1866: The road to Hokitika
It was March 23, 1866, and The Press was highly enthusiastic about the opening of a route to the West Coast.
“When we recall what the West Coast was only little more than a year ago, and the great length of the journey, rarely of less than ten days, and that over the most impracticable country, it does seem a feat of which Canterbury, and the present Government of Canterbury, may be somewhat proud, that at this moment we can take our places in a comfortable four-horse coach, and be landed in Hokitika on the evening of the second day, having slept at a tolerably comfortable hotel one night on the road."
Read the full story here. It's part of THE PRESS 160 YEARS - a series marking the launch of The Press newspaper in Christchurch on May 25, 1861. Between now and the anniversary, The Press will revisit stories from every year of publication.
Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
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Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
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9.8% Yes! New Year, New Me
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21.8% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
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68.4% Nah - not for me
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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78.8% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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21.2% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
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