Page:Charleston • Irwin Faris • (1941).pdf/70

 Charleston, was the first to take up land there and start a bush-farm.

At the southern end of this beach, near to Kawau Point, the Cape Road started, and here was the first coach-stop, Gibson’s, a small store and wayside house, where many both before and during the early days of coaching, secured supplies and enjoyed hospitality. All trace of it has long since vanished. The beach between this house and the Cape was called Gibson’s Beach.

Carter’s Beach, then but a strip of strand with breakers from the Tasman Sea at its western side, and white unoccupied sandhills, scrub and bush at the other, is now a popular seaside resort; as also is Gibson’s Beach. Beside them run the railway and a well-formed road, with the Cape township within easy distance.

Turning aside from the South Beach at Kawau Point, the route followed the rough three-mile road across the Cape, which was then uninhabited; but with the road came seekers of gold-bearing terraces. They found a few golden spots, but none that made history.

In 1886-1888 quarries were opened on the Cape, and a railroad laid from Westport thereto, with a rail-and-road bridge over the Buller in 1887. From these quarries came the stone for the extensive harbour works at Westport. The census of 1874 showed only eight persons at Cape Foulwind, but the opening of the quarries resulted in the formation of a township with post office, church, two hotels, public hall, store, school, and a population of about two hundred. In 1888 a telephone office was established.

In 1889 there was an attendance of thirty-seven at the school, of which Susan Blane was teacher; and in 1908 there was the same number, Miss Winnie Barber being in charge.

These conditions lasted only while the quarries and railway were in full working; in 1921 the census showed only ninety-six persons there. The native name for the Cape is