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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]
Bohan, Michael
Bohan, Michael, Coach Builder, Victoria Street Wellington. Telegraphic address, “Bohan, Wellington.” Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, 120 Cuba Strect, Mr. Bohan was born in Country Tipperary, Ireland, where he was brought up to a practical knowledge of the coach building and farming pursuits. He left the Old Country about 1859 for Victoria, where he worked at his trade for about two years. At the time of the Gabriel's Gully rush the subject of this paragraph crossed over tc New Zealand. Attracted by the news from the Shotover he went tc Arrowtown, and having decided to start a blacksmith's shop, went to Invercargill to procure the needful plant. Mr. Bohan found this no easy task, as everything had to be obtained from Dunedin, and a month elapsed before the bellows, anvil, and iron could be obtained. Once established on the Arrow Mr. Bohan had the first smith's shop in the district, and was getting £5 per set for horse shoeing. Freights were enormous at this time, £175 per ton being charged between Dunedin and Arrowtown, the charge for crossing Lake Wakatipu being £12 per ton. When the West Coast rush commenced Mr. Bohan was on the second boat that arrived in the Hokitika river and established the pioneer smith's shop. Twenty-five shillings per set was the usual charge for shoeing then. Mr. Bohan had four shops going at one time on the Coast, in addition to the Hokitika place. For eight years subsequently he carried on business at Charlestown and removed to Wellington in 1873, establishing the Wellington Coach Factory. A two-story iron building having over 6000 square feet of floorage space is completly fitted with every needful appliance for conducting a large trade. The draught for the forge fires is created by a five-horse-power engine. The factory produces work of every description, from the simplest wheelbarrow to the most elegant landau, the materials required for fittings being imported direct from England and elsewhere. Mr. Bohan sends vehicles to all parts of the Colony.