HISTORIC HOKITIKA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 17

HISTORIC HOKITIKA

(SPECtAELT WBITTEX FOB TH* PBEBS.) [By T. Li. RALFE-1

THE first date on which we hear •of the coaches of Cobb and Company in New Zealand is on October 11, 1861, when Finn’s “Datus” records “first Cobb and Company’s coaches to (Otago) golddiggings.” L. G. Cole and Company, then the proprietors, established the business in Christchurch on October 5, 1863. Turner’s stables, situated at the back of the present premises of Turnbull and Jones, were the first in use. Later, stables and offices were erected on the site now occupied by Hallenstein Brothers New Zealand clothing factory. The first service instituted was a bi-weekly run to Timaru, a small waggon with a four-horse team being used. Patronage increasing, a coach-and-four was put on and the service speeded up. Coaches also ran as far as the Hurunui, in North Canterbury. Next followed a Timaru-Waitaki extension, 1 operated in co-operation with Mr William Crawley, of Timaru, Coaches ran weekly, October 10, 1864, saw the beginning of a triweekly service to Dunedin, and the close of the year found 150 horses and 14 coaches employed. Then came the rush to the West Coast goldfields, increasing ever faster as the weeks flew by. From the outset the firm showed much energy and enterprise in meeting the heavy passenger traffic, and became so closely identified with the progress and fortunes of Westland that it made the name of Cobb and Company a household one. As early as February, 1864, it advertised it was ready to convey passengers from Dunedin and Canterbury to the farthest practicable point of route, via the Hurunui, and a few days later dispatched five coach-doads. So great was the demand that three more could have been filled: and until the end'of June, 1865, the Hurunui route was the only one to the goldfields. The field had been proclaimed on March 2 of that year, and on July 4 the first regular service via Arthur’s Pass was inaugurated/ an advertised notice July 3, 1865, intimating that “a coach leaves for Hokitika, via Arthur's Pass every Tuesday morning, carrying passengers and luggage as far as Willis’s (Springfield) accommodation house." a distance from Christchurch of 53 miles. A New Route? Early in April two coaches penetrated as far as the head waters of the Waimakariri—about 100 miles.— carrying a party comprised of Messrs E. Farman, J. S, Browning (mining surveyors), Fitzgerald, Johnstone, and R. R. Armstrong. The object was twofold—(I) to establish that no obstacle existed to prevent traffic nearly .50 miles further than by any knowjj route; (2) to take supplies to a, central camp to be distributed to exploring parties working in different directions trying to find the shortest and best route to the new goldfields. It may be here noted that the expedition failed to discover such a route.

A paragraph in the "Lyttelton Times" of August 10, 1865, notes that “the firm of Cobh and Company has just received 21 vehicles, comprising coaches, American waggons, and buggies, froni Boston, United States, for traffic to the West Coast, manufactured to order for special purposes." The fact clearly indicates that with prophetic vision, Cobh and Company foresaw and prepared against the day when a stream of passengers and goods would be flowing westward. Their enterprise was fully justified, for three months later a return, published in October, and covering a period of three weeks, gives the number of passengers travelling from Christchurch, as follows;—To October 14, 140; to October 21, 101; to October 1 28, 150-

XII. Early Coaching Days

This made a weekly average of 130. Coaches at that date seated only eight passengers/ six inside and two on the box-seat, and ran twice weekly, consequently the number of vehicles employed each trip would range from six to nine. Some years later coaches to seat from 14 to 17 passengers were built. The First Mail The first mail dispatched from Christchurch to Hokitika, via Arthur's Pass, was on Tuesday, July 4, 1865, at 2.30 a.m.. and the firm held the contract. The weight of the letters was fijlb, and the limit fixed upon was 301 b, postal authorities estimating that such a weight would comprise 1500 letters, “so that no fear need be entertained for a Jong time to come of anyone’s letters being left behind.” How far out the officials were in their judgment is revealed by the census of population on December 31, 1864:—Otago 48,907, Canterbury 32,247. ThO growth of Westland’s population was so rapid that in a short time it must, owing to deple-| tion by migration from Otago ana* Canterbury, have exceeded either of the other two provinces. A mail service involved great preparation, Relays of horses had been sent forward, and arrangements made for keeping the line open by coach and horseback-between Christ— ■ church and the top of the pass. Be-’ yond this point services would have to be performed on foot to Hokitikaand back. Charles Flowers, one-time ferryman at the Rakaia, held a contract for the latter part of the journey to Hokitika, meeting Cobo and Company’s representative at the Bealey, and later, as the road progressed, at the Otira, Five days for the whole distance, Christchurch to Hokitika, was allowed for the transit of mails. Flowers, in spite_ of having his boat capsized in crossing a flooded river, reached Hokitika on Sunday evening of July 9. thus making contract time. In January, 1866, Flowers again secured the contract, and before he started from Hokitika on his last trip under his expiring contract a large body of townsmen of all classes, met to congratulate “Charlie” on having been successful in his tender, and presented, him with a purse of 50 sovereignsThe return mail was forwarded on July 11, 1865, arriving in Christ* Church at midday on/ July 15—a four days’ journey. ' Passenger Service Late in July full plans for passenger communication were completed, of which the following is *‘The Press" summary:—“ Leave Christchurch 2.30 a.m- Tuesday: take coach as far as Mcßae’s (WUliss, Springfield) thence, passengers? luggage and mails on horseback to Craigieburn, where change, and proceed in same manner to Khull and Jones, at foot of Bealey, which will be reached on first night. From there, partly on horseback, and partly otherwise, passengers, etc-, conveyed to Hokitika as fast as road wiil permit. Horses have been sent forward to every station on the road.’’ By March of the next year (1866), the first wheeled vehicle —a coach-and-four, driven by William Crawley—to make the through journey, arrived at Hokitika on March 15, among the passengers being Mr Moorhouse, Provincial Council member for Westland, and shortly to bo elected Superintendent of Canterbury Province, Two more coaches, one of which was the mail coach, driven by John Knox, arrived at Hokitika from Christchurch, two days later, March 17. On March 22 the mail, leaving Hokitika at 6 a.m., arrived in Christchurch shortly after 6 p.m., on Wednesday, just on 36 hours’ travelling time. The'Voad on March 23, 1866, was officially declared open. Thus, in the short space of 12 months, immense engineering difficulties in the' opening* of a highway to West Canterbury had been overcome. Its cost had, for a province still in its infancy, been great, and by 1874, involved an expenditure of over £1,000,000.