NELSON TO DUNEDIN ON A “FACILE” BICYCLE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2662, 1 April 1885, Page 3

NELSON TO DUNEDIN ON A “FACILE” BICYCLE.

Mr T. A. Field, a Nelson bicyclist, who recently rode from Nelson to this town on a 40-inch “ Facile ” machine, afterwards proceeding to Hokitika, Christchurch, and Dunedin, telegraphed to the Nelson Evening Mail two closely-printed columns concerning his trip to Reefton, Greymouth, and Karaara. The following is that portion of his account relating more particularly to Kumar a : “ I left Greymouth on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m,, having changed tny in. ten tion of proceeding to Kumara by train. The road led round the sea beach for several miles, and then turned inland to Marsden, ten miles from Greymouth. This is a small township, consisting of a large hotel and store? and several houses. Leaving here I commenced to climb the Greenstone Hill, pushing my machine up, till I imagine, from the view obtained, I must have been well on towards a thousand feet above the sea. On the left the ocean could be seen plainly, while northwaids appeared the range of coastal mountains 30 or 40 miles away. Looking down, it appeared one dense mass of tree tops rising and falling in hill and valley with nothing to relieve it. Down the other side the grade

was easy and the surface good, so I did some real flying to the celebrated Greenstone Creek. I was told that a large block of greenstone was found here lately, The whole bed of the creek appeared to have been worked and turned over for gold, and as I passed a number of Chinamen were working near the road. After crossing the Tereraakau by a frail [?] bridge, and climbing the high river bank or terrace, I found myself in Kumara at 6.30. Distances : Marsden, 10 miles : Kumara, 10 miles; by tram the distance is 14 miles, the Teremakau being crossed by a cage travelling on wire ropes. Kumara is a large township, said to have been built in six months from the time the first house went up. The population has now dwindled down from 5000 to about 1200, while empty shops and hotels are plentiful. Gold is still found here in good quantities, but for every £4OO worth of gold £IOO has to be paid for water .alone. The day I reached there the last claim stopped work for want of water, and everything was at a standstill. Leaving Kumara next morning, I rode to Hokitika before breakfast. The road passed through Stafford and Waimea, two good-sized mining townships. Miles of this road are fit for bicycle racing, while bicycles and tricycles often run from Hokitika to Kumara. The distance from Hokitika to Greymouth along the sea beach is 20 miles, while through Kumara it is nearly twice that distance. After a run of 19 miles in 2J hours, including the delay of boating across the Arahura river, the bridge not being finished, I reached Church’s hotel, at Hokitika, in time for breakfast, having now ridden 220 miles from Nelson.” If Mr Field completes the journey he has set himself to perform, he will have accomplished the longest bicycle journey ever made in the colony.