EARLY WAGONING DAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 6

EARLY WAGONING DAYS

Sir,— Having read with interest the various letters in connection with the above, I would like to add a few more names to the list. From Palmerston and Dunback to Hyde, Macrae’s and Nenthorn, Dick Lockwood was one of "the early wagoners from 1870 onwards, and there were also Harry and Leonard Bruhns, J. J. Ramsay, H. Connolly, Tom Stanley and Sons, J. Griffiths, George Slater, Alex, Mcßea. W. Welsh, C. E. Griffin. To 188990 to the Nenthorn during the Quartz Reefs rush there were Bill Paul, C. and J. Brenssell (Fred Nevard, ■ killed just above Williamson’s on the Capburn Hill), W. Jeffs, and Pat Talty. About 1900 from Frankton to Cadrona there were Jack Cherry, George Dudley, Sam Hunter. To dredge claims on the Shotover, Arrow and Kawarau Rivers were J. Denison, George Dungey, R. Jopp, Reid, McDowell (drivers Tish Jopp and Bob Gilmour). Tom Connor drove to Arrowtown. Others not already mentioned are George Hodgins, W. Clunie, Jack Harley, Dave Brown, J. Botting, Mick Marshall, W Ward, Jim and William Wing, W. Varcoe, Tom Lunn. Sam Simmonds, George Townes, J. K. B Accidents: Ned Gibson was killed when his wagon went over the bank at Eden Creek (then known as Woodney s Hill). Sandy Gunn’s team, driven by Lot Aleyne, got out of control going down the Capburn Hill on the Kokonga side when the brake rod broke, four horses _ being killed. Some willow trees growing in the gully mark the place where- the accident happened. The driver was unhurt. This occurred about 50 years ago, 30 chains above the place where Fred Nevara was ■ killed. , . . Big loads: Bob Capstick, driving one of Tonkin and Co.’s teams, carted a dredge boiler weighing about 10 tons from Wedderburn to the Arthurs Point dredge just over the Shotover River bridge at Arthur’s Point. He had extra horses for this trip,, and left a trail of broken bridges arid culverts ill his wake. A curiosity on the road betwen Ida Valley and Ophir was Charlie Loo Cheongwith his four-wheeler and three horses ( Allee same coach”). —I am, etc., J. slater. Middlemarch.

Sir,—l have been reading letters in your paper regarding old wagoning days, and very interesting they are. Towards the end of 1880 I did a good many trips from Kveburn to Dunback, so knew most of the carriers. A fine lot of men they were, always willing to give a ypung fellow a bit of help or advice. The bullock teams were mostly off the roaa by that time. The Ramsays and Mathewsons from Hyde drove bullocks for a while. They carted the timber for the first bridge on the Kyeburn River, which was washed away m J Fe ’?™ ary ’ 1892 Later on, the late J. J. Kamsay gave up the bullocks for a horse wagon and drove for a considerable time. I knew Denny Daley well, and remember when he got all his bullocks drowned in. the Taieri River between Ranfurly and Patearoa The first wagoner I haw much recollection of was Walter Yardley, a close friend of my father. He was killed about three-quarters of a mue from Kyeburn Station one Simday morning He was not m the haoit of travel lin S g on Sunday, but had a load °f stores which were badly needed. He left Kye burn Hotel in the morning. Some of tne station hands saw the wagon coming the road before dinner, and thinking he q long time on the road, went to see what was keeping him. dead beside the wagon, having been kicked bv one of the horses. I think that would be about 1877 or 1878. John Durward, who was mentioned ini some: of the letters, was wagoning for a good mai y years, afterwards farming at Kyebuin. I remember him losing four horses at once about halfway between the Pigroot and Kyeburn. He had the team standing while he went back to Pick up a bundle of covers he had dropped. The team began to move, and the wagon lan on to the horses and killed fo “ r There are many more stories I could tell of old wagorfing person.