STRATFORD TO WHANGAMOMONA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81911, 24 December 1906, Page 4

STRATFORD TO WHANGAMOMONA.

fRv Our Stralford Cone V. itlr tlit- advent of i!i ' holiday *'■<)- /On ! ran tliinaighly recommend to anyone desirions of spending a most enjoyable holiday ti» make n trip into Monday I took wv place nn Mr .lack Hewer's coach. Tlli> is tin' "Original (Hinra Coach'" and Cenial -lack, as lie u familiari \ known, proved a most lfl'-ertMinLr (>mpani"n £ol' the lorty fijur mile journey. full of anecdote and reminiscence. At every point b( the road something would recall

imi.lents of pa*t days, and (fynparisims would follow anil the time passed very quickly anil pleasantly. Mr Hewer drove the first coach right through in 1893. thirteen vgars ago, when the mptal only exteided to Brown's mill I niiles from Stratford. During \ j that time improvements in the way of . I bushfetling, grassing and fencing have ■ proceeded a pace, and to-ilav, with the exception of the I'okokura and W'hanga Saddles, the country right along the line :* clearejl of bush, anil sheep and cattle look remarkably well. The &uldle4 referred to have been ait aside under the Native Bush Preser-vation-and Scenery Act, and form beauty spots which in future years will demonstrate the wisdom of our legislators in making such preserves. Trtev will also give some idea of the dejisity of the bush, and the struggles

out pioneers underwent when thev set out to cane but a home ill *ueli | a Country. They say that history repeats itself, : but never again j ( ;i0 we grow * such bush, and niter again can the same arduous work be gone through. The country is naturally pastoral country but still, Jo(te<l along the line, is the modern dujrv factory, anil" ;.s the coach passes alcpg Jack "will point, as you pass eadh road, such and such a factory is jnf down there, and in all about 20 factories are accounted for between Sttitford and Wljangamomona. . After'about 3 hours run Strnthmore

is reached and iijnch disposed of at Mr: George CalVerts,. Ktrathinore lus gone ahead o{ late, and now that tK<4 metal reaches' the township man/ of fthe liardships .'of early settlement ar«j dope away vith. Fresh horses and a fresh start; and soon -we reach Uujakadia, where the Stratford Kawa kata ltailwav will again skirt the roujl as. it does from S-tiatford to. Douglas Some disappointment is felt at Strathmori on account of the fint) not) touting there, but the engin eerfng lties 'were too great to e line following the road. Thd completed will no doubt revbliitionise the whole of the back cortitry. Produce can be carted for 'es4 tlian half what it now costs. Metal can be obtained at a nominal priqr. Travelling facilities will lie obtainable that will make our back couiitrv' Iwek eountry 110 longer, and the! settlers who have taken'up and hell) thair land will reap the reward thej' so'.richly deserve. . .climbing the Pohukura and Whangamomona Saddles, which abound :n interest for traveller and student, i we reached Wlianganioinona towpship, after 7 hours delightful travelling. ) We put up at the W'hanga ilptel, niw in the capablt hands of Mr audi Mrs; Dean. A visit to Ml' J. McOlujrgiage's stort, where a veritable' toujist'slbureau is kept and informa tioof of tie district"; its capabilities, its resjurct's" and its possibilites with a history df the settltnient i/given with ddvice' to the traveller so that his future movements are made quite enjoy jblii Mr McCluggage keeps a large and: varied stock of all the require nieiffs of the bush ami being onji of the 'earliest settlers has seen and en dured all the hardships of pioneering. rt'hJst in W'hanga :1 met many of Tarinaki's prominent settlers, it being Mr Js'ewton King's sale day. It was [uitfe a revt'lation to see the muster .jotlf of settlers and stock, and apuyd

.vitif the information &UjMjlK\l by Mr McUuggage, one wns altogether .akiii by sunrise to »?e the splendid ■iH'b uf buljo'.'ks. kiboni jOU head, tii.it were' yarded. liuyova wery there even) from tue Waimate Plains. Jiii a f e w years the coach will run right tjtfpugllitoin Qflgaxuhe, the-pres-ont terminus of the rail from Auck-

land.' Even at the time nwny make the journey this way, and now that the lands are being settled at llanjaroa, food accomraouation cau be obtained all along the route. Tourists can have $ jar l -' j, ,o °d trip of coaching to \tbangauiomona ami theme by river to \\'auganui, and back by rail. 1 After a sojourn of a few days 1 started back and arrived in Stratford well pleased with the trip. Mr Hewfr informs'ine that he has had the honor of drjving Lord and Lady Kaufurl;! out that' road, and nearljy all our Ministers. Our late Premjer always' commandeered his services. Mr ilew?r at one time retired from coach ing tin this road but tlie settlers kopt ai him till he at last consented to again take hold of the ribbons, and How three times a week he leaves Say«;ells Koyal Mail Stables, and anyone wanting a most enjoyable iolidpy should make the trip with him.;