Convict Road-makers

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 57, 30 November 1935, Page 26

Convict Road-makers

Most of the Sumner-Lyttelton road in early days was made by convicts. In 1857 Ronnage and Smith, two of a road party, made a dash for liberty. At Gollan’s Bay they bailed up a blacksmith, and stole a gun, powder and shot, and tools. Going on towards Sumner our desperadoes held up two more men. They must have been disgusted at the cash return, which was ninepence. • In the valley they inet a Mr. Day, and at his expense increased their capital by a few shillings. At the Newtons’ house they found only Mrs. Newton and two boys, and they took another gun. By this time Constable Mann and a Mr. Clarke were in hot pursuit. The fugitives were called upon to surrender, but still they ran.The constable fired, and Smith fed, wounded in the thigh. Ronnage rail on to Mrs. Dobson’s house, and, telling her that he was chasing an escaped prisoner, “borrowed” another gun; which, however, was taken from him by a suspicious neighbour. Ronnage took to the Shag Rock road, tried unsuccessfully to cross the river, and came back to the road. . Meanwhile his pursuers, having lost him, were searching in “Moa-bone Cave.” But at last they found him, cold and exhausted, lying in a hollow by “Moa-bone Boint,” a little be vend the Nankevilles’ house. There was no 'fight left in him, and back he went with-Smith to Lyttelton, to serve a longer sentence. —D.W. (Christchurch).