This article is part 6 of 7 in our series on Victorian-Era newspaper engravings from New Zealand. To see the other parts please click here.
The Bush Road (1884)
Typical of many North Island roads was the bush road stretching northwards through the Scandinavian settlements of Eketahuna, Dannevirke and Norsewood in eastern Wellington Province. Often con- structed by the settlers themselves, bush roads were not always in the good condition depicted in the engraving, but were encroached upon by undergrowth and fallen logs, and were but a sea of mud after rain.
Coach Road to Hokitika (1879)
The road over Arthur’s Pass and through the Otira Gorge is recognised today as one of the outstanding early engineering feats in New Zealand. In an age when many drawings exaggerated, the artist of this scene showing the descent to Otira on the western side of the Pass, seems to have lessened the road’s gradient, as can be testified by nervous travellers even today!
Carriers in the Oropi Bush (1885)
The movement of goods overland by bullock – or horse-drawn waggon was slow in comparison with today’s motorised transport.
The carriers depicted were restarting on their way from Tauranga to Rotorua, having camped overnight in the bush. The uncovered cart in the centre belonged to an itinerant hawker who slowly travelled through the rural areas offer- ing his wares at isolated farmsteads.
Coach Crossing Taramakau River (1882)
With many rivers still unbridged before the turn of the century, river cross- ings were an additional hazard faced by coach travellers.
At times the water was so high that passengers had to be taken across on the horses and the empty coach hopefully followed safely, though on many occasions it was washed away by the fast-flowing river and smashed.
Wallace’s Point, Otira Gorge (1876)
After the destruction of the old road by flooding in 1874, a temporary bridge was provided to enable passengers to carry their luggage from one coach to another without having to ford the stream.
Dunedin Tramways (1881)
New Zealand’s first street trams commenced running in Wellington in 1878, followed by Dunedin in 1879 and Christchurch and Invercargill the following year. In Dunedin the motive power was at first provided by steam engines, but after numerous complaints of the engines frightening horses, making ‘unbearable’ noise, and of the soot making clothes and buildings grimy, trams were converted to being horse drawn. In 1881 it was reported that about 250 horses were needed for the 22 cars in use in Dunedin. In 1900 the first electric tram began running between the Dunedin suburbs of Roslyn and Maori Hill, and from 1903 to 1905 electric trams replaced Dunedin city’s horse-drawn trams.
Opening of the Dunedin-Christchurch Railway (1878)
The official opening of the line was a long drawn-out affair, for it started with a banquet at Christchurch on the evening of 5 September and finished with a further banquet at Dunedin 24 hours later (centre). The Governor, Lord Normanby, travelled with a large official party on the train that travelled south on the 6th, taking 12% hours to do the trip, though two hours of this time were occupied with stops at various stations between the two cities. Engrav- ings clockwise from bottom right show the departure from Christchurch, the stop at Palmerston, ‘illuminations’ in Rattray Street Dunedin, and the train’s arrival at Dunedin station.
Christchurch Railway Station (1879)
Opened on 21 December 1877, this structure of brick with white stone facings was designed by a railway engineer, Warner. The building, while servicing local needs, also housed the administrative offices for the entire South Island railway system. On the day before the station was opened, the conversion of Canterbury’s broad-gauge railway (Sft 3in or 1.6 metres) to the narrow 3ft 6in (1.07 metres) gauge was completed.
Pelichet Bay (1881)
In the foreground a New Zealand Railways mixed train puffs its way towards Dunedin. The line from Port Chalmers was the country’s first to be built at the now standard New Zealand 3ft 6in (1.07 metres) gauge. Reclamation of the Bay was already under way, although this was not finally completed until the 1920s.
Wairarapa (1884)
Built by Messrs Denny, of Dumbarton, Scotland, the latest acquisition of the Dunedin-based Union Steamship Coy was described by one English traveller as ‘the most beautifully decorated ship in the world.’ The Ladies Boudoir had panels of ‘Chinese silk, with crewel work of brilliant colours and quaint design, and are covered with glass like so many pictures.’ A decade later the Wairarapa was wrecked when she ran aground on Great Barrier Island during thick fog shortly after midnight on 29 October 1894. Of the 251 people on board 121 were drowned.
Survey Party Ascending the Patea River (1877)
Surveyors (and travellers) made use of Maori canoes when travelling in the more isolated areas of the North Island. It was remarked at the time that the Government employed the Maoris because ‘their hardy nature and wonderful expert- ness in managing canoes fitting them for the rough life and hardships which have occasionally to be endured by a survey party.’
Transhipping Passengers off the New Zealand Coast (1872)
The Mail Steamers had a set schedule to adhere to, and delays were reduced to a minimum. Thus not all ports were entered, but the vessel would heave-to some distance from the shore. The original caption to the engraving noted that often the swell was ‘so heavy as to make the transit from the steamer to her tender a matter of difficulty, and even of danger, to inexperienced voyagers.’ Amongst the luggage note the overturned cage containing a magpie.
Surf Boats at Timaru (1877)
Before the completion of a breakwater in 1881, ships calling at Timaru moored out in an open roadstead. Landing services for both passengers and goods were established, the boats being worked by a line from the ship until they reached the shore whereupon they were hauled by means of.a steam engine and wire rope over skids to the boat sheds.
Coaling at the Bay of Islands (1883)
The Bay of Islands was an important coaling station for many years. From the mines situated at Kawakawa, the coal was carried by a light railway to the water’s edge, and then transhipped to the waiting steamers by means of lighters.
Bealey (1875)
Situated at the junction of the Bealey and Waimakariri Rivers, Bealey was an overnight stopping place for travellers between Canterbury and the West Coast via Arthur’s Pass. At least in the early days the ‘hotel’ did not offer the highest degree of comfort, for one traveller in 1866 wrote ‘We passed one uncomfortable night here, owing to our bedroom being infected with rats; they were galloping about all night, like hungry wolves, in every direc- tion.’ The large building at left was intended to provide accommodation for the gold escort but was never used for that purpose.
A Swagsman (1875)
Swaggers roamed New Zealand in search of work, particularly in times of depression, walking from job to job in the rural areas. At Bealey the Government built a hut for the use of swagsmen traversing the Southern Alps.