“HORSE-KILLER” IS PENSIONED OFF.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19237, 26 November 1930, Page 16

“HORSE-KILLER” IS PENSIONED OFF.

OLD STAGE COACH MADE HISTORY IN EARLY DAYS. Fallen on evil days, the last of the old Canterbury-West Coast coaches stands mouldering away in the yard of the Empire Express Company in St Asaph Street. The coach was built at Hokitika in 1880-1 for Alex. Binney and Co., a well-known coaching firm. Determined to turn out something that would be strong and would last, Eckmann, the builder, made it on the heavy side, and it was so hard to pull that it was known on the road as “ the horse-killer.” It has undergone alterations and restoration from time to time, but Eckmann’s original hardwood wheels and hubs are still there, and good for a few years yet. When built, it had a flat front, but this was subsequently altered to the present “canoe front,” as the flat front bent ominously one day on the Otira when the driver put a bit of extra weight into his leg thrust. There were originally three seats inside and only one outside—on the roof at the back. About 1884 more attention was being paid to the growing tourist traffic, and as the passengers did not care about being cooped up inside, preferring to travel oiftside and view the scenery, a seat was built in front. The capacity of the coach was seventeen, nine inside and eight outside, but this same coach has carried twenty-five passengers down the Otira„ behind five horses. As the railway began to creep along, the coach route contracted year by year. Originally, of course, the run was from Christchurch to Hokitika, but the Eckmann coach used to run from Springfield and later from Broken River. When the railway was opened to Cass, Cobb and Company had some lighter coaches built at Nelson, with three seats outside, and the Eckmann coach, on account of its weight, was put aside, and only took the road at rush times. One day when going down the Otira Gorge the driver put more weight than usual with his feet against the flat front, and it began to bend, so it was replaced by the present canoefront. When coaching started between Christchurch and the West Coast there was one coach a week, later twice a week, and later still three times a week. Towards the end of the period, when the railway ends were gradually drawing closer, there was a daily service between rail-heads in the summer months. In the early days the fare between Christchurch and the Coast was £7, and later was reduced to £5, while at times when opposition “butted in” the fare was cut to pieces. Other Veterans. In 1921 the hardy old Eckmann was bcJught by Mr 11. G. Ell for use on the Summit Road, and that Is why it bears the legend on the side, “Akaroa-Port Hills Summit Road.” For a while it was run to Kennedy’s Bush, but has now been definitely retired. This Eckmann is very similar to the Burton coach, the first ever built in Christchurch—away back in 1865 which is now owned by Mr LovellSmith, and is ending its days out at Riccarton in honoured retirement. The timber of the Burton coach was imported from Concord, New Hampshire, U.S.A., the original home of this style of vehicle, known there as “Concord waggons.” There is also one of these old West Coast coaches in the Canterbury Museum. The wheels and under-carriage came from the United States, and the wood-work of the body was put together at Nelson. This old coach has a claim to fame as it was the one that used frequently to carr}' the burly frame of Richard Seddon. Changing Horses. It used to be a two-day journey from Canterbury over to Hokitika by the Eckmann. Starting from Springfield the first change was made at the Springs, a sixteen mile stage, over Porter’s Pass. At the Springs there was merely a stable, and quarters for the groom, with a paddock to grow oats. The second change was made at Craigieburn, Lake Pearson, where the passengers could get some excellent scones made by the groom’s wife, and a cup of the inevitable tea. Next stop and change was the Bealey, passing the Cass Hotel, which at one time was the half-way house between Christchurch and the Coast. The night was spent at the Bealey. Next morning early the coach set out again, forded the Waimakariri, and went through the famous Otira Gorge, at the foot of which the travellers had breakfast. After breakfast the journey was continued to Jackson’s, where horses were changed. There was another change at the Taipo, where lunch was taken. The Taipo was one of the most serious of the several rivers the coach had to ford, and in bad weather it was necessary to keep a coach on each side, the river being at flood at times quite unfordable. In the very early days they used to travel down the Teremakau River bed until they came to Old John’s accommodation house and go up the Waimea to the Kawhaka accommodation house, where horses were changed, the last change before pulling into the yard of the Empire Hotel at Hokitika. The Kawhaka building is still standing, but all the other changing-stables, once household words w r ith travellers, have gone the way of all wooden buildings. Five horses changed at each stage meant a large number of animals, and even in those days the upkeep of the service ran into a lot of money. Drove the Eckmann. Some rare /good whips have driven the Eckmann coach. Still surviving are Mr Jack Rountree, of Ashburton, the oldest surviving coach-driver, who drove it in the days when the run was from Springfield: and the following, who drove it after the railway terminus moved Lip to Broken River—Mr J. Rugg, now driving for Messrs Holmes and Son. St Asaph Street, Christchurch; Mr W. Rugg, of Massey Street, St Albans; Mr W. Campbell, who lives on the West Coast; and Mr Joe Searle, Neville Street, Spreydon. Mr J. Rugg, who is sixty-five, but looks ten years younger, is full of anecdotes of the old days and the old drivers. He it was who, at the request of Mr Lovell-Smith, arranged some years ago a trip by the Eckmann coach from Christchurch to the Coast, over the old roads, and using the old stopping-places, as Mr Lovell-Smith wished to reconstruct the scene just/ as it occurred in the premotor days.