THE GREAT DAY IN 1901

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 88, 7 November 1932, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE GREAT DAY IN 1901

The following article has been written for the Post by a gentleman who' for many years conducted a bus. iness in Stratford and took a leading part in public affairs.

The turning of the first sod of (he Stratford-Auckland railway was look, ed upon at the time as the salvation of Stratford. There was great jealousy with our neighbouring town, El. tham, over Stratford being chosen as the junction. For years prior to this decision, the railway was surveyed to start from Eltham and if one were to refer to any old map, they will find that the route from that town is very definitely defined.

Well, Stratford was promised the railway and at last a start was made with the wo r k. Several meetings were held and it was at length tie. cided that the ceremony should be at the corner of Celia and Juliet Streets, and. the Hon William Hall Jones, who was the the Minister of Public Works was invited to Perform the ceremony. A procession was formed, and started from the fire brigade station. The Stratford Mounted Rifles, under Captain Liardet and Lieutenant Car. berry, headed the Procession. Then followed the Stratford Band under Bandmaster Tom Hughes, who by the way is now a resident of New Plymouth. There was one thing about Strat. ford in those days, although it did not possess a permanent band, when, ever there was anything special on, these old bandsmen would get together and provide a really good band for the occasion. There was on e person who used to cause a lot of amusement and that was the big bass drummer. He was known as "Shorty" Cart, wright. and he owned a drapery shop about where Carryer's Building is now (and after ac. quired by Mr R. D. Lewers). Well ''Shorty" as his name would imply was a very short man, and could not see oveit the drum and had to watch th e legs of the bandsmen marching in front of him to find out when to halt and on more than one occasion there was many a collision through "Shorty" not pulling up in time.

After the band came the Ministerial carriage, Mr Hall Jones being accompanied by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs F. J. Steuart). Then followed the carriages containing the member for the district, Mr and Mrs Walter Symes, the chairman of the Stratford County Council and members of the Borough and County Council. A large floral arch was erected near the old town bridge. Whether it was erected there to hide the approaches to the unsightly bridge I cannot say. On the arch it was written "Now is the summer of our content," Arriving at the scene the first thing that struck the onlooker were men dressed as railway porters with different badges printed on the cap, one badge had written "Stratford to Auckland," another "Stratford Junction" and still another "Change Here for Auckland," and so forth. There were several policemen present, all in sinning war paint, but the "railway porters" were the centre of attraction and created a great deal of amusement. Then the time for speeches came, after the Mayor (who, by the way, was very brief) and County Council representative and others had a "spruick."

The member for the district, Mr Symes, pointed out that, it was a red letter day for Stjiat. ford, that before ten yeans the line would be i completed and Taranaki would have daily con-, nection with Auckland. He said that the then Government meant real business and in. tended to expedite the railway.

The Hon Hall Jones, after informing his hearers that' the Public Works, Department had decided to establish a district office at Stratford (prior to this it was run from New Plymouth, with Mr G. T. Murray in charge), and that Mr P. W. Furkcrt as chief engineer and Mr P. S. Dy.. son as assistant engineer, had been appointed. His own son had also been appointed a cadet at the Stratford office. After referring to the wonder, ftil possibilities of the v eastern districts he turned the first H od and wheeled it down towards the east. Cheers and cheers broke out, the band played and the ceremony was over. The little wheelbarrow used for the occasion was made by the late Mr N. J. King, of oiled rimu, and was placed in the old municipal buildings as a memento of the occasion, but it was destroyed by fire, when the building was burnt down somewhere about 1912.

A Banquet At night a banquet was held and Stratford talked nothing else for days and weeks, but the possibilities of the new railway, much to the regret and annoyance of our Bltham friends, A few days after the turning of the sod sleepers and trucks, etc., arrived in Stratford and in a few weeks things got busy. Public Works men came from everywhere in New Zealand to help make the line, and soon the much promised "push" got on the nerves of the public. One would meet workmen, and they would tell you that they had worked three days that week, and were not allowed to work any rrioxe, because they were only allowed to earn so much for the particular work they were doing, and they provided fhat quota for that week. This silly nonsense went on for years and no wonder the people despaired of ever seeing the railway com. pleted. At last the line was completed to Toko and the ceremony of cutting the ribbon took place right in front of the Toko railway station. All Toko and Strafford were out for the occasion, and after the ribbon was duly cut and all sorts of promises made by Ministers that the line would be completed at once, the train returned or rather made an attempt to return to Stratford.

THE TURNING OF THE FIRST SOD (Specially Written for the Stratford Evening Post by One Who was There).

Alas, just aftoii crawling up the hill from the Skinner Road to the junction of (he Victoria Road, the engine camp to a full slop and refused to go, and after examination by the train crew the pas. sengers were advised to walk the riest of the journey to Stra(_ ford or wait for some hours till a relief engine was procured from New Plymouth. Everybody deserted the train, and "per boot" reached Stratford, and that is the reason that quite a nmviber of Stratford residents today possess railway tickets of the opening of the line to Toko. On account Of the breakdown of the train no tickets were collected by the guards in charge. I read some time ago that one well known resident was in possession of one of these tickets and had looked upon it as something wonderful, but I can state that, no tickets were collected on the return journey, and consequently the suggested J are possession of such tickets is mere "eye wash."

Naturally while* the railway was being constructed from, and near Stratford, the population grew and business prospered, and there was quite a boom in sections and houss property, but soon competition got keener and more businesses were established till, at last, it goi somewhat overdone, with the result that if one looks back on 3 can v'sualise the number of businesses new nonexistent to a great extent, due to the passing of the railway work. Such will probably occur at places like Tangarakau and the other end of the line, but no doubt Stratford must benefit by the line. To what extent is perhaps in the lap of the gods. My suggestion is for Stratford people to boost their own town and the mountain at their door and there arc plenty of deep holes in the Tatea River to drop the Jeremiahs, who cannot see anything bright and good in their own town.

Make your shop windows attrac. tive; talk your town; boost it and advertise it at every opportunity: support your own local paper —and Stratford will soon come into its own.