PIONEER COACHING

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 10

PIONEER COACHING

FIRST TARANAKI EXPRESS. MANY CHANGES OF HORSES. Mr James McCullum, who died recently at tho Auckland Hospital, having reached the ripe age of three score years and ten, was a pionoor of the ooaching business in Taranaki, his particular run being between Now Plymouth and Opunako, a distance of about fifty miles. As a very young man lie settled in the Okato district, midway between the two towns,and married Margaret Sturrock Syme, the second daughter of ono of tho earliest Okato settlors, who for somo time occupied a seat in the Provincial Council, and whoso name was a household word in every early Taranaki homo.

It is a very long time ago sinco McCullum’s first express was put on tho road, but it was the means of developing transit to a remarkablo degree. Aided by his capable wife the business’grew, and soon thoro were a number of vehicles on tho road. There were no tar-sealed roads in those days, and very few good metalled ones, and many difficulties had to bo met. Tho wear and tear was enormous, and the travelling slow. In tho winter time it was hard to accomplish a journey of 50 miles, with many changes of horses, in a day. Tho coaches used to start as early as 4 o’clock in the morning, but tlio stout-hearted people of those days thought nothing of it, and kept a light heart as they bumped over the rough roads in the dark. The splendid coach service which was maintained did much to stimulate settlement, and tho district is now* one of tho most prosperous in tho country. The journey along almost perfect roads, botweon New Plymouth and Opunako, is now done by motor vehicles in a few hours. In their later years Mr and Mrs McCullum lived at Pukekohe, and Mr MeCullum’s death brings back to many the memory of many strenuous coach journoys in tho pioneering days in Taranaki.