PIONEERING DAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17452, 12 July 1928, Page 9

PIONEERING DAYS.

MR I. COATES' NARRATIVE. ARRIVAL IN HAMILTON. FURTHER EARLY EXPERIENCES. In my last narrative I had related to as far as when I had arrived back to Auckland from Thames. L should have mentioned that the gentleman W r ho gave me the letter of introduction to Mr Tetley had also given me one to Mr W. Brook Smith, of Thornton, Smith and P. Firth's, Auckland, so shortlv after my arrival in the city I called" at the office of the big flourmill firm. I cannot speak too highly of the kindness shown to me by Mr Smith. I learned that he used to be a Yorkshire resident also in the early days,' and that his wife used to live about ten miles from my early home. Mr Smith extended an invitation to stay the night at his house and I gladly accepted. On my leaving he gave me letters of introduction to Major Jackson and to Captain Steel, both of Rangiawhia, and both letters turned out to be very useful to me after I had arrived in the Waikato. I will have more to say in reference to Mr Smith in my future letters (if I live long enough to write them). On the day following my arrival at Auckland I took a coach, which was advertised to leave Frank Quick's stables, Victoria Street West, now converted into the big warehouse of Sargood and Sons, for the Waikato. We left at 3 p.m. and arrived at a little town north of Point Russell (Mercer), at about 6 p.m. I had tea and then had a look around the place and I saw so many men in an inebriated state that I decided to make for Point Russell at once, so I gathered up my swag and set off, arriving at my destination a few minutes before midnight. There was' one hotel open, there being a dance held in the building, and so I secured a bed for the night. Before retiring I enquired if there was a boat going up the river next day and I was told that there was one leaving at 6 a.m., so I resolved to catch it. I found the boat a long narrow thing like a canoe and that the passengers and the freight were carried in a canoe lashed alongside. Beside myself there were four otner male passengers and one lady with a child. We got to Rangiriri about noon and we all went for dinner. We left when we had finished dinner and arrived at Ngaruawahia at 0 p.m., and I put up at the Delta Hotel, then kept by Air L B. Harris, senr. I was told that the boat departed early next morning and that I must get up early if I wanted to catch it. However, I missed the boat so I at once started for Hamilton on foot and I arrived at the town before the hoat did.