MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 September 1939, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON AND THE FERRYMAN. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) The mail carrier’s tramp from Wellington to Wanganui was replaced by Cobb’s coach about 1873, by which time the mailman had acquired a competency. He built an accommodation house near Tangimoana with a punt for passengers at Is per head. Successive Governors, Ministers of the Crown, and Members of the House (M.H.R.’s) became his personal friends; there were no class distinctions in those days. The Maori War was on.. Sir James Fergusson had arrived, and Major Atkinson, then Colonial Treasurer, was in charge of the volunteers and militia in Taranaki. These two travelling by coach from south and north met at the Ferry House for a conference and' were seated at the clean white pine table in the kitchen for lunch. Two drovers crossed in the punt assisted by the ferryman in moleskin trousers, blue dungaree smock, knee boots, and a sou’wester. The ferryman preceded the drovers to the house to act as waiter without time to change his sailor garb. As the drovers entered the kitchen by the back door, the sailor man, spreading his arms with sleeves rolled up introduced them thus —“Gentlemen, this is Major Etkinsen, oor great Financical Meenister, and that is Sir James Fairgusson, a fine, affable fella.” This episode was related to Sir Charles Fergusson at a public luncheon and duly recorded in the reminiscences of his father.