southern end. In ordinary course, vehicles forded this river; but occasionally, owing to floods or heavy seas, it was unfordable, and the north-bound and south-bound coaches remained upon their respective sides, and passengers were transhipped from one to the other by ferry-boats after the latter were established in 1867; how they managed before then is not known.
The Ferry House, also a store and refreshment room (Loring’s, January, 1868) was on the north side of the river, the first building having been on the seaward side of the dunes; but as this was washed away by floods, it was rebuilt behind the sandhills, at the Okari end of the lagoon, as shown on map herewith. The ferry was worked by rowing-boats only—no barges or power craft.
The first ferry service at Totara was established in 1867, by S. J. Loring, of Tauranga Bay, who was later, on 22nd January, 1869, formally authorised (Nelson Gazette, No. 4, volume 17) to “keep a ferry-boat on the Totara River, and charge tolls 1/- for each passenger and 2/6 for each horse, including rider. A competent ferryman to be always in attendance with a good safe boat and proper rope for crossing horses.” It should be explained that horses were not ferried across, but swam behind the boat to which they were attached by ropes. This authority was renewed on 1st March, 1869 (Nelson Gazette, No. 6, Vol. 17) and on 26th February, 1870 (Nelson Gazette, No. 6, Vol. 18). As stated, this ferry was at the north side of the river, the Okari end of the lagoon; the only river-ferry.
A ferry service not connected with the beach coach-route, on the south end of the lagoon, was established by William Bird who, on 22nd January, 1869, was authorised (Nelson Gazette, No. 4, Vol. 17) to “keep a ferry-boat on the Totara Lagoon, or Saltwater Creek, and to charge 1/- for each person.” Bird was also authorised to “form a track from the Totara Lagoon towards Addison’s Flat, 1½ miles through the bush, and to charge tolls: Horses and cattle, 2/6 each. Sheep and pigs, 6d. each.” He was also given the right over “one mile of each bank of the lagoon from its junction with the Totara”—presumably the Big Totara.
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