The development of communication lines across the Taranaki uplands

1

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Across - -

-The'Taranaki Uplands.

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A Thesis PreS621ted For

Tlie Degree of lCGA 0 and Honours.

Univ'ersity of NeVI Zealand

949

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Fig. 1. 'rhi.s ~d.j:' phuGO shc\:;~.J Lhe three (:)Jements ufLll (:'; t cf ~i\)I'an;:.lL'i.. I.i.i the h:lckgr.';)tmd l.'~~;e.s 'l~hr:=J c1oIJ.c1-ca.pped, "iJ"().l.c<':'i.n:i.c cone uf Egr:1ont

U')

. ~)Ul'J.'OlJl.ldL·ig Llw peL).:.;: i),nu. :i:ts ):'clllges are LJJ(:J T;j,:t:'anak::L Im-Jlcui(1::';i1iLth their p;:J,i.:,cin'ToJ:'~;: lilll c.lscci-j)e. In the foreground J5e the tangled rid!!;es aild l1ci,r.C01'J vaJ.le)'fj of the T,trc.naki Uplcl,nds. Dtriking e:;;:;J,mpleS of the mass lwvement of !:'iO i1 ct1'8 j.r.lnuri181'able. J.1.eve:t'sio.n of th(~ cleJ'ol'eu Led hill~3 to scrub cJ.nd forest i.s evident. IJd.JlY uf the features th,:d, l.la.ve lYfl.de tile Uplands D • . p8l'sistent., t01J0.g l·,?~phic I:)ar:cier are portrayed.

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CHAPTER I

CHAPTER I I

CHAPTER I I I

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

CI-IAPTER VI

CONTENTS

A ckno 1'vledgement s

List of Haps

Introduction

The Taranaki UJJlands in relation to Settlement and Corrrrnu.n.ication Lines.

A. Expansion of Settlement from Nel,i Plymouth.

B. E:1..'Pansion of Settlement from Auckland.

C. Pl-:ysical Geograp}w of the Taranaki UplandS.

'rhe Development of Communication Ljines Across the Tar&!aki Uplands lliltil 1908.

l~ori trails: co~~ications 1841-1890: com~u.nications 1890-1908: conclusion.

TI1e Construction and Development of the Railway as a Cownunication Line.

Ea.r ly develo?ment: th e clo si...n.g of the Tahora-Ohura gap: problems i...n. con-struction: value of the railway.

The Construction and Development of Roa.ds Across the Taranaki Uplands.

Coastal road: inland road: Ahititi-Ohura road: conclusion.

The Present Pattern of CCD.'l.lUl"1ications a"1d its Relation to the Distribution of Population.

--Patteri1(;'f'"' comn:ru.I1ications: relation to dj.stribution of population: pattern of settlement.

The Expanding Hinterland of Ne1rl Pl;Xillouth. Early gr01'fth 184 i -1908: expansion and

competition 1908-1932: consolidation.

Problems and Prospects

Appendix:

(A) A Note on Haps

(B) A Specific Area on the Ahititi-Ohura Road.

Bibliography.

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The author expresses sincere appreciation to the m~my people

lI'J110, by the extension of hospitality ar.rl in.i'onna. t..ion supplied, have J'ilade possible t~e preps,rat ion of this paper. S~)ecial ac~:nm'rledgement

is made .to the IolloirJing:

lciessrs. D.F.C. Sa.xton, llanaging Editor, 'l'aranaki Daily NelrJ's"

Keh1 Plymouth; ~'>J. Bridger, I'Jev-T Pl;Y-nlou:th; G. F:caser, New Pl~7!nouth; }~. Ivlackinder" l-Iatiere;

F .1.10 berts" Engineer

to the Taral1a;--;:i C01 .. mty COll.neil and Hain Highirla;ys Board, Zone No.7,

IJe"',j Plymo"l;.th; A. E. L01'!e" Public Library, Ne\-J Plymouth; G.C. Heron, Turnbull Library, '('{ellington; the Sta:c.:LonllE.ster, Stratford; the

}ianager, Henry Brc.n'.1l1 and Company, r~eVi Plym.outh; the :Manager, Boon

31'0 S ., N e'w Pl:;n:wuth; the Secretary, Taranaki Automobile Association,

"or.: F .li. Aickin, General }:Ianager, Hew Zealand Raill,.vays,

~Iellington ~ for the use of his library; and the Staff' of the Lands

and

over-COD.1L.'1g the many problems created by the absenc:e of detailed topographic

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?'igure

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7

10

20

23

52

53

57

63

68

List of Haps.

Location

Distrib-utiOl1 of Popu.la tioD 18960 Regional Boundaries.

Eiver Pattern.

Relief.

Rai l :.=1.outes.

Corr~lul1icatiol1 Pattern. Far:rcLng }'iap.

Population 1945. Hoa.d DistallCes. Contoured Area.

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II\:-TRODUCTION

A characteristic feature of the topo,si."'aph;/ ') of Nev.J Zealand

is the presence sf s:rnall, coas-tal ~)lai~1s ~ commonly seps.:ra,ted f:.:'Om e.::;,c11 other by l..1psta:J.dins a reas or :::,ugged relief. ,since n13.n first

set, foot on the isl::1.nds, physical b2.r!"'1B rs h3. ve hindered the

de-'lelopment of both cOITLUl1ications .::md settle:nent. 'The Haoris Here

confronted l.-.rith th-:: difficulties of land tra:vel bet-,··jeen t::''"'ibaJ.

centres.

of sea co:rrrnunications.. 1:'1 the l";oI,th Island, as s.ettlers occupied

th.e i,)lore f 2~vGurable lm'ilands, 'eta Y·'laori tr.L'Jes ,'Jere for ced to Yn..CTve

Thus, to t.118

EtJ.ropean3, ]...3,nd cOJill:ltmication oab·ree;:l their scatt'3red settlemsn.ts

--;"'l r::_

- - " ' 0

alien ci ~v:l.J.i.z.:?"tiol1.

inland explorD.:tion he.d begun, princi:pall}, by mis5ionaries. The

na.ture of the COU!1tl"'"j' in bot~ the North a.nd South Isla.YJ.ds, it is

clear, prevented the success of a fe-..", S:{s·c-ematicalJ.y ~)lsnned

e.';cped-it.i0ns~ E:x:ploration. h:1d 'GO be carried on from many i.t.1.connected bases.

The ep.:i.c of e:;91oro.tion .for:us no si~lgle .,cohe:.'.")nt 3tory but a complex,

e1Jisodic chJ:"::nicle.

pendence a,nei self-s:Ji'.i.'ici,,:ncy. Th~i;'emovc.l cf the isolation. has

been directly related to ';:'118 d evelo~Jm~nt of :i1odern comr:ru2.1ication

ii.

past has p~rsistede It is e::;'Cpressed in the distinct regional

day New Zealand 0

In. an attempt "C() port~('ay and qualify these varied features, a loc.'?l eXc3..:nple h3.s been studiede

settlements in Nevi Zealand l,\laS that of the ~:lakefield colony of Nevi

Plyr:.rJ.outh, founded on the ~1.:)r-Gh'iJest J coast.a.l margin of the Tarana.~:i

j\~ount Egmont" are enclosed; lal1a.irJards, by a vade, north-east -Go

sout.h-east arc of low but extremely rugged uplands. To this region

of ridge and volley topography has been given the general name of the

( ~ \

Taranaki D:91ands. \ I j During t.he 8c-ll"'ly ~{ears of settlement, the

l"EL."l.ges ~vel"'e regarded as an almost insupel."'alJle b.3rrier to land COTIBl.UD

-ica-:ions, i'Jith -[:'h8 notC1.~;)le exception of the n3.1"1'O\;[, coastal corY'idor

to ·\'Ja..Y1ganui aJld the south. Tl18 most persistent effect of the

top-ographic oi3,!'rier has been in North Taranaki, ia the long period of

land isolation of Ne-LI'! Plymouth fr::m the i,vaikato basL'1 and Auckl3.J.'1d"

ConsequentlY!J IrDY'e a ttentio~1 has been given to tDis a rea"

The thesis is advanced tm t the Taranaki Upla.nds have long

been a barrier to land com'JI1..h'l.icaticns and

settlement ; that their barrier character

is due to the l.'Jide extent of the Uplands aY1d

to a unique c·omhii'Tltion :)f landform, clilmtic

end ves;etation features, l"ather than to their

elevation .3,bove S <8;), level.

In

the physical oosta.c.lGs, the development of

the present comm1J..l1ication pattern across tbe

Uplands has been long delayed by ecol1<?rnic,

political anJ. financi3.l factors, external to

-the region itselfe During the last t-wo

de-cades, the :i...-rnprovement 8.f cormn.unicatiol1s h2"S

iii.

'.,f>

occasioned a rapid extension of the hint;

er-land of the city-port of New PIJ~outh, thus

bringing about 2-11 inevitable conflict 1\d.th

the cOrITr.8rcial int erests of ~;Ja.ngan1)i arid

\JellingtoD., Hanlilton and Auckland.. The

Uplands ef':'ectively isola,ted the Taranaki

1011\T1a.'1ds during the e.:l.rly 3real"S of set'

l::,le-ment and, alth:.)'ugh the :)arrier ha.s nOH been

penetrated, it is not entirely removed. It

still remains -' t·J hinder, obstruct a.nd, in

and tra vellel'" OJ Finally, it is suggested

tha

t

2.1:'83. for preSe!lt:. 5.11d future settlement.

This is due, not only to the l iini ta tions of

the ,environment but, also, to th,~ j,·ridespread

and ill-advised actions of the Europeat'1

settlers during the past SL~Y years. The

~:; _{latter have played the dJ::ninant role in the}

~:'

production of the ma.imed a.l1d sca.rred

l,::md-scapes that exist, today., over Hide tracts

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NOP-.TH ISLAND

£/thom e

oHawera

o 'Waver-ley

N

tior-opi to 0

OhQKL4ne e

CHA.P~~R I •

. ~~ . ..,.".--.... -... , ... " ..

T~8 sEttlement of 1-:'21\' Plymouth or Taral12.ki "'13.S founded in

the I\Tet'i Zealand Company. An e::,-cpeT-ienced surveyol"'.~ F. A.Carringt.on

chose the E.ite fer settlement at a point on the coast; tlivO TI".iles

From this pcint to the :rr~outh of the T'Jaita.ra

l"i vel";; there is a nal''Tml" prograded, co,s.stal plain Hhich e:·;tends

hali' 8. 1ni1e inl2.nc1 to the ew."'lcient sea-cliffs, lY,arking the '2dge cf

the T2.ranaki lO't1[lands e The lovllands forrr~ an arc avera.ging ten

If tiles in -l'~-j.dth and extend for fifty D.~iles around. the eastern b2.se

of the vc·lcanic cone of F~o1.)l1t Egr:1Ont & They ::eise from one lrundred

The original

3ettl€-!J'lGnt 1·'JaS conf:L.'1sd to the f;;Cl'ub and fern covered coas.tal plain.

no

',;J11ic11 clothed the Jo1tl1cmds.

On. the morning 0 f lfarch 1841, t'c.e H~{illic9.:m BrycU1!1 a

vessel of 312 t.ODS lanc~ed the first Devon errd.grants, as vmll as

the livestock that had been · brought from England. i:' eDt S ',JeTe

erected for the settlers en the beach but S E:YE:;:2,.l v.rhares l,ihich had

been built to serve 8.S a '\;JTI2.1inE; cent.re, 1iJere available to the

The second shipload of ~,E:ttlE:rs arrived in the

!I.Amelia Thompson!! on September 11th, 1841 but ov.ring to the open

n.atur:e of thE. roadst.ead, the ·'.ill.lo2.ding or addi tiona. 1 food supplies

1:Jas interrupted by a period of north-11i€:;ot v;inds and the vess'el

was forced to return to Port Nicholson. The insecl.;.rity of the

roa.dstead fer vessel9'supplying the colony Y·ia,S apparent. l1I a.ill

exceedingly c.fraid the sehea-ITJ 1:~inds so c:cnst;;.ntly recurring ,;·rl.l l

do :D.'!.cale;u.8,bJ.e injury to the placE:. There is no disguising the

is not at:· all fit for large vesE~els to come here until

\·te haVe sufficient means for c.ischarging thern quickly; [-.nd. e-'len for

small ones i t is a.s bad a.s bad can be as nothin.g can t IS land.ed

;1

.':';;.:

2.

a t the place 1A1i th the 'wind a.t all fresh, 't·ih en blovd.ng from the

north-west even if a vessel can ride safely a.t anchor. II (1)

The settlement la.ng-uishea. for c. period c,lli"'ing Hhich the number

of imrrLi..grants Kas small and tIle replenishment of fouG. supplies

irregular. Ships 1,-.,r culd tCilce no risks ~ A. t. the first E;ign of

wind th\sy 'h;eighed anchor and stood out to sea~ The high costs

involved in the transhipment of goods "lIvere an important factor

in retarding land settlem.ent. The small lcS...llao1ii1TJ:s-rs cocld not

economically clear the forest as ther·e 1iTcl.S, in tbe Early deWS of

the colony, no market for timber. With increased settlement

in Taranaki and a growing dernand this became practica.ble. The

only area on ~ihich the early immigrants could be immediately settled

was the liJaitara block "'(,vnieh, t·eing covered 'trJith a scrub vegetation,

required less effort to clea,r ar.d cultiva.teo Communication

be-t'Heen the ~'J2.itara block and. Ee~·[ Plymo1.A.th ·,,-.l(;tS prLm2Tily by sea but

the bar of the lrJaitara river restricted entrance to vessels of

small tOr'.J!age. Travellers by land encoll.11tered difficulties in

.. ,~

crossing the nuro.ero<J.s stl'ea.rr:s, chief of '. ... hich v.ras {he T)ai'lnkaiho

river - a;t'd.de stre81Tl w'ith a stony bed and subject to occasional

floods c

On June 20th, 1842, the scrub lands. on both sides of the

~'Taitara river lv-ere offered for selection despite wo.rning from the

Haoris that the European se.ttler must. keep to the south side of

the rivere The conflict over rights 0 f oV.'l1eTship herald.ed €:

x-.~. e..spe l"'ating difficulties tha

t

~;. The year, 18l,.r2, "'.laS equally important in that althoL,gh

the settlers were not perfectly satisfied vd.th the hc.y·bouTless site

of the New Plymo'ilth colony, they real i sed t.hey had to h'Cl"'k :to

maintain tl1emselves. Devon and Com. ... l'all fc.urd.lies and relatives

L."1 England had responded to the call for &id from the pioneers of

Nel,'l Pl~,7mo1.rth. The settlerrent bego1! to shoil E,igns o:Vr.rogress ~

Nore d1...relli.'1.gs '.:Jere bu.ilt to hO·0..cG the ne"'; ::;hip-·loads of :L'DYfi.grants

from the south of England; t1r~"D sLJall flecks of sheep he.d been bred,

:C.

. ~t

3 .

one of lVlerinos and the other of SOllt.bdol-;ns; C:":, bridle track had been opened. a.round the e.3.sten ba.se of HOll..'1t Egnont throLgh the .i'orest to Ps,tea, a.long 1'\!nicb f:~ev8nty hea,d of cattle and large

numbers of sheep i,··;.e:i'6 driven ireIT'.. Fellinzton to Net·j" Plymou.t.h;

and a. small nucleus of shops a.li:kd bouses formed the tOlJrlship of l\ie1'J Plymouth.

The purCt'-}ase of land continued. despite unsolved questions

of lvI.-3.ori rights of ()v.7!:.ership ..

proved productive, :tThe very large yield of the grain-crop and

the promising appearance of the potc:.toes have in.spired confidence

and good feeling among the settlerso"(1) Indeed, in 1845; barely

four yeal~s after t!'-18 .initi<:i.l settlement, farm product ion ifC;,S in

eJcce.S[j 0.[' lOCFJ.l deman.rJ. Trade v,ra,s begun l"J"ith Nelson and hiellii'1 g-ton. ,settlement expanc:.ed inland and. spread around the coa.st cf Cape Egmont. In 18~-7, the Oln.atct block ·Nas :p1.:r~hasi2d. from the na.ti\res •. The derr£l1c. for l-E~nd necessitated e.xtensive clearir.g

:f"crest fr-om the The forest l:la,S felled d1.u"iDg

bl.i.rnt. anc a thiJl sOI-'ring of 1,kJ.eat made cUilC~J2: the a ;::hes c ;:'effern

records the.

t

Restoraticn of cbnfidenc3 3.:1'..C~1g the 3sttler.: c!2:Guraged :Ln.crs2.scd

cultiv3.tioD The

the settlemf;:r..t more cs.pit3.1 Eo 1"' the clearing 2.nd cropping of the

nevI land.

their various settlemEnts;. including TaranaY-i, i'Jere sold tc ,the

restrict-ions on land c::eveJ.cpTI~.ent. The pi.i'.::,licc,t ion of the first

cf critic:i~@ and of mCH:.lc5 YJ.g ... ~:,:::.e LillO:tg3T:i::::ed ::;E:t-'L.lers into a

p:i-V-.. :,-+,: .

. 1I~"''':

( 1) Seffern: op. cit. p. 131 1 C:?

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em

gressive co;mni)11ity. The district. of Taranaki a-c. this tinE: N&..S c..

s:m..s.ll Emd co:rrtpact area} totalling two and a. half rrillion aCi'es ~

of ,,·;hich less than ninet~r -'Gil.C!usar"c. Kere in the possE:ssion of

..., (1)

.r:., uropeans • ' 'rhe 'village capital of New Pl;;rmorLtll nestled on

the C.Oc3..sta..l plaL':1 beh!een '~h::, cliffed edge of the lOHlands to the

south-east and the se2,. in the 110 rt.h-iN€st. Outlie rs c·f set.tlerrent

had been established at Bell Block, Tatarai!'Llal';:a and Ornata. The

final episode of the i'01..U1QcltioE pe'1'icd of the colony vias the

en-forcement of the nm'! Ccnstit·G.tic)TI Ac.t in 1853. Until tlus act.;!

Taranaki \:\lG.S virtually 't!itho-u.t a Govermnent .. Auc.1cland I.,ras the

In their

isolo.tion othsr district.s llere independent states, ma ... l1aging their

2.ffairs as test sl~itecl 1.oc3.1 conditions.

The ne:;::t tEn yea.rs 1J:itnessed a deterioration i:n the l"elations

bstvieen Eao ri 81d Europew. The J.\Yaori Ls.nd l.ee..gue bound it::;

l'Eember-s !fto sell no lan.d to the European settler and to prchibi.t

by force, if neces:::a.ry-, other's from seili:rg.1f _{Conflict over l.and}

ov,Tlership led to open 1\rarfare in 1860 arlO, for a decade, the

settler had to take up a rifle 2nd. lay elm-·m. the axe. Land

de--irelopment 1':as arrested.

~;!ith the 3.c.:.:es~:ic.n to ofr'ice c1' the rex-VoZel :ministry in '1869,

peac~ ;,-vas proclaJ..r.:led. by the r·Ta.tive hinister, SiT Donald l-'1ac163J; t;

and his Iollol'[ers in 1880(2)

~1.0

E01··!8Ver -' peace, did not resJ,:,ore complete confiden C8

2ID.Ong tl".te settler's. Dense fo rest, tr8.vel"~.ed: cnIy by b:-cidle paths-,

';,rit,hin it c!.irislt remna.nts of t.he !11llny 'Vaori "tribes ej8Gted

(2) ".c'he rt3.o1"'is plo-"lghed up settlers I land·:; ::1. S G. ~n~:)test agai.nst.

.!~h8iI~ a cc~;~isiti·:)l'l l')y E-lrOpeELDs e

iii

stearne}." c.::~llGd once or :tl,rlce a i'lesli: but rel1Eined only as long

1374, an ,~rea of 379 ~h70 :;,cres

The j.8velopr'l!?!TG of rail and cOach

The

in 1 SC5.,

to a tremenclo:.l5 bC<l"ln in l:1Dd settlement ~

J)oT 100 PERSONS

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POPULATION

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part of I'Je-w Zealand to Sh'J1'T a spectacula.r adv;:mce as a res'--tlt

grasses; dairy farming became the :;:nainst~iY' of the eC·:)110:rD;Y- of

Ne1'IT l"oadslJGre constructed and old ones improved;

:-ci vers 1,vere bridged. It 11as during these ye.s.l'''S 0:2 economic

prosperity- t.hat most of the Taranaki l01l1ile.nds lilere occupied~

Pioneers beg;3.,;."l to :;,"'ea.ch t!1.8 bO!'ciers

o

r

.~fter 1863, the e::;:pansion \{T;';.S encouraged by the cOl.1str'

~c-tion of the no rthern seetiQ:ns of the 1vlain TrLll1k railHay. The line

ol"iginated to supply t.he ne,:::ds of efficient militar:r trafls,?ort during the 'f'Iaori ;,;j2.rs.

\·..rorks policy \{,rlth -il/hieh Julius 'logeJ. had electrified the :-Iouse

policy cf assist'3d ilIn~ugra.tion .;::,110. ene!'getic constI'l:.cti'::m' of p'.lrJlic

By 1883 the railllead had l~e,3.ched

're

the northern border.

The northern border of the King CO'lL'1try corresponds l-rit.h

bidd.en to t::'-'8spa.ss. Trw frontier for -;{hite set.tlement lay -3,long ::':' dp-f'i n pd ..:..,... 1 ;<01

/, ( _... .~ '-"' _ _ "'-_ . " ....!-LJ. -..J -r.

1 )

It ra.'t1 from the

confisC3.ticm lin.s

cion of th e Plli"liu and 'daipa. rivers" t.hence alongthe Pl.1J.'1i'J. river

of Th&11.8S ~ ':.':118 s.re,::;, south of the line ;:'h:;CCU:1.8 :cnou'Jn 3,3 the King

COlli'1try or nH.ohe Potaell_{• It reacl~.'8d the shore :.JI L:d-;:e Taupo in the}

east;

·r\ ..

of the lin.1,-:tnga.:;uomon~, river to the SBi~J, at, 'the ~fnite Cliffs. (FiC.7) The entire ,s.rea Was closed to the v"hi te man ulltil 1383.

surveyors sG.3.rching for possible I'cutes fo r [-,hE. IVT2,l:,l Tnllllc rD,il1.':a:?

The general 8.Yll11esty

The seC'Glon Has opened .in 1837.

~ dista.nce of 126 mile s.

engilleeI')S e

cc:rr:e.

Taranaki l01r.rL'..nds.

H01!leve:t, sep&rati~lg Te Kui ti an::i I\:e,:J' Pl~i1no1..rth Has the forrnidable

inals. The roa.dstead,

i:l the lee of t.he volc';.nic :?:co je c:tL;l1 of 11oturo09,.!l lilas open to

the br-eaki.r:::l.ter; oehil1d'li.rhich relatively s.2.fe d21ch,orage 1JJB,S possible

overs(;:,J,s shi?pil1g service 1''.''J,::3 begu:'1 in 1917.

The second flL'1damental disadv811ta,se is com-.1C::!, ~':J all l"lVer

Fi,s' 5. Te Kui-('i, at the head

(if the~raipa valle3T lOi;lland, is

today an iElpor-('311t communications

centr'e on the border of' the U:.:;l::Jnds ..

Fig.. ~_ ~ The nari~Q',v coastal

l:lain :bet-;-.~een the coastline and

the ancient sea cliffs i'orrl1ed

the site of the original settl

e-meYlt ::Ji- I'Jev·j Pl?1i-:.outh. Today

the city 11a .. 3 spread over the plain

ccl1d u.p on-[:,o the Taranaki lo1rllan.ds

J?Y'opel'.

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Fig •

.-5.

8.:;ctensi ve area of rugj=;ed relief

oet;;16"en Hew PlYIT10-uth and

Te

-:iith the clEaring of the forest>

the fin·& rj_ver dissection,

DarI'mv va.lleys, interlocking spu.:rs

and steep ridges stand Ol).t sharply.

HE

klNCr

COU~TRY

/0 . . IS" 0 10 .:lO 30 "f tl1ile.s

-1 jrtcl, ('/f,,011O 3 S ".,-, I",,,

fbr"I'l't,,',hi

(I.'!'ite (Mrs) _(·::;;'i)~9 TOf""on";ki

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Fi,.'. REGIONAL

HE

TARANAKI

UPI-AND5

10 0 .e) 020 30 ;'0

__ - I Miles

I ipc.h e'r""f!, 35' "'il~5

•

Ne'W

I

Stt-atfol"do I,

~tea

80UN

AA .ES

I

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,

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i

\ ~ Ngour-uhoe

\\~::~~

l

/' ,../oTa'hape

//;/

, , / ~

--#6;" f

into sheltered l'iater during roue:h 1\ieather.

M.

o.

ca.pable of CO!".lP8tition, ll-:1til tr-l!3 op'3:").ing of the fiain Tru..'1k :"'::12.

1-Aftel~ t:1.E' conpletion of the T.Jellinston-r. el;! Pl_d'7il.out.h

rclilu.j·Y -j,1 1385, ilirtually 21.11 of th·g tl:'3.ffic bet';'reen Auckland and.

~Iellinston .pa;'3sed through Ye;!l Plymouth c

A line

of 'six others.

TertiarY' era,;l -t~he r3Zi:)11 formed p::;.:ct of the f10.:)1" of 2, sh~.1101·'; se3."

lanr::lo

:'::1 mudstones., s3x.:dstone s a:nd

This

Tile cl, cccrda.nt s1.J.rrr~~i

-s

rem-D:;J..lTGS of ~1 la.nd of 10"(,1} relief.

r , '

Grange \ I) believes tl!.e old s1....1.rface

to h3.~Je aeeD il p81.1spla,in" fOY"cI1.ed at <:!, ti:me it.Jhen the sea [::·i.:,'Jod a

pJ.aiD .•

homogeneous rock ~as :ls"l81oDGd an intricat'8 ::.~i'T:3:r pattern. (FiG.C)

Changes in elevati'Jll ,1>Jere res~xmsible fcY' t;18 fOY'::T1:l.tion of ';::,h(;)

)re-for many rules in l ~11d. On8 of t:--i8 13.rgest c'i' these rivers" the

( 'J

cll~a~i~13,zei' \'-1

central divide bebJeen the up)er i}"mganui ,:~nd jI<:jJ:,ara rIver valJ.eys.

(2)

("'\ • ~, I

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Eei~~ht £':~CL vq,lle;' fl':)or:s ::.:' ridC8-t'J,?S.

'~\I~ Yi(!~[~ogerleO-!_-~=1

-c,I'Ieec

J.':)ck

! I

/0 :10 30

-to

.,...

Fi,.

8

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t·--·

FiE, e 9. ?bis vETtical air ~;hoto of \,Qlange .• i~lomona 'c'O'i'lnship and the SLL2:~r~OlJ11d_ing :-?~.~··e2v illl).st/r~a·Ges ·tll(3 I-':irle dis~lectio11 of -[,118 r~e,3ion l-'~T

irlSeCfLlerrt str~earns" Ri.clges ~1 close lJl~,):~d.r:~t/3r Sepal'\s"te llal~r~OvJ

'i::,lle~y·s 0> Tl1e da.r~.:€:1..-<' t:a. :~,·:;:leS clY'e Ei-G!le r scr'llb e-l" s€co:1dal

Jr 1~O _Y'est

:;'!'Illose gr:olt'Jt11 l.s 1""!e3,liI1g t/h~3 scars ()f ma.ss mO,\l\SYrte11t of sc,j .. l Q Lit,.tl.e

LIse 5_s :1()l\j- rr.2\C~e of tli.e l~id,ses ' f; fl1..."G:l11:i::1G acrc)s~ tl-le p110to 3,1"")8 tll.6

Feet

0-- I Doa

-1000 Fec;

1000 _

-3000 I-e'er .:looo

4000 F<.ef

.3000--5000 Fe i

J,rooo ~

. 5000 j-ect

Ovc:.R

Fi'Je

10

~ .• 1'"'1 ...

"- . .Iv SYEOtei-:(2)) • Ample

.l \ . JJ 1'1 :l • l- --:,"':.-_~.~:-.t .. I"_" __ -~I.":~('-'}/'j

2.~~V~>

lS,

-of the fOJ.~sst v2 .. ries l-Jith relief.

(

.

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-(2) 30 J. G~l:tllier: nCJ..L"'J2,·ces c.:i· I'J(:n·: Zea,le..n.d: A.cco:-cding to Tll01~Yl­

t,l-p,l(~~,ite' s (!l?!"ssi~~ic~., -~icLH :r .. ~1~1·1J_5 c·,f -tJ-lE .·-:.s;:':'-ci?,t,ic'I:. cf

Ameri~ .. -: . .1l Ge~gl~2Jnh,::;~".S;~ Vo]::.:. 3~.L 194{~··--·--~~-·~· ~~--~~~.~.

1

l

quickly cc>vers the aY'ea~ Tli.is, in turn, zivBn IJCi.j"- to tbe sruall

""Gr8E' c1.sf;:ociation of the II second.ary fo rest·H·•

ha.s traced, in detail: the. 1ife-cycle cfttB forest oIthe T'arana1-::i

to S-3;/ , there is Ci series Ol plant celI'Jllunities; one t3rpe by its

It H2.f.:' this clima.x:

Uplands in 1890.

Elevaticn a.bove

Indeed, I'Jhen JJ18,lysed separa;tel;y: the physical cbst.? e1e5 do !:let,

1'.'"as 8D ebata,cle. Tracks 1,-.rere :['e1_:1 a:1<'3. t:) :':01101'1

a

to cliL"1b iron 011e l''i:iTSY valleS" into another) over :relentless ridGes,

rising steepl:}" 600 1':·0 1300 feet abcve th.e narr'cl,J, c.llu:vial,!' va.11ey

floors ~ Dense forest hindered progress.

they '!i·.'ere, i'Y'c::;ti.ently J little more "~ha.:!.-: canals of 21ush.

ItCist env(~1oped ~;he valleys at night and, in v.r:Lnt er, (;fte!'~ P E"rsisted

The noise of JT£t,~;~: ]!lClve:nEnts of :;l C2:'8S cf hillsi,j.es;

DUl~ing the sUD.:.'l£ r , placid

stre<:-lT.S;, E8anderint; peacefullJ throtl.zh Itr;cu,riEl.nt for'est) bstr2.yed

NintET.

P.~raQ.o~ical13;-; tJ:e

pl:.:tin.

this a,rea rem3..ined closed. t.o the :S:;urOY62....11 sct~18r-' u.i'J.til the

comple-:-In order to reach Te Eui-ci, the:re still re!TUlined t.he . .9rcj.:)le:n ci" Cl'OS

s--ing a l'.!-:i.de portion of the Upl3.lJ.ds. 'l'he cOi:~s-i.:,al terl"ace along the

( ~ \

Z:.:~~3, JC() f :)ll}l t118 :;·lIlit,·s Cliffs 0 \ J j

( 1 \

\

.

irr1e

7Jhitish f0:rmation.

It, i;;;; '.::lacked inla.,.'1d by steep hills ·i:.Jhich

(leri~lre,1 j~<l~o:-rr 'G11~: G15_sti.::nil1g Et~)~;e,J,l~,3l:c·e

Fig. 170 The intense drainage relief aDd razorbac};: na.ture of the :ridges is I'Jell illw;3trated by this vievJ of the cc!.t:,ch

-;::-,snt divide 'oetl'Je.en t.he l'~_ok.s'u-~it:,i 3.l1d Ohura rivers. The

altitn.lC:.e is only about 2,000'

1'1-';0 Vi8\:r5 of the ac cord,::..nt SUTwT'its 1.-J~lich are evide:,-tl~r the

relilllarrts of a la.nd of 1mv' relief,

A ViShf Dea r Tokirinla

looki:1g east.

Fig. 1

3

Fig .. 1L~. 'The tid.al est.uary of t he Avvalcino river 8..t th.e ljJnl t of the eoa stetl terrace.

: ~

.)

Fig. 15. The Tongaporl.1.tu riveT'

<i

f01..ll~ :.'£'.i1e5 from its Ii.lot'.th at :fu~l ,

tide. TLe fertile alluvium

supports rich pastures but is l iai)le to e}"'i:.ensive f1oodiag.

Note tl18 s cI'lj.b-cove:ced hills r

is-ing steeply- from the flat valle;{ floor.

Fig. 16. The nar~:'ov.J coastal

terraCe between Tongapor'trtu and

llohakatino ba.cked by steep cliffs cut by the sea at an earlier

r

Fig .. 170

prililitive

A forest r'efili'lant near ~lait.:ianga sti l l larGely in its sta,te. Altitude ap!..:)]:""0YJ..matel~T 1 :-500' .

Fig. HL The Upper Hoka:u r5ver :Ll1 flood in t.he 1920' s.

of the valley is Btill under tbe original forest 0

(lvII's. L. Tate photo)

Fig. 19. Tbe secondary scrub stage 01. succession back to forest

after clea.ring. Ham.11ca clu.iu.ps CL.'1d br·a.cken ierrl predorJinate and have

l::-..nc1 ~

~J-7", .-.~ :,,;.'..:..,.: .• -.J

negotiat.ed be"hrBSl1 101-0[ :-}.nd h3..1f t.ide e

t,·i :J1.1 5 E.:.1.1.c1:; _{:::.ett,1c:·::n.8!J.t.}

Cnl}'" ':::";:1 lOGall]

Indeed~ the sreater

Cliff·s ~

Thus it is l:L ttJ.e i--vcnder

sultcd

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-.

iIICUY'5j~Ol!S t12~aJJ.1S~ t,I1e 'Te .. ra~r:c:~l-:i 1,:!:~cr~is Q (F'ig e 20:~

.~ .,.

J..v COl'lt·i~lUG(l

15a.

and s ett.lements > notably G.t Earokopa river, Haikawau and the l\1'Jakino

river. _{The 110kau river 'Has the s:: te of a consid.e~.'able population ..}

Se"lreral branches of the Nga:ti-l-ia.njapoto tribe D-Y€d near its mouth and

1m the ri ver va11ey:~~. _{The nex:t, tHel ve rf1iles to the Pul:earuJ.").e ilpal!,}

near the southern end of the vrhite Cliffs, formed an efi'ecti ve bar:rier

of S t.eep raviJ1.2s 2J1d forest-clad ranges, a part from the narrO\v strip

of bea.ch at the Dase of' the cliffs 0 From Hokau to t:he Kat

ik3.ti-03.;'-:3, lipan 5 at the northern end of -c.lle hiJ.1ii:.e Cliffs, t he trai l tl~aversed

C.){.:.'~ 2 t,.::.l 1.1i.lls to

." J ..

c:'.V

LL'L1Cl !) _{clJ.lt;j.-\..ic.teC.} ~b~y

~ni.J.'~s ;;

I

l.-·Ii ~~,b \) e(:a~E~i'Jrlai s'?Mnd}l.ilJ_E IT

PR INC I PAL

I in<.h equals {b rJ'i"e~

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if

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Fi60 2.1. :._ vertical air phot.o of the ~·~1dte Clif.:Cs taken at, h.::;.lf tide shol,ing the narrow beach e.xposed. Here the Eessenger r&ige

r:'eets the sea in 900 I elii fs. The a ose21ce of the coo. stal terrace ma,de this rar..ge a cI·itical point for la.:.1d travel. Even toda;,-" at

10,(,'[ tid.e J the beach is used as a stock route. The terrace can be

seen re,:o,p~Jearillg at the top of the photo.

i'GS pr::'.-l!.'L.l."Glve state.

Fo}, ... est still largely in

(N.Z 0 Aeri&.l }ia:.~p ing photo)

; I

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Em effective barr-ier aga.inst inc'J.rsior:.s b;~r hostile tribes. A fel'{

Eaori paths led. through :':;8 Uphncls 2...11.d conD.ected scattered vi l lages

\":ith the popuJ.ated coast. (Fig,,20) ~ The Hokan river ":8,5 n.avigable"

Habi~1e trail b}··3..l1.ched south1r.Je"rds, up the I'.iokalJ.-iti river e~'1d a.CIDSS

the Tafrui-'\;'Jahine ranges ",hich form :,he divide bet'iJ'een the catchment s of the headwe.ters of the :r.~oka.u-it::.l and Ohura rivers 0 The trail CO

D-tinned xross the upper 1tJaters of the OhtU'a river to KavJakawa, fo110 w-ing the TaringamuJ-.u d:iTer and the 'I'uhlla ranges to the sou,thern shore

of Lake Taupoo A bl~2...'1ch of the trail lay along, but, not in, the

valley of the T,va:L1{aka river to Nihoniho, on the Ohura river 'I-'lhence it

travelled so-tJ.th-eastwards to conn.ect vd.:i:,h the Tapui-t'lahine trail. .A

second i.."llaf1.d trail, the Tihi-manuka, ran from the coast at Katikati

-aka "pat!, along forested ra..l1ges to the Tangaraka gorge, near the modern

Ohur?~ road route; across ranges and river valleys to the lrJ'anganui river

at Ko,iro; thence along the river ba,1'lk to the present site of

Tau-marunuio A third west-east trail across the Uplands to the Upper

'Yianganui river was the Taumata-mahoe track, which, begin.n.i...'1g at Onaero

on the· coast, fol101ved the Urenui river to the Taramouka;u stream, a

tributary of the Waitara river. Here, it was joL'1ed by another trail

from the coast following t he north bank of the Waitara river. The

combined ¥J.aori trail continued inland across the Iljaitara river at

Purangi; climbed the dividing ra.1'lge and descended into a tributary of

the Patea. ri'V'er l'lhence it ran, in an easterly direction, into the

valley of the l.\Tanganui river.

These three routes were the only ones affording means of access be

-tween the sea coast and the interior. The Maoris used them ma.iP~y as

a means of refuge. Long distance movement of goods, except those of

very high value,'played little part in the Maori economy of Taranaki.

The Patea' river valley and the ~vanganui river provided tW') routeways

L'l1to the interior from too South Taranaki coast. The potential value

1

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early as 18690 tlNative tracks a s a rule follow the best lines of the

count ry but a re generally cap3. ble 0 f being improved in detail.

Inas-much as bridges are rarely thought of by the natives, considerable

detours are often IJIade to a void a stream which :rJight be covered with

the exercise of a moderate amount of mechanical ingenuity. Swamps

too are 1D und a round which might be rnade passable by a small amount of

1vork Ll'l draining. 11 (1) Along the lines of the trails, many secondaFj

roads

m

route followed by the main coast road bet,,!een Te ICuiti and Nevi Ply-.mouth" Above all, the trails proved indispensable to early surveyors 3.l.'10.

ex-plorers.

Unfortunately the Maoris, having no vehicles or draught animals,

formed only narrow tracks 1>Jhich 1'Tere useless as a means of serviCing

the settlement c f I'je-Vlr PlylIlOl.. .. th. Fror:.1 18L~ 1 to 1890, il:Ll"t'...l.ally al l

,::8a. co:rm2u.:.'1ica.ticm \fjitl:l ~'lellinsl:;on declined

Cobb! s coach provided the first reg'ul::> 1:'

roac. connection betv!een '\If.ll1gan1.::i and Nev.! Plymouth, early in 1871.

The opening of the ':Jellington-Ne1rJ Plymouth railway: :L."l 1 1385, com.pleted

the diversion. ( ) i trade from sea 1:D land e In cO:'1trast, sea trade vuth

Auclclar.d increased Jecause New Pl;y:mo'L1th became t~-:e ~c:canshipment centre

for the rail &"1d S '33. through :coutj8 of North Island ·c,rade. The river

port. of Waitar3, cOID.TIl2.l."lded a (';onsiderabJ.e sha.re C£ oc)th imJard an.d

out-1,Jc.\,rd shlppinz c· RegLll::>. :c., services 1"wre in OpeT'B,t-iOl1 to Onehllnga,

113[;12..n and Kawhia 1·\lhil8 lYloh:au and AVJa.kino ("Tere 13,rgely supplied by s sa"

The constru.ction of the artificial harbour at NeH Pl;ymouth concentrated sea traffic through tl::.e ne'V,T port.

The year jg90 marks the peak period of the coastal sea serviceo

;:the complet.ion of the Nain. TruJ.":.k railway.~ J.n i 908, :!..ed to a rapid decline

in the coastal ~rade. Heduction of traT,relling t ime bet1tJeen Auckland

···,··_1.-'

,---

-I

1

Fig .. 22. Coastal shippi..l1g "vas vital in the -early yea:rs of the

settlement of New Plymouth. Here pictured is one of the coastal

vessels 1 • .;hich supplied the Eorth Taranaki set"clements such as

r-lokau, Tongaporutu and Airlo.kino, tied up at tte river port of ~vaitara ..

The opening of the main north road for all~1Neather traffic in the

late 'tirmnties broiJ.gh

t

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18.

and Wellington t.o eighteen hours, instead of two days, meant cheaper

freights "irinile the prospect of trading with the new settlements

along the railirla;y helped to divert traffic from the sea to the land.

The clearance and maintenance of a channel through the bar at the

en-trqnce to the lVIanukau harbour was too great a task to be economical 0

However, lack of other means of transport necessitated the

continua.-tion of the sea service with the North Taranaki coastal settlements~

It vvaS not until the economies of the motor age occasioned an

all-weather, coastal road that the sea service was abandoned. Difficult:ie s,

associated principally ~rith the physical nature of the country,

pre-sented such a road Lmtil the late i920tso The signifi cance of the sea,

during the years before 1890, cannot be exaggerated • Despite its

' . \

fundamental role :Ln the early progress of Taranaki, it could not

com-fB te wit h the rapid and reliable services v.Jhich the rail and road were

to prov4....de.

The years betwe~n 1890 and the opening of the l~in Trunk railway

were those of transition :Ln means of tr~nsport; coastal sea

comm_uni-cation reached its maximu.m. development and bega.YJ. to decline; the

survey of land routes a cross the Taranaki Uplands vJaS inaugurated; a

beginning was wade on the construction of the coastal road and the

in-land road and railway. The principal feature of the period, h01..rever,

w-as the completion of the II/lain Tru..'1k railway with the construction of

~he Te Kuiti to f~rton section.

Te Kuiti is 120

wiles,

the

eastern Taranaki Uplands. . Although the railvvay had reached Te Kuiti .

by 1887, twenty one years elapsed before the line was completed.

It was the idea of a Nain Trunk railll'Jay to link Auckland and ~.1Jellington

and the conviction that without such a li..1'1k the rTorth Island could

never begin to realise its potentialities, that drove the railway

con-struction on :L.'l.. t.he face of financial difficulties ~ a twenty year old

native question~ the deepest economic depression t~1e COlmtry had yet

knOl..zl and a succession of engineering problercs "u.nequalled on 2.n:/ <Jther

lirle in the cO'Lmt ry • \fiith an ullsolved nati.ve problem 81":.d a central

upland. block which must be crossed, the choice of a route for the line

a. gain , as each important s8ction. l'JEl-S nearing completion 0 11 l'eport ~

itH··itten in 1872, discussed three possible terminals a ft.er t.he lin.e

( 1 \

Ie it N ga. rUcl,\\Tahia • I / The j:,a.ilhead fina.lly decided Llpon IVas 2~t

rihikihi, tv'TO miles south of Te A,·vamutu. The opening of the section,

in 1880, once again l"'aised the problem of altern-J. tive routes. Bearing

in rnil'1d the future connection 1.nth \[vellington, the central and more

direct route, west of 1ske Taupo, VlaS regarded as the obl:~ous choice.

One alterr...ative inIaS to head loVestward, to the growing

settle-ment of Ne1,v Plymouth and thus utilise the railway already const.ructed

between New Plymouth

aPn

coast from Awakino to Haitara 1t.."ras abandoned early because of t1riO main

factors; the nature of the country vvhich was some of the \·.;orst that

had been surveyed at thai/time ~'1d the fact that being a coastal route

it could only open up land on one side of the railway. A more favoured

route through Taranaki INas via Ohl.U'a to Stratford. A complete

alter-mtive was to avoid the K:L."1g Country and its native problem altogether,

by carrying the line east of Taupo to the JYIanawatu river. (2) The

main purpose of the railway under Vogel is public works policy was to

open the interior for settlement. It was desirable t hat the railway

should give access to fertile areas, especially, i f in so dOL~g, it

could a void t.he upland block. The preliminary survey of the three

routesJ in 1882, disclosed several important facts. In neither the

eastern nor the Taranaki route V.J as there much difficulty -vri th the l'4aoris.

The nature of the topography presented the greatest obstacle; in the

case of the eastern route, the barren pumice region of the Kaingar~

plains offered little to prospective settlers at th3t tiro~. The full

survey of the central route 1,vas done by John Rochfort, despite l'1a.ori

interference during his exploration through the heart of the King C01l.l1try.

The work was completed in 1884, after ten months of exploration in

\vhich razorback ridges, steep ravi.l1es and miles of trackless forest had

required as great a fortitude as the rifles of threatening lJiaoris.

(1) Appendix to Journals of .the House of Representatives; 1872, D5: po5

!10hAU Rour~

-STRATFORD RouT£. A\ X " X X X

NAPJ£P, RouT£. OOCOCeooeco

/ '

I / - - "

jMOHOU

J

/

/ '

/ '

-- - -o-tJt-enu;

...

... o· • • ••••.

x

X

x x

" _"

.

•

I

I

20.

From the viewpoint of settlement ~ the cent2:'z.1 r cute1:J'as most

A"9pro:;cimately 80::; of the

land \'1[2.S classifie da. s ploughable, though.:; c.t that time, it ,'.las o,e_1

fern C01.lnt I'Y 1,-ri,th ClUlllPS of k2.hikatea (Podocarpl.i.3 dacrydioides) in

the valleys .. (1) As a result of the investigations, the central route

-\Aras adopted, iodth the belief that it iiJ'Ould giv~a::ccess to the greatest

area of land suitable for settlement and followed the least costly

line a cross the upla,nd block.

The rate of construction varied considerably.. The first twenty

six miles to 'I'e Kuiti vlere finished ill t'tvo yea.rs; in the next

two

years, onl;)T a third of tba

t

diffi-culties played a large part in the retardation. As far as Te Kuiti,

the line followed the valley of the, ~'Jaipa rivere ~vith the

penetra-tion of the Uplands, steeper grades, high v~aducts, sharp curves

and

long tup~els presented greater engineering problems. l{oreover a

large part of the work vJas done d1..lring the depression years of the

late ~ighties and earlylnil~eties when finance was not readily

forth-corning. The rising price level, after 1895, alleviated the difficu..lt;/.

Thereafter, lLDtil the completion of the line, the retarding factor

was the rugged relief. The Raurimu spiral exemplifies the remarkable '

engineering feats occasioned by the difficult terrain. The railway

climbs 2,160 feet from the river side at Taumarunui Flat to National

Park Station on the WaL~rino plaino The lLne

runs

spiral, a. complete cil"cle and two loops 't'l-:ith t"i.vo tunnels. (Fig.24)

The railway vas the key factor in the opening up and development

of the King Country. Thousands of acres were nade accessible for

pastoral settlement; timber 'milling and allied industries became the

main feature of the King Count~-'s economy. The clearing of t~e forest

from the alluvial river f1a.ts and gentle slopes was quickly followed

by the surface sow-i-J,"1g of grasses on the slopes al"1,d the ploughing of the

valley plains. Present tOV>.lJ.1S, such as Taumarunui and Raurimu, ltV'ere

originally railhead towns, from which settlement expanded as the forest

was c1Bared. Sheep farming, LD association w~th the fattening of

cattle for the Auckland Freezing (rJorks, became the major farrr..Jing in dtist,ry •

(1) A. to J.; 1884, D5: p. 75.

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Settlement i::1, the Oh1..~ra: district Has also pion.eered during these

years but it i,.TS,S handicapped by tVJenty miles of umnetalled road 1\b,i ch

separated it from the railwaye The road 't"as impassable during the

vvinter months J a factor 'lArhich prevented rapid development on a parallel

'tilth other J.l.1ain Trunk settlements e The inaccessibility of the a rea

was responsible for the commencement of a railway line from Okahillcura,

on the ~1ain Trunk, to Ohura in 191 i " The district developed a co

mmun-ity of interest i~d.th the overseas port of Auckland, not only because

it gave the easiest &~ cheapest means 6f co~~ication but Auckland

capital and organisations had nurtured the settlers. As regards ac

-tual dis tance, the Ohura area, includLYlg TaUL'"'1arunui, was closer to

Nell'[ Plymouth b"L.-t betvreen them stretched the topog:::,aphic barrier of the

Uplands. The distance to N81-J Pl;YTJlouth is less than a third of tha t

to Auckland and yet, the trade of the Ohura area was 1 .. rith Aucl:..land firms I)

The barrier to the south-l,vest vras no myth and it l'Tas not until the

Stratford to Okahuku,ra line 1'laS opened in 1932 that New Plymouth began

to dra-If; the trade of the area into its hinterlando

The ilI1.portance of the }IIain Trl.LYLLc line, however, does not lie

solely in the new settlements to ~mich it gave birth or to the tirriller

resources that became accessible for milling. After 1905, the flolv

of settlers and trade between Auckla..'1d and hielli.ngton was no longer

hindered by the frequently rough sea voyage from Ne~l Plymouth to Auck

-lalld. Tbrough traffic by-passed Taranaki, in general, a.."1.d New Pl;ymouth,

in particular. Taranaki had gain e d a land route to Auckland but it

"laS a circuitous rail journey, via r,fu,rton, al1d occupied brvo days,.

Such a :means of transport did not sclve the problem of a northern outlet.

Coastal vessels continued

to

coast; the quickest and cheapest means of reaching Auckland from New'

Plymouth was still by sea, across the perilous bar of thE Manukau

harbour. The diversion of through North Island traffic to the Nain

Trunk railvlay brought a decl ine in the entrepot trade of the port of

N e1nT Pl::l]EQuth. T1..e,f...,- p·asr':np' oJ:> 'T'~ranal(i b,y "'bo rail' .. _""v re Pll1ph"'sJ'zed

!.1 VUf;/-_ 0..l.._ 0 ..i. _d. _ , J LJ LV ... __ If'olo,ej ' _ - _ .... _~-_c;.. .. , , '

its isolation, especia.ll.y from northern settlements. Farmers along

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of settlement ~ v,rere still isolated for more than siJ~ months of the

ye2 .. r whereas -:1-'3 n8\-[ settla'1snts in the King C01..mtr;y possessed, f:ro!r1.

the time of their foundation, a raiIHa;y" direct to an overseas port G

This si tua tioD ,more than anyth:L'1g els e, stressed the necessit.y of

providing these isola ted settlements 1>rith an u..n.interrupted means of

access to New Plymoutho Co~~ercialinterests l~Llforced popular

opi.nion, in the desire for go.'Jd cornmu..nication lines ID ich would not

only provide transport serv-lces but 'lfTould also attract new areas and,

thus, enlarge the hinterlar.d of New Plymouth. ~~e opening of the

port of New Pl;ymouth" in 1917, fo r direct overseas shipping accentuated the validity of the case.

The adoption of the central route for the Ivlain Trunk raihray

re-sulted in diUtisfaction between Auckla.f1d and Taranaki, on the one hand,

and Wellington" on the othe r. H01rleVer, l\'"hile Auckland lost interest,

Taranaki did not forego the possibility of a western rail cOlliiection

across the Taranaki Upl&~dso Families had taken up sites inland from

stratford, on the ,understanding that it was t8 be the rail ju..1'1ction of the Ivlain Trunlc vri.th the New Pl3'lnouth-~·lellington linec After 1890,

a considerable number of settlers moved, eastwards, into the

irJhang-amomona cou..ntry, into the true Taranaki Upla...ndse During the next _,

fifteen years, axe and fire removed the forest from even the steepest

of hills. English grasses, which were som in the \varIn ashes of the

aut~~ burn, replaced the protective forest. The rejection of the

~ aranaki route for tre Nain Tnw..k rail1nJay left the settlers virtually

without·hope of removing their isolation. Some success had been

ob-tained in securing road cowmQ~ication but, for over six months of the

year, the ~'Jhanga.Tflomona to Stratford road 1:lTaS an impassable sea of mu.d.

The cost of trB-nsport amounted to 50-100% of the price of goods L.'1 Stratford. In the SlllTIiller of 1900, the charge for carting goods, by

road, to Vf..l'18J.'1 gamomona l'laS £2. 1 0. 0 a ton, C ompa. red 'Wit h

£3.

9.

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1~

a uon, 1111tn.Tll,.,er, 1rhenever 1. was POSSl. e '"Go gev v_::cougu. The

result 1>Jas the proposal by govern:LYlg bodie s in TC'~rana.1:i, for a light

railway into the area, from Stratford, to provide facilities to service

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and TI!aint.3.-in t.116 cOJT.:2Hinitie s .. ThE7·tle-\relopment of t.his idea, into

, an urge for a 1'2,i l connection "{.Iiith the l·12.in Trunk and, thus, a

:coute-\'va.y across the Uplands, forms the topic of -che Iollc1t>!ing chapter. Basically, the problems assoc:L-:t ted 1",-i th both the inland :."Oad 8;;:J.d rs"il

-\va;sr resolved themselves into the difficulties of penetratiilg the

top-c gr-aphic barrier.

Sett·12ment. had also expc.~nded north-II'J'G,raS ~ along the eoastal

lcn-.r-lands to Puke~~,!'l..t~1e and inl::md, up-:',he Uriti valley tOGl16 foot of the

Nesseng6l:' re,n,ge ir,rhich S8)2,r·ated. these fa.:cming dis tricts fn:.l1n tho S9

northwards of 'I'e.ngaporutuo '}:):'.e inadequ_Clcies of sea com.mmications

in 1890.

About the sam.e time, a. bridle pa,th lila.s opened

from /'~l"iakino, eVer the Tau:n..atamaire hills al'10. ",long. the up~)er £-1:0l-;2U

valley-, f;ivil1g 3.c::ess fr-oJ:H the c.oast to Te Tuiti and the -;!Is.ipa d.ver.,

The only portion of the route1:etvlee.n 1'e l~uiti 3.nd Net'" Plyr:lo'..lth open

'GO vJheel traffic '\!"as Il"om Nev-J Plymouth to Uriti - a distance of only

thirty miles. The section haS 7netalled before the beginning of the

The e.x:perience of the early pe riod of roadbLulding

t

~

.,

illustr':-lted the difficulties I.,rhich would be confronted in future 'liJorks.

cuttings, through the I!papaY

forma tiol1,1 proved to be unstable;, due to the continual i!Vater-seepage

and the long :geriods of he.av-y- rainfall; maintenance V\Tork had to be

continuous a By 1900, the road to Hokau, over JYhmic Messenger, 1nTaS

ii:

open for wheeled traffic, during· the Sllil1rller months. It reITl.ained purely

a sumner road li.l1til near the end of the 1920' s" The tidal Tongaporutu

and Nokau rivers 'tv-ere cro ssed by means of a punt. ~vith the

indiscrim-ina t.e felling of the forest 'tvithin the I i ver cat ctlment s , an increased

run-off resulted in the rapid rise ~~ river levels, du~_ng heav;y rain

-fal l. Even in the s~~mer, coromunication v~s often L~terrupted by high

floods.. A t the outbreak of the Great vvar, there 1nJas still no regular

Today, the coastal road pro~~des, not only the w~in outlet

north-1,,,,ards from Ne,'\T Plymouth, but is an important section of a main hight"lay

betwe en Auckland and Uellington 0 The period after the Great \;Jar

·t\Tas an era of irnportant road construction.' The popularity of the

motor car and motor lorry meant that all-weather roads vlere a necessity ..

In the days of the "ho rse a.l1.d buggytl, a cart could travel on the mu.d.dy

road:?&"'1d provide servicable corrnrtUJ.'1ication bet"l,1Teen settlements vi.nich

,.vere in clo se proximity. The a dventi of the automobile age' made

it

possible to cover long distances, in a comparatively short time,

pro-vided the roads lifere suitable. As in other parts of Nel'" Zealand, the

automobile, j~ Taranah~, gave n~w life to, hitherto, isolated centreso

!v1oreover, i t gave imPetus to the roadbuilding era I,hich continues today;

an era., which has seen the penetration of the physical barrier of the

Taran.aki Uplands by mod ern communi cation lines. The term "backblocks"

is nOlif> rarely applicable. h7J.1ereas the ride from Te Kuiti to Ne1v

PlJ"'I!1outh, by horse and coach, required tvlQ strenuous days in 1914, nmt{

the 105 road miles form a comfortable journey of three hours by motor

car.

Changes in many forms accompanied the neN modes of tr&"1.sport 0

Physical obstacles ceased to be insuper.s.ole and beca~me only rele.tive. The;: vJere· penet:c2.ted by modenl r02.ds and rail1rlays} in order to 1X.1ite

the T2..rana,:d lo·\t,rlanc.s. The econolnc structure of 1:0 -ch areas 'hras altered and impr'oved. The hinterland of Nel! P1Y:!louth e~ct,eYlded as comrmmication IL.les were constructed into areas, Ilvhich had, preiriol.ls1:y,

Jooked to Aucl:la.nd as their o~v-erseas port and. :rna.jor c01ITr:ercie,l centre.

[~eneral Th,s d evelop!EEmt of the y:ceserlI, C021lIlunication P2:t.t,.:;:;:--n in Tara.r:aki: clearl:}" erEphasizes the legacr of "CDe past.

Progress and isoJ.ation are inco!J1.:.)atlble in the D:resent age of rapid

t},.'),."'1.sport. and ccmrrrunica.tions 0

--24.

CHA?TE2 III.

as 3. Communication hUle.

of settleiJ.len'~ J New PIYTaouth could COEIITmnicata with the rest of N61rf

Zealarid, onl: ~e seao At one stagej the colony 1iJaS described as

rrlaL.'1tai.ning a precariolJ.s e:xistence, l'Jith the sea in front of it and

the forest 3J~ld hostile Ymo:ns behind. The completi.on of th e Nel'J

on the B2.in stl~e'3.m of north and south traffic it"/Ghe island 6 ~iEth

the improvement of the port facilitie ~, expeditious transport between

... o.uckland and Hellington, by combined rail and sea, v..ras offered&

Hm .. jever, by diverting tra.ffic thr01J.gh the centre of the island, the

Main Trunk railv,[ay forced Tar&'1aJd. ,again ,into a backwater in the

North Island traffic stream. In ! 900., there was not the least doubt

that ~~e greatest opporttmity of removing the isolation lay in the

proposed rail~'lay connection between New Plymouth and the northern

portion of the Nain Trunk railv~:\r. The realisation of this project

appeared to provide the best hopes of an effective northern outlet.

In 1870, the suggestion O+' .L 0. .., North Island Hain Trunk rail~vay was

corrunonly mooted. Duri..'1g the next few years, the construction of the

hiellington-New Plymouth line vJaS begu..n a..'1d, utilising different

sec-tions of this surveyed line, alteITI.8. tive routes for the l1ain Trunk

railway were prcposed. ThoSG through the Taranaki Uplands lITere

serious contenders. u.. ~ early as 1875" an expedition set out from

t1:'1 e forest-enclosed village of Stratford, Iifith the intention of

reach-mg vihat is n01'[ Te Kuiti, in order to obtain a Imowledge of the land

and report on possible road a..'1d rail routes to COTnlect with the Auckland

district. Difficulties encountered in the extremely rough a..n.d

track-less country proved too strenuous for the e:xpedition ll1Thich vias forced

to emerge on the coast, near ~lount Nessengero Exploration parties,

dur:L"lg succeeding years, met i-vi th mo re succ ess 0

S.election of the route betvleen I"Iarton and Te .A:v.lamutu became a