Page:Charleston • Irwin Faris • (1941).pdf/82

 At the north end of this beach was the Welcome Inn, one of the best remembered hostelries of the district.

The route was along Little Beach until, about 1870, a road was formed around its fringe, which saved vehicles the heavy beach pull. From Little Beach the road crossed another narrow point, passed Small’s Beach, a sandbank in the basin; ran along the old road over Nile Hill, and so to Charleston. In later days, about 1882, a low-level road was formed from Nile bridge to Charleston, thus avoiding the steep grade of Nile Hill. It was constructed by Scarlett and party, of Karamea.

In 1873-1874 the “dray-road” from Westport to Charleston via Addison’s Flat was opened, and the beach-route abandoned. This spelt the end of the boat ferry at South Spit, and it was replaced by a boat-and-punt ferry further up the river, near to Snag Falls, later called Victoria Falls, and close to where the combined railway and road bridge was built in 1887. This ferry conveyed not only passengers but the coaches and other vehicles across the Buller River. It also meant the end of busy life at the Spit; hotels were closed and businesses abandoned. The census of 1874 showed only seven persons at Packers’ Point, and only 76 at South Spit and Buller Lagoon. In turn, the boats and punts were put out of action by the erection of the bridge in 1887.

Some of the punt owners at or near to the upper ferry were:—

J. M. Langdon—right gazetted 24th June, 1871, for a “punt ferry” near the telegraph line, within two and a half miles from mouth of Buller River, and not to interfere with shipping, navigating, or boats plying for hire. Rates were fixed at 6d. for passengers, 2/6 for horse and rider, 2/6 for loaded packhorse, 1/- each for cattle, 25/- per hundred for sheep, 5/- for horse and dray loaded, and 2/6 per ton for goods.

Gilmer Brothers—right gazetted 11th December, 1872, owned and worked a punt for passengers, “near to the