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The Very Early Days.

“On an occasion such as this, one's thoughts naturally turn to those very early days when there was neither rail nor road transport between Port Lyttelton and Christchurch. In that historic letter written by Mr. Wakefield to Governor Sir George Grey mention is made—with no small degree of pride—that a bridle road had been completed from Christchurch to Heath-cote Ferry. At this time the future city consisted of half a dozen houses and some huts.

“Many records exist of the almost insurmountable difficulty which confronted the early settlers in overcoming the barrier which the Port Hills presented, and only their indomitable spirit and the knowledge that immense fertile plains awaited settlement, upheld the pioneers in their arduous task. It is with the greatest possible pleasure that we have to-day with us some who were amongst the first to arrive at Lyttelton. The development of transport facilities from bridle track to road, then to a modern steam railway; and to-day to assist in the celebration of the new electric traction, is indeed a record of which they may justly be proud.