THE EARLY DAYS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 40, 3 March 1937, Page 12

THE EARLY DAYS

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5 PRICE.)

When The Coaeh Went To Moawhanga TRIALS 0F PASSENGERS

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In tke early years oi settlement in Hawke's Bay tke xoad to Kuripapanga was a very importaut inland coack route, connecting Napier witk tke Inland Patea, digtrict. For some .years tke terminus of the coack road waa at Waikonini, wkere a Mr. WilBam Jones kad a kotel and store, and rau a coack service. Some very interesting particulars of coacking along this roa.d in tkose early days are supplied by Mr. Campbell Wylie, of Napier, one of tke oldest mail coach drivers now living in tke' district, and wko kas kad sometking like 45 years' experience of driving over every road inland and to the nortk of Napier, having driven on tke Wairoa, Gisborne, Taupo, Rotorua, and otker roads to tke nortk, as well as on tke Kuripapango road. Mr. Wylie says tkat in 1882 tke late Mr. Alexander McDonald built a kotel at Kuripapango, and ran a mail coack to that place for a number of years. Mails for Moawhango, wliere Ellis Bros., and afterwards Mr. R.. T. Batley, for many years kad a store, and to Erewhon and otker Inland Patea stations was carried on pack korses for some years, until tke road was carried tkrougk to Moawhango, when tkat became a terminus for some of tke coaches. Tke Kuripapango district is regarded as a very kealtky one, and tke kotel tkere was well kept and was quite a favourite place for holiday-makers in tke summer and for week-end trips ns well. Tke Kuripapango Hotel was burnt in 19Q1, aud McDonald 's coack made it.s last trip to Kuripapango, witk Mr. Wylie as driver, 36 years ago tkis montk, and 36 years ago on Mouday, Marck 1, tke coack korses, karness, etc., were submitted for sale by auction at Stortford Lodge, Hastings. Mr. Alex. McDonalu kad several drivers in tke earlier years, kis son# tke present Mr. Alex. McDonald, being tke driver in 1890. It was in October, 1898, tkat Mr. Wylie became tke driver, and ke remained in tkat position until tke coack ceased runhing in 1901. He rocalls bringing back to Napier on tko morning after the kotel waa burnt in 1901, tke f.our ladies, Mrs. H. G. Ballantyne, of Puketapu, Misses Marett (.Napier), Knigkt (Pahiatua) an.d Dyer (Wellington). Tke coack road to Moawhango was opened in 1888 or 1889, and for a timo Mr. W. Jones ran a coack to Moawhango in opposition to Mr. McDonald, but tkis opposition did not last long, Later'tke late Mr. George Rymer rau an opposition service for about eigkt years, akd during part of tke timo this opposition was on, passengers were being carried from Moawhango to Napier, a trip requiring fifteen korses (tkree teams of five eack, ekanging en route) for 5/- tke trip. On one occasion during a flood wlien McDonald 's and Rymer's coaekes were botk running on tkis route, tke Tutaokuri was in heavy flood. Mr. Wylie arriving first at tke second crossing of tke river, managed to get througji, witk all of tke korses swimming, but Rymer's coack, following soon after. was not so fortunate, tke coack being upset in tke river, and a passenger, Mr. Tim Flanagan, was drowned. Mr. Wylie mentions tkat Taihape, Hunterville and Ohingaiti, now important inland towns, were tken only bush districts, tkougk Ellis Bros. kad a store at eack plaee as well as one at Moawhango. Witk tke passing of tke old mail coaches, transport conditions underwent a great ckange, and journeya wkick at times required tke greatest possible amount of skill, nerve aud intrepidity, kave given place to well ' metalled roads covered by car in a few kours. '