The long, laborious mail coach journey

Taking the mail from south Marlborough to Kaikōura is no mean feat 120 years ago, as we take a flick through the archives. From the Marlborough Express, February 24, 1904.

The efforts being made by Mr A. Cummings to carry out his Kaikoura Seddon mail contract deserve commendation.

His coach is a very comfortable one, and his relays of horses contain a number of excellent roadsters; indeed, some of the animals would do credit to any coach service in the Colony.

Mr Cummings’ equipment is unique in one particular, inasmuch as it includes a “tiger”-though not one in livery. The lad travels with the coach to open the numerous gates – about 15 in number – across the road, in various places, along its length. Notice of motion has been given by a member of the Awatere Road Board to have the gates between Seddon and the Clarence River abolished within six months.

It appears that the only gate - a rabbit one - on the Clarence Kaikoura section of 25 miles might now be dispersed with by the Stock Department, as there are practically no rabbits along the coast.

By the way, the detour the contractor is required to make at Blind River is vexatious both to him and to travellers.

Surely it should not form part of a through mail service of over seventy miles

to be covered in one day, and that in the face of some exceptionally steep grades.

We hope that the Chief Postmaster, Blenheim, who is ever ready to further the public interests, and zealous in his efforts, will be able to devise some means of relieving all cause of complaint in this matter.

Also in the newspaper:

Messrs F. Redwood and A. McCallum left Blenheim yesterday to attend the meeting of the New Zealand Flour millers’ Association at Christchurch.

There is apparently a local dearth of the railway time-tables for the current season. Yesterday a townsman failed to obtain one though he enquired at several business places.

Some excellent photographs of the Flaxbourne sheep sale were obtained by

Mr A. McKusker, and some of the copies have been secured by the leading weekly papers. Some views are to be sent over to Australia for reproduction there.

The train from Picton yesterday evening had to be taken over the Elevation in two sections, the engine failing to grip the rails, which had been made slippery by drizzling rain. In consequence, the arrival at Blenheim was some twenty-five minutes late.

The representatives of the Blenheim fire brigade now canvassing the town for subscriptions for the purpose of a chemical fire engine are meeting with a sympathetic response in most quarters, and it is hoped that with the proceeds of a proposed entertainment a considerable sum will be raised. The amount required is £145.

TREVOR AYSON A man on a horse and cart passes a gum tree at Hāpuku, north of Kaikōura, circa 1945. Horses are an important part of life in the first half of the century.