EARLY WAGONING DAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26769, 12 May 1948, Page 2

EARLY WAGONING DAYS

Sir, —The correspondence in your paper has proved so interesting to people in this locality and to former residents that I wish to add to the information which has already been published. As I have been closely associated with these wagoners since 1899, the period of the mining boom, and also as a former proprietor of a wagon team, my knowledge of these men and times should be recorded for posterity. In compiling these notes, I have had the assistance of Mr Alex. Borthwick, an esteemed resident of this district, and who drove Mr J. J. Harris s team for years. Mr Borthwick was in the district long before myself, and his knowledge dates further back than mine. Tho present generation knows nothing of bad roads. The old saying of “ getting in a rut ” was true in the hard winters, for once in a rut the wagon would have to stay there for miles. Certainly there was no danger of meeting other vehicles, for the going was slow, and there was ample time to avoid a collision. Years ago, when the writer came to this district, carriers loaded goods at the Farmers’ Arms Hotel, Dunedin, now called the Oval Hotel, fo r delivery to the goldfields. The hotel had speciallybuilt sheds to receive the goods from the warehouses until the wagons returned from up-country. The early wagoners included Willie Waugh, who brought his own teams from Australia, arfd also his driver, D. Mclntosh. Other names were L. Barclay, Gideon Smith, A. Kempthorne, Billie McDermont, who drove a team of eirht grey horses, James Bennett (later member of the House of Representatives for Tuapeka for many years), J. Oliver, James Cooper. A. Campbell, J. Jones, G Burton, John Wallace, James Gawn, George Bennett, N. Gawn, T. Gawn, D. McDonald and Jack Ellis. Drivers who drove four-horse dray teams were A. Herbert, W. Herbert. C. Fitzgerald, G. Heaps and George Gilchrist, sen., whose team, quite unattended, coulc bring his dray to its destination while he slept peacefully in it. The G. Heaps referred to was killed- on the Big Hill—that is, between Beaumont and Lawrence. Later-day drivers were J. F. Tamblyn, 11. Westcott, A. Craig, J. Taylor, who drove for Watson Rhodes in company w,th G. Martin (Mr Watson Rhodes built several dredges in the Miller’s Flat district). T. McClelland, S. McClelland, J. Todd. Phil Real (’’Giddup Nan”), Jack McNamara, Jack Rush (" The Red Lancer ” —so-called because of the fact pace at which he drove), G. D. Morrison, Joe Ellis (who was killed off the wagon one mile above Miller's Flat), Steve Whelan (who drove his own team, mostly carting coal to the dredges, together with Ted Bryant), Alex. R dd and Ted O’Connor carted coal to householders and dredges. The George Bennett referred to started the first dredge, the Dunkeld, at Beaumont, and the day it commenced operations was a gala day for the community. Bob McClelland was killed on April 3, 1923, when his wagon capsized on Evan’s Pinch, or which is now known as Island Block Hill. An esteemed correspondent referred recently to Con Fitzgerald. In his anxiety to get to the camping ground at Gorge Creek and beat the wagon ahead of him, Con. pulled his team hard to the right on the steep hill before the bend, and with a loaded wagon left the road and careered down a bank for about 200 yards, landing safely on the camp site, which is now the site of the memorial cairn. . An earlier incident, round about the early 1880’s, was when Billy Miskell, driving a 10-horse team for his father, ” Daddy ’’ Miskell. At Beaumont Punt a tragedy happened, for when attempting to cross the Molyneux with four, horses in the w r agon, which was loaded with groceries, he drove on to the punt, which tipped up with the heavy load, and all were lost when the wagon slipped off into the water. The six leading horses had been unyoked beforehand, and had been left on the bank. A little girl who was on the punt lost her life, and her body was never recovered. She was a sister of the late Mr T. W. Thompson, of Miller’s Flat. The puntman on that occasion was Joe Heans. who years after ferried the Miller's Flat punt until the bridge was built in 1899. Regarding big loads, Jack Fitzgerald, who drove for J. Stanton, always carted from Mount. Pisa Sheep Station to Lawrence 31 bales of greasy and 10 of scoured wool, while John Sheehy carted boiler and heavy dredge material—he having the heavy equipment. „ „ _ One cannot forget Sandy Mclntyre, J. F. Tamblyn’s driver, who carted coal from Alexandra down a steep roadless hill to one of the gorge dredges somewhere in the Fruitlands area. On an occasion when Sandy Mclntyre shifted the old Colonial Bank premises from Naseby to Mr Lister’s at Shingle Creek his heavy load practically broke every culvert and bridge in the Maniototo and Vincent counties and made a most unpayable trip for his employer. Sandy would not risk driving over the Alexandra bridge, but preferred to come down via Clyde. He took the precaution of .stopping his team at the top of Clyde cutting before going on the bridge and unlacing his boots! I regret to have to contradict your correspondent regarding the Golden Gate dredge being up-country from here, as the only Golden Gate dredge worked in Steel's farm, one mile and a-half below Miller’s Flat, and was managed by Mr David Ballantyne. I can vouch for this as Mr Ballantyne was my neighbour for J6 Of S early bullock drivers, there are Morgan Williams, Bill Box, J. McFarlane, W Westcott, G. Mountney, W. Clack, R. Cotton, Sam Henry (later the owner of Bellamy’s Station, between Craigellachie and Evans Flat), Mick Hunt, W. Robins, E Ottrey, Sid Ottrey, Ike Ottrey, R. McClelland, W. McClelland, J. Hooper, W. Hooker Peter Lloyd, 'Bob McClelland, jun. S. McClelland, jun., Stuart McCombe, Ned’ Goudie. and practically the last driver was Jack Williams. Stuart McCombe's bullock wagon was bogged when carting a load of pigs to Alexandra. This happened at Dismal Swamp, and the iron work of the dray can still be seen. One could recall numerous names of early characters and incidents in connection with their work. They had their hardships and their happy days. They enjoyed the hard work and gave wonderful service under conditions which the present generation have little i knowledge. They were pioneers who helped to develop the country, provide for us benefits and pleasures which we now enjoy, and the writer takes this opportunity On behalf of himself and ethers of paying them a humble tribute. —I am, etc., Leopold Faigan. Miller’s Flat.

Sir,—ln addition to those names mentioned by "A More Recent Wagoner,” are C Brenssel, sen., Bradley Brothers, John, Derwood, G. McCormick, J. Burns, Jock McLew Ted Wheeler and Archie Hammond. I started when the railway was at Newtown, Hyde. Bob and Jimmie Atkins carted from Wedderburn, not from Dunback. Joss Dungey had sold his team to J. Leslie, and was off the road years before Leslie was killed. It was usual for the big teams to cart 35 to 40 bales of wool; 44 or 45 bales was about the largest at that time. I have carted 44 bales from Blackstone Hill to Kokonga Railway Station, the two top rows being scoured wool.—l am, etc., W. C. Brensscll. Outram.