This photograph was taken c1897 at the top of “Back Track”, before the “Dittmer Bros” built the road round to Scott’s Road. Notice the gentleman left holding a cat. A typical bush section in the Kahuterawa Valley. Identification of men unknown, but they may be delivering the week’s mail and provisions. Kahuterawa Valley is located near Palmerston North in the foot hills of the Tararua Ranges. One of the earliest European owners was the Wellington - Manawatu Railway Company, they named this area the Fitzherbert Block. Originally the land had been granted to the company by the government in return for completing a railway from Wellington to Longburn The Company sold the 20, 000 acre valley for land settlement in 1885. During the early settlement and bush felling era, eight residences from a one room whare to three bedroom houses were built in the valley. “To Argyles last acres, by Ian H Argyle pg 3.”