AMONG PIONEERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17575, 27 June 1925, Page 12

AMONG PIONEERS.

WEST COAST SUNSHINE. (By J. 13. Mcrrett.) The wintry weather of Friday last provoked me to send a wire to Blackwater, and I resolved 1o spend a weekend among the mountains of the Coast. No one can credit the change. While Christchurch saw bleak winds. sleet and hail, the West Coast is bathed in delightful and warm sunshine. A trip to the Coast is now a luxury. The railway smoker steam-heated, cups of tea and wholesome lunch cn route make the journey a different proposition from the old days of coaching. Still those days have happy remembrances. Cross- . ing the Otira in three fc.ct of snow, the j swollen rivers coursing through the bottom of the coach. The nights at the Bealey with their impromptu programmes of song, story and recitation all carrj r experiences rich compared with these days of luxurious comfort. At Stillwater while waiting one reads all the advertisements on the station and listens to the experiences and comments of the immigrants who crowd round the fire. Ikamatua is reached just on dark. Seven miles take you on to Blackwater, where I pick up mv guide and make arrangements for the morrow. A further four and a half miles takes you through the valley to Waiuta and the purring of the engine shows the car is rising at a rapid rate. Waiuta lights come into view, and in the darkness one can sec across the plateau and note the line of mountain tops along the horizon. A room is booked at the hotel. As one j enters a real genuine West Coart reception is accorded. There is something rare and unique about a West Coast welcome. Where in all the world do you get a reception from men you have never seen, who come up to you and with horny hand and honest eyed expression say “Come and have a drink?” You join them. In return you say “Come, boys, another.” In a few moments you are pals and as you heave oft to the kitchen to hunt up some supper, you arc commented on as “Hell do!” Passing through the sideroom are groups of these honest toilers. Here and there can be seen one of the old school. lie tells of experiences to which the younger men listen eagerly. 1 lie stranger is questioned “A traveller?” “What line are you in?” “Where are you making for?” You do not trite deceive. West Coasters are not giv- :i to deception. These plain, honest hearts know nothing of duplicity. They never suspect or give credence to an idea that you have come to put one across them. Delightful, honest, open-hearted fellows—the nearest approach to undiluted genuine manhood that can be found anywhere by travel. A laugh is caused as we state “Come for a weekend. Christchurch weather rotten. Come over lor a walk up the Alexandra tomorrow.” “She's a beauty” says one, ‘ we know now why you have come.” ‘ Solid lace of gold ! ” says another, most enthusiastically. “Best thing in New Zealand,” adds a third. “Going to walk; ’ “Want a guide?” “Good luck to you.” “Be sure and float her off,” were the interrogations and conjectures levelled at me. Outside in the starlit darkness where the air is crisp and keen as mustard, sat a young fellow musing apart from others. “Come for a walk, digger; ’ “You bet!” he replied, and xii a few minutes we were going along the sparkling, crackling footpath-: of the township. “ Como and I'll show you the mine head.” He lingered tenderly over a 5 h.p. steam engine getting in its 1600 revolutions with a delightful purr. For a few seconds he meditated. I read his thoughts and in a soft; touching voice he said “I often come in to see her. For twelve years day and night she has done her work and never stopped. .She’s a beauty and made of best English stuff. She'll go on for years yet, Gee! I do admire her.” Sacred feelings come through his mind. 1 here can be nothing unmanly in a heart so touched with inanimate life ft indicates what a fellow human feeling we may extract from such a nature. “This lot has cost £33,000.” as he pointed proudly to the winding gear that was responsible for lifting the ore, human life and mine supplies up and down the 1600 feet shaft. Wc next visited the Miners’ Hall. Here had gathered forty or fifty of the young people. The picture show was over, supper had been dispensed and the dance music had begun. Most of the men were between twenty-five and forty. The young ladies were dressed plainly and neatly. Many of them were miners’ wives. As we joined the throng the modern jazz was ignored. The barn dance and mazurka were among those selected, showing me the music of these was not forgotten or the dances dead. bong before daylight next morning a voice came through my door, “Your breakfast is ready, sir.” I was to be met ready for the trek at S. My guide (Mr J. Hannan ( appeared bringing a horse in case I should get footsore during the thirty-mile walk. I mounted the mare and descended into the snowv river. Following instructions J was to follow the river bed for a mile and then turn at the old battery and come up the creek and join my guide at the water race. The Snowy River pursues its way along a cold, bleak ravine. Smoke could be seen ahead, and into its isolated vicinity I rode and struck an old wooden hut. Into the morning air shot an inquiry, “Are vou there Digger;” and heard a reply. “Yes, come and have a cup of tea.” I rode close and out came the prospector. Not an old man, but a young fellow of thirtv years. “Take sugar?” lie inquired, and soon appeared with an enamel mug of delicious billy tea such as only the miner can brew. Confirming my route 1 set out on my way and followed the (reek. It required skiltul negotiation, but I soon found my mount was skilful in the work and possessed an nlacritv tliat would shame a goat. On wc went through fourteen miles of virgin bush. The morning sun shot its rays slantingly among the trees and the foliage as if envious that they were parts of this world he could not penetrate. M hat a charming route that proved! Away from the haunts of men the kaka. sounds his raucous voice, the pigeons cooing softly, the mockingbird imitating the'notes of the tui and the quizzing, flitting associations of the fantail. Bird life was there in all its charm. Around us were the shining, coppery-skinned fuscliia. the bedraggled bark of the cedar, the birch m all its variety, the silverv foliage of the rimu and the red canopy of tlie pine. N\ hat a. least! Among the moss and ferns were joys indescribable. As we imarerl the main range and could almost coo-ee across to Christchurch ■we came on tlie riverbed of the Alexandra, where began the snigger track that will carry historic associations into the future historv of mining in New Zealand. The Coast is always associated with pioneers. Here they are still to be ' found with six+v years of experience behind them. Their work is cbne, and rich memories are afforded them in their cogitations of He old days. But let it be understood that pioneer work is net- done. Here before me as I rode across that track were evidences of a pioneer work car ried out by young men of indomitable spirit, and attendant i with such risks and hardship that | would have soared the pioneers of fifty years ago. In fact, in our judg- *

ment, such a feat to them would be impossible. Jt required for these men ° oc the sons of pioneers to grow np accustomed to the horse, the bush, the Hoods to overcome the terrific obstacles and surmount the difficulties. Here T. \r\- I; ] CCcl Tvlt * l s O,llO cf the work the M Vlckor boys had done during the l >ast two or three years and which toi ,iy aie ffi 0 pride and joy of every West Coaster. The story is too long to tell but imbued with enthusiasm, nismrcd with belief in their find of a aohl reel these you„ s me,, of brown !?.?*; °- hav ? P® rf «-mod .1 feat «n. V ec . M 1 ;l M days of pioneer ,T '.V T,le story is surrounded. witli all the charm of the lumber stories of the Yukon except that at Alexandra one see; demonstrations of fact instead ofiinA ed ar i ’“ Pl> ? ,,in p- 'hod and nurturti lorn -Ini rd v Scotch Wood the Mlirtt 1 - Vp,Cal of H'O Gallipoli , / hil . L s l’ lrlt I<as been applied to Industrial pursuit and achievement «Jt Alexandra. 11 1 I! I I Po ramp we entered the most delightful spot it is possible to imagine. Ahead of ,„ s was .Mount ,-iX fTAI 8 Vr hcad £,oooft - To the a, t 11 as the Alexandra 1200 ft, to the ■ 1 mountains of similar altitude The Mnuous path of the river had loci into the open. Sheltered from ererv "he .r 1, ; fc =* uo " 11 0,1 us shedding ns 11.11111 rays in the clearing, and ve" e VIOUS that IVe had found this snot and intruded into its domains of trodden territory AVn od round tlie festive board •nu < Twould you adtewe 1( , waited and tended bv hUo5 B " d So°r f „ n iT 1 '” ° f l™™ ”"«"'>!■ M'Yicl-crs i Sussex, Mrs I>. •L doren Como tn Xc "' Zealand educated, 3 sho S jofned lo'v’Tn . lloul I ’Y’ her husband's, anil rather tlian"enjov choso 0 + ter * don, “-T of mv,Miration she (Hose to stay wjth him and i,; cmrni'otl ". aS . l, “? P.roto-typo of the young face difficulties and lw.nn, * him think twice i™,™'vc.it"res'*'t f Precat,> the Kuglish gj,-|. t,, not h, tel for hnrdslup, the arm the backhlocks -Mrs M'Vmkers can give such conjcrti.rc absolute denial flow many women of thirty can , u ; day do 1,,,,,, .. m,,e "all; through the hush. < an climb a. 1200 ft face through virgin bush, can do a hundred and one jobs on the farm hike i , eve,, loaf and sef a tmlvcoukd mc’d *£"2 a van converse intoll,'! go,ith < m most subjects, and ( . nn C ., MI _ duct the correspondence and business oil company:-- On Sun'dav"] ui'd'akon o> view a battery 000 ft up r.- lri . (l> inspect outcrops of niiartz-bcarinn-roe s at <IOO, ]OOO and 1200 fed Sovcra drives wore also inspected. Some la "!i£r°-' !' crs mg a face hard as non.diallings. , vas |, and W'?,® vle 'ved and the descent made to the valley, where next morn. s "hue Christchurch was freezing I was enyoyrng i„ my shirt sleeves the warm temperature of a spring niornOne meets Ins fellows in a ramp win II many a story of the good old dais. Recently an enterprising Aucklander visited this camp He arrived in dress unfitted for the. environment. e vas given a suit that had shown good service. During the change he dropped threepence on the floor of the hut. i his was found next- dav bv ail old miner. I.ater another northerner more mature in years visited the camp. He lias noted for bis parsimony. He lost his neck stud and was seen hunting lor the- lost article. The old miner was deaf and asked a fellow worker why the search. He mistook the answer and. replied. “Gee, the !a-t. blarney millionaire did leave a tray bit: but this chap is taking care to leave ns nothing.’’ Sunday night before a' tine camp fire that easily consumed jogs four feet in length wo talked for hours on experiences that would make the best of “copy.” Tlie camp leaf was our only care, and as tlie hot embers raised the lid and showed us bread of the highest oualitv we knew that next day’s strength and. vitality were assured. As wo bade our friends goodbye the following noon, mv mate Jack Hannah and I struck the’trail for the return of a dozen miles through virgin hush. Mo both assessed our gains for the week-end visit to Alexandra, and knew that if our compatriots in 'Canterbury could only know of our good fortune across the range their cue wish would, have been to join us.