STRATFORD-ONGARUE RAILWAY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 67, 28 June 1910, Page 7

STRATFORD-ONGARUE RAILWAY

SOME RECOLLECT 1 ()N S. (By W. T. Jennings, M.P.) The opening of the Te Wera section of the above railwaWhich I liave advocated for the pasl twenty. years, 'brings back to me some which may be won'.i publishing. In 1894, accompanied: by the late Mr. W. Crowther, Messrs P. Lang, MjJ? 1 ., (Shephardi, F. Julian, W. Adams and Tayilor, I left Stratford to proceed; overland to Kawakawa, now known as Ongarue. The party had just previously gone over the North Island Main Trunk route, riding from Te Kuiti to Karioi. We left the Stratford County Hotel on April 6th, taking a stock of provisions, tent, and—tell it not in Gath—one bottle of whisky, and thereby hangs a tale, showing how we should foe charitable in our judgment of people. We travelled as far as Da vies (now Colonel) and Sladden's bush survey camp the first day, making close on 38 miles. There was no place after leaving Toko in those days. The next day we had to climb the Whangamomona Saddle, and this proved very trying, as each one had to carry a swag. We only did nine miles that day on foot. Our tent was pitched near where the ibridge is north of Whangamomona township, and I christened it Druid's camp. As the party in that day's travelling got wet through, and the weather was terribly cold, it was decided to have "a nip" of whisky, and the half bottle was given back to the carrier to guard it sacredly, as the Tangarakau Gorge was before us. The third day out (April Bth), we had a terrible time of it, making 11 miles; the weather was both wet and cold. We came to poor Morgan's camp, and had the "billy 'boiled" there. I went into Morgan's hut, where 'his clothings boots, some survey materials,>and a large number of books were left when the _ party dispersed after his sad death, which occurred about two years prior to our visit. ' He was head of the survey party, and was a fine specimen of manhood, being over six feet in stature. Looking over the books one was struck by the literary character of the man. They were all standard works, including Shakespeare, Milton, and so forth. When he became seriously ill his mates tried to get him out, but the country was too rough. His lonely grave and the solitude of the bush made every one of our party sad that day. The fourth day out (April 9th) began to tell on some of the party, and the wet and cold, and walking through Gorge, climbing up and sliding down creeks, had its effect on Mr. Crowther, who, for an old ipan, was surprisingly vigorous; but it was, too much for him; and after doing six miles that day, Julian decided on camping. Mr. Crowther becoming worse, we got alarmed; and the half bottle of whisky was requisitioned. The man who had it in charge unpacked his swag, and —it was not there. There was a grisly silence that could be felt, for it was an anxious time, as Mr. Crowther had turned a blue pale color. However, Julian, a splendid bushman, soon had some hot tea ready, and the rest and warmth brought our sick man round. Everyone thought the man had drank the remaining whisky; •but we did .him an injustice. Four weeks after we had rested at the Druid's camp, two young men who were engaged; at Davis and iSladden's camp, where we stopped the first night out, finished their job, and came over the same track we had. One of them (Mr. Gbbble) wrote to Mr. Lang that they were agreeably sur- ' prised to find half a bottle of whisky amongst some fern at the Druid's, camp. I Our man, in the hurry of packing up on I the morning we left, forgot the bottle, I and euff#red',.'in character through our I suspicious natures. In the afternoon of this anxious day we had more, excitement. We were probably run down, for we had undertaken a big task to go through both the Main Trunk and Stratford-Ongarue routes, and I the cold and .wet weather, with the hard, canned food and biscuits, began to tell. We were camped in a hollow, and there was a gale 'blowing, when we were all startled by hearing as natural a "coo-ee" as ever came out of human lips. Adams, Julian and Taylor, men of long experience in bu&h country, after 'listening intently, declared it was a human voice, and thought some poor fellow had got "bushed." They fired a gun, a,nd we all "coo-eed," and waited expectantly. Then a circle was mapped out and off started four of the party, when Taylor, who was a half-caste, traced the sound to a hill-top, and it was found to be two trees rubbing against each other and producing a human-like "coo-ee" and blood-curdling groans. The fifth day out (April 10th) broke up Taylor and myself. I could not wit the eels that were caught by Adams and the 'damper" made by Julian; our other provisions had run out. It was a hard, wearying, toilsome journey the last eight miles we had to tramp that day before we could reach the Ohura Valley and where we could pick up our horses. Fortunately for us, the boys that had the horses," finding us a day longer than was anticipated, pushed on to meet us, and never did the jingling of pack-horse bells sound so joyous as when we heard them coming up the Papafoa hill. Our journey was an easy one t» Koch's camp (where Niho Niho is) of cooperative road workers, where we got a change of raiment, deceht food, and a good night's rest. Taking a retrospective view, the i changes since we went through as above, are very great. There was no settlement ibeyond Toko, the Canterbury' pilgrims had just gone into the Tanner and Nelson settlements (now Matau and Purangi). A large population is now .between Stratford and the southern side of Tangarakau Gorge. At the northern side, a papulation of 1500 is settled, townships like Mangaroa and Matierei flourishing. There is one fly in the ointment —the roading is not keeping pace with settlement.—Stratford Post.