eiver banks, and a small quantity of shingle was seen in the Mangaroa Eiver. I have, &c, R. W. Hodmeb, The Engineer-in-Chief, Wellington. Besident Engineer.

No. 4. Extract from a Eeport by Mr. Lawrence Cussex, District Survoyor, to the Assistant Surveyor-General, Auckland, dated 4th July, 1884. Description of the Country. —The triangulation haa not sufficiently advanced to give a detailed description of the country, which, of course, will be supplied when my maps are sent in. The following curtailed sketch mny prove useful in the mwi.nl.iltie, as I think the quality and quantity of agricultural land in the King country has been overestimated by most people: The open country lying between the Puniu and Mokau Rivers, through which the Waipa and its tributaries flow, contain the only extensive area of good agricultural land that I have seen. This comprises an area of about 700,000 acres, hounded to the east by the Eangitoto, Ranginui, and Wharepuhanga Ranges, and to the westward by the broken, wooded country extending southward from the I'ji-onyin. Kanges to the Mokau liiver at Tautoro. This country contains a variety of excellent land for all agricultural purposes, comprising limestone, vich volcanic loam, and, along the rivers and streams," extensive and fertile alluvial dais. Timber for all purposes is easily available. The district is well watered. Roads can be made at a slight cost. Brown coal is to be found in the Ilauturu Eanges, to the west of Otorohanga about nine miles; it is also to be found near Te Kuiti, iir.J probably will be got. elsewhere when the district is more known, as many of the rivers and streams have particles of coal in them. Between the ilokiui and Wainieha Eivcrs the country is very broken, and the land variable in quality. There is some limestone on the Mokau, near Te Kuiti; hut the limestone land is limited in this neighbourhood, ami very broken. The valleys are gcneially open, and the ranges and hills covered with mixed timber, containing rimu, totara, &c, though the totam is not plentiful. There is a considerable area of table-land amongst the hills in this- district that is uemly all under forest, ami the soil in good; but it is generally difficult of access. About fifteen miles to the eastward of Te Kuiti the pumice-country begins, though after thi* there is good land in the hush and on the table-lands. The valley of the Ongaruhe and Wainreba Hivers is' very poor —thousands of acres of wretched pumice flats, covered with stunted scrub ami dried tussock -grass, with pumice all over the surface. From the Waimeha to Taumaranui some better land is met with. There are small alluvial (lids- along tho banks of the Ongaruhe, where the Natives have cultivated : on the sides and tops of the fevn-ridges tho soil is good, but the country generally is very broken. About the Tuhua Mountain there is some good land and plenty of valuable timber, which can be made accessible from Ongaruhe Valley. Lying between the west of Taupo Lake and tho valley of the Ongaiuhe, and extending from Pureora, tho most northern peak o£ the Ilurakia Ranges, there is about 300,000 acres of broken country, including the heavily-wooded ranges of Hurakia and Hauhangaroa. The land is very variable in quality, a small stream sometimes dividing a good volcanic loam and a sterile pumice tract ; I noticed this even in the table-lauds on the mountains. This district is cut up by deep (rallies and streams, with table-land between. There is a great deal of valuable timber, including totara, though not a great. deal of the latter. The timber would bo accessible-—at least a good portion of it—from the Te AwamuUr and Marton railway-line. Between Taiiugamutu and Hourh Taupo there is some good bush-laud, though broken; there is also a good deal of useful timber, but it will be difficult of access, and roaxfs thiough this country will cost a great deal to form. Oil the west of the Waikato River, and extending about twenty miles north from the Hurakia Ranges, is a broken tract of open country, called the Kaiangaroa, containing about 100,000 acres. It is intersected by deep guUies and ravines. The laud is poor : bare rocks and Und^lip-; everywhere visible. The Maraoroa Plains, at the head ol the Waimeha River, comprise about sixty to eighty thousand acres of fairly-good open country, though somo of it is poor, with pumice lying on the surface. A great deal of the country around here is level and undulating. The bush-laud is variable, some of it good and some a light pumice surface. Finally, outside the area, ol 700,000 acres before mentioned, tying between the Mokau River and Kihikihi, &0., I have not seen any considerable area of land suitable for geneml irgncultnral purposes, though much of the country might be [iroiitubly occupied by settlor holding one thousand acves and upwards, and here an<3 there a small farmer would find enough of good land to settle upon. Laurence Cussen.

No. 5. Mr. F. M. Skeet, Assist ant-Survey or, to the Chief Surveyor, New Plymouth, Sib,— New Plymouth, 30th July, 1884. In accordance with your instructions, I have the honour to forward the following report on the country between Stratford and Mokau which would be opened up by a line of railway from Stratford to To Awamutu: — 15—1. 6.

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