PAGES FROM THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1921, Page 9

PAGES FROM THE PAST.

EARLY TARANAKI EVENTS.

Tfffi FIRST COACH TO NEW PLYMOUTH.

(By

"Juvenis.")

Yesterday many hundreds of Taranaki people sped on their way to Wellington by motor or by train. The 252 miles is an easy day’s run for a motor, and the distance has bean covered in eight hours, but the average time is nearer twelve. It is different now from what it was but a few decades ago, when to proceed overland even as far as Wanganui was really a formidable undertaking. Few realise in these halcyon days the nature of the difficulties in opening up communications, or the hardships cheerfully borne by the pioneers. It wums not till February, 1869. that the first Cobb’s coach arrived in New Plymouth. from Wanganui. An account of tire journey, and the general conditions of life in the early settlement, is given in a-letter written by a Taranaki settler to a Southern journal. It is worthy of notice at this juncture. He says:—

Almost isolated from the. colony, and I may say the world, the settlers of this | province (Taranaki) bear up against, difficulties with praiseworthy fortitude. At the soiith they are in rebellion, on the east and west they regard us with sullen looks of a semi-conquered race, and our only outlet to the world is by the sea. We have a roadstead, and in it a steamer may enter once or twice n weak. It stops, perhaps, a few hours, and then I takes its departure; thus, should we be visited by a tidal wave our only safety would be to fly into the hands of the natives—a very doubtful shelter. On the other hand, should the natives take it into their heads to attempt to destroy us wo should have to die fighting for our homes or be driven into the sea. We are supposed to be at peace, and r>o we arc. That is to say, the natives to the north-east of us say so; and as our settlers are not being molested we must content ourselves with believing that such is the ease. Peace as it, at presents, exists, is only by the sufferance of the i Maoris; for were it otherwise, wc should | be able to travel by land to Auckland I er Wellington—but we are not permitted , to go more than fifteen miles inland—- ! taking a circuit from the centre of New Plymouth—without being requested to return from whence we came, by this peacefully inclined race of people. MENACING DANGERS. It is a wonder—-and I myself have been unable to fathom it—why the settlers stop in a place when there is little or no business doing—where there is danger menacing them on every side, and i where they have already lost so much ’ blood and so much capital. I can only i come to one conclusion, and that is— j that the agricultural capabilities of the place, the fertility of the soil, the healthiness of the climate, and the beauty of the scenery, have such a fascination over everyone who settles here, that they are contented to battle with the difficulties and live on half a loaf in the midst of danger, rather than forsake the place. .It seems almost like a fable that such a state of things should exist in a British colony; but there is no doubt about the fact that the present state of Taranaki is as.l have described it.

The area of the province comprises 2,000,000 acres—there is excellent timber to be found in the bush, any quantity of luxuriant soil for agricultural purposes, the sea-shore is covered with a valuable titaniferous sand, the mountainous ranges. Tuhua, possess auriferous quartz, coal is known to exist in large quantities on the banks of the Mqkau River, and valuable clays may be found in different parts of the province; but all these treasures happen to be on the lands belonging to Maoris, who will not sell or lease, who. dog-in-the-manger like, will neither make use of what God has given them nor let others do so.” At the time the above was written .the natives were in rebellion in the southern portion of the Taranaki Province (Patea), as well as at Ha wke’s B*ay, and on the following February they broke out to the north of us, at the* White Cliffs. So isolated, however, was New Plymouth at the time tha . although the murders at the White Cliffs, which took place on the 13th; were known in the town on February 15, 1869, the news did not reach Wanganui till the 21st or 22nd.

The correspondent referred to, writing on February 23, 1860, said:—'■Such- is our isolated position on this island, thart ' we might all be murdered, and it would be more than a week before the. fact would be made known elsewhere.” THE FIRST COACH. With this brief preface, it will be easily seen that the Fox-Vogel Government had no easy task before them when they decided to subsidise a coach to run twice a week between Wanganui and New Ply mouth—a coac|i mail service having been’ long established between the former j town and Wellington. However, the I matter was decided on. and the first ; coach of Messrs. W. TT. Shepard and Co. i (the ‘■Co.” being Mr. Young) left WanIganui on Wedfic-sday morning, January j JI. 1871. at 6 o’clock in the morning, and jarrived at Carlyle at 2 p.m. An orderly ! had been sent forward by Major No.tke lio see if the Tangahoe River wens fordI able, (there being no bridges in those days), and oji his return, the report being unfavorable, it was considered advisable to wait until the following morning. Mr. Nor there ft and the Rev. Air. Hogg arrived at Carlyle shortly after the orderly had returned, and. giving a

different, account of the state of I he river, it was decided to make a trial. Having taken in a quantity of bran, oats, harness, buckets:, etc., which it was intended to drop at the different stations they had to slop at. a start was made at 4.40 p.m. for New Plymouth. Air. Shepard, who was killed on September 27. 1881. on the beach between Okeliu and Kai Iwi stream, by being thrown from the box of the coach and run .over, was the ''whip’’ on this occasion, and the following passengers were in the coach: —The Hon. Sir \V. Fox (Premier), Air. Reimensehneider, Mr. Young, Air. JHirst, Hone Pihama, and an orderly. STOPPAGE AT ITAWERA. The coach passed Alanawapou at 5.-10 p.m., and arrived at Hawera at 8 p.m. They had. some difficulty in crossing the Tangahoe, and the road to the river was also bad. The coach stopped at Hawere that night, and there being no hotel or inn. in fact, only a few houses were there in those days, the passengers had i tn accept the hospitality of Air. j Aliddlemas. At half-past three on the [ following morning (Thursday, January i 12), another start was made, and the I Waingongoro Diver—a distance of five < miles) was reached by 4.30 p,m. The »- river was rapid, aud on the side.

there was a very high bank to ascend. Hone Pihama, who was mounted, went forward to ascertain which was the best part to cross. He crossed in several places, and found the water up to the girth of his horse. However, it wafl decided to try ihe shallowest place, and llone Pihama having found the spot for the wheels to go. Mr. Shepard gathered up the reins, and, telling the passengers to be ready to jump out if necessary, gave a terrific yell, and ‘•'rushed” the river, the horses taking the coach up the steep cutting in excellent style. AIAORTS INTERESTED. They reached Kanpokonui at 7 a.m.. and Oco at 8 a.m. Here a vast of half-ari-hour took place, whilst the horses were changed, and it being Hone Pihama’s (Settlement, over a hundred natives were there to see the coach. Another start was made at 8.30 a.m., and at noon the coach coaehod ( muroa, where a fresh lot qf horses were put in, and it left again at. 12.15 p.m. At about four miles the other side of I'in'uroa the coach and horses got. bogged, the former being up to its body, and the latter, up to their bellies, in stiff mud. It required the united efforts of the whole of the passengers, includipg Sir William Fox, who took his part as well as the rest, to drag it out. The coach reached the commencement of the Harriet. Beach by 1.15 p.m., and the Warea River at 4.30 p.m. In passing through the Parjhaka district, several natives were seen, who cheered the coach, as it rolled along, in a vociferous manner. They appeared astonished, but were very civil, and come of them pointed out the best road through the Bwampy flax laud for the coach to travel on. Stony River was reached at 6 p.m. (where a change of horses was effected), Oakura at S o’clock, and New Plymouth at 9.1'5 p.m., where there were great jubilations over the inception of soach Fjjy-ice.