FROM COAST TO COAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17037, 10 May 1923, Page 9

FROM COAST TO COAST.

PUSHING CARS THROUGH SNOW. A remarkable story was told last night by a who made i the trip from the West Coast to j Christchurch on Tuesday and yesterday in a car owned by Clements’ Motors, Ltd., who conduct the White Star line. Two cars of this line left Stillwater on Tuesday morning in fine weather for Christchurch. The weather on the Coast had been fine for three weeks. All went well till just before reaching Otira, when small showers were experienced. The journey across the range was made in fine w-eather, the Bealey River being low and being crossed without trouble. PUSHING THROUGH SNOW. The party ran into slight snow at Milliken’s station, but the road was quite passable there. A little further on the cars ran into a toot of snow on the road, and the cars soon had to be pushed through the snow by willing and hard-working passengers, of whom there were twenty-three, including sev eral women and young children. THREE FEET OF SNOW. The cars were got going again oa their own power, and all went well for two miles without serious trouble. Then the cars were stuck up again by the snow, and it took nearly an hour to cover four chains of ground. The deepest snow on this part of the road was 3ft, and it had to be shifted away by the passengers by means of their hands, as no implements were available. Darkness now came on, and when the car* were able to proceed the drivers bad great difficulty in sticking to the road, as there was a good thickness of snow everywhere. GREAT HOSPITALITY. Arriving at Castle Hill, the cold an-l hungry party were made most welcome by Mr and Mrs Blackley, who look after the station of the late Mr W. B. Clarkson. They put the w-hole party up for the night, and Mrs Blackley had break fast ready by 6.30 next morning. Mi Blackley rode out on horseback and inspected the river which flow’s near bi% property and, finding it crossable, the cars proceeded about eight o’clock. CARS ABANDONED. For miles beyond Porter’s Pass, the snow was lying very thick on the road though the weather overhead was fine, j Mr Blackley and his sun, who accom panied the party on horseback; Mr Kelly, of the Bealey Hotel; Mr J. E. Henrys, the well-known handicapper; Mr Jack Wallace, a West Coa6t farmer well known in Christchurch ; and several other passengers proved themselves magnificent workers in endeavouring to push the cars through the snow AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK. The task, however, proved too gieat for the willing helpers, and it was de cided to leave the cars on the road near Lake Lyndon above Porter's Pass. M> Wallace and Mr Blackley, jun., rode on ahead, and found the snow at the top of the pass to be 4ft deep, the horse sinking more than girth deep into it. They proceeded slowly on towards the roadman’s camp, but met the roadman on the way. He was endeavouring to clear the road for any cars that might happen along, but he found the task impossible, as the snow' was very thick. They returned to his hut. which he left in Mr Wallace’s charge while he started awajy to obtain a horse and conveyance. However, he met a car which had been despatched from Christchurch to try to pick up the lost party. The Christchurch car, a big Cadillac, had got through with a little trouble. JOURNEYING ON FOOT. After a wait of about four hours, the passengers from the abandoned cars a?rived at the hut on foot minus their luggage, which had been left in the abandoned cars. Tw'o ladies had been persuaded to ride on horseback, but after double-banking a short way with his Majesty’s mail, the roadman’s horse jibbed, and the riders fell off into the snow. As they were not at all hurt in r.ny way this proved one of the diverting incidents of an otherwise trying journey. AFTERNOON TEA On arriving at the roadman’s hut the j party found afternoon tea ready, it having been prepared by Mr Wallace. That full justice was done to the hot drink can be imagined when it is related that ten teapots full were disposed of. The hospitable roadman w r as thanked and the whole twenty-three persons in the oarty clambered on board the Cadillac, six men standing on the steps and others finding room on th<* hood and in other places. CROSSING THE KOWAJ. The party set out for Springfield. T he first crossing of the Kowai was dene by splitting the party in two At

the second crossing it was discovered that if the car got across it would have great difficulty in getting back. Consequently the party was split up again and ha-lf the passengers, including the women and children, went over in the cai. The problem now to be faced was bow to get the remainder over. The r< adman again cam® to light with his horse but after the experience which had befallen the ladies there were not many volunteers for the first crossing on horseback. “ DOUBLE BANKING.” A jockey amongst the party, however, said “We’ll ride him. Jack.” Accordingly he mounted the animal and ins companion got on behind and they bad a safe journey across. The first trip successful, there was no difficulty :n getting other riders and the whole party got safely across, though the horse was not kindly disposed towards a heavy weight in the party, himself an old race rider. “ Weight will tell,” remarked a wag in the party as the animal struggled across with a well known handicapper. At the third crossing the party had again to be split up, but the car was able to make two trips. THE LOAD TOO HEAVY. The load proved to be too heavy for the car, which made a roundabout journey through some paddocks in order to find a bridge by which to make the i nal crossing of the river. So more than half the passengers got out and walked under the guidance of Mr Murphy, a guide from the West Coast, v'ho was one of the party. He made the pace hot and the walkers reached Springfield before the car, which had made a wide detour. The licensee of the hotel treated the party most hospitably and catered for the twentythree persons in first class style. A GOOD RUN TO CHRISTCHURCH. A good run with few eventful incidents was made to Christchurch from Springfield. At Otira the party met a couple of stock dealers who had a big consignment of horses and fat bullocks for Christchurch, but there being no means of transport they had to remain there. “ l shall never forget that trip,” said one of the passengers last evening. “Despite the hardship and occasional forlorn outlook most of the party maintained high spirits. We would like to express our thanks for the magnificent hospitality we received from Mr and Mrs Blackley at Castle Hill, from the roadmen at Porter’s Pass and from the licensee of the Springfield Hotel. The drivers of the cars proved themselves fine fellows, and Mr Henrys walked miles through the snow with one of the little girls of the party on his back. We had some practical jokers amongst us and Mr Henrys was made the target for such good-natured barrack as ‘ It* was those handicap weights which stopped our cars,’ Mr Henrys having some papers with adjusted weights in his bag.” Members of the party were quite done up on reaching Christchurch and all they wanted was a hot bath and a good bed.