Fun On The Road In Old Coach Days

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 13, 30 October 1950, Page 2

Fun On The Road In Old Coach Days

From “Jason,” Wellington. . When I see trampers setting out for a weekend in the Tararuas from the Otaki side, I recall my first journey up the coast 68 years ago, when I was about 17 years old—no good roads; no train or motor cars, only Cobb and Co. coaches. If my memory is correct, there was an afternoon coach from Wellington to Porirua, because, in order to avoid the very early start of the Foxton coach from Wellington, 1 went to Porirua for the night so as to join that coach when it stopped there for breakfast. The Manawatu Railway Company was starting its construction works, and I remember well the rather rough and extremely noisy crowd which seemed to be enjoying themselves in the bar till well after midnight. The road over Paekakariki Hill was much the same as it is now, only rougher, and through glorious bush. The view from the top was over miles of forested country, with few clearings to be seen. At Paekakariki the coach took to the beach, and trundled somewhat slowly along the sand to Otaki and Foxton. Otaki was a large Maori pa, with small “pub” and a few Europeans. Its unique church was its chief attraction.

There was a ferry across • the Manawatu River, and I think a steam train ran from Foxton to Palmerston North. The coach driver was a fine chap, like most of his kind in those coaching days. He was also a wily “bird,” as the following will show: The route along the beach was monotonous, so he sometimes proposed a game. The first man to spot a dog, a cow or some noticeable object would get so many marks, but if anyone saw a white horse first, die won the game. The prize was drinks to the winner from all the players.

This game would only be played with passengers who were making their first trip, because the driver could then be certain that he was the only player who knew that the ferryman at the Manawatu crossing kept a white horse.