An Interesting Career – The late Mr Duncan Sinclair
… He owned and sold to the Wellington City Council the site of the present reservoirs, to which he also gave access through a mile and a half of his land. The sawmill which the late Mr Sinclair ran at Wainui o Mata was one of the first in the North Island and was at that time the largest. Possessed of a foresight which was strongly characteristic of his many undertakings he early recognised the value of steel rails in the working of his mill. These he imported from England and simultaneously obtained from Hobart a steam engine which he named the “Pio Pio.” The task of getting the engine from Wellington to the mill was a most formidable one – to all but its enterprising owner. By almost everyone it was declared impossible, the latter portion of the sixteen mile journey being over a very steep hill. The task was, however, safely accomplished with the aid of twelve bullocks and six horses…
Tags: Logging Newspaper Tramways
