CHARLESTON
miles of beach” refers to South Beach. The “other short beach” was Half-mile Beach in Tauranga Bay; the “narrow neck of scrub” was across The Point, or Rocky Peninsula, where Loring’s room stood and which was later part of Faris’s farm; the “ten-mile beach of hard sand” was the Nine-mile Beach; the terminal “piece of road through bush” was from Little Beach to the Nile bridge, and “the cutting up the hill” was from the Nile bridge up and over the Nile hill—the old Buller Road which, 1882, was discarded in favour of a low-level road from the bridge to Charleston. The reference to Cobb & Co.’s coaches confirms the opinion that the beach-route was opened about June in 1867.
In October, 1867, Commissioner Kynnersley reported upon the route, and mentioned “the considerable increase in the population and prosperity of the district.” Referring to the public expenditure (presumably during the then current financial year) he said: “The roads upon which the money has been principally expended are:—(1) Three miles of dray-road over Cape Foulwind through flat bush land, and one mile near Charleston. By means of these four miles of road, connecting the beaches, the whole road of twenty miles in length, between Westport and Charleston, has been made available for the drays and daily coaches, and a large tract of excellent land has been opened for settlement.”
Some of the early hotels at South Spit were:—(1) The Waterman’s Arms Hotel close to the ferry landing-steps; first kept by John Thomas, and later by George Thomas Craddock, a licensed Waterman who, in 1887, lost his life while taking soundings on the river bar. All trace of this old house has disappeared. It was not licensed after 1874, when the beach-route was abandoned, and was pulled down about 1900. It is believed that John Thomas later kept the Victoria Hotel and Concert Room on Section 151 in Rotten Row, Charleston, late in 1867. (2) The Carriers’ Arms Hotel and Restaurant (John Leydon, 1867, John Reid, 1868) which, states an advertisement of 1869, was “next to Rimmer & Forder’s stables.” (3) The Red, White and Blue Hotel (Stainer and Patterson, 1868), also advertised as being “next to Rimmer & Forder’s stables.” (4) Dewdrop Hotel. (5) Butchers’
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