BISHOP WEST-WATSON

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1926, Page 1

BISHOP WEST-WATSON

WEST COAST TOUR

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 2,

Bishop West-Watson and -Mrs \VestWatson returned to their homo in Carlton Mill road on Saturday after a tour of the West Coast. His Lordship wil leave Christchurch again tonight for Wellington. Reference to the visit to the Coast by Dr West-Watson and Airs WestWatson is made in the August issue of “The. Church News,” which states: “The Bishop and Mrs West-Watson spent most of July —from the lOtli. to the 30tli.—visiting the West Coast, most of the time in the long parochial district of Ross. His Lordship thoughtfully sent us his monthly letter from Waiho Gorge, just prior to commencing ilie most arduous part of the journey. Up till that time lie had motored. Ho took his own car by train to Otira and motored thence to Hokitika, and it was his intention to motor as far as he could.

“The allusion in the Bishop’s letter to the Archbishop’s mishap is to an incident that occurred on the Archbishop’s last journey to Waiho Gorge. Ascending one of the hills, something in the differential broke, and the brakes failing to hold the car, it ran backward down the hill. A considerable distance below the road was a creek, and the hank was sufficiently steep to make it practically certain death if the car wont over. The Archbishop continued to keep the car on road till it neared the bottom but before safety was reached, the coupe inn over the edge and turned on its side. By a providential chance a great log lay hidden in the scrub at that particular spot a ml* it checked the fall of the car. The Archbishop and Miss Julius got out of the door on the uppermost side, shaken but unhurt, and Miss Julius walked to the nearest place where there was a telephone, called up a taxi from Hokitika, ordered a breakdown gang for the recovery and repair of the ear, and they proceeded on their journey. ’TRAVELLING 0N HORSE-BACK. “From Waiho Gorge it is usually necessary for travellers southward to use a horse, as ears at present caii cross the Waiho only when the river is low. 'Pile roads are narrow and tortuous, winding round the sides of precipices at a great height, descending and ascending steep mountain sides. Forewarned, the Bishop and Mrs WestWatson had been practising riding for some time in Christchurch, as it was not one -of their special accomplishments. Their first stretch beyond Waiho was the long 30 miles from the Gorge Hotel to Karangarua, then ten miles to Bruce Bay, 18 miles to the Paringa lint, 32 miles more to Copper Creek hut, and a final 20 miles to Okuru, the limit of settlement southward, where they were to spend Sunday. July IStli. The Tints are said to he merely open shelters hv the wayside provided by a benevolent Government for travellers benighted in a wet climate. There is a telephone in each by which communication can ho obtained with the settlements north and south, but there Is no living accommodation, and the party (which would include the Vicar of Ross, the Rev. J, R. Young) would need to cainp out. From Okuru the party would return still in the saddle, to tho two huts, in eaeh ease probably spending another night there, thence to Mahitahi, Bruce Bay, Karangarua and Waiho, reaching that haven of rest and motor-cars oil the 27t.1i., after about twelve days ill the saddle. >

“Tho Bishop has not spared himself in Ills efforts to familiarise himself with the remote parts of his diocese accessible by car. and Mrs has gone with him to practically if not every place. This adventure puts the coping stone oil the- Bishop’s visitation, and we may venture a word of special admiration for tho courage of Mrs West-Watson in tackling this latest journey. She will he famed in the. local history as the first Bishop’s wife to make the journey—a journey few women would undertake unless obliged to by sheer necessity.” KEEN CHURCH PEOPLE.

On his way to the South of Westland his Lordship wrote his monthly letter to the same journal from Wailio. Ho states: —“We are finding all the good tilings we had heard of the people and scenery of IVestland abundantly fulfilled, and have had wonderful weather to start on our tour. I have been struck hv the congregations which have gathered in the'churches, big and little, and by the interest and keenness of the church people. It is a great testimony to the splendid work of the vicars past and present. "Last night we had an overflowing gathering in the hotel at Wailio, and over CI4O was subscribed on the spot for the building of a little church, for which the Messrs Graham have given a beautiful site. I think some of them would like to help on a scheme which would benefit not only the people who live here hut vistors from all parts. It would he a real blessing, too. to the many little children growing up in the neighbourhood to have a sacred building round which their thoughts of holy things might cling. It would be a great thing, if, with such a start, the cost would he raised by direct giving. (Mr J. Green, jun.. of Tataro, Westland, is the treasurer and would bo glad to receive any donations). Mrs Peter Graham is working up a Mothers’ Union branch, which I hope to inaugurate on my return journey.”