EARLY WAIRARAPA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1938, Page 7

EARLY WAIRARAPA

MEMORIES OF THE PAST CHANGE IN TRANSPORT. FIRST ACCESS VIA THE COAST. An interesting article on the Wairarapa in the early days appeared in the “Wairarapa Age” of January 10, 1919. It 'is reprinted below: — About sixty years ago, when settlement in the Wairarapa was in its infancy, and when the large estates of Smith and Revans, Varnham, and other pioneers carried chiefly cattle, the only communication with Wellington was by way of the rocky road round Orongo-orongo, The drovers of these days—such men as the late Mr James Nicol, of Masterton, who, by the way, rode in a race on the Te Aro flat in 1846 —had thrillin gexperiences in swimming cattle over the’ unbridged rivers and the mouth of the Wairarapa Lake. It took a week or a fortnight to transfer mobs of cattle from the Valley to the Wellington market. After the earthquake in 1855 the beach round Orongoorongo was raised and the road became more easily negotiated. THE RIMUTAKA ROAD. About the middle of the ‘Fifties a start was made with the construction of the road over the Rimutaka Hill, via Pukaratahi. Among those who were employed in the construction of that tortuous highway was Mr William Beetham, now a retired settler of Masterton, who is proud of his association with the work, and who tells many interesting stories of the happenings in that early period of colonisation. The road had to be carved out of rock and other solid substance, and the completion of the undertaking was • quite an epoch in the history of the province. (Mr Beetham died many years ago.) COACH AND WAGON. It was not long before traps driven by Walker and Ray, and Cobb and Co.’s coaches were negotiating the road, and wagons were conveying produce from “Port Nick,” as Wellington was then described, to the settlers of the Wairarapa. Mr J. R. Hastwell established the headquarters of his coaches at Greytown (named after the Governor, Sir George Grey). The most prominent Jehu on the road was possibly the late Mr James Macara, of Masterton, and he had many experiences. Among other early drivers over the hill were “Dick” Greening and the veteran “Ike,” who died some few years back in Wellington. The drivers of the . wagons included “Long” Amos and others whose names are familiar to early sellers. The journey by wagon from Masterton to Wellington occupied from three to four days. Not a few fatalities occurred on the Rimutaka through wagons and coaches going over the embankment. The Pukaratahi Hotel was kept at that time by the late Mrs Phoebe Wagg (late of Masterton) and her husband, and was a very popular hostelry with travellers. The stories of how the wagon-drivers tapped casks of rum with a gimlet and were found on the roads sleeping the sleep of the just, are many and varied. From Masterton the wagon services were in the hands of the late Mr James Jones, Messrs Donald, Vile and Co., the late Mr W. Darley, and others. The late Mr T. C. D’Arcy, had a booking office for the wagons on Lambton Quay, Wellington.

COMING OF THE RAILWAY. It was somewhere in the middle of the ’Seventies that the train reached Cross Creek from the summit. The piercing of the hills with tunnels, etc., by what were known as the Brogdenites, was no simple matter, and the work occupied several years. How the engineer came to construct the line over the terrible route it was taken, instead of piercing the hill at Pukaratahi and coming out at Featherston, nobody seems to know. But there it is, a monument of engineering “skill” It was a very wet day on which the line was opened to Cross Creek, and numerous frock-coated and bell-top-pered functionaries came up from Wellington and coach loads of pioneer settlers travelled from Masterton, to celebrate the occasion. There was no middle line to the railway at that time. The engines used were of a primitive description, and as the rails were greasy, the intending passengers had to walk and push the train from the Creek to the summit. ACCIDENTS. Several serious accidents and many narrow escapes from accidents occurred on this branch of the line before the middle rail was inserted and runaways were being constantly reported. The most serious disaster on the line occurred at the mouth of a tunnel near the summit. The train was blown right over the embankment, and several passengers including a daughter of the late Mr C. Pharazyn, were killed or injured. Among those on the train on that fateful day was Mr William McKenzie, of Masterton. He escaped without injury. Some years later, after the line had been taken to Featherston, the train was blown over at Pigeon Bush, and further fatalities occurred. The scene of both accidents may be traced by the heavy protective fences which are still standing in the localities. It was not many, years before the smaller engines were replaced by the coal-eating “Fell” engines, and a middle rail was inserted from Cross Creek to the summit. THROUGH THE VALLEY. In the course of a year or two the train had reached Featherston (named after the late Dr. Featherston), and a future was predicted for that place. Quarter-acre sections near the railway station were sold at as Ugh

as £4OO apiece. But the pushing on of the line robbed Featherston of its glory, and many speculators lamented their rash investments. The political wire-pullers were at work, and they managed to take the line across the poorest country of the Valley, instead of opening up the fertile portions of the district. Early in tj?e ’Eighties the train had reached Masterton, and thence it proceeded to Mauriceville, Eketahuna, Pahiatua and Woodville, over comparatively level country. The names of O’Malley and Pepperell, and other contractors, will be remembered in connection with these undertakings. Years before the train reached Masterton, the road had been constructed through to 'Woodville, piercing the Forty Mile Bush, and the coach drive of sixty miles was one of the most charming in New Zealand. Mr James Macara ran coaches from Masterton to Woodville for many years. Among his drivers were Messrs Shaw, Roland Jaques, “Jack” Prenter and others. The service from Eketahuna to Woodville was subsequently purchased by the late Mr Job Vile. NO FURTHER PROGRESS. Since the railway line was opened to Woodville, between twenty and thirty years ago, no further development in railway construction has been made in the district. Railway Leagues and Chambers of Commerce have urged the construction of a light-line! rail; way to open up the back-block country through Pongaroa and to serve as a feeder to the main line, and successive Ministers have promised to do all sorts of things. The Seddon Government went as far as to make a flying survey. But that is all. Strenuous efforts have been made by Mr C. E. Daniell and other enterprising citizens of Masterton to induce the Government to divert the costly railway over the Rimutaka Hill, which is a tax upon the trade of the district and a permanent burden upon the State. But here again promises have been made and not fulfilled. Some day statesmanship and business may take the place of , politics and “pull,” and then the work will be done. A branch line was authorised some years ago from Featherston to Martinborough, and the first sod was turned at Martinborough with a great flourish of trumpets. But not a penny has yet been expended, beyond the military to Featherston camp, in the work of construction. It is fair to state, in conclusion, that in spite of the handicap of the Rimutaka Incline, the Wairarapa train service has been one of the most profitable in the Dominion, and there is every prospect of its continuing to be so. ;