INTERESTING EXPERIENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1929, Page 8

INTERESTING EXPERIENCE

SMASHING TOLL GATES. A little gathering was held at the Wellington Rowling Club a day or two ago, among them Mr M. 0. Dimock, of Tihati Ray, and an old member o! the club. He was recounting some of his experiences of 4.0 to 50 years ago, arid recalled the trouble that arose over the toll gates in the Hutt Roau and Ngaliauranga George, in the mid’eighties. A committee, lie said, had been formed with a view to getting rid o the toll gates, and the late Mr George Waddingtou was chairman. The authorities were opposed to their removal, feeling ran high, and throats to iorcioly remove them went round 'lhe authorities, hearing that some attempt was likely to he made in that direction, put a policeman on duty at each gate. Their suspicions were wellfounded, tor, so the story goes, a liberal supply of whisky was sent down for the butchers at Ngahuaraiiga, and the raid on the gates was arranged to take place at night. The officer watch ing the Hutt Road gate was captured and tied to the railings at the side of tne old Hutt railway, while the one in the gorge was secured and tied to a tree. The latter was a well-known officer of generous proportions, and when lie had been “hogtied” one of tbe butchers called out to one of his pals. “Pump him. Bill.” Pumping was the method of forcing the blood out of beasts being slaughtered, tbe butchers rolling tbe bodies backwards and forward with their heavily-booted feet. The constable soon bad enough of this, and cried quits, telling them to get on with their job. The gates were speedily demolished, and there was a hie outcry. The committee determined to prevent the sates being restored, somrht the advice of Sir Robert Stout, and acting upon that advice contested the legal proceedings, and won. And so the toll gates disappeared for ever fro rntlie Gorge and the Hutt Road.