Moa Cave, Waitomo 1899
It’s 1899… moa bones are found, and a wheeled vehicle completes a first by travelling the road from Hawera to Ōhaupō.
The limestone country in the neighbourhood of Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga had been a favourite habitat of the moa and from time to time discoveries were made of the relics of these giant birds.
One recent discovery was made in a cave on the farm of John Davis, of Waitomo. The skeleton of the bird was found lying in the position in which it fell and died, and poignantly the bones of an infant moa were lying across it. The entrance to these caverns was often so small and covered over with vegetation they were difficult to find and it was speculated the neighbouring ranges might contain wonders of a similar character.
Mr Newsham claimed the record of being the first to drive a wheeled vehicle over the road from Taranaki to Waikato but he did not have all the credit to himself, as his plucky wife shared it with him. They left Hawera on a Wednesday morning and arrived at Ōhaupō on Sunday evening, after just five days on the road. They came by way of Awakino and never once had to camp out, always making a settler’s house by nightfall. The vehicle was a light two wheeled trap drawn by a stout pony, which was only once taken out of the shafts, and that was at a creek between Awakino and Puketiti. The wheels were there taken off and the trap hauled down the bank. The pony was then yoked up and pulled the buggy across the ford, when the wheels were again removed and the trap carried over some rough ground. With the exception of that small portion, the whole road could be travelled by buggy. Mr Newsham said the worst bit of road to travel on was between Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga, a road that had been open for 12 years.
Men were continually arriving from Auckland to labour on the road works being undertaken to open up blocks of land in the King Country.
The road between Pirongia and Kāwhia was to be completed right through and a four horse conveyance would run weekly carrying passengers from Te Awamutu. Several families from Hamilton and Te Awamutu had for some seasons past gone to Kāwhia for their summer break, and described it as a most ideal place for an unconventional holiday. The locals were most hospitable, and there were hot springs, good fishing and plenty of oysters to be enjoyed.
Te Kūiti had an extraordinary escape from destruction by fire when the boarding house and store of Mr Bond were destroyed. The premises were separated from the adjacent building by a narrow passage. Although Bond’s fire burnt fiercely, no other building was damaged. Had Johnsons store caught, the whole of the street would have gone, including all the principal businesses. The fire occurred at about 2.30am, Mrs Bond and two children being alone in the house. Mrs Bond, awakened by the smoke and roar of the fire, at once gave the alarm and got out safely. Mr Bond was uninsured, and his loss was severe, including a piano and two sewing machines.
Moa cave on the property of Mr J Davis, Waitomo, King Country
