EARLY WAIRARAPA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1938, Page 4

EARLY WAIRARAPA

(To the Editor.) Sir, —When reading “Early Wairarapa” in the “Wairarapa Times-Age” last night, I saw one or two parts that I would like to correct. One was the account of the accident on the Rimutaka, stating that Mr William McKenzie, of Masterton, escaped injury. That was not so, considering that he had a broken and dislocated shoulder; also his scalp was' badly scraped with gravel. Mr McKenzie saved the life of Mr Robert Hare, of the Upper Plain, by pulling him into a culvert under the line, out of the way of the winddriven pieces of the wrecked carriages. Another statement was that the wagon se’rvices were in the hands of the late Mr James Jones, Messrs Donald Vile and Co. and the late W. Darley. The late Mr T. C. D’Arcy was their agent in Wellington. These firms operated in the mid-seventies, when all the rivers were bridged. Messrs Bannister and Cave were the first carrying company in Masterton. They started in the ’sixties, sending Mr T. C. D’Arcy down from Mr Cave’s property, Te Ore Ore, to act as agent for them. The drivers were Mr A. W. Cave and Mr Chas. McKillop. When they first started, they had to cross all rivers and pay tolls every ten miles. —Yours, etc., CHARLIE BANNISTER. Masterton, August 13.