Cyclopedia
of
New Zealand
Descriptive, Historical, Biographical.
Facts,
Figures, Illustrations.
The Directors of The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, have great pleasure in presenting their subscribers with the last volume of the Cyclopedia Of New Zealand.
To the early subscribers of this work the lengthy period occupied in compiling and publishing the Cyclopedia might have seemed suggestive of delays or cessations from work. But it was not so; the work of collecting information and particulars for publication and the printing of the successive volumes has been continuous from the inception of the Company. It may be mentioned that this work is the largest publishing undertaking yet attempted in the Dominion of New Zealand, and had the Directors known at the outset the magnitude the work would assume, the time the compilation would require, and the heavy expenses it would incur, it is improbable that they would have had the temerity to embark upon the venture. The cost could have been considerably reduced by having omitted reference to many of the scattered, sparsely-populated, and outlying districts; but as this would not have been in accordance with the intended nature of the Cyclopedia, the Directors decided that whatever pecuniary losses it would entail the work should be brought to a completion in the manner laid down in the beginning.
The conductors traversed the Dominion from Parengarenga to Stewart Island, from Cape Egmont to East Cape, and from Cape Foulwind to Akaroa; and though their duties often entailed long and fatiguing journeys, the nature of their occupation, through the courtesy and welcome support so readily extended by the colonists of New Zealand, was almost invariably pleasant.
The Cyclopedia Of New Zealand should not be regarded merely as a work for the present day. The first volume contains a Colonial history, and each of the other volumes contain provincial histories, in addition to descriptive articles on places and articles on practically all public bodies and representative institutions. The personal element is also largely depicted, and this will prove of value to the future chronicler and historian, as without the Cyclopedia many records of notable and pioneer colonists would have had no existence. The Cyclopedia has been appreciated in the libraries of the newspapers of the Dominion, where it is regarded as a work of useful reference. One prominent journalist recently expressed the hope that the Directors would make the work a continuous one, and within the next decade publish another completed Cyclopedia. But the population of New Zealand has not yet sufficiently increased to make the proposal one for serious contemplation, though we honestly believe that in years to come the rising generation, if the opportunity is given them, will readily grant as much support to another similar publication as their parents have accorded to this.
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Index To Societies, Orders, and Public Institutions.
General Index.
The province of Taranaki originated in the settlement of New Plymouth, which was formed by the Plymouth Company of New Zealand, in conjunction with the New Zealand Company, in the year 1841; and New Plymouth, which was then founded, is still its chief town. The boundaries of the province were defined by proclamation, under the Constitution Act of New Zealand, in the year 1852. Taranaki was at that time described as the province of “New Plymouth,” but the name was afterwards changed to “Taranaki,” by act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, in the year 1858.
Collis, photoShipping Butter From The Breakwater, New Plymouth.
Taranaki consists of the western projection of the North Island, and is divided at the coast from the Auckland province to the north by the river Mokau, and from the Wellington province to the south by the river Patea. The river Mokau also forms its northern boundary line; its eastern boundary consists in part of the north-easterly bend of the Wanganui, and in part of two lines—one of which unites the river Wanganui to the river Mokau at its source, and the other to the river Patea at its mouth. In all other parts Taranaki is bounded by the ocean. The coast line of the district is not broken by any considerable indentation. Starting from the mouth of the Patea, and following the shore, which runs at first nearly in the direction of the snow-clad summit of Mount Egmont (the native name of which is Taranaki), a circuit is made towards
New Plymouth In The Fifties.
Land District:
Mountains, Rivers, Lakes.
The Taranaki land district may be said to be the most compact and fertile in New Zealand, for, with the exception of the upper half of Mount Egmont, and of the ranges adjoining, which absorb about 36,000 acres, the whole of the area—minus what is taken up by rivers, streams, and lakes—is suitable for settlement, and certainly two-thirds of the district is good land. The gross area of the district is 2,430,000 acres, or about 300,000 acres more than the area of the original province. The principal mountain is the volcanic cone from which the district takes its name, Taranaki, otherwise called Mount Egmont. This mountain is the centre of distribution, for a radius of twenty miles, of volcanic “drift,” which covers the volcanic rocks below an altitude of 3,000 feet. Beyond the volcanic formation—that is, from about Urenui on the north, to Hawera on the south—the country is generally broken, and the formation is known as papa, a calcareous blue clay, capped in many places by shelly limestone.
Eastward of the base of Mount Egmont there are few, if any, mountains worthy of the name, although there are many ranges varying in height from 1,000 feet to 1,500 feet above sea level, and, in a few instances—such as the Matemateonga and Waiaria ranges—they run up to 2,500 feet.
The principal river is the Wanganui, which bounds the district on the east between Taumarunui
Military Outpost. About 1870.
The next river in size is the Mokan, which bounds the district on the north. It is navigable for steamers drawing from seven to eight feet of water, as far as the coal mines, about twenty miles from its mouth, and for canoes as far as Totoro, twenty-six miles further up. Several outerops of coal are found on its banks, and, as limestone is also present, the river is likely to become an important waterway of the district. The scenery on both sides, although not on quite so grand a scale as that on the Wanganui, is very beautiful.
The other large rivers are the Waitara and Patea. The former has its source about midway between the coast and the Wanganui river, in an easterly direction from Pukearuhe, between New Plymouth and the Mokau. It is about one hundred miles in length, and runs out at the town of Waitara, some ten miles north-east from New Plymouth. There is a bar at the river mouth, but steamers of 300 tons can enter safely in calm weather, and, although there are numerous rapids on its course, it is navigable for canoes for about ninety miles.
The Patea river rises in Mount Egmont, and, after traversing a tortuous course of about 110 miles, runs out at the extreme southern end of the provincial district. It has a bar-harbour, with a depth of thirteen to fourteen feet at springtides. Steamers of from forty to fifty tons trade regularly to the town of Patea, which is situated a mile or so north of the mouth. The Patea is navigable for canoes for fifty miles.
Besides these rivers there are many smaller ones, and streams innumerable—in fact, no district in the world could be better watered and at the same time so secure from disastrous floods. It is estimated that between the Mokau
The largest sheet of water is Rotokare, which is situated about twelve miles from Eltham; it is about half a mile in length, with an average width of six chains. There are also a few small lakes inland from Waverley, at the southern end of the district.
New Plymouth Breakwater. Collis, photo.
The whole of Taranaki—with the exception of a fringe of open country along the east coast, from Pukearuhe to Patea, averaging three miles in width, and containing about 250,000 acres, and some valleys at the north-eastern corner of the district, about 150,00 acres in extent—was originally covered with heavy forest, but this is rapidly disappearing under the progress of settlement, and the erection of sawmills which deal with such timber. The larger timber is chiefly rata, rimu, matai, tawa, kahikatea, kohekohe, pukatea, rewarewa, and hinau, with a few totara scattered here and there. Among the smaller trees may be mentioned the kotukutuku or fuchsia, karaka, and mahoe. Between forty and fifty sawmills are at work in connection with the timber industry. Most of these sawmills work together under association rules and prices; but others work independently, each on its own account.
The volcanic soil, the boundaries of which have been already described, varies a good deal in quality. The best is believed to be on the south side of the mountain, between Stratford, Hawera, and Opunake, but not less than two or three miles from the forest reserve boundary. It is thought that the country, now being opened to the north and east of the volcanic deposit—that is, the papa and limestone formation—will, from the presence of lime, be much richer and more lasting as pasture land than that around the mountain. The carrying capacity of the land is, on an average, two and a-half to three sheep to the acre.
The climate of Taranaki is essentially mild and equable. The temperature in a recent year ranged from 32 degrees to 84 degrees. The rainfall is heavy, for the district is
In September, 1896, a new work in connection with the dairying and meat industries was started, in the shape of the Taranaki Freezing Works, situated at Moturoa, near the breakwater, and close beside the railway line. During the hot season, the factories and railway vans carrying the butter are supplied with ice from the works at a nominal cost. The district sustained a loss in the season of 1904, through these works being burned down; but, luckily, the most of the season's butter and cheese had been shipped; nor did this set-back deter the company, for plans were prepared, and everything was in readiness to build the works anew in time for the next season's output. Most of the butter from the southern end of the district, now goes to Patea.
During a recent season, the total area Taranaki had under corn crops, and cut for threshing, was 7,263 acres; corn and grass crops cut for hay, chaff, or ensilage, 15,129 acres; corn clovers for feeding down, 812,974 acres; sown grasses for seed, 511 acres; potatoes, 1,401 acres; beet, 2 acres; turnips, 9,930 acres; mangolds, 680 acres; rape, 1,888 acres; carrots, 542 acres; other crops, 80 acres; total area under crops of all kinds, including gardens, orchards, and vineyards, 853,237 acres; plantations, 1,047 acres; fallow, 471 acres. The average yield of different grain-crops in bushels per acre for the season was: Wheat 30.43, oats 24.0. barley 28.0.
The only mining going on at present is at the Mokau coal mines,
Dawson Falls, Mount Egmont.
There are few plains properly so called in the district. Near Eltham there is a block of level land, 3,700 acres in extent, known as the Ngaire swamp, which is drained, and thrown open for settlement. With this exception, the district is generally too undulating to be described as plain country. What is called the Waimate Plains—a stretch of fertile land, about 25,000 acres in all, lying between the Waingongoro and Otakeho rivers—includes too many downs and low up-lands to deserve the title. Of the Waimate Plains, 11,500 acres have been set apart as a native reserve, and 13,500 acres have now been disposed of for settlement. There are still 429,800 acres of land in the district in native hands. About 190,000 acres in the hands of the Crown are only partially explored, but will probably be found fit for settlement. About 167,000 acres, chiefly in the Whangamomona, Ohura, and Tongaporutu districts are now (1906) prepared for settlement; and all of this country will, it is understood, be found suitable for sheep and cattle grazing, and, in the more open stretches, for dairying. In addition to this area, there is a large amount of land now open and available for selection. About 130,000 acres on papa and limestone formations, mostly heavy bush country, well watered, but still uncleared, will ultimately prove to be some of the best sheep and dairy country in the district. There is, indeed, very little of Taranaki which, when it is once cleared of bush and stocked, cannot be depended upon to add permanently to the immense natural wealth of this highly favoured region.
The first mention of Taranaki as a distinct portion of New Zealand, occurs in the journal of the Dutch navigator, Abel Tasman, who, on the 27th of December, 1642, sighted, in this latitude, on the west coast of New Zealand, a lofty, snow-clad mountain. But no
With regard to the native race who came to this part of New Zealand, tradition states that the first canoe that reached these shores
The Old Redoubt, New Plymouth. About 1870
In strict accuracy, the name of Taranaki was given to the tribe and district south of the Sugar Loaves, while the country stretching northward to the White Cliffs was known as Tokomaru. The whole country had been gradually occupied by various hapus of the Ngatiawa, whose kinship did not
Te Whero Whero.
Inglewood Troop Of Hawera Mounted Rifles At Drill At Lepterton.
Before the regular settlement of the district by the New Zealand Company, the only white men known to the Maoris were whalers and casual traders, who came to the country for flax. As early as 1809, an expedition was fitted out in Sydney to procure a quantity of “New Zealand flax”—the fibre of the phormuim, a species of lily growing freely in all swampy land. The natives soon learned the value of this trade, and as no machine had then been invented that could strip the fibre as efficiently as the Maoris with their primitive appliances, the prospects of this traffic soon steadily improved. A test of rope made from New Zealand flax at Sydney in 1820—in which the colonial rope proved much superior to English-made rope—greatly enhanced the value of the flax; and in 1830 the Marine Department in England was purchasing all that could be obtained at £45 per ton. Subsequently the traffic fell off, but not before a considerable number of agents and traders had been attracted from Australia to buy and sell flax; and some of these settled down amongst the Maoris, and encountered almost incredible dangers and hardships in their efforts to secure a monopoly of the local flax supply. One Sydney firm had an agent established in so inaccessible a spot as Mokoia Island, in Lake Rotorna; and, in 1832, one Thomas Ralph, agent of Montefiore and Company, of Sydney, was stationed among the Maniapoto, near the Mokau, to buy flax from the Taranaki natives. The adventures of Ralph, as narrated in Brett's “Early History of New Zealand,” form a romantic episode in the country's early records; and the perils and sufferings which these traders endured in pursuit of gain give some idea of the importance attached, even at that stage of the colony's history, to an industry which has since become one of the country's most important resources.
But the majority of the white men who reached the shores of New Zealand before the settlement, were whalers. A great deal has been written about the character and manner of life of these hardy “sons of the sea,” and very little that is novel and original remains to be said. The chapters in the “Early History of New Zealand,” dealing with this element in colonisation, give a good idea of the wild and desperate lives that these men led; the perils which hardened them against the ever-present menace of death, the many vices by which they were stained, and the many virtues by which these were often counterbalanced. Courage and generosity, and a pathetic desire to maintain the dignity of their position as civilised men in the eyes of the savages, often did a great deal to redeem them from the effects of the strife and bloodshed and coarse dissipation, in which a large portion of their lives was passed. But, as a class, they could hardly have failed to produce upon the minds of the Maoris a very limited degree of
Among the incidents connecting the history of the whaling days with Taranaki is the story of Captain Guard, who, in 1834, was shipwrecked in the “Harriet,” near Cape Egmont. He was a whaling captain, and had been familiar with the New Zealand coast for ten years or more. His wife and two children were with him, and these, with Captain Hall and twenty-eight seamen, were saved from the wreck. But while camped near Moturoa, the party was attacked by a large body of Maoris; and Mrs Guard and her children were captured, while most of the crew were killed. Captain Guard escaped northward with eleven men, and, falling in with a friendly party of Ngatiawas, was by them allowed to go to the South Island for assistance. After many adventures, he ultimately arrived in Sydney, and prevailed upon the authorities to send a ship of war to rescue his wife and children, and the white men still in captivity, at Moturoa. In August, 1834, four months after the loss of the “Harriet,” H.M.S. “Alligator”
The Sugar Loaves, New Plymouth.
Although the Bay of Islands and other places in the north had long previously been settled with white people, it was not until 1838–9 that much attention was directed to Taranaki. About that time, New Zealand began to attract considerable notice in Great Britain and France, as presenting one of the finest fields in the world for the formation of a colony. The press took the matter up, and pressure was placed upon the British Government to annex New Zealand, in order that France might not get possession of the islands. A number of persons also formed themselves into a company, and having secured sufficient capital to make the necessary arrangements, despatched a vessel to explore the colony, and fix upon places for settlements to which British emigrants could be sent.
The first association formed for this purpose was the New Zealand Company, which, though favourably regarded at its start by the British Government, was afterwards looked on with a jealous eye by the Colonial Office. A difficulty arose in granting its charter to the company; and a bill embodying the views of the Association, which was introduced into the House of Commons in 1839, was opposed by the Ministry, and thrown out by a large majority. The company was then dissolved, but only to again appear in a modified form. Lord Glenelg had previously advised the promoters to obtain a charter, and on his advice they acted, and formed themselves into a Joint Stock Association, which they called the New Zealand Colonisation Society. This they afterwards altered to the New Zealand Land Company, but the title of it was finally fixed as the New Zealand Company. A prospectus was issued on the 2nd of May, 1839. The capital of the company was fixed at £400,000, to be raised in 4,000 shares of £100 each; but this capital was afterwards reduced to £100,000, and the shares to £25. The Earl of Durham was appointed Governor of the Company; Mr. Joseph Somes, Deputy Governor; and the directory was composed of many gentlemen of well known fame and high social position. As the Colonial Office was strenuously opposed to the Association, which had for its object a semi-political purpose, the promoters of the Company decided to look upon New Zealand as a foreign country, and to establish settlements in the island without the permission of the British authorities. With this view the directors determined on sending out an
New Plymouth High School.
The “Tory” was a vessel of 400 tons burden, and was laden with British manufactured goods, for the purpose of bartering with the natives. Captain Chaffers had command of the vessel, and was eminently fitted for the position, as he was one of the best navigators in the Royal Navy, and had been master of the “Beagle” surveying ship, when Captain Fitzroy was making a survey of the New Zealand coast for the Admiralty. Colonel Wakefield, who had gained distinction by serving in the British Legion, under Sir De Lacy Evans, in the Carlist war in Spain, had, as his secretary, Mr. Edward Jerningham Wakefield, his nephew, the only son of Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield; Dr. Ernest Dieffenbach, of Berlin, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of England, was the Company's naturalist; and its artist was Mr. Charles Heaphy, who afterwards signalised himself in the Maori wars, became a major in the New Zealand Militia, and was the only colonist to receive the Victoria Cross. He also made his own and subsequent times his debtor for portraits of some of the most distinguished historic chiefs of New Zealand, such as Heke, Waka Nene, Te Heuheu, Te Whero Whero, and others.
It was on the 12th of May, 1839, that the “Tory” sailed from England for some unknown land in the Southern Hemisphere. She sighted New Zealand on the 16th of August, 1839, made the land a little to the south of Cape Farewell, and finally anchored in Ship Cove, where the party remained making enquiries respecting the country,
Maori Flax Mills.
After Colonel Wakefield had arranged for a settlement at Port Nicholson, he devoted much of his time in trying to negotiate with several native chiefs at Wanganui for the purchase of some land in the district, between Manawatu and Patea.
On Monday, the 18th of November, 1839, he started in the “Tory” for the north, but, the weather being stormy, the vessel had to seek for shelter off Kapiti. After a tedious voyage of nine days from Kapiti, the “Tory” arrived off Moturoa, and was anchored in nine fathoms of water at about two miles from the land, towards the north of the Sugar Loaves. There was a heavy surf rolling on to the beach, so that the party sent on shore in the boat had some difficulty in landing, and it was only when two natives swam to them, and brought the boat through the surf, that they succeeded in getting safely on shore. The boat contained Mr. Richard Barrett, the defender of Moturoa Pa against the Waikatos, and two natives, who had been brought from Port Nicholson. Colonel Wakefield, in one of his despatches, writes: “No talking on the part of the Maoris took place in the boat. Surprised at seeing their old friends, the national custom prevented any demonstration of feeling; but after coming on board the “Torv,” an affecting scene took place, in which one of the new-comers described the wretched existence which he and his companions had led since the mass of the tribe had migrated to Cook's Strait, six years ago (1833). Continual war had been carried on against them by the Waikato natives; and nothing but the refuge afforded them by the Sugar-loaf Peaks had preserved the small remnant, not amounting to more than fifty, who still held their ground, with occasional assistance from their southern neighbours. They expressed great anxiety respecting their future fate; hoped their enemies, now being converts to Christianity, would no longer persecute them, but declared their intention not
It being found impossible to collect, under a week, the chiefs whose consent was necessary to conclude the purchase of land from Manawatu to Mokau, Colonel Wakefield decided to go on to Hokianga, but left some of his party behind. Those who remained consisted of Mr. Richard Barrett, his wife and children, Dr. Dieffenbach, who had expressed a desire to ascend Mount Egmont, and examine the country in the neighbourhood, and Mr. John Dorset, the New Zealand Company's agent. It was also arranged that Mr. Barrett should assemble the chiefs on the coast line of 150 miles in a month's time, when Colonel Wakefield intended to return to make payment for the land acquired in the different districts, and to receive the written assent of the chiefs to the sale. Dr. Ernest Dieffenbach and Mr. Dorset landed to the north of Paritutu on the morning of Thursday, the 28th of
An Eel Weir and Traps.
The land near the beach is described by Dr. Dieffenbach to be in some parts covered with shrubs, and at other places here and there with sand. In several places behind the sandhills there were lagoons of fresh water, which abounded with wild ducks, and contained large eels, but no other kind of fish. Round these lagoons the vegetation was very rich. Dr. Dieffenbach also noticed the petroleum deposits, for he writes: “Towards Sugarloaf Point … a strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen gas may also be observed about a mile from high water mark.” Dr. Dieffenbach's report states that, on landing, he and his companions found, near Sugarloaf Point, about twenty natives. The place seemed to be a fishing station, and those of the Taranaki tribes who had not left in consequence of the Waikato raids on the district, were living in concealed potato plantations, further south of Cape Egmont, probably at Umaroa or Opunake. On the arrival of the party from the “Tory” being made known, the natives soon assembled, and, with tears, welcomed their old friend, Mr. Richard Barrett. The natives even then were afraid of the Waikatos, for, in the evening, noticing a fire in the direction of Kawhia, they kept awake during the greater part of the night, in fear of being surprised by their enemies.
On proceeding northwards, Dr. Dieffenbach says he found three creeks—the Huatoki, the Henui, and Waiwakaiho. Everywhere on their banks were traces of former cultivation, and of native villages, but no one was living there when he passed by them; thus the finest district in New Zealand was almost uninhabited—a sad instance of the mutual hatred existing among these savage tribes even before the arrival of the Europeans.
Colonel Wakefield was prepared to admit that there were difficulties in the way of establishing a European settlement in this part of the island; but in his report, written before the purchase of the land was effected, he speaks hopefully of the prospects of his adventure. “Notwithstanding the qualities of the soil of the Taranaki district,” he writes, “which are allowed to be superior to those of any land in these islands, such is the difficulty of communicating with it by water, that I do not see any probability of settlers being placed there for some years. Looking, however, to the future, and to the interest of the company's future representatives, and hoping that by the unconquerable energies of the British inhabitants, this country will shortly assume a different aspect as regards its interior communications — sanguinely hoping even to see commenced such an undertaking as the construction of a road from
Two days after the “Tory” left England, the New Zealand Company, for the first time, formally announced its scheme for the colonisation of New Zealand. The British Government had, up to that time, received no formal notice of the Company's intention, and did not take the matter seriously until some land near Kaipara, already in the Company's hands, was put upon the market. The Home Government then decided that steps must be taken to prevent the Company from ignoring the rights of the natives, and accordingly despatched to New Zealand, Captain Hobson, as British Consul, with full authority to treat with the natives for the cession of their lands, and at the same time to announce that no further transactions in land between the natives and private individuals would be recognised. Captain Hobson sailed first to Sydney; for the British Government had already realised that a mistake had been made in recognising the independence of New Zealand, and in 1839 had extended the boundaries of New South Wales so as to cover any land that might be acquired from the Maoris. It was at Sydney, therefore, that Captain Hobson was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor; and, sailing thence in H.M.S. “Herald,” he reached the Bay of Islands on the 29th of January, 1840. On the following day, he issued a proclamation declaring that private European titles to Maori lands would not be recognised, and in eight days afterwards, through the persuasion of settlers and missionaries, and with the aid of a few presents, he succeeded in inducing the principal chiefs of the northern district to sign the treaty of Waitangi, by which the natives admitted the sovereignty of the Queen. By the middle of August, the foresight and energy of the Lieutenant-Governor had forestalled the French Nanto-Bordelaise Company in its intended occupation of the South Island, and the British flag had been planted on Banks Peninsula. Finally, in November of the same year, the islands of New Zealand, now formally admitting the British sovereignty, were constituted a separate territory, in which Captain Hobson was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
In the meantime, while all this was happening in New Zealand, the energy of the New Zealand Company's promoters, and more especially the enthusiastic zeal of Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield, the real founder of the colony, was making a deep impression on public feeling in England. In several centres, movements were started to settle some portion or other of the newly recognised territories, and it is thus that the history of Taranaki first emerges from the general record of New Zealand colonisation. Indeed, it was at a public meeting held in the town of Plymouth, England, on the 25th of January, 1840, that the Plymouth Company, for colonising New Zealand from the West of England, was formed, with a capital of £150,000. The official head of the company was the Earl of Devon, and the directors and officials were all men of wealth and social standing. The Company purchased from the New
Waingongoro Bridge.Old Style Of Maori House.
The “William Bryan” sailed from Plymouth Sound on the 19th of November, 1840, with Mr. George Cutfield, a naval architect, and late of Her Majesty's Dockyard, at Devonport, in charge of the expedition. On board were Mr. Richard Chilman, of London, who, on the voyage, was appointed clerk to Mr. Cutfield; Mr. Thomas King, of London; and Mr. A. Aubrey, son of Colonel Aubrey, of the Horse Guards. Mr. Weeks was the ship's surgeon. In the steerage there were forty-two married, and twenty-two single adults, and seventy children. After a favourable voyage, the vessel entered Cloudy Bay for orders, on the 19th of March, 1841. Finding no one in the bay able to give him any information respecting the site of the new settlement, Mr. Cutfield hired a cutter, and proceeded to Wellington, for the purpose of seeing Colonel Wakefield on the subject. After a brief stay, he returned with a pilot, and with orders to proceed to Taranaki. The “William Bryan” again set sail on the 28th of March, and came to anchor off the Sugar Loaves at six o'clock on the evening of the 30th of March, 1841.
Unfortunately, the Plymouth Company had scarcely commenced operations, when it was involved in pecuniary difficulties by the failure of its bankers, Messrs Wright and Company, of London. This misfortune resulted in a deed of agreement, dated the 10th of May, 1841, by which the Plymouth Company was merged in the New Zealand Company; but the directors of the Plymouth Company continued to act in connection with the New Zealand Company, under the title of the West of England Board.
While preparations were being made to forward further bodies of emigrants to the new colony, Mr. Carrington, the Plymouth Company's surveyor, had commenced work on the site chosen for the settlement. The base line for his survey was cut from the Great Sugar Loaf towards the foot of Mount Egmont; but in carrying out his work, he had some difficulty with the natives, over the amount they had received for their land.
It was not till the 30th of September, 1841, that the 480 ton barque “Amelia Thompson” (Captain Lawson), after a long but prosperous voyage from Plymouth, brought 187 passengers to people the new settlement. Captain King, the Chief Commissioner of the Plymouth colony, was on board, and undertook the control of affairs
At the outset, the founders of New Zealand had to face many difficulties. In the first place, Governor Hobson, in his desire to protect the rights and interests of the natives, refused to include in the Taranaki block the Waitara district, which Mr. Carrington had already surveyed. However, the representations of Colonel Wakefield seem to have produced some effect, and the boundaries of the settlement were extended to the points claimed by the Company. But even when this obstacle was removed, the work of settling the immigrants in their new home proceeded but slowly, and was delayed by many hardships and obstacles. “The country,” writes Mr. Seffern, in his “Garden of New Zealand,” “was covered with vegetation, which extended down to the beach.” As to the survey, “owing to the luxuriant vegetation which covered the land, it was a very difficult task, and lines had to be cut through the high fern and scrub.” A bridge had to be built over the Huatoki river, and for this all the timber had to be carried two miles. The colonists, at this early stage of their history, possessed one timber drag, two hand carts, and six wheelbarrows. But they had no horses or bullocks, and all the traction had to be done by hand. As many of the settlers were quite unused to the hardships of such a life, it may be imagined that the first years of their colonial experience were somewhat laborious and depressing; more especially as the natives, who had begun to gather round the settlement in increasing numbers, were even thus early a source of anxiety and apprehension to them. The whalers, who still formed an important element in the coastal population of New Zealand, were often disorderly, and Captain King and Mr. Cutfield had considerable trouble in keeping order among them. Moreover, the settlers resented their enforced isolation even more than the other disadvantages of their position, and they frequently petitioned the Company and the Governor of the colony and Colonel Wakefield, to do something in the way of forming a harbour, or providing shipping facilities, that would give them a better chance of regular communication with the outside world.
Early in 1842, the little settlement was extended by the arrival of 212 immigrants in the barque “Tunandra,” (382 tons, Captain Skinner), and by that time the colonists had begun to settle down in their new homes, and look forward with some degree of certainty to the secure enjoyment of the fruits of their labours. Here, in fact, is a description of New Plymouth in September, 1842, about eighteen months after the settlers had landed from the “William Bryan”: “On the banks of the Huatoki river there were several wooden and cob houses, and a new bridge had replaced the temporary one erected shortly after the passengers had landed. A lock-up, it seems, was thought to be necessary, but the cost had not then been paid for by the Company. Two public-houses, four large wholesale and retail stores, kept respectively by Captain Davy, Mr. Dorset, Mr. Baine, and Mr. Richard Brown, and about 120 raupo and cob huts formed the centre of the town of New Plymouth. At Devonport there was quite a cluster of immigrants' houses. The Henui river had been bridged, and several houses had been erected on its banks. A cutting on the east side of the river had been made, and a road formed to the Waiwakaiho river, which was crossed by a ferry boat. For about six miles from the town, clearings had been made, and houses erected by those who had started farming. Messrs Flight and Devenish, Pierce, Paynter, Edgecumbe, the Bayly brothers, Goodall, and several others, had made a good show, for they worked early and late. Southward of the town, Captain King and Mr. Cutfield had cleared between them about seventy acres, and built a substantial house and farm buildings. Mr. Norice had built a thatched house, and had cleared about three acres of land. Mr. Chilman had partly cleared and fenced a fifty acre section; and Mr. Distin had a house and clearing close to him. Across the Waiwakaiho,” continues the writer quoted, “Captain Davy and myself are clearing and putting in crops; and, added to all these clearings, we
The first hostelry in New Plymouth was a raupo whare, built on the site of what was (in 1905) Tisch's Terminus Hotel, at the top of Queen Street, near the beach. It was designated the “Seven Stars Inn,” a favourite old Devonshire sign, and in November, 1842, on the walls of this building, a transfer of the license from “John Wilkinson to William George, the younger,” and signed “Henry King, Resident Magistrate,” was posted up. The settlement was then not very large; in fact, the community were more like a family, or perhaps it would be better to liken the relationship to passengers on board a ship, all familiar, and inclined to be sociable with each other. Mr. George afterwards built a more pretentious building on the site the Bank of New Zealand now occupies, and he transferred the license from the whare in Queen Street to his new building, for which, however, he retained the name of “The Seven Stars.”
The first anniversary of the arrival of the settlers by the “Amelia Thompson” was celebrated on Saturday, the 3rd of September, 1842, when the day was observed as a public holiday. Sports were improvised, and the day was spent in boat races, foot races, and wrestling matches. In the evening, the first ball ever held in New Plymouth took place in a small imported building which stood near the beach close to the Kawhau pa, and was used as a hospital when required. The hill on which the pa stood has since been levelled, and the land on the beach reclaimed. The day's festivities in connection with the celebration of the anniversary
Stratford In 1885.
Although all the settlers were not perfectly satisfied with their position, most of them, finding they could not better things by growling, and making themselves miserable, set to work to make themselves as comfortable as they could, and in a short time the settlement presented a thriving look. The people, as stated, were chiefly from Devonshire and Cornwall, and though unsophisticated in their habits, they formed the nucleus of a hard-working and industrious community. Their occupation was a purely rural one; and early and late they were to be seen at work, either fencing or digging, or with their ploughs turning up the rich soil that filled their hearts with gladness; and, with a genial atmosphere to live in, and on both sides of them broad expanses extending to the seashore from the slopes of the imposing Mount Egmont, with numerous streams and rivers intersecting the land, supplying the new-comers with the purest water, they were the happiest of mortals. Bright, indeed, seemed the prospects of the settlers after the first year's sojourn in “The Garden of New Zealand,” and many at that time expressed themselves as being truly thankful that their “lines had fallen in pleasant places.” But, unhappily, these bright prospects were soon to be marred by the difficulties which had already begun to arise over the ownership of the soil, which was claimed in part by the dispossessed and exiled Ngatiawas, as well as by their powerful and ferocious conquerors, the Waikatos. Moreover, it must be admitted
The interests of the settlers were at this time in the hands of Mr. F. Carrington, the Company's chief surveyor, and Mr. Wicksteed, the resident agent, who had been sent out to take the place of Captain Liardet. Mr. Wicksteed in his younger days was connected with the London “Spectator,” under Mr. Rintoul's editorship, and when in that position he became acquainted with Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield, and Sir William Molesworth. The New Zealand Company, in order to get the support of the Church party in England, not only offered to devote a portion of its funds to the building of churches in the colony, but also agreed to set aside two thousand acres of land—on condition that the Church Society would purchase an equal area—towards the endowment of a bishopric in New Zealand. For the purpose of administering this land, Mr. Wicksteed, as agent for the Church Society, came to New Zealand, and arrived in Wellington by the ship “London,” on the 12th of December, 1840. An energetic man of business was much needed in the New Plymouth settlement, for the changes which had taken place in the office of agent, and Captain Liardet's accident, which had prevented him from attending to his duties, had left the Company's affairs in New Plymouth in a very unsatisfactory condition. Mr. Wicksteed was a fluent writer, and from his monthly report to the principal agent, a history of the next six years of the settlement has been preserved.
To understand precisely how the trouble with the natives arose it is necessary to refer to the conditions under which land was first taken up by the Taranaki settlers. The prospectus originally issued by the Plymouth Company stated: “The New Plymouth settlement is intended to consist of two classes of land: (a) the town land, comprising 2,200 sections of a quarter of an acre each; (b) the suburban lands, comprising at least 1,150 sections of fifty acres each. All sales in England will be confined, until further notice, to actual colonists, on the following terms: (1) With a view to distribute as generally as may be practicable the advantages to be derived from the possession of preliminary lands, no application from an individual colonist will be entertained for more than eight allotments of land, each allotment containing one section of town land, and one section of rural land. (2) Two hundred and fifty allotments are set apart as above mentioned at the price of £75 for each allotment, and applications for the same are to be made in writing to the secretary, which, if accompanied by a deposit of £10 in respect to each allotment, will entitle the applicant to receive separate land orders for each town and rural section, with such priorities and rights of selection as are hereinafter mentioned, in exchange for the residue of the purchase money. (3) The numbers signifying the priority of choice for the town sections have been selected on a fair average from the thousand numbers of choice, which have fallen to the Company in the general ballot above referred to. The purchasers will also be entitled to select the rural sections from any land in the Plymouth settlement, surveyed and declared open for choice as rural sections at the time, and according to the order of presenting the land order in the colony, subject only to the regulations of the land office for preserving fairness and regularity of choice.”
It was over the selection of the “rural lands” last mentioned in the prospectus, that the first direct quarrel with the natives arose. By June, 1842, the country districts were sufficiently well surveyed to allow of a choice of selection by the settlers; but when all was ready for the completion of the work, Captain King, the local Protector of Aborigines, protested against the selection taking place, as no lots had been reserved for the Maoris, in accordance with the original terms of purchase from them. But Mr. Wicksteed refused to receive Captain King's protest, or to permit him to select for the Maoris, because the directors of the New Zealand Company had instructed their agent to do so for fear that persons, in selecting for the natives, might interfere with the privileges the Europeans had given them of choosing sections in contiguity with those of their relatives and friends. It was also thought more advisable that the natives should have their land in a block by themselves, for trouble might arise about fencing, and so forth, if the natives and Europeans were mixed indiscriminately on the same block. The idea of getting the two races to live together as neighbours was suggested with a desire to benefit the Maoris; but such a proposition did not seem to answer, as the settlers found the natives an annoyance to have alongside them, for they permitted their pigs to trespass, their curs to worry the sheep, and their neglected
The first actual collision with the natives occurred in July, 1842, and the incident is so important that it may well be told in Mr. Wicksteed's words. Writing to Colonel Wakefield, he says: “You are aware that a considerable number of natives have lately been liberated from the Waikatos, who, some years ago, overran the Taranaki district, and carried off a large number of its inhabitants as their slaves. The manumitted natives are now returning to this district, and not having been parties in the sale of the land to the Company, now complain that they have neither potato ground, nor utu in money or recompense. In point of fact, however, the native reserves are sufficient for a population twenty fold larger than that likely under any circumstances to belong to Taranaki; and I cannot discover among the malcontents a single person who, according to the custom of the natives, has, or had, the right to sell the land. On the contrary, many of those who did sell the land distinctly warned me not to enter into any bargain or treaty with those returned. Not being encouraged by me to expect any utu, some of these natives had recourse to violence, and entered a section on the Mangaoraka, belonging to a peaceful settler named Pearce, burned his cottage, and destroyed some raupo he had for thatching. They then proceeded to the next section where the Messrs Bayly had put up their tents, and were commencing farming operations. They were very furious, brandishing their tomahawks, and attempting to tear down the tent; but the Baylys, very resolute and strong men, resisted, and a short scuffle or wrestling match ensued between one of the brothers and a native, who acted as champion for the assailants. Twice Bayly threw the Maori, but was thrown himself the third time; whereupon the natives crowded round him, and one apparently was going to cleave his skull with a tomahawk, when a bystander levelled his fowling-piece at the native, who then gave way. There were about thirty natives and six white men. A parley ensued, and they agreed to refer the case to me. Accordingly the mob of natives came to my house two days after, and there I told them my determination to put the white settlers on their land, and to call upon the police magistrate to send any native who broke the peace into prison; at the same time assuring them that any chief who had any real title to the land should
Waihi Cemetery: The Graves Of Armed Constabulary and Military Settlers Killed By Titokowaru, Are In The Foreground.
But the chief opposition to the selection of native lands came from the Waitara, where Mr. Carrington had originally intended to fix the site of the chief town. Here Messrs Goodall and Brown, who were agents for absentee proprietors, had taken up large sections of land; and the natives drove them off, and declared their intention to keep the British settlers to the south of the river. Mr. Wicksteed decided that vigorous action must be taken to compel respect for his authority, and the following is his own account of the sequel: “The day after the riot I called upon Captain Cooke. a magistrate, to swear in a body of special constables, and that gentleman administered the oath in the presence, and with the sanction of Captain King, the chief police magistrate. I put twelve muskets and fifty ball cartridges into the boat, and, accompanied by Mr. Cooke, who nominally commanded the party, proceeded to Waitara, and there we swore in the surveying men, making our force twenty-eight in all. As I fully expected, this demonstration had the desired effect. A long talk with the natives ended in their entire submission, and a promise of better behaviour in the future. Mr. Cooke told the ringleader that on the next occasion of his breaking the peace, he would himself go to the pa and arrest him, and send him for trial to Port Nicholson. We crossed the river, formally took possession of the land, fired a volley by way of asserting our right to act as we had done, and then, but not before, I gave away a few blankets and some tobacco. The principal natives at the Waitara, as well as here, express their satisfaction at the proceedings. Among the settlers there
But there were men in the country who understood the natives better than Mr. Wicksteed; and Mr. F. A. Carrington's version of the episode, and the judgment that he passed upon it, place the affair in a very different light. The Chief Surveyor's account of the Waitara affair, as quoted in Seffern's “History of Taranaki” reads thus: “Some time after the drawing, for choice of the rural sections, it was discovered that an oversight had been committed in not ascertaining what the first order of choice should be for the natives. I consequently saw and told Captain King not to trouble himself about the matter, as I would find out from the natives what sections they would like to have at the Waitara and elsewhere, and make a note to that effect on the map. This I did, and on the 13th of June, 1842, seven days before the selection of rural lands took place, some of the settlers called upon me to say that they had heard I was going to reserve certain sections of land at Waitara and elsewhere for the natives. I told them I was going to do so. They objected to my so doing, and finding that I would not yield to their opinion, they saw the Company's agent on the subject, and he sided with them. Subsequently Captain King and myself talked the matter over, and we resolved to do all in our power to rescue for the aborigines the sections of land which they had requested me to choose for them, and which I promised them they should have, and upon some of which sections there were native clearings, gardens, and several whares.
“On the day of the selection, the 20th of June, 1842, I laid upon my office table a plan showing the sections of rural land offered, and on a few of them, which the natives wished to have, on the banks of the Waitara, and at the junction of the Waiongonga and Mangaoraka rivers, I had marked in pencil on the plan the word ‘native.’ On some of the settlers seeing this, a warm discussion arose, and Captain King—who was, for the time, Protector of Aborigines—and the Company's agent (Mr. Wicksteed) went outside my office and held a conversation. Captain King afterwards told me that he had either read or given a protest to the Company's agent. I remember perfectly telling the peoply in my office on that day, in the most emphatic language, and at
Kendall Cascade, Mount Egmont.
It is well to give prominence to this incident, because at the time it produced a deep impression, though in different ways, upon both natives and Europeans. The Wellington “Spectator,” of the 13th of August, 1842, speaks approvingly of the action of Mr. Wicksteed, and is accordingly strongly condemned by Mr. Carrington, who scathingly criticises its statements. “In the New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator of the 13th of August, may be seen,” he says, “the untruthful statement and unscrupulous recommendation that induced the Chief Magistrate of Nelson to adopt the course which has led to such fearful consequences in this colony; untruthful, because it stated that the demonstration made with arms at Waitara, “had the desired effect, and ended in the entire submission of the natives,” whereas the effect was quite the reverse, and ended in bitter and determined opposition from the natives at Waitara and elsewhere, and frustrated settlement; unscrupulous, because it recommended a course which was known to be perilous, and likely to lead to contention and bloodshed. The Chief Magistrate of Nelson adopted the course suggested in the Wellington paper. Natives opposed the occupation of the land at Wairau. He, in consequence of their opposition, went with forty or fifty armed men to make a demonstration. The sequel is but too
It was in this way that a series of unforeseen events initiated, between whites and Maoris, the conflict which was destined to have such disastrous and sanguinary consequences
But for the present these terrible results were still in the distant future, and the settlers went on their way rejoicing, making the best of their opportunities, and in many cases urging their friends and relations to come out from “Home” and join them in the land of plenty, where they had found so comfortable a refuge from the hardships that the industrial classes then had to face in England. The following extract from a letter written by a settler to a friend in Cornwall shows how strongly the advantages of colonial life appealed to many of the settlers: “The land is of excellent quality, and wood of all kinds is to be obtained here. The trees are green all the year round, and there are some of the finest shrubs you ever saw in your life. Some of the ferns here would fetch £100 if you could get them home to England. The climate here is good and healthy. I am working at my trade, shoemaking, which is one of the best in the colony. They pay 17s a pair for low shoes; £1 for high shoes; 10s for women's shoes; and £2 5s for Wellington boots for men. I also do the butchering as well, and intend to keep to it. I would be glad to see you out here, or any of my old friends from home. There is no scarcity of money or meat here. I have a house and garden of my own, and I never intend to be an English slave any more; but if I come home I hope to have enough to live on without working to maintain masters. Here is the place for farmers to live. No taxes, no tithes, no rates of any sort or any arbitrary taxation of money. The bush land is the best land; the fern land is not quite so good, but when the fern is burned it makes the land better. Some of the ferns are from fifteen to twenty feet high, and the fern tree grows here; the roots of which we eat just the same as you would an apple at home; and it is very good. The natives here are very harmless and quiet, and not at all as they are spoken of elsewhere. If any labouring man of the place were here, he would do well. Wages are here 30s a week.”
But satisfactory as the prospects seemed to the more sanguine of the colonists, the outlook for the promoters of the settlement was by no means bright. The funds of the Plymouth Company were exhausted, and the New Zealand Company was neither willing nor able to advance more money for the purchase of land. In January, 1843, the “Essex” (392 tons, Captain Oakley) arrived from Plymouth, carrying 141 immigrants; and this was the last vessel the Company despatched in its effort at colonisation. All-round retrenchment now became necessary. The issue of stores and rations was stopped; and as there was now more than enough land surveyed to meet all immediate demands, the Chief Surveyor, Mr. F. A. Carrington, was informed that his services would cease in March, 1844.
Colonists and Maoris:
an Unwise Governor.
Meantime the friction with the natives was on the increase. At the Waitara, refugees returned from Kapiti stopped a survey party by the simple process of sitting down in the roadway in front of it; and the Waikatos, who claimed most of the land in the district by right of conquest, occasionally used threatening language towards the settlers. The proclamation issued by the Acting-Governor, Mr. Shortland, prohibiting the settlers from exercising any form of ownership on the land claimed by the natives, served to obstruct all further sales; and at last Mr. Spain, who had been authorised to investigate the Company's claim, paid his long-promised visit to Taranaki. Mr. Spain was an English barrister, who came out in 1841, and had already helped to assign to the natives “many places comprised within the boundaries claimed by the Company.” In company with Colonel Wakefield he now came to Taranaki to arbitrate between the colonists and the Maoris; and in June, 1844, he issued his decision. He assigned to the New Zealand Company the whole of the 60,000 acre block forming the New Plymouth settlement, with the exception of the native reserves, forming one-tenth of the whole area, and small portions set aside for the Wesleyan mission and for “Dicky” Barrett, whose faithful services to the settlers were thus requited. In return for all this the natives were to receive as compensation the sum of £200, and naturally enough this failed to satisfy them. The very day that Mr. Spain gave his award a lengthy petition was drawn up by Wiremu Kingi and several other Ngatiawa chiefs, pointing out that they had been dispossessed by the Waikatos, but that the land really belonged to them, while the Waikatos alone had received payment for it. “We love the lands of our ancestors,” ran this impressive document; “we did not receive any of the goods of Colonel Wakefield; it was wrong to buy the land which belonged to other
Normanby, Showing Mount Egmont.
Governor Fitzroy, who was not only inexperienced, but emotional and easily prejudiced, seems to have been completely captured by the eloquence of the natives, and to the dismay and wrath of the Europeans, he proceeded at once to disavow Mr. Spain's decision. He came down to New Plymouth, gathered the natives together, and informed them that their claims were just, and would be upheld. “He therefore declared the whole settlement forefeited,” says Mr. Wells in his “History of Taranaki,” “and induced the Maoris to accept £350 in goods, money, and animals as a full compensation and completion of payment, for a block of land at and around the town, containing about 3,500 acres. The consequences of this insane act were crushing. After all the excellent speeches at Plymouth, after all the hopes that had been excited, after thousands of pounds had been spent, and hundreds of simple-hearted people had left their homes, traversed the seas, and established themselves in the wilderness, the settlement was diminished to the dimensions of a nobleman's park. What was perhaps the most unjust part of the business was, that the £350 paid to buy back the township, and a small block of land behind it, was taken from the New Zealand Company. By this act was laid the foundation of quarrelling and bloodshed. To it is to be attributed the deaths of Rawiri and Katatore, and also the Taranaki war.
“For years the settlement pined under this almost overwhelming affliction, and the only wonder is that it was not entirely broken up. As soon as the Governor's decision was made known, the exulting Maoris commenced a series of persecutions upon all the settlers who were living outside the lines of the reduced settlement. One by one they sorrowfully came in, abandoning their newly reclaimed fields, which soon reverted to a state of nature, containing here and there a thorn or some other very hardy British plant, to prove to another generation that Britons had made an attempt to cultivate that part of the wilderness.
“If the Governor had felt that the manumitted slaves should receive payment for their share of the land, it was in his power to have ordered payment to be made to them. He, however, did not so act, but chose rather to give back the entire settlement to the natives, and then re-purchase with the funds of the Company, the township and its suburbs. To injury the Governor added insult; when the simple-minded Devonshire and Cornish peasants attempted to remonstrate with him, and plead the cause of their families, he told them they were all trespassers, and deserved transportation. Years after this transaction, when discussing the events of 1844 over the winter's evening fire, the conclusion universally come to by the settlers was, that Governor Fitzroy was insane, and the fact of his afterwards dying by his own hand seems to show that that conclusion was not far from the fact. Not only ought the decision of Mr. Commissioner Spain to have been accepted, armed as he was both with Imperial and Colonial jurisdiction in the matter, but there are strong grounds for believing that the Company's claims ought never to have been brought into his Court.”
“Governor Fitzroy's decision,” writes Mr. Seffern, “had a crushing
The not unnatural effect of the Governor's action upon the natives, was to make the Ngatiawas very self-confident and over-bearing. The Waikatos, who had released their captives when they themselves were converted to Christianity, were incensed at the arrogance of those who had so lately been slaves. But Governor Fitzroy was determined at all costs to propitiate the Maoris. He held several meetings in the Taranaki district, and at last, chiefly through the skilful negotiations of Mr. Donald McLean, he arranged to purchase from the Ngatiawa a block of land of 3,500 acres, for which the New Zealand Company, through Mr. Wicksteed, paid £50 in cash and a miscellaneous assortment of guns, blankets, hats, print, calico, and other “trade.” All the settlers in the district were to be removed to holdings within the boundaries of the “Fitzroy Block,” but at Mangaoraka and elsewhere, the colonists were on such good terms with the natives, that they were allowed to remain unmolested. Generally speaking, it may be said that at this stage of the settlement's growth the relations between Maori and European were distinctly amicable. But there was a party in existence in those days who were not slow to put the blame of all the trouble with the natives on the shoulders of the Europeans, charging them with persecuting the Maoris, and otherwise dealing unjustly by them. One of the most unbiassed persons living in the midst of both races, was the Rev. Samuel Ironside, and he, writing to the New Zealand “Spectator,” published in Wellington on the 5th of November, 1844, says: “I hesitate not to say that during a residence of more than twelve months in this settlement, so far as I have observed, the settlers have been uniformly kind and considerate towards the native population. There have been disputes and misunderstandings between the races, but they have arisen mainly out of circumstances over which the settlers have no control; and it has given me pleasure to witness the forbearance of the white people towards the natives, under the very painful and discouraging circumstances in which they have been placed, through the non-settlement of the land question.”
But the Europeans were naturally incensed at the action of the Governor in setting aside Mr. Spain's award, and Colonel Wake-field, representing the New Zealand Company, protested most vehemently against the steps that Governor Fitzroy had taken. Mr. Spain, who had emphatically declared that the Company was fairly and justly entitled to the whole 60,000 acre block taken up by them, resigned his position and left the colony. As an inevitable result of the uncertainty in which all European titles of land now stood, there was hesitation and lack of enterprise apparent among the colonists, and consequently lack of employment and some discontent among the poorer classes. But in spite of all these difficulties, the settlement continued to progress. The grain and potato crops in 1845 were exceptionally heavy; and several important industries had already been started. Messrs White and Gallingham had put up a sawmill as well as a flour mill, and Mr. Josiah Flight had cultivated English flax with considerable success. By the end of 1845, statistics show that there were 635 acres in wheat, 128 acres in barley, and over 350 acres laid down in vegetable gardens. It was estimated that the surplus for export during the coming autumn would be 267 tons of flour and 1,600 bushels of barley, as well as a considerable quantity of salt pork. But the very advantages that the settlers now enjoyed prompted the natives to resent the intrusion of the whites among them. Once more there was trouble at the Waitara; and the rumours of Heke's defiance of the British authorities at the Bay of Islands, and the threatened attack of the Ngapuhi upon Auckland, encouraged the malcontents to take up an aggressive attitude towards the Europeans.
Progress:
Sir G. Grey and Mr. D. McLean.
At this juncture, Governor Fitzroy was recalled, and the appointment of Captain George Grey, Governor of South Australia, to control the affairs of New Zealand, gave general satisfaction. The new Governor did not visit New Plymouth till 1847, but in 1846 he abolished the Maori Protectorate, and appointed Mr. D. McLean Inspector of Police, with a small body of armed followers. By this time the population of the settlement was about 1,100, and the land sold and selected up to date was 14,000 acres. The minimum price of the suburban land was £2 5s per acre; and there were still left, unsold, on the Company's hands, ninety-five suburban sections and 800 town sections, the minimum price of the latter being £12 10s per acre. The following figures may serve to throw some light on the conditions of life that prevailed in the little colony: The retail price for pork was 3d per lb, mutton 6d per lb, and beef (which was very seldom in the market) 6d to 8d per lb. Taranaki beer was sold for 2s per gallon, potatoes 1s 6d per hundredweight; fowls, 1s 6d per couple. Working bullocks were worth £35; cows £14 to £20 each; and pigs
When Governor Grey paid his first visit to New Plymouth in February, 1847, he found a difficult task before him. Wi Kingi, the Ngatiawa chief who came up from Waikanae, ostensibly to aid in settling the land difficulty, was very insolent in his demeanour, and it was clear that Governor Fitzroy, in abandoning 56,000 acres to the natives, had encouraged them in the belief that their right to it would be paramount. After several meetings with the Maoris, Governor Grey instructed the Commissioner, Mr. Donald McLean, to make every effort to acquire for the Europeans those blocks which were awarded to the New Zealand Company by Mr. Spain, leaving always the original reserves for the natives, or areas equal to them in extent elsewhere.
The total amount of land to be reserved for the Europeans was to be from sixty to seventy thousand acres; a grant for which would be made over to the Company. Mr. McLean was advised to use the greatest economy in the business, and in no instance to exceed one shilling and sixpence per acre; the average price, however, was to be below that amount. No time was to be lost in completing the arrangements, and two parties were set about the work of surveying the land at once. Governor Grey left instructions that the natives who refused to assent to these arrangements,
A Chief's Daughter.
The Governor was singularly fortunate in his choice of an agent to conduct these negotiations. “Mr. Donald McLean,” says Mr. Seffern, “was just the class of man to be entrusted with such an important mission. His chief characteristic, when dealing with the Maoris, was to gain their confidence first, and having done that, make use of his influence to attain the object he had in view.” An “Old Settler,” writing in one of the newspapers, said: “If I was asked how Mr. McLean gained and held such a great influence over the natives, I should reply that it was his perfect self-reliance, a placid calmness of speech and manner, which nothing seemed to shake. A patience, almost superhuman, never allowed him to forget a promise, no matter how trivial, or to whom made; and a thorough knowledge of the race and their traditions.”
So successful were Mr. McLean's efforts, that, by the end of 1849, the natives had surrendered in all about 30,770 acres of land. This area included the Fitzroy or Home block of 3,500 acres; 4,000 acres at Tataramaika; the Omata block of 12,000 acres; the Grey block of 9,778 acres; and the Bell block of 1,500 acres. The Grey block, which surrounded the Home block, was heavily bushed, but well watered and fertile, and was bought for £390, to be paid in annual instalments. The Tataramaika block cost £150; and the Omata block cost £400; so that it could not be said that the land was acquired at an extravagant price. A difficulty arose with the Puketapu natives over the Bell block, and the Maoris who wished to sell had a hand-to-hand conflict with the Maoris who wished to retain possession of the land. Mr. Francis Dillon Bell, after whom the block was named, was the New Zealand Company's local agent, who had superceded Mr. Wicksteed. In Gisborne's “New Zealand Rulers and Statesmen” he is described as follows: “He has a mind remarkable for its perceptive faculties, and for its analytical power. His industry is inderatigable; his fondness for work grows by what it feeds on; in fact, he often makes work for his own enjoyment. Patient, painstaking, and exacting in his investigation, he delights in making clear what is dark, and in making simple what is complicated.” Mr. Bell was thus eminently fitted for the work entrusted to him, and it was largely owing to his ability that the friction with the natives was for the time reduced to a minimum.
But there were some indications of trouble brewing among the Maoris. The restless and vindictive Te Rauparaha was intriguing
A further complication was introduced into the native question in 1848, by the great migration of the Ngatiawa from their refuge at Waikanae, to their old home in the north. The reasons urged for their return were that they had now sold Waikanae to the colonists, and that their love for Waitara, their native place, was unquenched by separation. Moreover, Wi Kingi had obtained leave from the Waikatos to go back to the land of his fathers. In April, therefore, 587 natives returned to the Waitara. They were conveyed in one vessel, four boats, and forty-four canoes, and a score or so travelled overland on horseback. Wi Kingi had promised faithfully to keep to the north bank of the Waitara, so as not to interfere with the Europeans. But when he reached his destination, he pretended that he was afraid of the Ngatimaniapotos, who had clearings there, and he obtained permission from an old chief to build a pa on the south side of the river. Governor Grey was, from the first, suspicious of Wi Kingi's intentions, and at the outset refused to allow the migration from Waikanae, and threatened to seize the canoes. But as the returned Ngatiawas were more civilised and industrious than the Waitara natives, and protested loudly that they would not only be the faithful allies of the Europeans, but would persuade the local natives to sell their lands to the whites, and more especially because the authorities at Wellington were anxious to get rid of Wi Kingi, and to buy the land at Waikanae—the Governor at last gave a reluctant consent. The sequel will show how justly founded were Governor Grey's apprehensions.
At this juncture attention may be turned to a feature of the settlement's growth, which marks its steady advance towards civilisation. Already, within a few years of its foundation, several religious denominations had established themselves in the little village, which was slowly growing into the prosperous town now known as New Plymouth. In 1840 the New Zealand Church Society was founded in England, and in 1841 Bishop Selwyn was appointed spiritual guardian of the colony. He reached Auckland in May, 1842, and in October of the same year he made his first visit to Taranaki, travelling overland from Wellington to New Plymouth. The New
Rewi Maniapoto.
The Roman Catholic Church preceded the Church of England in this colony in order of time; for Bishop Pompallier first arrived in Auckland in 1838. But for some years the Roman Catholics in Taranaki had to be content with the ministrations of the priest stationed at Wanganui, who frequently traversed on foot the whole distance between the two settlements. It was not till 1856, when the Puketapu feud had rendered it necessary to station some companies of soldiers at New Plymouth, that a Roman Catholic church was built there. However, no priest was stationed there till the outbreak of the Maori rebellion in 1860; but among the most famous names in the roll of colonial churchmen is that of Father Rolland, of New Plymouth, who, during the war, steadfastly performed the duties of his office for the wounded and the dying, on the field of battle.
The Wesleyan Missionary Society established itself at Whangaroa so far back as 1827, and later at Hokianga. When the New Plymouth settlement was founded, Mr. Creed was sent down to the district, and established himself at Ngamotu. A small church was put up by the Wesleyans, in 1842, within the boundaries of New Plymouth: and in 1848 Governor Grey erected an Industrial School at Ngamotu, managed by the Wesleyan Mission, to give Maori children industrial training and education. By 1856, the increase in the number of settlers, and the presence of the soldiers in Taranaki, necessitated the building of another chapel, and ever since then the Wesleyans have been an active and successful body in the district. It should be mentioned that the Primitive Methodists were first represented in the district in 1844, by a missionary, the Rev. Robert Ward. “The settlement,” says Mr. Wells, “owes a debt of gratitude to the plain but earnest members of the connexion. At their Sunday schools, many obtained all the book learning they ever received. When there were no newspapers and little literature of any kind in the province, the Primitive Methodists distributed books in their schools and congregations, and while other denominations devoted a very large part of their attention to the Maoris, these directed all their labours to the spiritual, and intellectual good of their fellow-countrymen, the colonists.”
The foundation of the first Baptist church in New Plymouth was not laid till 1868. But the first Congregational minister who laboured in the district came out in the “Tunandra” in 1842. In 1849 the Rev. H. Groube erected a small chapel in the town; but in 1861, the congregation, on account of the war, dwindled away, the clergymen left the colony, and the demonination, so far as New Plymouth was concerned, ceased to exist.
Very different has been the history of the New Plymouth Presbyterian church. This was first represented by the Rev. John Thom, who, in 1858, went up from Wanganui on a pastoral visit. The Presbyterians among the “military settlers” sent Home a memorial to the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh, petitioning for a clergyman for “St. Andrew's Kirk,” Taranaki. The Rev. Robert McNicol, of Oban, was accordingly despatched to the colony, and reached New Plymouth in 1865, only to find that the church was so far non-existent. But the Presbyterian settlers rallied round their minister, and in 1866, the first Scotch church was opened by the Rev. David Bruce, of England. For some years the depression and uncertainty caused by the war reduced the congregation, and when the troops were withdrawn, many of the best supporters of the Presbyterian church left the district. However, by 1872, the church debt was finally cleared off, and since those days the church has grown and prospered till it is one of the most powerful religious bodies in the district.
This brief reference to the ecclesiastical history of New Plymouth shows that even in the earliest and gloomiest periods of its career, the young settlement did not lack due care for its moral and spiritual needs.
By 1850, the discovery of gold in Australia had created a demand for farm produce of all kinds, and Taranaki, with the other settlements in New Zealand, profited by the increase of trade. In this year, too, the New Zealand Company, finding itself unable to meet its liabilities—amounting to over a quarter of a million sterling—surrendered its charter and its lands to the Crown. Thus Taranaki came under the authority of the central Government; and it soon began to recover from the evil effects of the New Zealand Company's mismanagement, and the difficulties that had arisen with the natives. The successful settlement of Otago (1848) and Canterbury (1850) gave a new impetus to colonisation in these islands, and during 1850 the ship “Pekin,” and the barques “Berkshire,” “Kelso,” “Mariner” “Eden,” and “Phoebe Dunbar” arrived at New Plymouth, with settlers intending to make their home in Taranaki. During 1851, Governor Grey proposed to reduce the size of New Plymouth by one half, and to introduce Imperial military pensioners, with their families, into the district. These suggestions, though they met with the approval of the settlers, were never carried into effect; but the little colony still continued to progress in wealth and in all the essentials of civilisation. In 1851, through the energy of Mr. William Collins, the first paper in the district, the “Taranaki Herald,” was published. Mr. Collins, with the help of his partner, Mr. Woon, brought the type and printing press from Auckland, via Onehunga and the West Coast; and on the 4th of August the first number of the paper was given to the world. One interesting feature of the first issue is the prospectus, in which the editor explains that the object of the paper is “to collect and disseminate local information and suggestions; to be the medium of discussing questions more immediately interesting to the inhabitants of this part of New Zealand; to be the organ of their claims upon the attention of the Government here, as well as the public and the Government in England; and, on the other hand, to present a concise view of the progress of events abroad.” A reference to “the gross and wilful misrepresentation of interested parties in Auckland” points to the development of provincial jealousies at this early stage of the colony's growth; and the congratulations offered by the editor to the settlers on the fact that “men of talent and integrity aspire to the honour of representing them in the Provincial Assembly,” indicates the interest already taken by the colonists in the political questions of the day.
The necessity for forming, and acting upon, political opinions had already been forced upon the young colony. By an ordinance of the Legislative Council in 1851, New Zealand was divided into two provinces—New Ulster and New Munster, with a Lieutenant-Governor and a Provincial Assembly in each. Each Assembly was to consist of not less than nine members, of whom one-third were to be nominees, and two-thirds elected. Taranaki was divided into two electorates—the country districts, and the town of New Plymouth. The electoral qualification was a £50 freehold or a £5 house-rental, with six months' residence. There were 105 voters in New Plymouth, and 175 in the Taranaki district; and the first election was held on the 31st of August, 1852. Mr. Charles Brown was returned for New Plymonth town without opposition, a “non-resident” candidate who had aspired to nomination having failed to put in an appearance. For the country districts there were three candidates—Mr. J. F. Wicksteed, Mr. J. C. Richmond, and Mr. H. Scotland; and at the election the votes recorded were: Wicksteed 108, Richmond 30, Scotland 6. Mr. Wicksteed, “the lion of Taranaki,” was therefore elected; but the constitution of the colony was soon radically altered, and the work of election had to be done again.
Among other evidences of progress that belong to this period, may be noted the establishment of a Mechanics' Institute in New Plymouth, in 1851. This institution was, from its formation, a great success, and many interesting lectures on science, philosophy and literature were delivered in it by Mr. Charles Brown, Mr. Isaac Watt, and other prominent citizens.
Early in 1852 the Taranaki Agricultural Society was formed, and at once began to consider the necessity for memorialising the Governor for funds, to keep in regular repair the roads and bridges in the district, and to prevent the spread of disease among the sheep. In
By the end of 1852, about 90,000 acres out of the 2,500,000 acres composing the province, were in possession of the Europeans. The village capital, “snugly planted on the margin of the beach, embosomed amid gently rising hills,” contained a stone church, several chapels, mills and breweries, stores, hotels, and shops. A writer of those days has said that Taranaki “was famed throughout the colony for its troops of happy, rosycheeked children, pretty women, honey, fine mutton, and dairies of Devonshire cream.” Another writer, dealing with the aspects of the settlement about the same date, says: “The appearance of the settlement from the sea is varied and beautiful. The taste for sylvan scenery and quiet rustic beauty is gratified by the combination of stream and forest, glade and valley, whilst there is the snow-crested Apollo of mountains showing up from the sea of forest, 8000 feet into the brilliant sky.” Such was New Plymouth when the colony obtained its long-desired Constitution, and just before the outbreak of the ten years' disastrous war with the natives.
What is usually known as the Maori King movement, dates from about the year 1853. Very shortly after Sir George Grey had proclaimed the new constitution, the discontent of the Maoris, who saw their lands gradually drifting into the possession of the pakeha, reached a climax. A pamphlet was circulated among them, setting forth the folly of selling their heritage, and they were urged to follow the example of Naboth of Jezreel, “who died a martyr, because he would not part with the inheritance of his father.” This movement soon spread southward from Auckland, and the Taranaki Land League, which eventually developed the Maori King Movement, and caused the Taranaki war, was organised in 1854.
According to Mr. Seffern, “Tamati Renia, a zealous opponent of
A Taranaki Dairy Factory.
The seed sown by the Maori Land League soon bore fruit, but before dealing with the Puketapu feud, and the ten years' struggle that followed, it may be well to pause for a moment to consider the nature of the European claims to such land as the settlers had been able to buy from the natives. Writing about 1860, Mr F. Carrington, for many years chief surveyor in the Taranaki district, points out that it was at the express and emphatic wish of the local natives, that the Europeans first settled in Taranaki. The remnant of the Ngatiawa, living in abject fear of the Waikato tribes, were only too glad to take advantage of the protection that the presence of the white men afforded them. “When first I visited this part of New Zealand,” writes Mr Carrington, “there were not more than fifty or sixty natives throughout the district. These few dejected beings were living immediately on the shore, close to the Sugar Loaf Islands, so that they might be ever ready to flee to those rocky islets from the impending danger with which they were incessantly threatened by their implacable enemies, the Waikatos; they existed upon fern-root and fish, without garden or plantation of any kind, and their clothing was in keeping with their servile wretchedness. No sooner had they learned, through an interpreter, the object of my visit, than in speeches and gesture I was importuned to bring white people to dwell amongst them; the whole district was abandoned—they invited me to take it, so that they might be protected from their dreaded enemies, the Waikatos, who, some eight years before, under Te Whero Whero, a leading chief, had barbarously tortured and slaughtered, dispersed, and carried away captive, the greater portion of these, the Ngatiawa people. So great was the slaughter, dispersion, and captivity of these people, that, after eight years had elapsed, only some fifty or sixty of them had returned to a point on the coast where, by nature, they could at all times be secure from surprise.”
Mr. Carrington goes on to show how thoroughly the position of affairs in Taranaki was misunderstood in England, and even in other parts of the colony. Bishop Selwyn, in 1855, had written a Pastoral Letter dealing with the native land question, and Mr. Carrington took special exception to the Bishop's statement that “a transaction which was supposed to give to two or three thousand Englishmen an absolute right to dispossess seven thousand armed New Zealanders, was concluded within a space of time in which no honest conveyancer would undertake to draw a marriage settlement upon an encumbered estate.”
“Anyone reading the above statement,” writes Mr. Carrington, “would suppose that there were really seven thousand armed natives offering resistance on the land which the New Zealand Company claimed as the New Plymouth settlement. The truth is, when I first came here, there were not any natives in occupation of the land, and not more than fifty or sixty in the whole country, who importuned me to bring white people to settle on the land, and who, in a most abject state, were existing on the coast close to the Sugar Loaf Islands. The New Zealand Company claimed for their settlement of New Plymouth, sixty thousand acres. The Government statistics, taken in 1856, show that there are now, after all who have returned, only one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two natives in the whole of the New Plymouth province, which embraces an area of two million one hundred and seventy-six thousand acres. To make this statement still more clear, I give the following comparative fact: The province of New Plymouth is larger in extent than the four English counties of Kent, Surrey, Middlesex, and Hereford, and the sum total of all the native population in the whole province is one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. In other words, the native population of the province of New Plymouth, is not more than the population of one of our English villages, and the acres of land they hold, in a useless state, is more than is contained in four English counties.”
But the case for the settlers was by no means limited to a claim for the just completion of the contracts that the natives of their own free will had made with them. Within a very few years after the foundation of the settlement, the condition of the natives was such, that the acquisition of their land by the whites seemed to be the only way of saving them from extermination by disease and mutual slaughter. For this reason more than any other, Mr. Carrington, and those who held his views, advocated the relaxation of the terms of the treaty of Waitangi, so as to allow suitable settlers to make their homes on native land. This view of the case is well set forth in the following extract from Mr. Carrington's pamphlet on the Taranaki Land Question (1859): “Many, very many thousands of acres of land, on each side of the river Waitara, are held by some six hundred natives, who, though they reside only twelve miles from the town of New Plymouth, and have had the advantage of intercourse with a civilised community for nineteen years, yet are living in a debased social condition; their habitations are squalid and miserable, their clothing loathsome and frequently indecent, their food often disgusting, and their cultivations limited and insignificant; the immense tract of land they hold, though the “Garden of the Country,” and possessing an admirable
High Caste and Low Caste Maoris.
To complete the statement of the case for the colonists, the following extract from Mr. Carrington's appeal to the Governor to compel the natives to dispose of their land, will be sufficient for the present purpose: “The degraded, nay, indecent and loathsome condition in which the majority of the natives congregate and huddle in their whares and pas, alike pernicious to morality and health, the idle and useless manner in which many of them waste their lives, devising to their own detriment and fomenting discord; the secluded, isolated, and doleful way that many families of the settlers are forced to live in their forest farms, with scanty means and constant toil, prohibited the use of the fertile wasted unoccupied land, debarred society and the House of God; the inhuman treatment and angry language which I have witnessed towards poor dumb brutes, consequent from the aggravation caused by the almost impassable broken state of the forest roads, and the fearful consequences arising from these things, is the immediate cause of my submitting for your Excellency's consideration the remarks contained in this letter. It is manifest to all who are interested in the preservation and civilisation of the now remnant native race, and who are not devoid of fellow-feeling for a people
After Wi Kingi and his followers had settled at the Waitara, they gradually gained wealth and importance by selling their produce to the settlers. While in exile at Waikanae, Wi Kingi had determined, so far back as 1847, to sell no land to the whites; but he was quite prepared to make a profit out of them when he could. So well did the Waitara natives succeed in this policy, that by 1854 they possessed, in addition to considerable sums of money, 150 horses, 300 head of cattle, forty carts, thirty-five ploughs, twenty pairs of harrows, three winnowing machines, and ten wooden houses. By 1859, according to Wells' “History of Taranaki,” there were in the native districts 2061 acres under cultivation, while the Maoris in the province had 218 horses, 692 horned cattle, 110 carts, 102 ploughs, forty-five harrows, and seven threshing machines. These proofs of wealth show how it was possible for the natives to support themselves during the long and arduous struggle which they were about to enter upon with the Europeans.
The immediate cause of the conflict was a dispute over a block of land at Puketapu, purchased by Commissioner McLean in 1854. At the request of the chief Katatore, one of Wi Kingi's friends, a portion called Tainutangi was omitted. A dispute arose as to the ownership of this section, and at last Rawiri offered it to Mr. McLean, who agreed to take it if Rawiri would cut the boundary lines. This the chief essayed to do, but he and his band of twenty-five followers were assailed by Katatore, with twenty-eight armed men, and Kawiri and several of his men were killed. The dead chief was highly esteemed by the Europeans, but the Acting-Governor, Colonel Wynyard, hesitated to interfere.
A tribal feud arose, and was complicated by the shooting of a native, who eloped with the wife of Maia, one of Rawiri's friends. Wi Kingi industriously fomented the quarrel; and in August, 1855, it was deemed necessary to send a body of troops from Auckland to New Plymouth, to secure the safety of the settlers. Accordingly, 250 men and twenty-three officers of the 58th Regiment came down from Auckland, and next month 210 officers and men of the 65th Regiment came up from Wellington. But after about sixty Maoris had been killed and 100 wounded in the feud, the natives, who had carefully abstained so far from in-interfering with the whites, declared a truce. But Katatore, who had broken away from the Land League, and had offered 10,000 acres to the Government, was accordingly murdered by Maia, who was subsequently driven out of the country, and, with the help of the whites, escaped to the Chatham Islands.
So far as the Puketapu feud was concerned, this was settled by the payment to the natives of £2000 for a block of 2000 acres at Tarnrutangi, over which Rawiri was killed. But by this time the Land League had merged itself into the general body of the King movement, and Te Whero Whero was sending emissaries among the tribes, urging them to resist the whites. In March, 1859, the Governor again visited New Plymouth, and a great gathering of the natives was held to decide whether they should come to terms with the pakehas. Several chiefs spoke favourably of accepting British authority, and in reply to an appeal from Mr. McLean to dispose of their land, Te Teira, of Waitara, stated that he was anxious to sell a portion of his block. Here Wi Kingi and another chief interfered, claiming the right to veto Teira's offer, on the ground that there was a “mana” over the land.
Major Parris, the Land Purchase Commissioner for Taranaki, made a minute investigation of the title, and having decided that the land was really Teira's property, he paid him £100 on account of the purchase money. Wi Kingi and a body of natives came from Waitara to New Plymouth, to protest against the sale, and Wi Kingi, though admitting that the land was Teira's, defiantly declared that it should not be sold to the whites. In February, 1860, Major Parris, with Mr. F. Carrington and Mr. Hursthouse, set about the survey of the purchased land; and when they were obstructed by Wi Kingi's followers, notice was given to the natives that they would be arrested if they did not desist. Wi Kingi, however, refused to give way, and so the ten years' war began.
On the 22nd of February, 1860, Lieutenant-Colonel Murray published an order placing the whole district of Taranaki under martial law, and preparations were made for taking possession of the disputed land at Waitara. But Wi Kingi and his followers had already seized it, and erected upon it a strong pa, which it was now necessary to destroy. The country settlers at once began to crowd into the town for shelter; and on the 3rd of March, Colonel Gold attacked the pa in force. It was assailed with rocket and cannon fire, and was soon abandoned. But the news that hostilities had now begun, soon gathered the Land League's supporters together. The chief Manaia cast in his lot with the Kingites, and about 1000 Taranaki and Ngatiwanui natives came down to terrorise the settlers. On the 27th of March three settlers, Ford, Passmore, and Shore were shot and tomahawked, and an expedition under Colonel Murray and Lieutenant Blake was sent down to Omata, to punish the murderers, and rescue the surviving settlers. There was an obstinate fight at Waireka, and Colonel Murray, finding his force in danger, withdrew the regulars. The volunteers and militia were thus left unsupported to face the natives, but were rescued by a party of sailors, headed by Captain Cracroft. The engagement thus ended in a victory for the whites, but it showed that the Maoris could fight; and there were at least 1000 of them well armed, and ready to fall upon the settlers, who crowded into the blockhouses, and temporary shelters erected for them, and naturally suffered a great deal of anxiety and material loss.
At this juncture, Major Parris was requested to meet and confer with Rewi, the celebrated Ngatimaniapoto chieftain. On his way
The natives now infested all the the outlying districts, and settlers attempting to reach their farms, or remain on them did so at their own grievous peril. Captain Brown, the editor of the “Taranaki Herald,” and Messrs Harris, Hurford, Coad, and Crann were murdered by the natives within a few months. The British troops, however, remained inactive, waiting for the rebels to make the first move. Many of the settlers' wives and children were removed to Nelson for safety, and the whole work of colonisation in the district seemed undone.
However, on the 23rd of June, 1860, a reconnoitring party of the 40th Regiment was fired upon from the Puketahuere pa, and it was then decided to attack that stronghold. Major Nelson led the main body of the assailants; and he was to have been assisted by Colonel Gold with a large force and two 24-pounders. But Colonel Gold refused to allow his force to ford the Mangaoraka, and marched back to town, leaving Major Nelson to shift for himself. After a fierce engagement, in which the fire was said by a Crimean veteran to be hotter than at the attack on the Redan, the whites were driven back with considerable loss. The news of this repulse greatly encouraged the natives, and it was thought advisable to despatch considerable reinforcements of British troops to Taranaki.
The wives and children of the settlers were urged to leave the district; but many of them preferred to run all risks in the town, which was now practically in a state of siege. The poor success of the regular troops against the Maoris had roused strong feeling amongst the settlers, and the natives soon showed a corresponding degree of confidence and boldness. A large number of Waikatos came down to the Waitara to help Wi Kingi; and early in November General Pratt, who had recently arrived from Melbourne, determined to attack the hill Mahoetahi, where the rebels were strongly posted near the Waiongona river. The hill was carried after a fierce fight, in which the Waikatos lost heavily. But large numbers of the tribe poured down towards the Waitara, eager for revenge; and in December General Pratt led about 1000 men and a train of artillery to seize the Matarihoriho pa. Here again the rebels were beaten, and retired after suffering heavily. But the result of the fight was, as before, indecisive.
To draw off General Pratt's attention from the north the Maoris again occupied Burton's Hill and Waireka, seizing the principal roads, and confining the Europeans inside the town and its stockades. It thus became necessary to send out another expedition, and there was a sanguinary conflict at Huirangi redoubt, where over fifty
A Fine Specimen Of Maori Carving.
Surf Boat At Opunake
For a time, then, hostilities were suspended, and the settlement revived in hope and prosperity. The settlers were, however, much exasperated by the action of those who, like Bishop Selwyn, held that on the whole the natives had the right side of the quarrel, and the Europeans were in the wrong. A pamphlet entitled “One of England's Little Wars” was written by Archdeacon Hadfield, in which he defended Wi Kingi's claim to the Waitara lands; and Canon Stowell, of Manchester, declared that the “grasping and oppressive emigrants” had “hewed the natives up and cut them down” to serve their own ends. Such baseless and ignorant comments perhaps helped to strengthen the colonists in their determination to maintain what they believed to be their rights.
In May, 1863, the truce was broken. A party of troops had been sent to occupy Tataraimaka, which the settlers claimed as their own land, justly purchased.
Though the “Taranaki Herald” had published full particulars of ambuscades set to intercept the whites, no notice was taken of these warnings. A party of nine men of the 57th Regiment, convoying a prisoner to New Plymouth, was cut on on the road; and Dr. Hope and Lieutenant Tragett were killed, with five of the men. This incident started the war afresh, and the trouble now extended to the Wellington and Auckland districts. In June, 1863, General Cameron advanced against the Kaihara pa, which was taken chiefly through the intrepidity of Colonel Warre, and the 57th Regiment. Happily, this reverse daunted the courage of the local natives, for news now came that the Waikatos had risen in rebellion, and a large body of regulars was withdrawn from Taranaki to assist in the defence of Auckland. This move naturally encouraged the natives, and Hapurona sent a defiant challenge to the Governor and the General, offering to fight them at any time or place they might fix; and parties of volunteers were organised by Captain Webster and Captain Harry Atkinson, as Forest Rangers, to follow the natives and fight them in the bush. About the same time Wi Kingi and his followers seem to have agreed that so long as they held the Waitara lands, the question of Tataramaika might be allowed to rest; but the majority of the natives kept up hostilities to distract the energies of the Government from the Waikato rebellion.
In July, 1863, a proclamation was issued confiscating the lands of the rebels; but desultory fighting still went on. In February, 1864, Mr. Patterson, a well-known settler, was shot close to New Plymouth. In March there was a skirmish at Kaitake, in which the 57th Regiment again displayed great valour. But in April the whites suffered a severe reverse at Ahahua, where Captain Lloyd and a party of the 57th, with some of the Melbourne volunteers, fell into an ambush, and Captain Lloyd and six others were killed. Their bodies were afterwards found shockingly mutilated, for the rebels at this time threw aside all semblance of Christianity, or regard for what they had learned of civilisation. They adopted the practices of “Pai Marire” and called themselves Hauhaus, thus adding fanaticism to their natural ferocity. In the same month of April the rebels made a vigorous attack upon the redoubt at Sentry Hill, but were driven off with loss; and the defeat of the Waikatos by General Cameron still further disheartened the Taranaki tribes.
During the year 1864 the Manutahi, and Mataitawa pas were taken without much difficulty; and the great pa of Te Hoei, before which General Pratt had failed, was
The fact was that General Camereron, like many of the Imperial officers, was inclined to attach too much importance to the traditions of the service, and to methods of warfare which were sadly in need of adaptation to the peculiarities of the irregular warfare that the Maoris preferred. As a result of these difficulties, General Cameron resigned his post in August, 1865, and was succeeded by Major-General Trevor Chute. About this time the Imperial Government complained of the expense to which England was put, by supporting so large a body of troops in the field. There were in the colony at this time, ten regiments, amounting to 10,000 men, with two batteries of field artillery with engineers; and the colony, therefore, decided to do the best it could with as little Imperial assistance as possible.
For the next two or three years desultory fighting went on, but in January, 1866, General Chute attempted a decisive movement. He marched a large force through the bush from the south to New Plymouth, and thence led his troops round the coast to Patea and Wanganui, destroying all the pas and plantations in his way. The land of the rebels was confiscated; and a scheme of “military settlements;” proposed by Mr. Domett, was carried out to protect the colonists, and to offer reasonable compensation to those prepared to risk their lives in fighting the natives. The total area of land north of the Waingongoro river was 934,325 acres, and of this, 47,800 acres were laid out as military settlements. But when their three years' service was up, and the men were able to take possession of their allotments, they mostly disposed of them and left the district. There was no regular work for the men to do, and the country was still
Urenui River.Murgatroyd, photo.
But after General Chute's march through the bush, the resistance of the natives gradually languished and died away. By June, 1867, the last of the English regiments was withdrawn from Taranaki; and in May, 1868, the Maoris took heart, and once more attacked the settlers on the Waimate Plains. A force was speedily raised, consisting mostly of Forest Rangers, who knew the bush as well as the natives, and were familiar with all the difficulties of irregular fighting. Major von Tempsky, Colonel McDonnell, Captain Ross, and other colonial officers, led their men capably, and though they sustained occasional reverses, the native resistance was gradually beaten down. In July, 1868, the natives attacked Turuturumokai redoubt, and though they were repulsed, killed Captain Ross and nine of his men. A strong pa at Te Ngutu-o-te-manu was captured by Colonel McDonnell; but at Ruaruru the whites were driven back with heavy loss. Major von Tempsky, the brave leader of the Forest Rangers, was killed, and with him Captains Birch and Palmer, Lieutenants Hastings and Hunter, and twelve men, while about thirty officers and men were wounded. Major von Tempsky had served all through the Maori wars with conspicuous courage and success, and his loss was severely felt.
Shortly after this defeat, Colonel McDonnell resigned his command, and was succeeded by Colonel Whitmore. But Colonel Whitmore, in November, 1868, made an attack on Okutuku pa, which turned out disastrously; and the whites lost about ten killed and thirty wounded. These successes so encouraged Titokowaru that he made a raid towards Wanganui, burning farmhouses, and causing great alarm. In the same month news reached Taranaki that Te Kooti had escaped from the Chatham Islands, and the particulars of the “Poverty Bay Massacre” horrified the colonists, who feared that the whole of the North Island would break out into rebellion again. Titokowaru was obliged, however, by want of food, to retire towards the upper Waitara, in the hope of getting help from Wi Kingi.
Early in 1869, a “taua,” or war party of Ngatimaniapoto, came from the Mokau to help the Taranaki rebels; and murdered several people at White Cliffs under circumstances of peculiar atrocity. Captain Gascoigne, his wife and children, two military settlers named Milne and Richards, and the Rev. John Whiteley, the well known and devoted missionary, were the victims. The news of this tragedy sent a thrill of horror through the district, and once more the settlers hurried their wives and children to the shelter of New Plymouth. Colonel Whitmore set out in quest of Titokowaru, and nearly captured him in the Ngaire swamp.
But at this juncture the whole course of events was changed. The Stafford Ministry went out of office, and was replaced by the Fox-Vogel Ministry, of which Sir Donald McLean was Native Minister. A truce was at once offered the natives, and they, finding that the King party in the Waikato was not disposed to assist them, and being worn out by the length of the war, willingly accepted a respite. From that time onward there was peace in Taranaki, and the only native trouble that has since disturbed the district was the obstruction offered by Te Whiti and his followers to the annexation of their lands in 1880–1.
So peace was at last established; but it was many years before the whites and the Maoris came to regard each other with any degree of mutual confidence. The settlement was still almost completely isolated. “To the south of the town was an almost impenetrable bush, which was swarming with Maoris; and to the east and west there were hordes of natives who regarded the whites with sullen looks.” There was even a temporary revival of hostilities, when Colonel Whitmore took a few troops to the Mokau Heads to exact punishment for the White Cliffs murders. But the determination of the Maori king to have nothing to do with Titokowaru, showed that the resistance of the natives was broken; and the settlers at last began to enjoy the unwonted sensation of peace. “No longer,” writes Mr. Wells, in his History of Taranaki, “no longer the reveille was sounded at daybreak from Marshland Hill to arouse the garrison, and the inhabitants of the besieged town, and to give the weary night pickets license to leave their posts for their homes and their firesides: no longer the ‘alarm’ called all men off duty to arms, to face the foe; and no longer the mournful dead march wailed out its sorrowful strains over the remains of the fallen brave.”
But the colony as a whole, and the New Plymouth district in particular, suffered severely from the commercial depression which was the inevitable consequence of the war. The attempt which was made to populate the district with military settlers was not a success. At the time when Governor Bowen visited New Plymouth, towards the end of 1869, the total population of the district was about 4,350, including the whole area from the Patea to the Mokau. But the settlers made up for their small numbers by an amount of energy and enthusiasm unsurpassed in the records of New Zealand colonisation. One of the enterprises to which the settlers first directed their attention was the attempt to utilise the mineral wealth of their adopted country. “Along the shores of Taranaki exists a very considerable quantity of magnetic ironsand, which has been washed by the rivers out of the tufa which surrounds the base of Mount Egmont, and carried to the sea beach. It appears to be a sublimate of iron and titanium, produced by volcanic agency, and converted into a black magnetic oxide while in a heated state, by contact with heated steam. It produces a smelting of fifty to sixty-one per cent, of iron of the finest quality, the tensile strength of which has been discovered by experiment, to be greater by thirty-three tons five hundredweight to the square inch, than that of the best English iron. The iron, when converted into steel, has been put to the most severe tests by many eminent steel and tool makers in Great Britain, and has been admitted by them to be unsurpassed by any in the world; its closeness of grain, brilliancy of polish, keenness of edge, elasticity and strength, exciting general admiration, and leading to a unanimous
“In 1848, Mr. John Perry, carpenter, and an old settler of the province, made an attempt to smelt this sand by erecting a small furnace, on the banks of a small stream, which flows into the Huatoki river on the Carrington Road. Mr. Perry was encouraged in this work by Governor Grey, who promised him a lease of the sand, if his experiments were successful. Mr. Perry found a great difficulty in the fineness of the sand, which made its way to the bottom of the furnace before the fire could operate upon it with sufficient power to smelt it. Some small quantities of iron were, however, produced by him, and forged into small articles by Mr. Wood, the blacksmith. After this, Mr. C. Sutton made some experiments in the same direction on the town cliff, near to Mount McCormick, but was unsuccessful.
“In 1858, the Provincial Government of Taranaki granted a lease of the ironsand to Captain Morsehead, a retired officer of the East India Company's service, who went to England for the purpose of endeavouring to raise a company to work the ore. But Captain Morsehead returned unsuccessful from his mission, and in 1869 a firm from Wellington, trading under the name of Henochsburg and Co., erected a furnace on the South Road, just outside the boundaries of New Plymouth, and attempted to work the sand. Partial success attending these operations, the firm was expanded into a company bearing the title of the Pioneer Steel Company. Failing to make the steel flow freely from the surface, the company suspended operations, and deputed Mr. Chilman to the ironmasters of England, to represent to them the value of the ore, to obtain information as to the best method of reducing it, and to sell the works if possible, and raise a new company. Mr. Chilman returned, having effected the sale of the lease and interest of the company to Mr. Walduck, and with some valuable information.
“Mr. Walduck, failing to make use of the works, or to avail himself of the interest of the Pioneer Company, another company was formed chiefly by the exertions of Mr. E. M. Smith, who had discovered a method of preventing the choking of furnaces by the ironsand, by forming it with clay into compound bricks before subjecting it to the fire. This company bore the name of the New Zealand Titanic Steel and Iron Company (Limited). Its proposed capital was £50,000 in 5,000 shares of £10 each, with power to increase to £100,000. Of this capital, £20,000 was called up, and expended in works at the Henui, including a blast charcoal furnace on the best American plan, and a powerful engine and apparatus for producing a hot blast. Alter the works had been completed, and everything was in readiness for commencing operations, the company shut up the place, and refused to charge the furnace. At the earnest solicitation of the shareholders residing in Taranaki, and on their guaranteeing to protect the company from loss or damage, permission was given for experimental operations to be conducted. The first of these was an experimental reduction of ore, which was chiefly hematite, from the Parapara mine at Nelson. The next experiment was conducted under the supervision of Messrs E. M. Smith and D. Atkinson, by which ironsand alone was reduced. On Saturday, the 23rd of September, 1876, the furnace was tapped, and three tons fifteen hundredweight of metal in pigs was produced, which has since been tested in England, and reported to be iron of the best possible quality. After these experiments the furnace was blown out, and the works have since remained in a quiescent state.”
Milmoe's Falls, Tawhiti, Normanby.
To this sketch of the history of this embryo industry—extracted from Wells' History of Taranaki—it may be added that owing chiefly to the energy of Mr. E. M. Smith, and the enthusiasm of the late Sir Alfred Cadman, Taranaki ironsand promises soon to play an important part among the mineral resources of the colony.
Of another industry from which the pioneer settlers hoped great things — petroleum-boring — it can now (May, 1906) be said that oil has been found in quantities and under conditions which justify the expectation of brilliant and farreaching commercial results.
By 1871 the town of New Plymouth had begun to assume a more settled and prosperous aspect. There were many houses vacant, through the departure of troops, and rents were very low; but there was an Institute, an Oddfellows'
Under the conciliatory influence of Sir Donald McLean, the natives gradually became more amicable toward the whites. In 1872 Wi Kingi consented to visit the Native Minister at New Plymouth, and thenceforward the Ngatiawa chief offered no active opposition to the disposal of native land.
Between 1872 and 1874 the Provincial Council took over nearly 380,000 acres from the Maoris, including the Kopua, Huiroa, Waipuhu and Moa blocks; and as a natural result settlement began to make rapid headway. By 1874 Patea—or Carlyle—was a township of some importance, containing four hotels, four churches, two banks, and a large number of stores. Hawera, which was originally set apart as a military settlement, had two hotels, a bank, and a post and telegraph office. Early in 1875 the township of Inglewood was laid out in the Moa block, and the land adjoining it was speedily sold and cleared. Later in the same year the railway line between Waitara and New Plymouth (eleven miles long), was opened for traffic. The line reached Inglewood in 1877; and in that year Stratford township was laid out. The railway reached Stratford in 1879, and by August, 1881, it had got as far as Hawera. The forty-eight miles between New Plymouth and Hawera were covered in four hours; whereas Mr. Chavannes, who drove the first coach and four by the Mountain Road from Hawera to New Plymouth, took ten hours on his adventurous journey.
The railways were, of course, a part of the Public Works policy of the Fox-Vogel Ministry; and immigration was another important feature of Vogel's scheme. In 1874 the Provincial Council took steps to ensure a supply of suitable immigrants to Taranaki; and good work in this direction was done by Mr. W. M. Burten. Another important matter coming under the head of Public Works was the formation of the New Plymouth harbour. So far back as 1866 the roadstead had been surveyed as a harbour site. In 1874, Mr. Carrington, the Superintendent, got an Act passed by the General Assembly empowering the Provincial Council to set aside one-fourth of the land revenue of the province for harbour purposes. In 1875 the Provincial Council accordingly constituted a Harbour Board, in which it invested the reserves and funds, and authorised it to raise a loan of £350,000. Mr. F. Carrington was chairman and treasurer of the Harbour Board, which set about its duties with some show of energy. But in 1876, however, the scheme was mixed up with a project for establishing a Central Prison at New Plymouth, to supply convict labour for the harbour works, and when the provinces were abolished, this scheme fell through, and Parliament then limited the loan that might be raised for the harbour works to £200,000. The first stone of the breakwater was laid in 1881, and the work went on till the money was spent. But Parliament had so modified the land laws of the district, that the endowments originally granted to meet the interest on loans were practically confiscated, and so the district has always had to bear a heavy financial burden on account of its harbour works.
One of the most important public duties, which the Provincial Government had to pertorm, was the establishment of a system of education. Unlike the companies which founded Canterbury and Otago, the New Plymouth Company made no provision for general instruction in the new settlement, and the district was too sparsely peopled, and the settlers were too poor, to admit of private teachers starting schools with any hope of success. Many of the poorer children were taught to read in the Sunday schools. During the Maori war, the children who were sent as refugees to Nelson, received instruction in Government schools, but it was not till after the refugees returned to Taranaki that the first public day school was established at New Plymouth. It was founded by the Wesleyans, and conducted by Mr. and Mrs Schofield, who were succeeded by Mr. and Mrs Collis.
However, in 1867, the Provincial Council passed the Education Commission Ordinance, and in 1868 the Council decided to establish and maintain schools in the province. But the funds at their disposal were very limited; and the system thus inaugurated was necessarily very incomplete. In 1874, the Superintendent, Mr. F. Carrington, held meetings in the various country districts to lay before the people a scheme for placing primary education on a sound basis, and supporting it by a household rate of £1 per annum. In spite of strong opposition, the scheme was adopted by the Council, and the province was divided into two districts, with separate Education Boards. The funds obtained from the education rate were supplemented by special grants and endowments reserved by the Provincial Government. By dint of great exertion schools were opened in various rural districts, and the blockhouses scattered about the country were utilised for educational purposes. At last, in 1878, public education throughout the colony was brought under the control of the Central Government, and the comparatively inadequate arrangements made by the provincial authorities were superseded. Up to the time of the abolition of the provinces, Taranaki certainly never enjoyed the same educational advantages as the more fortunate provincial districts in the South Island.
The development of Taranaki since the abolition of the provinces has been steadily progressive, but
Much is still hoped from the mineral resources of Taranaki—the ironsand piled in inexhaustible profusion along the coast, and the petroleum, which has at last (1906) begun to fulfil the expectations of its persevering seekers. But the prosperity of the district is now firmly based upon the most staple and permanent of all sources of public and private wealth—“the natural and inexhaustible powers of the soil.”
As the country has been cleared of bush to make room for agriculture and dairying, the internal means of communication have steadily advanced into the wilderness. Though Taranaki has not yet any direct railway connection with Auckland, there is hope that this will be supplied within a comparatively short period of time. Meanwhile the district is relatively better provided with roads and railways than Auckland. The chief means of communication is the railway from Wellington, which traverses the district between Patea and New Plymouth—a distance of sixty-six miles. Through trains run every day, except Sunday, between New Plymouth and Wellington, and vice versa, a distance of 251 miles. The railway from Stratford to Whangamomona, now (June, 1906) open as far as Douglas Road, eleven miles from Stratford, will eventually be extended to connect with the North Island main trunk railway at Ongarue station.
The main North Road runs from New Plymouth, passing through the towns of Waitara and Urenui; and is formed as a cartroad to Mokau, the northern boundary of the district. All the streams are bridged with the exception of the Mokau river, on which there is a good ferry. From Mokau there is a dray-road right through to Te Kuiti, on the Auckland railway system. About midway between New Plymouth and Waitara, the Mountain Road diverges, and runs almost due south, and chiefly along the railway, for a distance of forty miles, connecting with the main South Road at the town of Hawera. This is at present the principal road in the district, tapping, as it does, large numbers of district roads, and passing through the towns of Inglewood, Midhirst, Stratford, Eltham, Normanby, and Hawera.
Summit Cutting, Huiroa: 1905.Furkert, photo.
The Ohura Road branches from the Mountain Road at Stratford. It is formed and open for traffic as
The main South Road from New Plymouth follows the trend of the coast to the south, and was at one time the coach road to Wellington. It passes through the villages of Omata, Oakura, Okato, Rahotu, Otakeho, Manutahi South and Kakaramea, and the towns of Opunake, Manaia, Hawera, and Patea.
The Junction Road runs southeast from New Plymouth, and crosses the Mountain Road and railway at Inglewood thirteen miles out; it is metalled for thirty-six miles and a-quarter, and formed as a dray road for forty-five miles and three-quarters, where it connects with the Ohura road at a distance of thirty miles from Stratford. This road crosses a number of district roads; hence its name.
The Opunake Road runs from Stratford to Opunake, twenty-six miles, skirting the southern base of Mount Egmont. It is formed and metalled for twelve miles from Stratford; the remainder is open for horse traffic only. Wheel traffic turns down to Manaia Road to Kaponga, and thence along the Eltham-Opunake Road to the latter place. The route is metalled throughout.
The Eltham Road runs from Eltham to Opunake, twenty-five miles, connecting with the Opunake Road at Punehu, seven miles from Opunake. This is formed and metalled throughout.
There are other main roads, such as the Rawhitiroa Road, leaving the Mountain Road near Eltham; and the Otaraoa, Moki and Okoe roads.
The principal town of the district, New Plymouth, has a popuation of about 5,000, and is situated on the seashore, about two miles to the north-east of the picturesque rocky inlets known as the Sugar Loaves. New Plymouth is 251 miles by rail from Wellington; and at the port, which is two miles from the town, protection for shipping is afforded by a concrete mole, or breakwater, running in a northeast direction for a distance of 2,150 feet. Steamers of 1,000 tons can be berthed in almost all weathers, and the wharf is connected with the town by both rail and road. New Plymouth has a sash and door factory, a boot factory, a butter-keg factory, and three coach factories; a brewery, a cordial factory, a flour-mill, a tannery, a fellmongery, a bone mill, and iron-foundry; and there are freezing works and a bacon factory in the suburbs. The town is supplied with both water and gas.
Hawera, the next largest town, is situated on the eastern edge of the Waimate Plains. It has a population of 2,500, and is surrounded by a first-class dairying and grazing country, capable of carrying a very large population.
The town of Patea is situated on the coast, at the extreme southern end of the district, and has a population of 700. There is a splendid grazing district inland. Patea has a dairy factory, which has two branch creameries; and a refrigerating company for dairy and other produce has also been established, and is proving a great success. The Patea Harbour Board has an up-to-date wool-dumping press and hydraulic pumps; and steamers trade regularly to Westport, Greymouth, and Lyttelton, Wellington and other ports.
Stratford, a comparatively young town, lies about midway between Patea and New Plymouth. It has already a population of over 2,100, and is growing fast. The height above sea level is 1,000 feet, and the climate is bracing, though somewhat moist. The main road to Auckland starts at Stratford, and also the through railway line, now in course of construction. Stratford has a successful bacon factory, and the neighbouring district is devoted chiefly to dairy-farming.
Waitara, a seaport town of 900 inhabitants, is situated on the Waitara river, a mile up from the sea, and about ten miles northeast from New Plymouth. The Waitara Freezing and Cool Storage Company, Limited, has storage for 25,000 carcases of mutton, and its five freezing rooms are capable of hanging 1,200 carcases; it has, also, a beef-chilling room and a mutton-chilling room. The freezing plant is a 60-ton Hercules, and is guaranteed to freeze 1,500 sheep per day. The boiling-down and tallow department is most complete and up-to-date, a large manure plant has been erected, and the works are fitted throughout with electric light. The produce is conveyed on board the New Zealand Shipping Company's ocean-going steamers, which anchor in the Waitara roadstead. The fact that the works are gazetted as Government grading and cool stores, is a great convenience for outside dairy factories.
Inglewood is on the railway line, sixteen miles south-east of New Plymouth, and has about 1000 inhabitants. Its industries include a bacon factory. Eltham, a rising borough of 1,400 inhabitants, is making very rapid progress, and it, too, has a prosperous bacon factory. Opunake is a seaport town of 600 inhabitants; and the other towns of importance are Manaia, population, 450; and Normanby, with a population of 400.
One of the most attractive features of these colonies is the picturesque scenery, which, in infinite variety, is distributed throughout the islands. In this respect Taranaki is, perhaps, less favoured than some other provincial districts. There is still a good deal of native bush; and the river scenery on the upper reaches of the Wanganui is remarkable for its wild and varied beauty. But, strictly, the Wanganui belongs to the Wellington district, and the Mokau, which is hardly inferior, in some respects, to “the New Zealand Rhine,” is as yet little known to tourists. Incomparably the most striking feature of Taranaki scenery is Mount Egmont, which is now rapidly becoming recognised as one of the natural goals for the tourists who come here in search of the picturesque.
An area of 72,565 acres, measuring six miles on every side from the summit of Mount Egmont, was originally set apart as a forest reserve.
Government Steamer Off Opunake.
A comfortable house, known as the Egmont Mountain-house, has been built at an elevation of 3,200 feet on the northern face of the mountain, at a distance of twenty miles from New Plymouth by the Junction and Egmont Roads. Eighteen miles can be driven over, and the remaining two ridden. This house is maintained by the Egmont National Park Board, and is open for the accommodation of visitors from about the 20th of December to the middle or end of April in each year. The keeper acts as guide also. The time usually occupied in the ascent from the house is from three to four hours for men, and four to six hours for ladies. There are two women's rooms at one end of the house, and two men's at the other, with a large common living and dining room in the centre. Visitors have now the option of being supplied with meals at a cost of one shilling and sixpence each, or they may provide and cook their own food. Horse feeds are one shilling and sixpence each; paddocking is sixpence daily, or two shillings and sixpence a week. A small charge is made to visitors of one shilling per night for the use of the house, or five shillings per week throughout the visit. In addition to the mountain-house, the Board has erected a cottage of three rooms, comprising two bedrooms (fitted with four bunks each), and one living room in between. This cottage is intended for renting by the week to family parties, only one such party occupying it at a time, and the minimum charge per week is two pounds sterling for a party of four adults; over that number and up to eight (the limit allowed), seven shillings and sixpence each per week; children over five and under twelve years, half rates. The cottage is not let to any one party for a longer period than two weeks while there are other applicants. The Board provides cooking and other utensils, firewood, and water, also mattresses and pillows. The caretaker at the mountain-house keeps a small stock of the principal lines of food usually wanted for sale to visitors. The cottage is within sixty or seventy yards of the mountain-house, and in charge of the same caretaker, but parties desirous of renting it should communicate with the Honorary Secretary to the committee for the northern division of Egmont National Park, New Plymouth, giving dates between which they require it. These applications are booked in order of priority of receipt, after a notification that offers will be received, usually in the early part of December. The cottage is opened and closed on the same dates as the mountain-house. The guide's fee for the mountain is £1 per party. The average for the season is 1,500 visitors, who remain from one or two days to as many weeks.
The view from the top is superb, and includes the volcanic cones of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro, the whole of Taranaki, and a considerable portion of the Auckland and Wellington districts; and also across Cook Strait to the mountains of Marlborough and Nelson, in the Middle Island. In fine weather, when the snow is off, the mountain can be ascended without risk. The mountain can also be ascended easily from the Stratford side, and the return journey occupies about thirteen hours, including stoppages. Tourists can ride over the first eleven miles to the Pembroke Road Mountain-house (three rooms), above the bushline; altitude, 3,720 feet; time occupied, about two hours and a-half. A new two-roomed cottage has been erected, and is now in use. Here the horses are left, and the remaining climb has to be done on loot; time required for a fair walker, three hours, although, in coming down, the distance can be done in two hours. Three or four hundred persons visit the mountain by this route during the season. Good hotel accommodation, a guide, and horses, can be obtained in Stratford. Provisions are kept on reasonable terms by the caretaker at
Another route coming into favour is from Hawera or Eltham, via Manaia or Kaponga, and Dawson's Falls. At the latter place a comfortable shelter house, capable of accommodating over forty people, has been erected, and is known as the Falls Mountain-house (altitude, 2,900 feet). This house, which is close to the Falls (sixty-five feet), is within an easy ride of Kaponga. During the season the house is in charge of a caretaker and food, horse feed and paddocking can be obtained. Sometimes 1,500 persons visit the Falls and mountain by this route, during the season.
A comfortable three-roomed cottage has been erected in connection with the Falls Mountain-house. Water is obtained from the adjoining creek by means of a ram. The ascent from the house to the summit of Mount Egmont occupies from four to six hours' climbing at a moderate pace, and, naturally, the time is in accordance with the strength and composition of a party. From the top, the tourist can, instead of returning by the same route, drop down to the mountain-house on the north, or New Plymouth side, of the mountain. The walk would not occupy over two hours of easy walking, or he could go out, via Stratford. Recently, a track has been partly made from the western side of the mountain, to enable tourists to ascend, via Rahotu. A small accommodation-house has been erected, thirty-two feet by fourteen feet; it has a general room and two sleeping-rooms, each containing twelve bunks. Tables, forms, and utensils have also been provided.
This description of the Mount Egmont trip—adapted from the New Zealand Official Year Book—may fitly close this brief sketch of the growth and development of Taranaki, from the earliest period of colonisation, to the present day.
Superintendents Of Taranaki.
Before the establishment of responsible government in Taranaki, and the introduction of Provincial Councils, the district was under the control of a Chief Commissioner, appointed by the directors of the original Settlement Company. The first batch of settlers arrived in the year 1841, by the ship “Amelia Thompson,” which also brought out Captain Henry King, in the interests of the Plymouth Company, as the first Commissioner for the new settlement. He was succeeded, on the 3rd of October in the same year, by Captain Liardet, who took the title of Resident Agent for the Plymouth and New Zealand Land Companies, which had amalgamated under the style of the New Zealand Company. Captain Liardet held the office till the following year, when he was succeeded by Mr John Tylson Wicksteed, who discharged the duties of the position till the year 1847. In that year Mr. Wicksteed was succeeded by Mr. Francis Dillon Bell (afterwards Sir Francis), who continued in office until the New Zealand Company surrendered its charter, in 1850. For the three succeeding years the settlement of Taranaki was virtually without a government; but then, in the year 1853, the system of government by Provincial Councils came into operation.
The Constitution Act was passed in 1853. The Act divided the colony into six provinces, each of which was to be governed by a Superintendent, and an elective Provincial Council of not less than nine members. But the Central Government now constituted—the Governor, Legislative Council, and House of Representatives—had power to supersede any laws passed by the Provincial Councils; and it is to this conflict between central and focal authority, that we may trace the rise of the difficulties that finally led to the abolition of the Provincial system. Pursuant to the Act, the first election for the Superintendency of Taranaki took place in 1853. The three candidates were Mr. W. Halse, Mr. J. T. Wicksteed, and Mr. Charles Brown. The polling resulted as follows: Brown 173, Halse 138, Wicksteed 12 votes; and Mr. Charles Brown, the son of the friend of Keats and Hunt, Landor and Byron, was the first Superintendent of Taranaki.
For the election of members to the Provincial Council, Taranaki was divided into three districts—Bell and Grey, Omata, and the town of New Plymouth. The land to the south of the town was then largely forest-clad, and populated only by Maoris; while Wanganui, which was but a small village, was, of course, in Wellington province. The election resulted as follows—for Omata, Messrs T. Good, R. Rundle, and G. R. Burton; for Grey and Bell, Messrs P. Elliot, G. Cutfield, R. Parris, and R. Chilman; for New Plymouth town, Messrs Isaac Newton Watt, and S. Vickers. During the same month (August) the election of members of the House of Representatives took place. The districts were the same as for the Provincial Council, but only one member was to be returned for each. Mr. F. Gledhill and Mr. W. Crompton were returned unopposed for New Plymouth and Omata respectively. The Grey and Bell seat was contested by Messrs T. King and T. Hirst, and the returns were—King, 90; Hirst 36. The first session of the Provincial Council was opened in September, 1853, and Mr. Isaac Newton Watt was chosen Speaker. Mr. Chilman was appointed Provincial Treasurer (at a salary of £40); Mr. Christopher Richmond, Clerk to the Council and Provincial Attorney, at a salary of £150, and the Superintendent's salary was fixed at £250 a year. The local Government of Taranaki was thus started on anything but extravagant lines, and the ability of the public servants of the settlement was unquestionable. But all interest in local affairs was soon submerged in the more serious questions involved in the trouble that arose with the natives, on the lands immediately adjoining the settlement.
Mr. Charles Brown
held office as the first and third Superintendent of Taranaki. He was first elected on the 16th of July, 1853, and retired from the position on the 4th of January, 1857; was again elected on the 24th of May, 1861, and held office until the
The Late Mr. C. Brown.
Mr. George Cutfield
was Taranaki's second Superintendent. He was returned on the 14th of January, 1857, and held office until the 24th of May, 1861. Mr. Cutfield is further referred to in another article as a former member of the Legislative Council.
Mr. Henry Robert Richmond ,
who was the fourth Superintendent of Taranaki, was elected to the position on the 4th of September, 1865, and held it until the 15th of October, 1869. He was a brother of Mr. Justice Richmond, and arrived in Taranaki about the year 1852, when he settled on bush land, in the neighbourhood of New Plymouth. Later on, he held a commission in the Taranaki militia, and was subsequently, for a time, a school teacher. Then he qualified as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, and practised his profession in New Plymouth up to the time of his death. Mr. Richmond was a member of the Taranaki Provincial Council, before he became Superintendent.
Mr. Frederick Alonzo Carrington ,
the fifth and last Superintendent of Taranaki, was elected to the position on the 15th of October, 1869. He was re-elected on the 22nd of November, 1873, and held the office until the provinces ceased to exist, on the 1st of November, 1876. Mr. Carrington was born in England in the year 1808, and when a young man he was appointed by the Duke of Wellington to a position in the Ordnance Survey Department. His ability in survey work and topographical delineation
The Late Mr. F. A. Carrington.
Present and Past Members of Parliament.
The Hon. Thomas Kelly
was called to the Legislative Council on the 16th of October, 1899. He is referred to in another paragraph as a former member of the House of Representatives.
The Hon. Walter Charles Frederick Carncross
was called to the Legislative Council in March, 1903. He was born at Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, in 1855, and arrived, with his parents, in Dunedin, when he was seven years of age. For many years he was engaged in the stationery and printing business, and became connected with journalism, as an occasional contributor to the late Thomas Bracken's “Saturday Advertiser,” and other newspapers. Later on, he joined the staff of the “Waitangi Tribune,” at Waimate. In 1878, he returned to Dunedin, and founded a weekly journal known as “The Penny Post.” A year later, he established the “Taieri Advocate,” which he conducted for twenty years. During this period, Mr. Carncross entered political life, and contested six elections. In the first two he was defeated, but he was successful in each case afterwards, and sat in Parliament for twelve years as the representative of Taieri, and for a portion of that time he acted as Government whip. Mr. Carncross was for fifteen years captain of the East Taieri Rifles, and is now on the unattached list. Having sold out his interest in the “Taieri Advocate,” he removed to Taranaki, settled at Eltham, and became proprietor of the “Eltham Argus,” in October, 1901. In 1883, he married a daughter of the late Mr. R. Johnston, of Dunedin, and has two sons and two daughters.
The Hon. Henry Scotland
was called to the Legislative Council by the Stafford Ministry on the 24th of February, 1868, when he was a resident of Taranaki, with which he is still (1906) politically connected, and where he continued to reside until recent years. Mr. Scotland has latterly resided at Pahi, Kaipara, in the provincial district of Auckland.
The Hon. George Cutfield
was a member of the Legislative Council in the years 1853–4, and again in 1856–7. Mr. Cutfield was a naval architect in England, and prior to his departure for the colony, on the 19th of November, 1840, was employed in connection with Her Majesty's dockyard, in Devonport. Mr. Cutfield came out in charge of the expedition on board the “William Bryan,” which and. chored off the Sugar Loaves, on the 30th of March, 1841. He was a pioneer settler, who did invaluable work in the early days. Latterly, he farmed Brooklands estate, adjacent to the beautiful Recreation Reserve at New Plymouth, and resided there until his death.
Sir Harry Albert Atkinson
had a seat in the Legislative Council during the last eighteen months of his life, and was its Speaker from the 23rd of January, 1891, till the 28th of June, 1892—the date of his death. Sir Harry was a prominent figure in Taranaki in the early days, and did notable work in connection with the troop of Bush Rangers, of which he was captain. His biography and portrait appear at pages 62–63 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia, and he is also further noticed on page 100 of the same volume.
The Hon. William Thomas Jennings
was called to the Legislative Council on the 15th of October, 1892, but resigned in 1902 to stand for election to the House of Representatives. He is referred to in another paragraph as member of Parliament for Egmont.
Mr. Edward Metcalf Smith
has been a Member of the House of Representatives for Taranaki for some years, having been returned at the general elections held on the 10th of December, 1902, and on the 4th of December, 1905. Mr. Smith is known as a consistent follower of the Liberal Government. He has taken a deep interest in the progress of Taranaki, and has been prominent in the advocacy of the development of local industries. This has been notably the case in connection with the Taranaki iron-sand, in the interest of which Mr. Smith paid a special visit to England some years ago.
Mr. William Thomas Jennings
was elected member for Egmont in the House of Representatives at the general election of 1902, and was reelected at the general election of 1905. He was called by the Ballance Ministry to the Legislative Council for seven years as from the 15th of October, 1892, and was recalled on the 16th of October, 1899. Mr. Jennings resigned his seat in the Council, in order to stand for the representation of Egmont at the general election of 1902. A biographical sketch of Mr. Jennings appears at page 90 of the Auckland volume of this Cyclopedia.
Mr. Francis Ullathorne Gledhill
was a Member of the House of Representatives for New Plymouth in 1854–5, and was member for Omata electorate in 1865. He was a native of Halifax, England, and entered into business in Taranaki as a merchant and auctioneer. In the early days of New Plymouth he served as a member of the Taranaki Provincial Council, and had a seat on the New Plymouth Town Board. Mr. Gledhill died some years ago.
Mr. Thomas King
sat as member for Grey and Bell in the House of Representatives in 1854–5, and again in 1860. He was a native of London, and after coming to New Zealand by the ship “William Bryan,” in March, 1841, he applied himself to farming. Subsequently, Mr. King became the first manager of the Bank of New Zealand in New Plymouth, and held the position for a number of years. He became chairman of the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and was prominently interested in most of the financial companies that were engaged in business in the province. Mr. King, who died about the year 1891, was the father of Mr. Newton King, Mr. Henry King, and Dr. Truby King, and Mrs F. W. Marchant, of Timaru.
Mr. William Morgan Crompton
represented the Omata electorate in the House of Representatives, in the years 1854–5. He arrived in New Zealand in 1851, and commenced farming in the Omata district, where he also carried on work as a school teacher. Mr. Crompton took a keen interest in the welfare of his district, with a special reference to the young. He ultimately became inspector of schools for the Taranaki district, occupied the position for some years during the eighties, and died in the early nineties.
Mr. Christopher William Richmond
sat as a Member of the House of Representatives for New Plymouth from the year 1856 to 1861. He became better known as Mr. Justice Richmond, and is fully referred to on page 67 of the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, as a Minister who held office from June, 1856, until July, 1861, and on page 469, as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Mr. John Lewthwaite
represented the constituency of Grey and Bell in the year 1856. He was born in Halifax, England, and having, in 1841, arrived in the colony, he became a merchant. He was a man of great enterprise, and started a good many businesses in Taranaki. Mr. Lewthwaite is well remembered as the inventor of a railway ticket-stamping machine, and he also invented and patented a floating breakwater.
Mr. Alfred William East
was returned to the House of Representatives as member for Omata in 1856. He was a settler, who took up land in that district, but he left Taranaki on the outbreak of the Maori war.
Mr. Charles Brown ,
who served for a number of years in the House of Representatives, was one of the pioneer settlers who arrived in the “Amelia Thompson,” in 1841. He was the son of Charles Armitage Brown, a retired Russia merchant, who was an intimate personal friend of the great poet John Keats: see the poet's letters, and also his life by Lord Houghton. Mr. Brown was always a keen politician, and took his seat in the House as member for Grey and Bell, in 1858. In 1864, he was returned for New Plymouth, and in the year 1868–9,
Mount Egmont, From Stratford: 1906. McAllister, photo.
The Hon. James Crowe Richmond
sat as a member of the House of Representatives for Omata from the year 1860 to 1864, and for the Grey and Bell constituency, from 1866 to 1870. He is referred to on page 69 of the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, as having been a member of the Weld Ministry in 1865, and of the Stafford Ministry from 1865 to 1869; and a good likeness, and another biographical sketch of his life, appear on page 29 of the Nelson volume.
Sir Harry Albert Atkinson
was for many years a member of the House of Representatives for Taranaki constituencies. From 1861 to 1865 he represented the Grey and Bell electorate; in 1867–8, New Plymouth; and from 1873 to 1891, he represented Egmont. Sir Harry is further referred to as a former member of the Legislative Council; and biographical notices of much greater length appear at pages 62, 63, and 100 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
Captain William Cutfield King
represented the Grey and Bell constituency in the House of Representatives in 1861. He was the only son of Captain Henry King, the first Commissioner of Taranaki, and came to the colony as a lad. He became a farmer on a large scale, and on the outbreak of the Maori war, he entered active service, and held a commission in the volunteers. He lost his life in 1861, under very tragic circumstances. He had been to New Plymouth, and on his return to his estate, about a mile and a-half out of the town, was shot by the Maoris. It is stated that the tragedy was witnessed from Marsland Hill, New Plymouth; Captain King was seen riding, with the Maoris in pursuit, and the eye-witnesses also saw him falling dead on his own property. The distance and the circumstances were such that those who saw what was happening could do nothing to avert the tragedy.
Mr. Isaac Newton Watt
sat for New Plymouth in the House of Representatives in the year 1862. He was afterwards appointed Resident Magistrate at the Bluff, whence he was transferred to Dunedin, in 1868, as Sheriff of the Supreme Court, Resident Magistrate, and Coroner. Mr. Watt retired on a pension in the year 1880, and died in Dunedin some years ago.
Mr. Henry Hanson Turton
was closely identified with Taranaki in the early days, and served as a member of the House of Representatives for New Plymouth in 1863. He arrived in New Plymouth in 1844, as the Rev. H. H. Turton, in charge of the Wesleyan mission, and continued in that connection till his retirement from the church in 1860. Mr. Turton was a man of marked ability, and was a great authority on Maori matters. His services were requisitioned by the Government to write on the early days of the colony. Mr. Turton afterwards went into business as a house and general commission agent. His sons have been well known in the colony, in various public positions.
Mr. Henry Sewell
sat as representative of New Plymouth in the House of Representatives in 1865. He was a prominent politician, and is referred to on page 57 of the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, as a past Premier of the colony; on page 254, as a former member of the Legislative Council; and on page 1496, as a member of the Executive Council of the colony before the establishment of responsible government. A further sketch of Mr. Sewell's life appears also at page 92 of the Canterbury volume of this work.
Major Sir John Larkins Cheese Richardson
was a member of the House of Representatives for New Plymouth in the year 1866. He is referred to as a former member of the Government, on page 69 of the first volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, and as an ex-Speaker of the Legislative Council, on page 99 of the same volume. At page 36 of the Otago volume there is an excellent portrait of Sir John Richardson, who is there referred to as the third Superintendent of the Province of Otago; and he is also further referred to at page 78 and page 85 of the same volume—in the first instance as a member of the Legislative Council, and in the second as a member of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Arthur Samuel Atkinson
sat in the House of Representatives for the Omata constituency in the years 1866–7. He was one of the early settlers in New Plymouth, but removed, in 1867, to Nelson, where he practised his profession as a member of the firm of Fell and Atkinson, barristers and solicitors. Mr. Atkinson is further referred to at page 81 of the Nelson volume of this work.
Mr. Thomas Kelly ,
J.P., was Member of the House of Representatives for the Town of New Plymouth from 1869 to 1881, and for New Plymouth from 1882 to 1884. He is a farmer at Bell Block, and is referred to in another paragraph as a member of the Legislative Council.
Mr. Frederick Alonzo Carrington
sat for Omata in the House of Representatives in the year 1870. He was also member for Grey and Bell from 1871 to 1879 inclusive, and then retired from Parliamentary life. Mr. Carrington is further referred to as the last Superintendent of the province of Taranaki.
The HonWilliam Gisborne
sat for Egmont in the House of Representatives in 1871–72. He was a prominent politician, and held office as Colonial Secretary in Sir William Fox's third Ministry, from July, 1869, till September, 1872; and he was, also, for a few months, a member of Sir George Grey's Government in 1879. Mr. Gisborne is further referred to at page 71 of the Wellington volume of this work, and also at page 402 of the Nelson volume. He inherited property in England, where he died a few years ago. He wrote several works concerning the public men and public affairs of New Zealand.
Colonel Robert Trimble ,
V.D., was born near Belfast, Ireland, on the 11th of August, 1824, and was educated at the Belfast Grammar School.
The Late Colonel Trimble.
Mr. Oliver Samuel ,
who represented New Plymouth in the House of Representatives for six years, is a son of the late Dr. Samuel, D.D., LL.D., and was born at St. Heliers, Jersey. In the year 1855 he arrived with his parents in New Zealand. He was educated at Nelson College, where he gained several scholarships, and entered the Crown Lands Department, from which he was subsequently promoted to the Deeds Registry Office, Auckland, in 1869. Wishing for a change from the ordinary routine of office life, Mr. Samuel left the Government service, and tried his fortune on the Thames and Coromandel goldfields, where he was very successful. He then determined to adopt the legal profession, and in 1873 was articled to the late
Mr. O. Samuel.
Mr. George Albert Marchant ,
who represented the electorate of Taranaki, in the years 1887–90, was born in London, England, in 1849. He was brought up to a commercial life, and came to New Zealand in 1872. After spending several years in the Patea district, he settled at Cardiff, near Stratford, where he has been farming since 1881, and is one of the oldest settlers in the district. Mr. Marchant has served on the Patea West Road Board, and the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and is now (1906) chairman of the Stratford County Council. In 1878, he married a daughter of Mr. William Foreman, of Alton, Taranaki, and has six sons.
Mr. Felix McGuire ,
J.P., represented the Egmont constituency from 1891 to 1896, and Hawera in 1897–1902. He was born in the year 1847, in County Fermanagh, Ireland, where he was educated, and arrived in Australia in 1863. Shortly afterwards Mr. McGuire came to New Zealand and served throughout the Waikato campaign. Subsequently, he went to the West Coast diggings. During the Taranaki campaign, he joined a cavalry company at Wanganui, and served in the engagements against Titikowarn, but was soon afterwards transferred to the commissariat department. Mr. McGuire was mentioned in despatches, and received a commission as lieutenant. On leaving the service he commenced business as a general storekeeper, in Patea, where he continued for several years. Mr. McGuire then removed to Hawera, and in the year 1882 went to Auckland, where he remained for three years, and subsequently returned to Taranaki. In 1887, he contested a seat against the late Sir Harry Atkinson, but was defeated. He was presented by his supporters with a silver salver, and other articles of silver plate. In 1891, he was returned for Egmont, and was afterwards reelected three times. Subsequently, when the Eltham district was cut out of the Hawera electorate, the electors of Eltham presented Mr. McGuire with an illuminated address, in recognition of his services as member. He has been a Justice of the Peace for many years. Mr. McGuire was a member for South Taranaki in the Taranaki Provincial Council until the abolition of
Mr. George Hutchison
was a member of the House of Representatives from 1891 to 1896, and represented Waitotara during the first three years, and Patea during the last three years of the period. He practised as a barrister and solicitor, first at Wanganui, and latterly in Wellington. At the close of the war in the Transvaal, Mr. Hutchison left New Zealand to settle in South Africa; but he afterwards returned to the colony, and is now (1906) practising his profession in Auckland.
Mr. Henry Brown ,
J.P., represented Taranaki in the House of Representatives from December, 1896, to the same month in 1899. He was born in 1842, in Lincolnshire, England, and arrived in New Plymouth in March, 1859. Mr. Brown settled in the country, and during the Maori disturbances he served in the volunteers for about four years, and received the New Zealand war medal He was interested in the timber trade in the neighbourhood of New Plymouth for about ten years, and was one of the pioneers of Inglewood, where he established his mill in 1877. For many years Mr. Brown was chairman of the Inglewood Town Board, and for about eight years was a member of the Taranaki County Council. In 1867, he married a daughter of the late Mr. John Brooking, of New Plymouth, and has one son and one daughter.
Town Of New Plymouth.
New Plymouth
is the chief town of the province of Taranaki. It lies on the coast, with the lofty snow-clad volcanic peak of Mount Egmont rising in the background. In the early days the settlement was the scene of great difficulties with the natives, and of many years of warfare between the two races. On the 3rd of January, 1856, the brig “Ocean” landed troops from Auckland. At that time there were no barracks, and the military camped on the site of the town. The arrival was in consequence of the inter-tribal warfare among the natives themselves. At the beginning of the following year disturbances between the rival natives ceased, but in the month of December, of the same year, there were further hostilities. On the 6th of March, 1859, H.M.S. “Iris” arrived off the coast with his Excellency the Governor on board, the native chief Wi Kingi with his Maoris having refused to allow the whites to occupy and take possession of the land they had acquired. Martial law was proclaimed on the 23rd of February, 1860, and at that time the settlers were compelled to flock into New Plymouth for safety. During the troublesome times that followed, St. Mary's Anglican churchyard was used by the military as a stockade, and the church itself as a picket house. The Maoris had been burning and destroying the property of the settlers, in all directions around New Plymouth, and in July, 1860, they were within three miles of the town itself. In fact, they threatened to lay siege to the town, and murders were reported every day. Women and children were accommodated in the old barracks at Marsland Hill, and an attack was hourly expected. The camp at Waireka was besieged; at Tataraimaka, Omata, and other places, within a few miles of the town, every home was destroyed, and the cattle of the settlers driven away; and New Plymouth, to all intents and purposes, was in a state of seige. This period of Taranaki's history is fully dealt with in the general introduction to this volume; and now, in spite of and partly in consequence of all that has happened, the province is covered with homesteads and thriving townships, and New Plymouth is the centre of a beautiful, fertile, and well cultivated district.
New Plymouth is connected with Wellington by 251 miles of railway, via the Manawatu line, and by 297 miles, via the Wairarapa railway, to Te Aro station. The line is also continued to the port of Waitara on the north, and to the breakwater on the south. Steamers trade every day between the breakwater and the Manakau, One-hunga. With the construction of the breakwater the danger and inconveniences of the open roadstead have been removed, and steamers now lie at the wharf, and discharge cargo and land passengers in safety and comfort. Trains and busses run from the breakwater to the town.
To tourists and visitors, Mount Egmont is, of course, the chief attraction, and is reached by a good buggy road to within six miles of the summit: but the excursionist has the choice of two or three other routes along each of which there are views of noble scenery. The National Park of nearly 80,000 acres is under the control of four Forest Boards; that for the northern division has its headquarters in New Plymouth; that for the southern, at Hawera; for the eastern, Stratford; and for the western, Rahotu.
Great expectations are indulged in by the New Plymouth people in connection with the inexhaustible supplies of ironsand on the coastline of Taranaki; and also in respect to the mineral oil in the neighbourhood. Indeed, the Moturoa Petroleum Company, which had been operating for some time, was successful, in 1906, in tapping an unusually strong flow of oil. The prospects were such that shares, which were valued at £5, advanced to £60, in a short time. This lead to the floating of a company, with a capital sufficient to work the oil field, and erect a refinery to put the oil on the market
New Plymouth is built on low undulating hills extending from the sea shore to the slope of Marsland Hill. Over these hills many cuttings have been necessary for roading purposes. The natural drainage is by the Huatoki stream, which flows through the borough into the sea. The town's general market day is Saturday, and the weekly half-holiday is held on Thursday. The local industries include a timber and woodware factory, an iron foundry, coachbuilding, and boot factories, meat packing and freezing works. All the various trades and businesses in the colony are represented, and there is also a considerable number of large wholesale houses. The five banks doing business in the colony are represented by branches. The principal retail street is Devon Street, which runs through the town, and is crossed by such streets as Liardet, Currie, and Brougham; in the latter of which there are many offices and warehouses, as well as a number of retail establishments. The suburbs include Fitzroy, Westown and Beaconsfield. St. Mary's historic church contains flags and hatchments representing the Imperial Regiments that served in Taranaki; and in the churchyard fronting Vivian Street, a handsome Maltese granite cross, on a stone foundation, bears an inscription to the memory of Taranaki troopers, who fell in the South African war of 1899–1902. The population of the borough of New Plymouth, at the census of 1901, was 4405, and at the census of 1906, 5147.
The real port of New Plymouth is at Moturoa, about two miles from the town, close to the well known Sugar Loaves, which form a landmark to approaching vessels. A concrete mole or breakwater runs out in a north-easterly direction for a distance of 2,150 feet, and provides shelter for shipping. Wharf accommodation is provided for coastal steamers under the lee of the breakwater, and steamers of 1000 tons can be berthed in almost any state of the weather. The Government railway is extended from New Plymouth right on to the breakwater, and passengers can communicate direct with steamers. The exports include, butter, cheese, bacon and hams, as well as leather, hides, wool, and fungus. Moturoa is in constant communication with New Plymouth by road and railway. Trains run specially to suit the convenience of travellers, departing or arriving at the breakwater, and there is also frequent communication on good roads by coaches. Moturoa is the scene of the oil boring operations, and there are extensive freezing works owned by a Taranaki company. Several farms, homesteads, a local hotel, and workshops in connection with the breakwater, together with a number of residences, complete the features of the settlement.
Recreation Grounds, New Plymouth. Collis, photo.
New Plymouth Corporation.
The municipality of New Plymouth was constituted in 1876. The borough has an area of 850 acres, and contains about 800 rateable properties, the annual value of which was £53,800 in 1906. On this a general rate of 1s 9d in the pound is levied, with a special rate of 10d, and a water rate of 6d in the pound. There are about twenty-nine miles of streets—most of which are formed—within the borough boundaries. The total loans of the whole borough of New Plymouth amounted, in the year 1906, to £104,000, and had been obtained for ordinary works, water supply, electric lighting, drainage, public baths, and abattoirs. Exclusive of loans, the total revenue of the borough for the year that ended on the 31st of March, 1906, was £11,000. The town is divided into three wards—East, West, and Central—and each is represented by three members.
The source of supply for the borough is at the Waiwakaiho river, about three miles and a-half outside the town. The water is secured at the intake, and is brought in by gravitation, through steel pipes, for a distance of one mile to the reservoir; in its course, it passes through a tunnel of three-quarters of a mile. The capacity of the reservoir is equal to one million gallons. The water is filtered before it enters the reservoir, and is led into the town, and laid on to all parts of the borough, by means of steel pipes. The water supply also serves adjacent suburbs, and is used for household supply, drainage, and power purposes. It gives a daily pressure of 133 pounds to the square inch, and increases during the night to 150 pounds pressure. The entire cost of the waterworks has been £25,400.
The source of the water supply is sufficient also to provide the borough with an electric installation. The pipes conveying the supply from the Waiwakaiho river are carried over the brow of the hill to the power-house. This gives a fall of about 170 feet, and drives 2 turbines of about seventy horse-power each. These are coupled direct to two forty-five kilo-watts, 2000volt, single phase generators. From the power-house there are about four miles of overhead lines, which convey the electrical energy to the distributing station, at the corner of Lemon Street and Liardet Street. Thence the lines are led on the three-wire system, to supply the street lamps and private lighting of the borough; most of the street lights are of the incandescent variety; 110 are glow lights, and ten are arc lights. The cost of the whole installation exceeded £13,000.
The septic tank system is in use in New Plymouth. Before its adoption, the borough depended on the natural drainage of the Huatoki stream, which runs through the town. Since the drainage system was completed, the whole, with the exception of the surface water, runs through a tank, which is 150 feet long, by 20 feet wide, and 11 feet deep. The total cost of the installation was £10,000.
At the western end of the town, on the sea beach, there are salt water swimming baths. The basin measures 100 feet by forty feet, and has a tapering depth of from five feet six inches to eleven feet six inches; it is automatically emptied and filled by the action of the tides. The basin is constructed of concrete, and is in the open; it is surrounded, however, by covered dressing boxes on all sides, and there are two rooms in front, and also two hot water baths, and some shower baths. The cost of these baths was £3,300.
There are three stations; the central one in Powderham Street, and a branch station at the east and west of the town respectively. The Volunteer Fire Brigade is maintained by an annual subsidy of £100 from the borough, and by private subscriptions.
The Town Hall stands on a quarter of an acre in King Street; it is a two-storey wooden building, and was originally erected in the early days, as the Provincial Council Chamber. The ground floor contains the offices of the Town Clerk, and of the Borough Engineer; also the free Public Library and Reading Room, which are under the control of the Council. The next floor is taken up with the Council Chamber, a small Museum, and the offices of the Electrical Engineer and the Borough Inspector.
The abattoirs are at Fitzroy, two miles from New Plymouth, and the site contains seventy-six acres of land. The building, which is constructed chiefly of concrete, was completed in May, 1904, and ranks amongst the most up-to-date of its kind in the colony. Including the purchase of the land, it cost £7000.
Of the parks and recreation grounds of New Plymouth, the Botanical Gardens are most notable, and are specially described in another article. The Western Park, however, is directly under the control of the Council; it consists of eighteen acres, all fenced, and has been so improved as to be in every way fitted for football, cricket, cycling, and other athletic sports. The site was obtained by the borough in 1903, by an exchange of land with the School Commissioners. The Western Park consists of a natural amphitheatre, from the slopes of which thousands of spectators can witness the sports on the pretty grounds below. The borough also has forty-one acres of land, which are under lease to the local Jockey Club, for a racecourse.
Under a Provincial Ordinance of the 28th of October, 1861, twenty-four acres of land were set apart for the purposes of a cemetery, which is now under the control of the Borough Council. There is a small mortuary chapel, and the grounds are prettily laid out in walks and flower borders. On the hill adjoining, and overlooking the flatter portion of the cemetery, there is a monument to the memory of the Rev. John Whiteley, who was murdered at White Cliffs by the Maoris in 1869; and also one commemorating the Gascoigne family, and other victims who lost their lives at Pukearuhe.
A third monument was erected by the 57th Regiment to the memory of comrades killed in the New Zealand campaign.
East Ward—Messrs W. N. Ewing, L. M. Monteath, and F. E. Wilson; West Ward, Messrs G. W. Browne, J.
Mr. E. Harvey-Gibbon ,
M.I.C.E., is Borough Engineer; Mr. A. H. Kendall, Inspector; Mr. H. Black, Electrical Engineer; Mr. F. J. Reakes, Inspector of Meat and Manager of the Abattoirs; and Mr. F. T. Bellringer is Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Borough Solicitor.
Mr. Edward Dockrill
was elected Mayor of New Plymouth in April, 1906. He had previously been Mayor continuously for five years and a half,
Mr. E. Dockrill, Mayor of New Plymouth.
Councillor William Andrews Collis
was born in Fiji, South Sea Islands, in 1853, but arrived in Auckland at an early age, and was educated at Wesley College. The family settled in New Plymouth in 1872, and the subject of this sketch was brought up as a photographer with Mr. Hartley Webster. After some time he became manager of Messrs Williamson and Company's business, and commenced on his own account, in Brougham Street, in the year 1875. Mr. Collis was elected to the Borough Council, in 1889, for West Ward, but he has latterly represented Central Ward. He is a representative of the Council on the Board which controls the Recreation Grounds, and is the New Plymouth member of the Egmont National Park Board. Mr. Collis is chairman of the North Egmont Committee, in connection with the Park, and is secretary and treasurer of the local Scenery Preservation Society, the parent society of its kind in New Zealand. He has also been for several years chairman of the New Plymouth school committee. As a Forester, Mr. Collis is a trusted of Court Waireka, Ancient Order of Foresters; and he acts as trustee and secretary of three trusts in connection with the Wesleyan Methodist Church in New Plymouth. He was married, in 1877, to a daughter of the late Mr. W. R. King, of New Plymouth, and has two sons and four daughters. Mr. Collis is further referred to in connection with his business as a photographer.
Councillor William Francis Brooking
has been a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council since the year 1896. He was born on the 11th of June, 1844, in London, England, and was educated partly in Melbourne, Australia, and partly in New Zealand. He came to New Zealand in February, 1855, and settled in Taranaki, where he learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, and was afterwards manager for Mr. George until the beginning of the year 1888, when he acquired the business on his own account. During the Maori troubles of 1861–62 Mr. Brooking served with the No. 1 Militia, and with bush parties, and was a member of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers until the Parihaka scare in 1881. He served as colour-sergeant for many years, and rose to the rank of sub-lieutenant. Mr. Brooking is a director of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory, the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society, and is chairman of the St. Mary's Anglican Church Trust Board; as a Freemason, he is a member of Lodge. De Burgh Adams, 446, Irish Constitution, in connection with which he has passed all the chairs. Mr. Brooking married a daughter of the
Collis, photo. Councillor .
Councillor James Frederick Stohr ,
who has been a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council since the year 1900, was born at Sandhurst, Bendigo, Victoria, in 1860. In 1868, he came to New Zealand with his parents, who settled in Dunedin, where he was educated, and learned the watchmaking and jewellery business. Mr. Stohr afterwards removed to New Plymouth, and in 1883 established himself in business in Devon Street. Ten years later he sold out, and went to Melbourne, Victoria, where he remained for fifteen months. He then returned to New Zealand, settled in New Plymouth, and for a number of years carried on business as a tobacconist; but retired from business in the year 1903. He is a member of the New Plymouth Jockey Club, cricket club, and football club. Mr. Stohr married a daughter of Mr. Edward Okey, of New Plymouth, in 1886, and has four sons and one daughter.
Collis, photo..Councillor J. F. Stohr.
Councillor George William Browne
has been a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council since the year 1902. He was born in Hastings, Sussex, England, in 1851, and was carried, as an infant, to the great Exhibition of London. Mr. Browne
Collis photo.Councillor G. W. Browne.
Councillor Frank Edwin Wilson
has been a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council since the year 1904. He was born in Dunedin in the year 1868, was educated at the Dunedin Boys' High School, and afterwards studied law under Mr. Justice Edwards, in Wellington. He was then for some time in the office of Messrs Chapman and Tripp. In March, 1893, he removed to Taranaki, was for eighteen months at Stratford, and for five years acted as managing clerk to Mr. T. S. Weston, in New Plymouth. Mr. Wilson was admitted to the bar by Mr. Justice Williams in July, 1899. In January, 1903, he became a partner in the firm of Roy and Wilson. As a Freemason, Mr. Wilson is a member and Past Master of Lodge Ngamotu, 48, New Zealand Constitution. He was at one time a football player, and was secretary of the New Plymouth Lawn Tennis Club. In October, 1905, he married a daughter of the late Mr. J. Bell Thomson.
Councillor William Neilson Ewing
was elected to the New Plymouth Borough Council for East Ward in 1905. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and was educated and brought up to commercial life in his native city. In 1882 he arrived in Auckland, and twenty years later removed to New Plymouth. He holds the position of accountant to the firm of Smart Brothers. In 1893 Mr. Ewing married a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Smart, and has two sons and one daughter.
Councillor David Hutchen ,
who has represented Central Ward in the New Plymouth Borough Council since 1905, was born in Invercargill in the year 1865, and was educated at Wellington College. He is a son of Mr. James Hutchen, of the well known firm of Messrs Stuart and Co., Wellington. He served articles with
Collis photo.Councillor D. Hutchen.
Councillor Lawrence McLacrin Monteath ,
who has represented East Ward in the New Plymouth Borough Council since 1905, was born in 1868 in India. He was educated in England, brought up to mercantile life, and came out to Wellington in 1889. For ten years he engaged in farming in the Okaiawa district. After a trip to the old country, in 1900, he commenced business as a grain and produce merchant in New Plymouth. In 1892, Mr. Monteath married a daughter of the late Mr. H. C. Raikes, of Nelson, and has three daughters and one son.
Mr. Felix Templeman Bellringer ,
Town Clerk and Treasurer of the Borough of New Plymouth, has been in office since July, 1901, and he was also appointed Borough Solicitor in the year 1906. He was born in the borough in March, 1877, studied for the law, and was admitted a solicitor in March, 1900. He practised for a year as a member of the firm of Richmond and Bellringer, before his appointment as Town Clerk. Mr. Bellringer has taken an active interest in outdoor sports. He occupied the position of chairman of the Taranaki Rugby Union for three years, and is also president of the Taranaki Reforces Association. As a volunteer, he is at present a lieutenant of the Taranaki Rilles. Mr. Bellringer was married, in 1901, to a daughter of Mr. J. Abbot, of New Plymouth, and has one daughter.
Mr. E. Harvey-Gibbon ,
Assoc. M.I.C.E., London, was appointed Engineer to the Borough of New Plymouth in March, 1901. He was born
Mr. E. Harvey-Gibbon.
Mr. Alfred Henry Kendall ,
Sanitary Engineer for the Borough of New Plymouth, was born in December, 1867, at Rawdon, near Leeds, England,
Collis photo. Mr. A. H. Kendall.
Mr. Vincent West Ardern
was appointed Foreman of the New Plymouth Borough Council's stone crushing and street rolling plant in the year 1903. He was born in Manchester, England, in 1866, and came with his parents to New Zealand in 1869. Mr. Ardern was educated at Inglewood, and for some time afterwards served time as a mechanical enengineer, with an uncle, Mr. W. T. West, in the erection of dairy factories in the Taranaki district. Later, he was employed in sawmilling, and subsequently
Collis photo.
The New Plymouth Volunteer Fire Brigade
was established in 1883. The principal station is in Powderham Street, and there are branch stations in Devon Street—east and west. The brigade has thirty members, and there are five auxiliary members resident on the central station. Officers for 1906: Mr. Fred Bellringer, superintendent; Mr. A. Boon, sub-superintendent; Mr. T. R. Ford, secretary. Mr. Bellringer has been superintendent since the year 1896, and is at the present time (1906) President of the United Fire Brigades' Association of New Zealand.
Ex-Mayors.
The first Mayor of New Plymouth was Mr. A. Standish, who held office for two years, and was succeeded by Mr. A. C. Fookes, who was Mayor for one year. Then followed Mr. J. Davidson, for two years, and he, in turn, was succeeded by Mr. W. Bayly, who held office from 1881 to 1884, and again from 1886 to 1888. During the two intervening years, Mr. J. Paul was Mayor. Mr. J. B. Roy became Mayor in 1888, held office for one year, and, four years later, was again elected, and remained Mayor till 1897. The interval of four years between Mr. Roy's terms was filled by Mr. J. Bellringer. Mr. E. Dockrill succeeded Mr. Roy, and held office till the end of April, 1903. Mr. R. Cock held office for the three years ending April, 1906, when Mr. Dockrill was again elected. Of the nine gentlemen who have occupied the Mayor's chair, three are dead; namely, Messrs J. Davidson, J. Bellringer and W. Bayly. Before the incorporation of the borough, New Plymouth was managed by a Town Board.
Mr. Arthur Standish ,
who was the first Mayor of New Plymouth, is a native of Yorkshire, England, and arrived in New Zealand with his parents when very young. He studied law with Messrs Merriman and Jackson, barristers and solicitors, in Auckland, and was subsequently admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court. Mr. Standish served as one of the early volunteers under Major Lloyd. Shortly after the breaking out of the war, he received a commission in the New Zealand Militia, and continued in active service until the conclusion of the Maori troubles in the Taranaki district. He then retired with the rank of captain, and received the New Zealand medal. In 1861, Mr. Standish commenced to practise as a barrister and solicitor in New Plymouth. He was appointed Crown Solicitor in 1863, and was one of the first to receive that appointment. As a member of the old Provincial Council, and as a member of the Provincial Government. Mr. Standish, with his colleagues,
Mr. A. Standish.
Mr. Albert Cracroft Fookes ,
who was the second Mayor of New Plymouth, and held office from the 18th of December, 1878, till the 17th of December, 1879, was born in Kent,
Mr. A. C. Fookes.
Mr. James Davidson ,
the third Mayor of New Plymouth, was returned on the 17th of December, 1879, when he succeeded Mr. A. C. Fookes. He held office until the 21st of December, 1881. Mr. Davidson was connected with a legal office, and died at Waipuku.
Mr. William Bayly ,
who was the fourth Mayor of New Plymouth, took office on the 21st of December, in the year 1881, and held it until the 17th of December, 1884. On the 15th of December,
The Late Mr. W. Bayly.
Mr. James Paul ,
who was Mayor of New Plymouth from the 17th of December,
Mr. J. Paul.
Mr. John Barton Roy
was Mayor of New Plymouth from the 19th of December, 1888, to the 18th of December, 1889. He was again elected, and held office from the 26th of December, 1893, till the 25th of November, 1897. He had previously served as a councillor of the borough for three years. Mr. Roy was born at Trentham, near Wellington, and was educated at the Otago High School, and also at Nelson College. He was trained for the legal profession in Nelson, where he was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, in December, 1876. In the year 1879, he commenced the practise of his profession in New Plymouth, and since that time has been legal adviser to a considerable number of local bodies. Mr. Roy has been closely associated with the institutions of Taranaki, and has taken a deep interest in education. Since the year 1889 he has been a member of the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School, and occupied the chair for five years. Mr. Roy is senior partner in the firm of Roy and Wilson.
Mr. Richard Cock ,
J.P., was elected Mayor of New Plymouth on the 23rd of April, 1903, and held office continuously until after the election in April, 1906, when he was not a candidate. Mr. Cock was born in 1851 in New Plymouth, and, like most Taranaki boys, received his early education at Crompton's private school. At the age of twelve, he joined Dr. Humphries, who owned a chemist's shop at first, but subsequently, in conjunction with his son, established, and successfully carried on for years a wine and spirit store. For fifteen years Mr. Cock served Messrs Humphries, and then started on his own account, by leasing a small shop in Brougham Street, where he created a successful business. Mr. Cock filled the position of chairman of the Harbour Board, and became a member of the Sinking Fund Commissioners, with
Mr. R. Cock. Mr. R. Cock's private residence.
Mr. James Bellringer ,
J.P., was first elected a member of the Borough Council of New Plymouth in 1879, and was Mayor from 1889 till 1893. During the term of his Mayoralty, the jubilee of the province occurred, and Mr. Bellringer took a very active part in making the celebration a thorough success. A great many improvements were effected in the borough during his term of office. On his retirement from civic life, he was presented with an illuminated address in recognition of his services, and a group of the portraits of his fellow councillors. Mr. Bellringer was born in 1837 at Wrantage near Taunton, Somersetshire, England, where he was educated, and served his time with a leading firm of plumbers and painters, in whose employment he remained seven years. In 1857 he arrived in Auckland in the ship “Spirit of Trade,” and shortly afterwards settled in New Plymouth. He served through the Taranaki war with the 65th Regiment, and afterwards joined the Taranaki Bush Rangers, with whom he saw some active service. On the conclusion of the war he received the Imperial medal in recognition of his services. About 1865, he successfully established himself in Devon Street as a painter and decorator. Mr. Bellringer was a thoroughly representative colonist, and always took a very prominent part in public movements for the welfare of the district. He was for several years chairman of the New Plymouth school committee, chairman of the Fitzroy school committee, and chairman of the Te Henui Road Board, and of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr. Bellringer was an active Freemason, and a Past Master in the Order; and was connected with the Oddfellows for over forty years. He was a corresponding secretary of the district for over twenty-two years, a member of Excelsior Lodge for over thirty-three years, and permanent secretary for seventeen years. Mr. Bellringer was married and left a family of seven sons and four
The Late Mr. J. Bellringer.
Mr. William Cottier ,
who was a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council for several years, was born in the Isle of Man in 1811, and went with his parents, in 1852, in the barque “Tancred,” to Australia, where he spent the early part of his life on the goldfields. For some time Mr. Gottier was trading in a small vessel in and about Victoria. In 1863 he was attracted to New Zealand by the Dunstan goldfields in Otago, and was the first to apply for a patent for improvements in certain mining machinery. During the same year, he removed to Taranaki, served throughout the war with the military settlers, and received eighty acres of land for his services. On the corps disbanding, he decided to
A Pioneer's Hut.The Late Mr. W. Cottier.
Mr. Abraham Goldwater ,
who represented the West Ward in the New Plymouth Borough Council for over six years, was born in Auckland in 1858, received his education there, and commenced his business life with L. D. Nathan and Co, with whom he remained twelve years, first as clerk in the warehouse, and afterwards as traveller throughout the province of Auckland. It is now (1906) nearly twenty years since Mr. Goldwater began business as a wine and spirit merchant and general importer in New Plymouth, and he has since built up a very satisfactory connection. He has always willingly given his co-operation in promoting the welfare of the district. Mr. Goldwater is married, and has one daughter.
Mr. A. Goldwater.
Mr. Walter Henry Scott
was born in London, on the 9th of October, 1828, where he learned the builders' trade. He arrived in New
Mr. W. H. Scott.
Mr. Joe Ward ,
J.P., was elected to the New Plymouth Borough Council as member for West Ward in 1892, and was chairman of the Library and Fire Prevention Committees. Mr. Ward was born in Dorset, England, in 1824, and arrived in New Plymouth
Mr. J. Ward.
New Plymouth Harbour Board.
The New Plymouth Harbour Board
consists of nine members, three of whom are nominated by the Government, and the remainder are elected by ratepayers throughout the entire district, which is divided into six wards as follows: New Plymouth borough, Clifton, Stratford, Hawera, Egmont and Taranaki counties, each of which returns one of the members, who are elected once in two years; the Government nominees are appointed by the Governor-in-Council every three years. Members in 1906: Messrs J. Ward, R. Price, and R. W. Hornby (Government nominees), J. B. Connett (New Plymouth borough). N. King (Taranaki county), J. Hine (Clifton county), G. McLean (Hawera county), J. Thomson (Stratford county), E. Maxwell (Egmont county). Mr. J. B. Connett is chairman of the Board, Mr. C. Rennell, secretary; Captain C. E. Hood, harbourmaster, and Mr. J. McMahon, assistant harbourmaster. The original breakwater at Moturoa, New Plymouth, was 1950 feet long; but since 1905 it has been lengthened a further distance of 200 feet. The railway line extends to the end of the wharf, and thence the mail train starts daily in the morning, and returns to connect with steamers leaving for Auckland in the evening. The cargo to and from the steamers is worked directly from and to the trucks. Butter and cheese are among the principal exports. In the year 1894, only 2191 tons of butter and cheese were shipped; but ten years later the total shipment amounted to 6953 tons. The income of the Board for the year ending the 31st of December, 1905, was £10,803. The depth of the water at the wharf varies from thirteen feet, at low water, to twenty-five at high water during spring tides. Steamers of 1000 tons can berth at the wharf. The charges are: Wharfage, 2s per ton; pilotage, 3d per ton, for sailing vessels, and half those rates for steamships; the port charges are: 4d per ton half-yearly. The breakwater, which cost an enormous sum of money, was designed by the well known engineer, Sir John Coode. The loans of the New Plymouth Harbour Board amount to £200,000, against which there is an accumulated sinking fund, which amounts to £54,332, and the revenue on trust accounts for the year ended 31st of December, 1905, was £14,365. The number of vessels that entered the harbour in the year 1894 was 372, with a tonnage of 91,040; ten years later, 476 vessels en-and their tonnage amounted to 228,743. The imports and exports for 1894 amounted to 24,902 tons, and for 1904, 62,940 tons. The sinking fund of the Harbour Board is managed commissioners; namely, Messrs H.
Mr. Clarence Rennell ,
Secretary of the New Plymouth Harbour Board, is a native of Surrey, England. He received his education and commercial training in London. In the year 1852, after about three years of seafaring life, he settled in Victoria, and remained there for twelve years, during which he met with varied success on the goldfields. Mr. Rennell arrived in New Plymouth with his family in the year 1866, when he entered into business as a land and commission agent, and soon established a good connection. On the abolition of the provinces, he was appointed Government District Auditor (having previously acted as Provincial Auditor), but resigned the position in 1882 to take that of secretary to the Harbour Board, a position which he still retains. The New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society, which is a flourishing institution, in a great measure owes its origin to Mr. Rennell, who is still secretary and treasurer, and has occupied these positions since the formation
Mr. C. Rennell.
Captain Charles Ernest Hood
has been Harbourmaster of the Port of New Plymouth since the year 1897. Captain Hood was formerly in charge of the well known intercolonial liner, “Anglian.” He married a daughter of Mr. Frederick Moore, of Hobart, in 1884. This lady died in 1903, leaving two sons, and in 1904 Captain Hood married a daughter of the late Mr. Joseph Craig, of Auckland. He is more fully referred to on page 776 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
Licensing Committees.
The Taranaki Licensing Committee
has jurisdiction over the electoral district of Taranaki, which extends from Ngariki road, below Rahotu, to within about two miles of the mouth of the Waiongono river on the north and a considerable distance inland. Members of the committee for the year 1906: Messrs T. Hutchison, Stipendiary Magistrate (chairman), D. Berry, W. Ambury, J. S. McKellar, W. L. Newman, and T. Brasch. Mr. W. A. D. Banks is clerk to the committee. There are nine hotel licenses, two accommodation licenses, three wholesale licenses, and a packet license in the district.
The Egmont Licensing Committee
has jurisdiction over the electoral district of Egmont. Members for the year 1906: Messrs T. Hutchison, Stipendiary Magistrate (chairman), W. L. Grey, D. H. McDonald, R. H. Piggott, C. H. Scott, and A. M. Thomson. Mr. W. A. D. Banks is clerk. There are eight hotel licenses and one packet licence in the district.
Taranaki County Council.
The Taranaki County Council
came into being in 1877, at the commencement of the operation of the Counties Act. The county is divided into three ridings—Moa, Waitara, and Omata; of which the first and last return three members each, and the Waitara riding two members. The total area under the jurisdiction of the Council measures 583 square miles; and the capital value of rateable property in the county is £1,653,018, on which a general rate of three farthings in the pound is levied, besides a Hospital and Charitable Aid rate of one-eighth of a penny in the pound. The county endowments consist of 1323 acres of agricultural and grazing land, which brings in an income of about £100 per annum. On the 31st of March, 1906, the revenue for the previous year was shown to have been £8,651, and the expenditure £7,626. The county's loans amounted to £5071 for bridges, and £2754 for roads. These loans have been obtained under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. The offices of the county are situated in Queen Street, New Plymouth. Members for 1906: Messrs G. V. Tate (chairman). J. Brown, R. Stevens, F. Julian, Mark Hopson, C. Andrews, J. R. Hill, and G. A. Adlam. Mr. Robert Ellis, A.M.Z.A.A., is clerk and treasurer, and Mr. J. Skinner, C.E. engineer.
Mr. G. V. Tate ,
Chairman of the Taranaki County Council, was born in 1850 at sea, near the Cape of Good Hope, on the ship “Phoebe Dunbar.” He was brought up from boyhood to agriculture on his father's farm, and now occupies 400 acres of beach land near Waitara. Besides store cattle, sheep, and horses, Mr. Tate grows grain extensively, and milks a large number of cows every day. He has always been an enthusiastic breeder of horses, and some very fine specimens of draught stock, bred on his estate, have graced the show ring, and secured several prizes. He was the first in the Taranaki district to make use of the double-furrow plough. As a settler he has always taken his share of local responsibilities, and is chairman of the Waitara West Road Board, president of the Taranaki Farmers' Club, and one of the oldest members of the Taranaki
Mr. G. V. Tate.
Mr. Robert Ellis ,
Clerk of the Taranaki County Council, since October, 1905, is a native of Ross, Westland, where he was born in 1872. Prior to his appointment, he was for several years. Town Clerk of the borough of Inglewood. Mr. Ellis is (by examination) an Associate of the New Zealand Accountants' and Auditors' Association, and gained his certificate and membership at the examination of 1904.
Mr. Brownlow Horrocks ,
who was a member of the Taranaki County Council for a number of years, is a son of the late Captain Charles Horrocks, of H.M. 15th Regiment of Foot, and great grandson of John Horrocks, M.P. for Preston, and founder of the firm of Horrocks, Miller and Co., cotton spinners. He was born at Ostend, Belgium, in 1851, and was educated there, at Bath, and in Germany, being originally intended for the Navy. He, however, went to the River Plate,
Mr. B. Horrocks.
Parks and Gardens.
The Egmont National Park Board
was constituted in February, 1901, under the Egmont National Park Act of 1900, and consists of ten members, two of whom are Government nominees, and the remainder representatives of local governing bodies. The Commissioner of Crown Lands is chairman. Members for 1906: Messrs F. Simpson (chairman), S. Percy Smith and R. Dingle (Government nominees): W. A. Collis (New Plymouth borough), J. R. Hill (Taranaki County Council), N. King (Stratford borough), F. J. Wrigley (Hawera borough), F. W. Wilkie (Hawera County Council), A. J. Hastie (Stratford County Council), and A. H. Moore (Opunake Town Board). Mr. G. W. Palmer is secretary. The Park has an area of 78,922 acres, and in order to facilitate effective control and management, it is divided into four sections, each of which is under the control of local sub-committees, each consisting of about four members, who report periodically to the Board, and see to the proper conduct of the mountain houses, as well as other matters of detail.
The New Plymouth Botanical Gardens
are under the care of a Board of Trustees; namely, Messrs F. P. Corkill (chairman), C. W. Govett, R. C. Hughes, S. Percy Smith, W. L. Newman, H. Ford, and three members appointed by the Borough Council. Mr. E. H. Tribe acts as secretary. The lovely gardens under the control of the trustees are commonly called the Recreation Grounds. There are forty-five acres of land under the management of the Board, and when taken over, about the year 1880, the whole area was rough, rural land. From the first the work of laying out and beautifying the grounds has been steadily carried out, without a Government subsidy, and the expenditure has amounted to from two to three thousand pounds in all. The New Plymouth Borough Council has for years subsidised the work up to £50 per annum, and this has now been increased to £100 a year. The land consisted originally of hills and gullies, with a splendid supply of water, and so it naturally lent itself to the intended purpose. Lakes covering an area of seven acres and a-half have been artistically laid out, and the waters of these reflect, with an idealising beauty, the tree forns, ornamental shrubs, and other vegetation on the adjoining hillsides. One of the principal objects of the Board has been the collection of New Zealand shrubs and flora, a very large number of which have been planted, and many remarkably fine specimens are growing in the grounds. A band rotunda and an areadian bridge, together with pretty refreshment rooms, have been erected by the Board. There are swans and other water fowls on the various lakes. A very fine sports ground has been made, and the tiers of seats on the surrounding amphitheatre of hills will accommodate about ten thousand visitors. On this spot the principal football matches have hitherto been held, and band contests have also taken place on the grounds. It is the intention of a specially appointed committee to spend a sum of about £1300 on further improvements in that portion of the grounds known as the sports ground. The grounds are much used by picnickers, and those who have visited almost every part of the colony declare that there is nothing in New Zealand to surpass the Taranaki Botanical Gardens. Two men are constantly employed in planting, clearing, and caring for the property. In one part of the grounds there is a fish hatchery, under the care of the local Acclimatisation Society.
Collis, photo.Recreation Grounds, New Plymouth.
Mr. Edward Henry Tribe
has been Secretary to the Trustees of the Taranaki Botanical Gardens since 1804.
Military.
Taranaki has troops of mounted rifle and infantry volunteers, which are included in the Wellington battalions. Its mounted corps form part of No. 1. Battalion, Wellington (West Coast) Mounted Rifle Volunteers, which has its (head-quarters in Wanganui, and dates from the 1st of May, 1901. The Taranaki companies are known as the C Company—Hawera Mounted Rifle Volunteers; D Company—Stratford Mounted Rifle Volunteers; E Company — Opunake Mounted Rifle Volunteers; and F Company—Egmont Mounted Rifle Volunteers. The infantry division forms the 4th Battalion Wellington (Taranaki) Rifle Volunteers. The headquarters of this battalion are at New Plymouth, and eight companies form the battalion. The Tarata, New Plymouth, Rahotu, Kaponga, Tariki, and Urenui Defence Clubs are all within the Taranaki district.
The 4th Battalion Wellington (Taranaki) Rifle Volunteers
Collis, photo.Humphries' Castle, Mount Egmont.
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Nelson L. Okey ,
V.D., Officer commanding the 4th Battalion Wellington (Taranaki) Rifle Volunteers, was appointed to the position on the 8th of September, 1904.
The Taranaki Garrison Band
was formed in the year 1898. It is a full brass band, and has competed in various band contests, and taken third place at the Wanganui contest. Officers for 1906: Messrs T. B. McConnel (bandmaster), J. Richards (deputy-bandmaster), and Corporal N. Allen (secretary and treasurer).
Mr. Thomas Baird McConnel
was appointed Bandmaster of the Taranaki Band in November, 1904. He was born in the year 1868, in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, where he was educated, came to New Zealand in 1880, and landed at Port Chalmers. He learned the trade of a painter and paperhanger, and was for some time employed by the Union Company. Mr. McConnel became a member of the Port Chalmers Band, of which his father was bandmaster; and in 1892, on his removal to Napier, Hawke's Bay, became bandmaster of the Napier Garrison Band, and held the position for about three years. He returned to Port Chalmers about 1898, and became bandmaster of the local band. In the year 1901, he went to Hawera, to take charge of the Municipal Band, and continued there until his removal to New Plymouth, in 1904. Mr. McConnel married a daughter of the late Mr. Jack Hare, of Dunedin, in 1889, and has one son and one daughter. He is further referred to as a painter and paperhanger.
General Government Institutions.
As the chief town of Taranaki, New Plymouth has a number of Government departments, which are domiciled in a block surrounded by four streets; namely, Devon Street, Powderham Street, Robe Street, and Silver Street. The largest building of the group is usually known as the Government Buildings. Its frontage is to Devon Street, but it also faces Silver Street and Robe Street. A substantial and imposing addition in brick and stone has lately been made to the block. The Post and Telegraph offices, Customs, Public Trust Office and Deeds Registry Office are on the ground floor; and the Department of Lands and Survey, and the meeting room of the Taranaki Land Board and Egmont National Park Board, as well as the offices of the Roads Department for Taranaki, are on the upper floor. The premises of the Supreme Court, District Court, and Magistrate's Court are at the corner of Powderham Street and Robe Street, and the Police Station is in Silver Street. The gaol is situated on Marsland Hill, at the back of the town, and the administration of bankrupt estates is conducted at the office of the local Deputy Official Assignee. The Agricultural Department's branches for its stock, dairy, and veterinary sections, are domiciled in the Union Company's buildings, in St. Aubyn Street. The Labour Department has recently established a branch for Taranaki, with its offices in Rowe's Building, Currie Street, and there also the local Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages has his office. The Department of Health, and the Public Works Department, have their central offices for Taranaki at Stratford.
The New Plymouth Post and Telegraph Office
occupies the ground floor of the eastern end of the Government Buildings, at the corner of Devon and Robe Streets. The departments include Savings Bank, Money Order, Government Insurance, and other branches. The Telephone Exchange at New Plymouth has 320 subscribers, and there are sub-exchanges at Inglewood and Waitara, in addition to sixty-four bureaux. The chief postmaster, Mr. T. D. Holdsworth, is supported by a large staff of assistants.
The Customs Department
has been represented at New Plymouth since the forties. The office is in the Government Buildings, on the ground floor, and is entered from Silver Street. There are three bonds in the town of New Plymouth; namely, at the New Plymouth Express Company's buildings, and those of Messrs Burgess Fraser and Co., and of Mr. A. Goldwater. Besides the staff at New Plymouth, there is a coast waiter at Waitara. The principal exports are butter, cheese and meat. For some years the exports have been steadily increasing in value, and there was a substantial increase in imports in the year 1905.
Mr. John Hamilton Hempton
has been Collector of Customs at New Plymouth since the year 1903. He was born in the town in 1863, and also educated in his native place. In 1874, he joined the Customs in Wellington, where he served for a number of years before he was promoted to his present position. Mr. Hempton married a daughter of Mr. A. McCrorie, in 1899, and has one daughter.
The Taranaki Lands and Survey Department
is domiciled on the first floor of the Government Buildings, in Devon Street, New Plymouth. The district under control extends from the Mokau river in the north, to the mouth of the Putea river in the south. From the sea coast it runs inland to a point on the Wanganui river, a little north of Pipiriki, and at the northern end of the district, inland to the Ongaruhe river. The land district is divided into thirty-seven survey districts, each with its own distinctive name—generally in Maori. Mr. F. Simpson is Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor; Mr. W. H. Skinner, Chief Draughtsman; Mr. H. M. Bannister, Chief Clerk; Mr. C. Cook, Land Transfer Draughtsman; and Mr. F. A. Cullin, Receiver of Land Revenue. There are also three district surveyors—Messrs H. M. Skeet, G. H. Bullard, and W. T. Morpeth, besides six assistant surveyors and six clerks. The members of the Land Board for the district are Messrs F. Simpson (chairman). Hislop, Rattenbury, Connett and McCluggage.
Mr. Francis Simpson ,
Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for Taranaki, was born in the year 1846, in Lancaster, England. In 1853, he arrived in Auckland with his parents, and was educated at Wesley College, and at the Church of England Grammar School. During the Waikato war, Mr. Simpson held a commission in the 2nd Waikato Regiment, and saw service. He afterwards entered the service of the Auckland Provincial Government, and was subsequently transferred to that of the General Government. In 1875, he joined the Survey Department at Gisborne, and ultimately became a district surveyor. After serving in that capacity till 1892, he was appointed chief draug htsman at Napier, whence he was transferred to New Plymouth, where he was promoted, in June, 1904, to his present position.
Mr. John Strauchon ,
formerly Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Taranaki district, was born in Scotland and edurated
Mr. J. Strauchon.
Mr. Samuel Hill ,
Government Valuer for the districts of Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, and part of Wellington, and for the boroughs of New Plymouth, Hawera, Patea, Stratford, and Waitara, was born in Corfu, in 1854, and is a son of the late Mr. James Hill, Hospital Sergeant of the 58th Regiment, who came to New Plymouth in 1861, died in 1897, aged seventy five, and was buried with military honours. Mr. Hill came with his parents to New Plymouth, was educated there, and afterwards engaged in farming. He filled many responsible positions, acting as clerk to several of the local bodies in the Egmont district. About 1895, he retired from farming, and entered into business as a commission agent. This business he conducted for three years, and had a large and influential connection; but in 1897 he accepted his present Government appointments. Mr. Hill has always taken a prominent part in all local matters; he was for seven years a member of the Taranaki Education Board, and for a considerable period property-tax assessor. He takes a keen interest in the iron sand industry, is secretary to Mr. E. M. Smith's Iron Sand Mission, and also one of the lessees of the foreshore from Tapuae to Waiwakaiho. Mr. Hill became secretary to the Moturoa Lodge of Druids when the Order opened in New Plymouth, and has filled the chair in the Egmont Lodge of Oddfellows.
Collis, photo.Mountain House, Mount Egmont.
The Office Of The District Land Registry Of Deeds
at New Plymouth is situated in the Government Buildings. The local Stipendiary Magistrate acts as District Land Registrar, and the staff consists of the Assistant Land Registrar and three clerks.
Mr. Reginald Bayley ,
Assistant Land Registrar and Deputy Registrar of Deeds, was born in 1844, in Kent, England. He was brought to New Zealand in the year 1850, by his father, the Rev. George Bayley, served in the Maori war, and entered the Government service at New Plymouth in the year 1870.
The District Agency Of The Public Trust Office and The West Coast Settlements Reserves Agency
are domiciled in the Government Buildings, fronting Silver Street, New Plymouth. The Public Trustee has been locally represented since the commencement of the business of the department, and the West Coast Reserves Agency dates from 1883. This department deals with all Native Reserves, and West Coast Settlement Reserves throughout Taranaki, the lands themselves being vested in fee simple in the Public Trustee. They originally formed a portion of the confiscated territory, and now return a rental of about £26,000 per annum. There are about 1000 leases. The rentals are due half-yearly, and are divided twice a year among about 2500 native beneficiaries, to whom payment is made in the various settlements nearest to the native pas. The lands affected extend from White Cliffs in the north, to Waitotara, in the south. There is a sub-agency at Hawera.
Mr. Thomas William Fisher ,
J.P., has been agent for the Public Trustee and West Coast Reserves Agent at New Plymouth since the year 1895. He is further referred to on page 1466 of the Wellington volume of this. Cyclopedia.
The North Taranaki Office Of The Stock Branch Of The Agricultural Department
is situated in the Union Company's buildings, St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth. The local Inspector of Stock reports to the principal office of the district, which is at Wanganui.
Mr. Robert Rowan
has been Stock Inspector for North Taranaki since 1899. He was born in County Westmeath, Ireland, in 1857. In 1876 he arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Norfolk,” and had experience of station life in various positions before he joined the Stock Department as agent, at Gore, in 1897. A year later, he was transferred to Kurow, and thence, at the end of another year, to New Plymouth.
The Veterinary Division Of The Agricultural Department
for Taranaki has its office in the Union Steam Ship Company's building, St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth. The branch was established in the year 1903.
Captain Alexander Reid Young ,
M.R.C.V.S. (London), Veterinarian for Taranaki district, was born at Perth, Scotland, where he was educated, and studied at the Royal Veterinary College of Edinburgh. He afterwards became inspector for the Kincardinshire County Council, and local inspector for the Imperial Government, and was for over five years veterinary surgeon to the Public Health Department of Edinburgh. Captain Young came to New Zealand in 1900, and went to South Africa as veterinary lieutenant of the 4th New Zealand Contingent and veterinary captain of the 8th Contingent, and served with flying columns in active service. He returned to New Zealand, but retained his rank as captain, and entered the Agricultural Department in Wellington. He left the service, but subsequently rejoined and was appointed to his present position in New Plymouth.
The Dairy Division Of The Agricultural Department
for North Taranaki dates from the year 1898, and has its offices in the Union Company's building in St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth. The staff consists of the grader-in-charge and his assistant, a clerk, and a lady instructress. The district under control extends from Hawera, northwards through Taranaki.
Mr. John Johnston ,
Grader-in-charge of the Dairy Division in New Plymouth, was appointed in 1901. He was born in Taieri, Otago, in 1877, and had considerable experience in the management of dairy factories in the south, before joining the department.
The Registration Office For Births, Deaths, and Marriages
at New Plymouth was established in the year 1901, and is situated in Rowe's buildings, in Brougham Street.
Mr John Charles Smith
was appointed District Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Registrar of Medical Practitioners, and Vaccination Inspector, in the year 1901. He is the second son of Mr. E. M. Smith, M.H.R., and was born in Wellington, in 1871. Mr. Smith was educated at private and public schools in New Plymouth, and by tutors. Afterwards he learned the butchering business, and was for about five years manager of a local shop before he received his present appointment. He was a member of the New Plymouth Fire Brigade for eight years, was one of the founders of the Star Football Club; and is also a member and secretary of the New Plymouth Psychological Society. He married a daughter of Mr. Harry Rowson, of Stratford, in 1904, and has one son.
The New Plymouth Sub-District Of The Wanganui Police District
was constituted in 1898. Originally, New Plymouth was the head of the district, but in 1898 Wanganui became the principal office. The sub-district includes Mokau, Waitara, Inglewood and Rahotu. The staff includes a sergeant-in-charge, five constables, and a detective, and the police office is in Silver Street, New Plymouth.
Mr. Walter H. Hadrell ,
Sergeant-in-charge at New Plymouth, was born in Devonshire, England, in 1850. He came out to Canterbury in 1866, and joined the police under the Provincial Government, at Christ-church in 1872. He was promoted to a sergeantship in 1898.
The Gaol ,
at New Plymouth, was established in the old Provincial days. It stands on a site of eleven acres, on Marsland Hill, behind the town. The buildings are of concrete, the surrounding walls of stone, and were erected many years ago. There is accommodation for fifty male and ten female prisoners, and the average number in custody is twenty-five—mostly males; and these are generally employed in connection with local public works.
Mr. Bartholemew Lloyd O'Brien ,
Gaoler in charge at New Plymouth, was appointed in 1896. He was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in 1845, and entered the Imperial service, in which he served nine years in the United Kingdom. Before his appointment at New Plymouth, Mr. O'Brien had charge at Lyttelton for eight years, and at Hokitika for a similar period.
The North Taranaki Bankruptcy Department
is located in the office of Messrs Medley and Rundle, in Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. J. S. S. Medley has held the position of Deputy Official Assignee since the year 1902.
Mr. John Spencer Selwyn Medley ,
Deputy Official Assignee in Bankruptcy for North Taranaki, was born in Winchester, England, in 1868. He arrived in Wellington 1889, and was for some years farming in the Wanganui district before settling in New Plymouth in 1900.
The Roads Department For Taranaki
is under the Public Works Department, and was opened on the 1st of April, 1901. The office is at the Governmemt Buildings, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Work in the construction and maintenance of roads in all parts of the Taranaki land district is supervised from the office. About 310 men are regularly employed, under the care of three inspectors and five overseers.
Mr. George Thomas Murray ,
District Road Engineer, is the officer in charge of the roads department in Taranaki.
The Department Of Labour For The Taranaki District
was constituted a separate branch in the year 1905. The office is situated on the first floor of Rowe's building, in Brougham Street; and the district under the control of the local inspector extends from the north of Taranaki to Patea, in the south.
Mr. Adam Donald ,
Inspector of Factories for Taranaki, was appointed in June, 1905. He was born in Lytham, Lancashire, England, and was educated in his native county, and brought up to the trade of a joiner and builder. In December, 1869, he arrived in Auckland by the barque “Santiago,” and soon settled at Featherston, in the Wairarapa, where he followed the trade of a builder, and erected many buildings throughout the district. In May, 1905, Mr. Donald was appointed to the Labour Department at the head office in Wellington, where he continued till taking up his residence at New Plymouth, in charge of the Taranaki district. Mr. Donald was a member of the Featherston Town Board for about twenty-five years, and was its chairman on several occasions, and up till April, 1905. He was also for many years a member of the Licensing Bench at Featherston and held office till June, 1905. Mr. Donald was, for several years, also captain of volunteers in that district. In 1873, he married a daughter of Mr. David Cadenhead, of Featherston, builder, and has one son and four daughters.
The New Plymouth Railway Station
was built in 1902. It is of wood, with an iron roof, and contains a public office, a parcel room, a ticket lobby, a waiting room, a ladies' waiting room, and apartments for the stationmaster, foremen and porters, and a lamp room. There is a very long asphalt platform, and the building is provided with a clock, which faces the town. There is a large goods shed with railway sidings and an extensive engine shed; and the station yard fronts Morley Street. The traffic on the breakwater at Moturoa is worked from the New Plymouth station. The staff in the traffic department numbers about forty. On an average, five trains arrive and depart daily.
Mr. Arthur Herbert O'Loughlen ,
who has been station master at New Plymouth since 1903, was previously for some years at Marton. He is further referred to on page 1312 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
Charitable Institutions.
Fortunately, it is not needful to expend very large sums of money in connection with charitable aid in Taranaki, and there is plenty of work for willing workers. Provision, however, is very fully made for the care of those who are sick, or suffering from accidents, and also for those who, having passed the prime of life, need special care in their old age, and have no relatives or friends who are able to perform these duties for them. There is a very fine and well equipped hospital, which occupies a magnificent site, overlooking the town, and near to it is an excellent Old Peoples' Home. They are under the control of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, which raises funds by levies on counties and boroughs, and thus the public is taxed for these necessary institutions. The funds raised by this means are supplemented by private subscriptions, and the whole amount is subsidised by the General Government. Apart from the two institutions named, the Board undertakes the administration of charitable aid.
The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board
was established about the year 1880. Members for 1906: Mr. G. Tisch (chairman), and Messrs R. Cock, C. Andrews, J. Burgess, J. Brown, C. O'sullivan, and D. H. McDonald. Mr. C. M. Lepper is the Secretary and Treasurer. The Board controls the administration of the New Plymouth Hospital and Old People's Home, and administers Charitable Aid for the district. Dr. Leathain is Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, and Dr. Walker of the Old People's Home. The revenue of the Board is derived from contributions levied on the local bodies, and from Government subsidies and public subscriptions. The Board's offices are in Brougham Street, New Plymouth.
Mr. Charles Maxwell Lepper ,
Secretary and Treasurer of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, is a son of the late Major Maxwell Lepper, after whom the township of Lepperton is named. He was born in Wellington in 1861, educated at Adams' school, New Plymouth, and afterwards gained a thorough knowledge of farming as a cadet on Captain Armstrong's farm, “Tekorangi.” He took charge of Woodlands, his present property, in 1881, and devotes his attention chiefly to dairying. Mr. Lepper has always been prominent in local politics, and has been connected with the Waitara West Road Board, the New Plymouth Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and the Lepperton school committee for many years. He takes great interest in sporting affairs, is a member of most of the local clubs, and is also a Freemason. Mr. Lepper married a daughter of Captain Armstrong.
Mr. C. M. Lepper's Residence.
The New Plymouth Hospital
occupies a spacious site of ten acres of land, with a frontage to Dawson, Vivian and Fulford Streets. The main building, which is constructed of wood and iron, was erected about the year 1887. It is one storey in height, and a central corridor rums through almost its entire length. A very fine verandah stretches along the tront, and affords a magnificent view of the town of New Plymouth, and the sea beyond. The ends of the verandah are glassed in, for the greater comfort of convalescents. At each end of the building there are two convenient wards; those for men contain seventeen and ten beds respectively, and those for women ten each. A small ward for pneumonia cases contains two beds. There is a very fine dining room for male patients; a commodious kitchen; nurses' dining room, matron's room, and servants' quarters. The surgery, dispensary, and operating room are up-to-date in all respects. There are two cottages for the nurses; one of these, which contains eight rooms, was erected in 1905. There are two wards in the isolated quarters, and an annexe for consumptives was erected in 1905. This has two shelters, each containing four beds, for men and women respectively. In the centre it has an administration department, containing a dining roon, nurses' room, sitting and bathrooms, linen presses and kitchen, A convenient laundry, containing three apartments for washing, drying and ironing, is attached to the hospital. There is a fine tennis court for the use of the nurses and officers; and all the vegetables needed are grown in the hospital gardens. The town water is laid on to the hospital, which is lighted by electricity. The grounds are remarkable for their natural beauty, and for the way in which they are kept; and have, besides the ordinary flower borders and ornamental shrubs, refreshing fountains and artistic lakes. The staff consists of a matron, thirteen nurses, a warder, two housemaids, a cook, laundress, assistant and gardener; and the nurses are employed on the eight hours system.
Dr. Henry Blackburn Leatham ,
Superintendent of the New Plymouth District Hospital, is further referred to as a medical practitioner in New Plymouth.
Miss Elizabeth Browne
was appointed Matron of the New Plymouth Hospital in 1899. She is a native of Belfast, Ireland, and was educated in Auckland, where she arrived in the year 1883. Miss Browne served as a probationer at the Gisborne Hospital, where, after three years, she became head nurse, and served in that position for a similar period. In 1898 Miss Browne came to New Plymouth as senior nurse of the hospital, and was appointed Matron in the following year.
Mr. William Irvine Chinn
was appointed Honorary Librarian of the Taranaki Hospital in the year 1893, and was instrumental in the establishment of the library in that institution in the early days. He was born in 1849, in the south of England, where he was educated, and served his time as a bookbinder. In 1869 he left England for New Zealand, in the ship “Ocean Maid,” and landed at Wellington in 1870. Mr. Chinn then went to New Plymouth, and joined the Armed Constabulary Force, with which he served for three years in Taranaki. For a number of years subsequently he was publisher of the “Nelson Eveaing Mail,” but owing to failure of health returned to New Plymouth, and settled at Inglewood, where he has since carried on business as a painter and paperhanger. In the year 1904, he married a daughter of the late Mr. William Baldwin. of New Plymouth, and relict of Mr. William Crozier, of the 65th Regiment. Mrs Chinn has three sons and four daughters, most of whom are married. Mr. Chinn is further referred to as a painter and decorator at Inglewood.
The New Plymouth Old People's Home
is situated on a portion of the Hospital grounds, consisting of about three acres, and was rebuilt in the year 1900. The building is of wood and iron, with a large verandah on three sides, from which fine views are obtained. There are three main corridors, from which the various apartments open. Of the two sick wards, one contains four beds, the other one bed. There are two dining rooms, convenient sitting rooms, a large kitchen, scullery, store room, laundry, and baths, and lavatories. The building is lighted by gas, and supplied with town water, which is also laid on at fire hose at intervals of twenty yards in the corridors. There is accommodation for thirty-eight men and twenty-four women. Each inmate has a separate room comfortably furnished. The building is surrounded with well kept walks, lawns and flower borders, and there are large vegetable gardens, all of which are kept in order by the inmates, under the supervision of the officer in charge.
The Old People's Home, New Plymouth. Collis, photo.
Mr. Arthur Edwin Farrar
was appointed Master, and Mrs Farrar Matron, of the New Plymouth Old People's Home in the year 1902. Mr. and Mrs Farrar have both had a very wide experience of institution work, extending over a large number of years, in hospitals and mental hospitals.
Collis, photo. Mr. A. E. Farrar.
Educational.
Taranaki possesses the usual facilities for carrying on the system of free, secular, and compulsory education, which has been in vogue in New Zealand since the year 1877. New Plymouth contains the office of the Taranaki Education Board, which has jurisdiction over the northern and central portion of the provincial district, including the counties of Taranaki, Egmont and Clifton. The Board employs not only a large staff of teachers, but also a qualified inspector, with an assistant, and a truant officer, as well as an architect, and a secretary and treasurer. In New Plymouth itself there is a large and well equipped Central School, under the care of a headmaster, twelve teachers and pupil teachers, and with from 500 to 600 children in attendance. The school known as the Westown School is devoted to the infants, numbering 150, and is in charge of a mistress, who has three assistants. The New Plymouth High School (for boys and girls) is conducted in a fine building, which occupies
Collis, photo.New Plymouth.
The New Plymouth High School Board Of Governors
was constituted in the year 1889. Members: Messrs N. K. MacDiarmid (chairman), J. B. Roy, J. E. Wilson, M. Fraser, K. Dockrill, D. Berry, and S. Percy Smith. Mr. W. Bewley is secretary and treasurer. The Board of Governors controls the local High School, which has endowments of its own, and is situated on Avenue Road, at the east end of New Plymouth. The High School has separate apartments for boys and girls, and the staff consists of Mr. E. Pridham, M.A. (Rector), Miss Grant, M.A. (Assistant Mistress of the girls' department), Mr. H. H. Ward (Assistant Master), Miss Drew, M.A., Mr. T. Bain, and Miss Jones (Sewing Mistress). The Board gives free tuition in accordance with the Government regulations, and one free pupil for every £50 of net income from endowments, as well as free pupils in accordance with the Secondary Education Act, for which the Government pays subscriptions. The endowments of the Board bring in an income of from £700 to £800 per annum. They consist of some thousands of acres of agricultural land in the Taranaki district, including fifteen acres on which the school and the Rector's residence stand. The number of pupils in attendance varies from ninety to one hundred.
Mr. Neil K. MacDiarmid
has for some years been chairman of the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School. He is further referred to as manager of the Bank of New South Wales.
Mr. Walter Bewley ,
Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School, is further referred to in another article as senior partner of the firm of Bewley and Griffiths, land agents and auctioneers.
The New Plymouth High School
has been in existence since about the year 1883, and occupies a commanding site overlooking the town. The building is ornate, and affords excellent accommodation for the pupils in at tendance; and the grounds, which cover several acres, are well kept. The building contains four large class rooms, in addition to a room for the Principal, and there is an excellent gymnasium attached to the institution.
Mr. E. Pridham ,
M.A., Principal of the New Plymouth High School, is assisted by a well qualified staff,
Mr. E. Pridham.
The Board Of School Commissioners
for the provincial district of Taranaki, was constituted in 1887. It acts as custodian for the education reserves in the whole of the provincial district. Generally the reserves consist of one-twentieth of all Crown lands in Taranaki, and as these are surveyed and laid off, they become vested in the Commissioners, as, according to law, 5 per cent. of the land thus surveyed is apportioned to the support of educational institutions. The reserves vested in the Commissioners amount in the aggregate to many thousands of acres, which return a revenue of about £3,500 per annum. The bulk of the land is let very cheaply on long leases, but as these expire, considerably increased revenues will be obtained for the Education Boards in the district. Proportional payments are made out of the funds at the disposal of the Commissioners to the Taranaki and Wanganui Education Boards, and to the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School. The Commissioners number five, three of whom are appointed by the Government, and two are representatives of the Taranaki Education Board. Members for 1906: Messrs J. Wade (chairman), H. Faull (representing the Taranaki Education Board), F. Simpson (Commissioner of Crown Lands), W. T. Jennings, M.H.R., and C. E. Major, M.H.R (Government appointees). Mr. F. P. Corkill acts as secretary to the Commissioners.
The Taranaki Education Board
dates from the 1st of June, 1874, when it was known as the New Plymouth Education Board. At that time the late Mr. Benjamin Wells was chairman, and among the members were Major Atkinson, Archdeacon Govett and Messrs Hursthouse, Richmond, and Standish. Some years later the name of the Board was changed to the Taranaki Education Board. The district under its jurisdiction includes the counties of Taranaki, Egmont, Clifton, and Stratford. It extends from the Mokau river, on this north, to Ngaire, on the south, and the furthest inland school is situated fifty-two miles to the east of the borough of Stratford. At the beginning of 1905 there were seventy-seven schools under the control of the Board, and the children on the rolls numbered 4968, with an average attendance of 4190, under the care of 136 teachers. Members of the Board in 1906: Mr. J. Wade, chairman, Messrs G. Adlam, H. Faull, J. Mackay, M.A., D. H. McDonald, G. H. Maunder, A. Morton, W. Monkhouse, and Mrs J. R. Dougherty. Officers: Mr. W. E. Spencer, M.A., B.Sc., Chief Inspector; Mr. W. A. Ballantyne, B.A., Assistant Inspector; Mr. A. Hooker, Truant Officer; Mr. J. Sanderson, Architect; and Mr. P. S. Whitcombe, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board's offices are in Devon
Mr. George Henry Maunder ,
who is a member of the Taranaki Education Board, was born in London, England, in November, 1844, and was educated at private schools. In 1858, he gained a certificate under the Committee for Education of the University of Oxford, and subsequently a first class certificate under the College of Preceptors. He afterwards learned flour milling in England and
Collis, photo. Mr. G. H. Maunder.
Mr. Archie Hooker ,
Truant Inspector of the Taranaki Education Board, was born in the year 1868, in New Plymouth, where he was educated. He afterwards learned the printing trade, which he followed for fourteen years. Mr. Hooker subsequently joined the Police Force, and served for several years in the Auckland district. He then went to Australia, and for two years he was employed in Mort's Dock, in Sydney. He returned to New Zealand, and in 1900 was appointed to his present position. Mr. Hooker is a member of Lodge Egmont, Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity. For some years he was secretary of the New Plymouth Horticultural Society, by the managers of which he was presented with a watch in 1904; and he was sergeant of the Taranaki Rifles, and won the district medal for the Taranaki-Wanganui district. Mr. Hooker has a fine collection of coins. He is married, and has three children.
The Central Public School
in New Plymouth is conducted in a handsome wooden building, which stands on a prominent site in the town. There are seven class rooms, a headmaster's room, a teachers' room, and a fine gymnasium, and the building is surrounded by spacious playgrounds. Two cadet corps, over 100 strong, are carried on in connection with the school. The headmaster is supported by a staff of two male and five female teachers, and five pupil teachers, and there are 580 names on the roll.
The West End School
is situated on the South Road, and is a fine large wooden building with five class rooms, and two halls. The grounds are about half an acre in extent, and there are also shelter sheds. There are three hundred names on the school roll. The staff consists of a head teacher, a first assistant, two female assistants, and three pupil teachers. There is a cadet corps, with a membership of forty-eight, and with Mr. E. Barry, first assistant master, in command.
Mrs M. Dowling ,
Head Teacher of the West End School, New Plymouth, was born at Renwicktown, in Marlborough. She became a pupil teacher in Blenheim, served for four years, and was afterwards appointed assistant teacher in the same school for three years. Mrs Dowling was subsequently for five years mistress of the Charleston
Collis, photo, Mrs M. Dowling.
The Chetwode Private School ,
Devon Street West, New Plymouth. This school was acquired by Miss E. O. Stanford in the year 1897. It is a girls' school, situated near the seaside, with facilities for both boarding and day scholars. Teaching is given up to the requirements of the matriculation examinations, in which the school has been very successful. A special feature is the teaching of the theory and the practice of music.
Miss E. O. Stanford ,
Principal and Proprietress of the Chetwode Private School for Girls, took it over in the year 1897. She is assisted by three teachers.
The Monastery Of The Presentation
at New Plymouth was founded in the year 1884. It is a fine three-storied building of wood and iron, erected on a site of one acre and a-quarter, bounded by Devon Street, Dawson Street and Powderham
Monastery of the Presentation. Collis, photo.
Ecclesiastical.
The history of the churches in Taranaki is of considerable interest. The Wesleyan denomination was the first to be represented, and the Rev. Charles Creed was the first missionary of that body to take up his residence in the district. He occupied a mission station near Moturoa on the seashore, and the site is now known as the Whiteley township. Mr. Creed officiated, as the minister of the settlement, to Maoris and Europeans alike, until the coming of the first vicar, the Rev. William Bolland. The Rev. H. H. Turton afterwards succeeded Mr. Creed, and after the establishment of the Anglican church the ministers worked together in the greatest unanimity and harmony. A little raupo chapel, erected for divine worship at the corner of Brougham and Powderham Streets, was the first place of worship built for the use of the white people in Taranaki. On the 31st of May, 1842, the first Bishop of New Zealand, George Augustus Selwyn, accompanied by Mrs Selwyn, landed in Auckland, and on the 28th of October, the Bishop paid his first visit to New Plymouth, to which he walked from Wellington, a distance of 270 miles. On the following Sunday—the 30th of October, 1842—the Bishop officiated in a little wooden building which had been prepared for the purpose, and on Monday, the 31st, sites were selected for churches in New Plymouth. The little wooden building referred to stood facing a lane connecting Brougham and Currie Streets. It had been erected originally by the Plymouth Company as a depot and hospital for the young settlement. It was afterwards removed to the junction of Devon and Brougham Streets, where it stood for many years. The site chosen by the Bishop for the future church is now occupied by the church of St. Mary's—the mother church of Taranaki—and the wisdom of the choice has never been doubted. The first vicar of New Plymouth, the Rev. William Bolland, arrived in the settlement on the 3rd of December, 1843, and was invested by Bishop Selwyn, who walked overland from Auckland, a distance of 550 miles, for the purpose. Services were held in the little raupo building already mentioned, and from that date New Plymouth has never been without a Christian ministry. The raupo building was afterwards blown down by a furious gale, and for some time services were held in the courthouse till the opening of St. Mary's church. At Henui (now part of Fitzroy), a small church was built by Bishop Selwyn, and was opened in March, 1845. This is said to have been the first Anglican church built in Taranaki, and a portion of it still stands as the nave and chancel of the present church at Fitzroy. The first stone of St. Mary's was laid by Captain Henry King, R.N., Chief Magistrate of New Plymouth, on the 25th of March, 1845, and the church was opened on the 29th of December in the following year. At that time the total population
The first Wesleyan church in New Plymouth dates from the 13th of March 1856, when the first stone was laid in Liardet Street. The officiating ministers at the ceremony were the Rev. H. H. Turton, the Rev. S. Ironsides, and the Rev. J. Long. The Whiteley Memorial Church of the Methodist Church of Australasia (formerly Wesleyan Methodist) now (1306) occupies a prominent position in the township. In 1858 a minister of the Presbyterian Church—the Rev. J. Thom—was located in New Plymouth. The congregation erected a church in 1866; but it was subsequently destroyed by fire, and was replaced in 1884 by St. Andrew's church, in Devon Street. The Primitive Methodist body had been represented for many years in New Plymouth, prior to the 1st of January, 1862, when the foundation stone of their first church was laid in Queen Street. The building in which the congregation now worships is the only church in New Plymouth that has a spire. The first stone of the Baptist church was laid in Gill Street, on the 11th of March, 1868. The Roman Catholic Church, which has been represented in Taranaki since the early days of the Maori troubles, built a commodious church known as St. Joseph's, about the year 1895, and has also a large convent building on the same block of land. The Salvation Army has a convenient barracks in Brougham Street.
The New Plymouth Parish Of The Anglican Church
includes the town and some of the surrounding districts, and is bounded by the parishes of Inglewood, Waitara, and Okato. St. Mary's church, which stands on a slope of Marsland Hill, overlooking the town, is of special historic interest, as having been intimately connected with the time of the Maori war. The foundation stone of the building was laid on the 25th of March, 1845, and the church was opened for divine worship on the 29th of December, 1846. The Rev. William Bolland was the first vicar of New Plymouth, and he was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Govett, afterwards Archdeacon Govett, who long used his influence for good in Taranaki. There are churches in connection with the parish of New Plymouth at Fitzroy, Bell Block, Moturoa, Omata, and Barrett Road, and services are held at other places, in
St. Mary's Church. Collis, photo.
The Rev. Frank George Evans ,
Th.L. Aust. Coll. Theol., Vicar of St. Mary's and Rural Dean of New Plymouth, is a native of Chester, England, and was born in 1857. He was educated at St. John's College, Auckland, and was ordained deacon in 1881, and priest two years later. In 1896 he settled at New Plymouth as coadjutor to Archdeacon Govett, and was appointed vicar in 1898.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church ,
in Devon Street, New Plymouth, is a handsome little building, with accommodation for over 200 persons. There are two class rooms adjoining the church, and also two schoolrooms, one of which has room for sixty, and the other for 100, pupils; and a handsome two-storey manse also occupies a site in Devon Street. The district of which St. Andrew's is the centre, includes practically the whole of the county of Taranaki; and the minister in charge is assisted by a home missionary, who resides at Inglewood.
The Rev. Samuel Smith Osborne ,
who is in charge of St. Andrew's Presbyterian church at New Plymouth, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in the year 1850. In 1891 Mr. Osborne took charge of the church at Whangarei, and was subsequently stationed at Hastings. He entered on his duties in New Plymouth in the year 1894.
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Parish
has its headquarters in New Plymouth, and covers the country lying between the Mokau river on the north, and the parishes of Stratford and Okato to the south. The principal church is known as St. Joseph's, and occupies a commanding position in the town of New Plymouth. It is of wood and iron, has seats for 600 persons, and has an organ with a choir gallery. The presbytery adjoins the church, and so does the convent known as the Monastery of the Presentation. The block of land occupied by the various buildings has frontages to three streets. Dean McKenna is parish priest, and is assisted by the Rev. Father MacManus, as curate.
The Very Rev. Dean James McKenna ,
Rector of St. Joseph's, New Plymouth, is a native of the North of Ireland, received his early education at St. Macarten's Seminary, Monaghan, and afterwards studied theology at All Hallow's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. On his ordination in June, 1886, Father McKenna came to New Zealand, was appointed to Hawera, and in 1899 took charge of his present parish. Dean McKenna's
The Very Rev. Dean McKenna.
The Rev. James Francis Macmanus ,
Curate of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in the year 1876. He was educated at St. Mary's Seminary, Moyne, County Longford, and at St. Patrick's College, at Thurles, in County Tipperary. He was ordained in June, 1903, and arrived in New Plymouth in November of that year, as assistant priest to Dean McKenna.
The Methodist Church Of Australasia ,
formerly known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church, has been represented in New Plymouth from the earliest days of settlement. The principal church of the district, named the Whiteley Memorial Church, was erected in the year 1898. It stands on the corner of Liardet Street and Courtenay Street occupies an elevated position, and is a distinctive object in the landscape. The building is of wood and iron, and has seat accommodation for six hundred persons. In the very early days services were held in a raupo church, built in Brougham Street, but in 1843 the congregation took possession of a new stone church in Courtenay Street; afterwards the present site was secured, and the church which was built became known as Whiteley Hall. Services are held in the surrounding districts, especially at King and Upland, Lower Egmont, Carrington, Frankley Road, Bell, Okato, and other settlements.
The Rev. Thomas George Brooke ,
Superintendent Minister at New Plymouth, was elected President at the conference of 1906, and appointed to the New Plymouth circuit. Mr. Brooke is referred to at greater length on page 186 of the Otago volume of this Cyclopedia.
The New Plymouth Circuit Of The Primitive Methodist Church
was founded in the year 1844. The principal church of the circuit is situated in Queen Street, and was opened free of debt in September, 1904. It stands on a section of a quarter of an acre, and is a fine building of wood and iron, on concrete foundations. It has also a handsome spire, and a flight of steps lead up to the entrance doors. The interior of the church is beautifully finished. There is an organ loft, and seats are provided for 400 persons. The New Plymouth circuit also owns two acres of land in Devon Street, where the parsonage and other residences stand. A wooden church was erected in 1905 at Kent road, and has accommodation for 100 persons. The church at Bell Block was put up in the year 1850, and will seat 100 persons, and
Primitive Methodist Church. Collis, photo.
The Rev. John Nixon ,
who has had charge of the New Plymouth circuit of the Primitive Methodist Church since the year 1899, was born in 1852 in Ayrshire, Scotland, where he received part of his education. He came with his parents to New Zealand in 1864, attended school in Dunedin, and lived with Mr. Stead in Invercargill. Mr. Nixon subsequently became a probationer in the Primitive Methodist church at Wellington, for three years, and he was then stationed at the Thames for two years. He was afterwards successively at Franklyn Road, Auckland, for two years, Ashburton four years, Dunedin three years, Wellington two years, New Plymouth five years, Auckland one year, the Bluff three years, and Waimate, Canterbury, one year, before entering on his present term in the New Plymouth circuit. Mr. Nixon married a daughter of the late Mr. Henry Hirst, of Mount Roskill, Auckland, in the year 1881, and has one son and four daughters.
Collis, photo. Rev. J. Nixon.
The New Plymouth Baptist Church
stands in Gill Street, and is a wooden building with accommodation for 200 persons. It was erected in the early days of the settlement, by the Congregationalists and Baptists. In recent years a residence for the minister has been acquired in Gilbert Street. Services in connection with this denomination are held in one out station, and a church site has also been secured at Waitara.
The Rev. William Richard Woolley ,
Minister of the Baptist Church at New Plymouth, was born in Birmingham, England, and in 1878 he became minister of the Baptist Church at Bideford, in Devonshire. After arriving in New Zealand, Mr. Woolley was for sixteen years stationed at the Thames, and removed to New Plymouth in the year 1902.
The Salvation Army
has been represented in New Plymouth since the year 1883. The barracks, at the corner of Brougham Street and Powderham Street, were erected in 1898. They are of wood and iron; the hall will seat 300 persons, and there are three ante-rooms. Services are held regularly, and there is a Sunday school with sixty children in charge of six teachers. There are fifty soldiers in the corps, and the brass band has ten playing members.
AdjutantGeorge Dickens ,
who has been in charge at New Plymouth, since 1905, was born in Victoria, Australia, and has been an officer in the Army since the year 1886.
The Taranaki Club
was established in September, 1892, in Devon Street. In the year 1899, a fine new building of wood and iron was erected in Egmont Street. It contains seven rooms in addition to the stewards' quarters, including a reading room, a members' club room, a visitors' room, a fine well-lighted billiard room, with three excellent tables, and writing, card, and chess rooms, besides a bar, lavatory, etc. The Club has 180 members. Officers for the year 1906: Mr. O. Samuel (president), Dr. Leatham and Mr. N. King (vice-presidents), Dr. Wylie, Messrs L. M. Monteath, J. W. Wilson, W. J. Penn, and J. S. McKellar (committee), and Mr. W. L. Newman (honorary secretary). Mr. J. F. Lepine is steward in charge.
Mr. James Frederick Lepine ,
who has been Steward of the Taranaki Club since its inception, was
Mr. J. F. Lepine. Collis, photo.
The Taranaki District Of The Ancient Order Of Foresters
was constituted in the year 1883, with headquarters at New Plymouth. District officers for 1905: Brothers A. J. Tunbridge, District Chief Ranger; F. C. Bennett, District Sub-Chief Ranger; G. Braund, District Beadle; H. R. Cattley, District Treasurer, and C. Tunbridge, District Secretary. The District Court meets half-yearly,
Mr. Charles Tunbridge ,
District Secretary of the Ancient Order of Foresters for Taranaki, was born in June, 1845, at Plymouth, England. In the year 1860, he enlisted at Madras, India, in the 42nd Light Infantry. Three years later he came to New Zealand with his regiment, and
Collis, photo. Mr. C. Tunbridge.
Court Waireka ,
Ancient Order of Foresters, is the largest court in connection with the Taranaki district. In the year 1904, there was a membership of 374, and the accumulated funds amounted to £5725. Officers for 1905: Messrs W. Sadler, Chief Ranger; C. Boulter, Sub-Chief Ranger; A. Goldwater, treasurer; and C. Tunbridge, secretary. The Taranaki Hall, in Gill Street, where periodical meetings are held, has accommodation for about 400 persons, and was built jointly by Courts Taranaki and Waireka, in the year 1883.
Court Taranaki ,
Ancient Order of Foresters, Number 4356, dates from the year 1852. Officers for 1906: Messrs A. McKeown, Chief Ranger; J. Way, Senior Chief Ranger: H. R. Cattley, treasurer; and E. E. Tribe, secretary. The Court has a hall in Gill Street, a wood and iron building with seats for 250 persons. It was erected in 1893, at a cost of £750. The Court has 107 members, and its accumulated funds amount to £5,100.
The New Plymouth Friendly Society
has a membership of eighty-six, and substantial benefits are granted in the event of sickness or death. The accumulated funds amount to about £2000, which is invested in freehold property. Officers for the year 1906: Messrs N. Golding (president), J. Kenyon (treasurer), C. T. Mills (secretary), and an annually elected board of eight members. Meetings are held on the fourth Saturday of each month, in King Street.
Mr. Nicholas Golding ,
President of the New Plymouth Friendly Society, was born in Ireland, on the 12th of December, 1817. He joined the 65th Regiment in Plymouth in 1841; six years later was sent to Hohart as a guard over convicts, and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He came to New Zealand in October, 1847, as supercargo, and was the only soldier on board. After landing his stores, he remained in Wellington until the year 1851, when he was ordered to England. Three years later, he again came to New Zealand as a member of the 65th Regiment, and landed in Auckland. After ten months' service, Mr. Golding was sent to Taranaki to rejoin the 65th Regiment, with which he served until the 7th of February, 1863. On taking his discharge, he received a presentation from his comrades. Mr. Golding took part in the fight at Waireka, and in several engagements at Waitara. He subsequently joined the militia as sergeant, and served for twenty years under the Colonial Government. Mr. Golding received the good conduct medal, and also the New Zealand war medal. For a period he acted as
Collis, photo. Mr. N. Golding and Son.
The Taranaki Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society
was established in the year 1888. Officers for 1906: Messrs R. Cock (patron), G. H. Morgan (president), E. Griffith, J. Hurle, and J. Paton (vice-presideats), E. P. Webster (secretary and treasurer), and a committee of seven. Shows are held annually in the Drill
The Taranaki Jockey Club
was founded in the early seventies, and its principal race, the Taranaki Cup, in the year 1876. Officers for the year 1905–06: Mr. J. Paul (president, Captain Mace, N.Z.C., (vice-president, Mr. J. F. Stohr (timekeeper), A. A. Budge (judge), J. Chadwick (handicapper), Colonel Ellis (honorary treasurer), and M. Fleetwood (secretary); also a strong committee, and a number of stewards. The racecourse, which is about a mile from the centre of the borough, and adjoins the well known Recreation Grounds, contains twenty-live acres of freehold, and thirty-five acres of racecourse and recreation reserve. The improvements consist of a large grand stand, which has seat room for 700 persons, and was erected in 1903 at a cost of £1700. In front and on each side of the grandstand there is an asphalt platform, which gives additional seat accommodation. The ground includes four grass tracks for training purposes, and also a ploughed track in addition to the racecourse. The latter is nearly a mile round, with a six chain curve, and the training tracks are within. The club has about one hundred members, and two race meetings are held every year. The Christmas meeting is devoted specially to hack racing, and takes place on Boxing Day, and the day following; the amount of added money at this gathering is over £1,100. The club's principal meeting is in autumn, and is usually held on the 29th and 30th of March. The added money at this meeting amounts to nearly £1700. The principal event, the Taranaki Cup, is a handicap race of 300 sovereigns.
Mr. Mussell Fleetwood
has acted as Secretary of the Taranaki Jockey Club since 1899. He was born in Wiltshire, England, has been a colonist since 1862, and has long been prominently connected with racing in Taranaki.
The Taranaki Agricultural Society
(Metropolitan)) was established on the 24th of June, 1872. Officers for the year 1906: Messrs H. Brown (patron), N. King (president), H. J. H. Okey, W. Ambury, and H. King, (vice-presidents), Captain Young (honorary veterinary surgeon), and E. P. Webster (secretary). There is also a general committee of twenty-five members, who are annually elected in the month of January. The shows are held on the Taranaki Jockey Club racecourse, about the end of November or the beginning of December in each year. The racecourse is well laid out, and admirably adapted for the purpose. The total entries in the year 1904 numbered 670. The value of prize money paid over was about £300, and there was a total attendance of 4000 persons. In 1905, the society increased the time allotted to the show, to two days, and the prize money was also materially increased. Stock of all kinds are exhibited, including horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs. The dairy produce department is a feature of the show, and the dairy cow competition is one of the most important in the colony. The cows are judged on the Canadian method. The animals are milked twice successively, and the amount of butter fat is accurately tested, so as to form an important factor in the judging.
Mr. Edward Percy Webster ,
Secretary of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, was born in the year 1874, in New Plymouth, where he was educated. He subsequently joined the staff of
Collis, photo. Mr. E. P. Webster.
The Taranaki Acclimatisation Society
was founded in the year 1872. The district under its jurisdiction extends from Mokau in the north to the head waters of the Wanganui river in the east, and the Taungatara river in the south. Hawera and Stratford have similar societies. The Taranaki Society has eight rearing ponds in the New Plymouth Recreation Grounds. The fry are obtained from the hatcheries at Masterton and Hawera, and after being reared in the Recreation Grounds, the fish are liberated in the rivers. About 23,000 fish were handled in the season of 1905. Some years ago Taranaki was a great place for shooting, and there are still pheasants and quail available for sportsmen, though they are not so numerous as in former years. The revenue of the Society is derived from shooting and fishing licenses and subscriptions. Officers: Messrs W. L. Newman (president), J. Paul, G. Mannering, J. E. Wilson, J. Gibson, junior, H. Newland, and W. Bewley.
Mr. Duncan McAllum ,
Secretary and Treasurer of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society, is referred to in another article as an insurance and general agent.
The New Plymouth Horticultural Society
was established in the year 1884. Shows are held twice annually in the Drill Hall; the spring show in November, and the autumn show in March. There is a membership of 200. Officers for the year 1906: Mr. J. C. George (president), Mr. E. Gilmour (secretary and treasurer), and a committee of twenty. The spring show is a creditable exhibition, and is well supported by the general public, and nurserymen who reside long distances from New Plymouth also send exhibits.
Mr. Everard Gilmour ,
Secretary and Treasurer of the New Plymouth Horticultural Society, was born in the year 1878 at Raglan. He was educated at Waitara and New Plymouth, and served for twelve years as accountant in the office of Mr. Corkill, before entering business on his own account, as a member of the firm of Gilmour and Pattie, land and estate agents. Mr. Gilmour was a member of the Taranaki Rifles for five years, and is secretary of the Taranaki Trotting Club.
The Taranaki Scenery Preservation Society
was established in 1891 to preserve native scenery, and places of historic interest. It has already been successful in promoting the preservation of large areas of historic and scenic land, and the sites of native pas and military redoubts immediately associated with the troubled
Mr. William Henry Skinner ,
President of the Taranaki Scenery Preservation Society, is a civil servant, who has long been connected with the Lands Department. He joined the service in Taranaki in 1872.
Musical.
That the people of Taranaki are very musical is shown, not only by the earnestness and vigour of organists and choirmasters, and the excellent singing of many of the choirs, but also by the numerous bands, and the number of teachers of music in the various settlements. New Plymouth has two well equipped bands; namely, the New Plymouth Military Band, which dates from the year 1885, and the Taranaki Garrison Band, which was established in 1898. The proprietor of one of the musical instrument shops in the town carries on the manufacture of musical instruments as a local industry.
Fletcher, Albert Edward ,
A. Mus. L.C.M., Music Teacher, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Fletcher teaches singing, organ and piano and theory, and he is organist of St. Mary's Anglican church. He was born in Sydney, Australia, in the year 1869, and brought up to the musical profession. He afterwards taught for some years in Sydney, and was organist of St. James' church, Croydon, conductor of the Croydon Choral Society, and was assistant organist of the Young Men's Christian Association. He then went to Albury, where he remained for five years, and was organist of St. Matthews' Anglican church. Mr. Fletcher subsequently came to New Zealand, and was appointed organist of St. Mary's in May, 1901. He is the local representative for the examinations of Trinity College, London, Mr. Fletcher is married, and has one child.
Golding, Edward Alexander ,
Teacher of Music, Vivian Street, New Plymouth. Mr. E. A. Golding is the only son of Mr. Nicholas Golding, an old colonist, who is further referred to as president of the New Plymouth Friendly Society. He was born in the year 1879, in New Plymouth, where he was educated. Mr. Golding became assistant organist at St. Mary's Anglican church when sixteen years of age, and was promoted to the position of organist at the age of twenty. He was appointed organist and choirmaster at the Primitive Methodist church at New Plymouth in October, 1904, and still (1906) holds the position.
White, George Herbert ,
Teacher of Music, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. White is a native of Lincolnshire, England, and brother
Mr. G. H. White.
The New Plymouth Theatre Company, Limited ,
was incorporated in April, 1904. Directors (1906): Messrs W. Bewley (chairman), J. Paul, J. Avery, J. S. S. Medley, F. Messenger, C. T. Mills, and W. C. Nixon. Secretary, Mr. M. J. Jones. The building, which is in a central position in New Plymouth, was erected by a local company, and subsequently acquired by the late Mr. F. A. Carrington, from whose executors it was bought by Mr. M. J. Jones in the year 1901. Mr. Jones expended about £1400 in enlarging and improving the premises, and disposed of the property to the New Plymouth Theatre Company on its formation, retaining, however, a third interest. The theatre is well appointed, lighted by electricity, and has good accommodation for the performers and the public. The company's capital is £10,000, in shares of £1 each.
Mr. Michael James Jones ,
Secretary of the New Plymouth Theatre Company, was born in Cavan, Ireland, in the year 1865, and came as a child to New Zealand. He was educated in Auckland; afterwards learned carpentry, and worked at his trade for about thirteen years in Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmania. In 1893, Mr. Jones settled in New Plymouth, and was for four years in business as a cabinetmaker. For about six years afterwards he practised as an architect and commission agent, and then became a partner in the firm of Richards and Jones. Mr. Jones is further referred to as a member of that firm.
Press.
The Taranaki Herald
is the leading evening newspaper published in Taranaki. It dates from the 4th of August, 1852, when it first appeared as a weekly paper, owned by Messrs G. W. Woon and W. Collins. It was issued as a weekly till the 28th of April, 1869, when it became a bi-weekly; and was thus published until the 14th of May, 1877, when it was issued as a daily, at the price of one penny. When the Taranaki Herald was first brought out there were only seven other newspapers published in New Zealand, and of these two survive; namely, the “Lyttelton Times” and the “Otago Witness.” In the period of more than half a century, during which the journal has been in existence, it has never failed to appear on its due date; although on occasions, in the old days, its supplies of paper frequently came in just in the nick of time. There was an incident during the war, when, after the first edition had been issued, Colonel Gold sent a file of soldiers to the office, and confiscated the copies printed, in consequence of his disapproval of a paragraph therein contained; the obnoxious paragraph was thereupon removed, and the printing of the paper continued. In December, 1867, Mr. Henry Weston bought the Herald, which has ever since remained his property. In February, 1868, Mr. W. H. H. Seffern came from Auckland to edit and manage the paper, and continued to edit it till November, 1895, when Mr. W. J. Penn became editor. A weekly edition, known as the “Budget,” made its first appearance in 1877, and has so grown in circulation and influence, that it is now the most widely circulated paper in the Taranaki provincial district. Both the “Herald” and the “Budget” have been closely associated with the growth of Taranaki, and there can be little doubt that they have largely assited in the development of the district. The population of the province when the “Herald” first appeared was barely 2000 souls, and a demy Albion
Devon Street: Looking East. Collis, photo.
The Daily News
was founded as a weekly newspaper in New Plymouth, in the year 1857. Its first editor was the late Mr. Charles Brown, who was succeeded by the late Mr. Benjamin Wells, and later on the editorial chair was filled by the late Mr. J. Whiteley King, a grandson of the Rev. John Whiteley. In 1883, it was issued as a daily paper with the title of the Daily News, and under the proprietorship of Mr. John McKenzie; the first editor of the daily paper was Mr. L. L. Norris, and Mr. W. A. King had charge of the machinery. Messrs Norris and King afterwards joined in partnership, and bought the property. They were succeeded in the proprietary by Messrs srs W. E. Simpson and W. J. Guerin, who conducted the paper for about three years. Mr. Simpson then sold his interest to his partner, who continued sole proprietor for two years. Ultimately the property was transferred to a public company, known as the Taranaki News Company, Limited, with the late Mr. J. Bellringer as chairman of directors. In 1896, Mr. W. J. Guerin was appointed editor, and occupied the chair for two years, when he gave place to Mr. A. Hooper, who edited it for one year. Mr. Hooper was succeeded by Mr. E. G. Allsworth. In 1903, the paper was bought by Mr. John Henry Clayton, who had previously been proprietor of the Stratford “Post. Mr. Clayton conducted the journal till 1905, when he sold out, and bought the”Tauranga Times.” In 1905 the “Daily News” became the property of Mr. Thomas Currie List, who had been about three years proprietor and editor of the “Waimate Witness,” and before then part proprietor of the “Petone Chronicle.” The original name of the paper, when it was first issued as a weekly, was the “Taranaki News,” and a weekly is still issued under the same name every Saturday morning. The weekly paper contains thirty-two pages, of four columns each, and the “Daily News,” published every morning, is a large four-page sheet.
Legal.
The New Plymouth Supreme Court , District Court New Plymouth District Court Magistrate's Court New Plymouth Magistrate's Court
is situated at the corner of Robe Street and Powderham Street, New Plymouth. The building is of wood and iron, and contains complete accommodation for the various sittings of the Supreme Court, District Court, and Magistrate's Court, as well as for the Supreme Court library. Three sittings of the Supreme Court are held in the year, the District Court sits quarterly, and there are weekly sittings of the Magistrate's Court in civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, also acts as Registrar of the Supreme Court. Mr. W. A. D. Banks, clerk of the Magistrate's Court, is Sheriff and Deputy-Registrar; Mr. J. S. Pipe is bailiff, and there are two other officers acting under the Clerk of the Court.
Mr. Thomas Hutchison ,
Stipendiary Magistrate, also acts as District Land Registrar, Examiner of Titles, and Registrar of Deeds at New Plymouth, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Deputy Commissioner of Stamps, and Deputy Registrar of Joint Stock Companies. A biographical sketch of Mr. Hutchison appears at page 955 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
Mr. William Arthur Dunbar Banks
was appointed Sheriff, Deputy-Registrar
Mr. W. A. D. Banks.
Mr. James Stephen Pipe
was appointed Bailiff of the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth in the year 1891. He was born at Walton, Suffolk, England, in 1849, and educated at the Albert Memorial College, Framlingham, Suffolk. Mr. Pipe
Collis, photo. Mr. J. S. Pipe.
The Taranaki District Law Society
. Officers for the year 1906: Mr. O. Samuel (president), Mr. T. C. Fookes (vice-president), Mr. J. H. Quilliam (treasurer); Messrs W. Kerr (Crown Prosecutor), D. Hutchen, J. E. Wilson and F. E. Wilson (members of the executive), and Mr. W. A. D. Banks (librarian and secretary). There are forty-two practising solicitors connected with the Taranaki district Law Society, and ten of these are also barristers. The library and offices of the Society are situated in the Supreme Court building in New Plymouth, and the library contains 3,000 volumes.
The Court House, New Plymouth.
Fitzherbert, William Lockhart ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Fitzherbert was formerly for some years a member of the firm of Napier and Fitzherbert, in Auckland, and afterwards of Napier, Fitzherbert, and Smith, of Wellington. He has practised on his own account in New Plymouth since the year 1902. Mr. Fitzherbert's biography is given on page 280 of the Auckland volume of this Cyclopedia.
Govett and Quilliam
(Clement William Govett, and James Henry Quilliam), Barristers and Solicitors, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Telephone, 47. This practice was founded by Mr. Govett in the year 1879, and the present firm dates from 1900, when Mr. Quilliam joined Mr. Govett in partnership.
Mr. Clement William Govett ,
of the legal firm of Govett and Quilliam, is a son of the late Archdeacon Govett. He was born at New Plymouth, and received his early education in Auckland, but went to England, and after being articled to a solicitor for two years, entered the Middle Temple and was called to the bar in 1874. After his return to New Zealand, he received the appointment of assistant law officer to the Crown, a position which he resigned to follow
Hughes, Robert Clinton ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Hughes has been in practice for many years in New Plymouth, and has from time to time acted as solicitor for a number of public institutions.
Hutchen, David ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Hutchen has been connected with the legal profession in New Plymouth since 1904, and has practised on his own account since 1902. He is further referred to as a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council.
Malone, McVeagh and Anderson
(William George Malone, James McVeagh, and William David Anderson), Barristers and Solicitors, National Bank Chambers, corner of Devon Street and Brougham Street, New Plymouth. This firm dates from the year 1903, and has branch offices in several towns in Taranaki.
Standish and Kerr
(Arthur Standish, Arthur Russell Standish, and William Kerr), Barristers and Solicitors, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Arthur Standish is further referred to as a former Mayor of the borough of New Plymouth.
Weston and Weston
(Thomas Shailer Weston, Notary Public, and Claude Horace Weston, LL.B., N.Z.), Barristers and Solicitors, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Mr. T. S. Weston, senior partner of the firm of Weston and Weston, is further referred to on pages 247 and 1109 of the Canterbury volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.
Wright, Henry Cecil ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Wright, who commenced practice in the year 1900, is a native of London, and graduated at Oxford in 1881. He was called to the bar in Queensland, Australia.
Fookes, Ernest Faber ,
M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C.P., M.B. (London). Physician and Surgeon, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Dr. Fookes studied for his profession in England, and gained his diplomas in the year 1899.
Leatham. Henry Blackburn ,
M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C.P. (Edin.), and L.S.A. (Lon.), Physician and Surgeon, Courtenay Street, New Plymouth. Dr. Leatham became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in the year 1879. He is further referred to as Superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital.
McCleland, Hugh A. ,
M.R.C.S. (Eng.), and L.R.C.P. (Lond.), Physician and Surgeon, New Plymouth. Dr. McCleland was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, and obtained his diplomas in London, where he attended St. Mary's Hospital, and afterwards practised as locum tenens for several years in different parts of England. In 1896, he arrived in New Zealand, and landed at Wellington, whence he removed to New Plymouth.
Dr.
Walker, Ernest A. ,
M.A., 1891; M.B. and C.M., with first class honours, 1895; M.D., with commendation, 1904, University of Glasgow, now in practice in New Plymouth. In addition to other appointments, Dr. Walker is assistant surgeon for the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.
Whitton, Thomas Bain ,
M.D. (Ireland), Physician and Surgeon, Dawson Street. New Plymouth. Dr. Whitton took his degree at the Royal University of Ireland. He was for nineteen years Superintendent of the Reefton Hospital, and was also in private practice at Reefton before removing to New Plymouth.
Wylie, David S. ,
M.B., C.B., F.R.C.S., Physician and Surgeon, St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth.
Forte, Claude Henry ,
Surgeon Dentist, formerly of Devon Street, New Plymouth, but now (1906) of Tripe and Forte, Dentists, 93, Willis Street, Wellington.
Gray, Alexander ,
Surgeon-Dentist, Devon and Brougham Streets, New Plymouth. Telephone—Surgery, 25; private residence, Frankley Road, 107. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Mr. Gray was born in Auckland, and studied under Mr. A. W. Chatfield of that city. In the year 1888, he passed the prescribed examinaations at the University of Otago, and was then assistant to Mr. H. C. Wilson, of Napier, for a year. He then removed to New Plymouth, where he took over the old established practice of Mr. Skeet, and has conducted it with much success. Mr. Gray has been Worshipful Master of the Ngamotu Lodge of Freemasons; he is an enthusiastic member of the Bowling Club, and was skip of the Champion Pairs at the Auckland Tournament, besides being the winner of several local prizes.
Mr.
London Dental Institute
(Frederick William Reston, manager), Devon Street, New Plymouth. Head office, Auckland. This branch was opened in the year 1899, and is situated on the ground floor of a two-storied wood and iron building. The apartments consist of a surgery, with up-to-date appliances, and of a waiting room and workrooms.
Mr. Frederick William Reston
was appointed Manager of the London Dental Institute in New Plymouth in the year 1900. He was born at Lincoln Road, Christchurch, in 1876, and was educated at Christchurch and in Auckland, where he also studied for his profession. He qualified in Dunedin, and was registered in 1900. Mr. Reston takes an interest in local sports and pastimes.
Williams, Alexander Murray ,
Surgeon Dentist, Corner of Devon Street and Egmont Street, New Plymouth. This practice was established in April, 1903, and is conducted in rooms on the first floor of the Theatre block of buildings. The surgery is replete with all the most modern appliances, and there are waiting rooms and a work room, suitably fitted up.
Mr. Alexander Murray Williams
was born in Wanganui in the year 1881, was educated at Wanganui College, and subsequently studied under Mr. H. G. Forlong. Having duly qualified he obtained registration in October, 1902, and shortly afterwards settled in New Plymouth. He is a member of the New Plymouth Tennis Club. In May, 1905, Mr. Williams married a daughter of Mr. R. Cock, formerly Mayor of New Plymouth.
Collis, photo.
Recreation Grounds: Another View.
The Bank Of New South Wales ,
New Plymouth, is situated at the corner of Devon Street and Currie Street. The branch was established in Brougham Street, in 1877, and the premises now occupied were erected in 1883. The building is a two-storied one of wood and iron, and contains a banking chamber, a manager's room, and a manager's residence. The staff consists of the manager and his six assistants. There are also branches at Inglewood, Stratford, and Eltham.
Bank Of New South Wales.
Mr. Neil K. MacDiarmid ,
Manager of the Bank of New South Wales, was born in New South Wales, and joined the bank's service in the year 1871, at Sydney. After serving in several of the bank's branches in that colony, he was sent to New Zealand, and appointed to the Napier branch, which he managed for three years. Mr. MacDiarmid then received his present appointment at New Plymouth, where he has worked up a good business. He takes a keen interest in local matters, to which he devotes a considerable
Collis, photo.
The Bank Of Australasia
in New Plymouth was opened in the year 18. About four years later the building, which had been occupied as a branch of the Bank of New Zealand, at the corner of Devon Street and Robe Street, was bought by the bank, and has since served as the domicile of the branch. It is of wood and iron, of two stories, erected on stone foundations, and contains a manager's room, strong room and residence.
Mr. Harry Joseph Halcome ,
who has been Manager of the Bank of Australasin, at New Plymouth, since August, 1905, was born in Nelson, and is a son of the late Rev. C. H. Halcombe. He was educated at the Dunedin High School, entered the service of the bank at Feilding, and has held various positions in the branches at Hawera. Manaia, Marton, and Wellington. In 1887, Mr. Halcombe was transferred to New South Wales, was accountant in the Newton branch, Sydney, for three years, and was then promoted to be manager at Roma, Queensland, where he remained five years. He returned to New Zealand in 1895, and was shortly afterwards appointed manager at Manaia, whence he was promoted to his present position at New Plymouth.
The Union Bank Of Australia, Limited ,
in New Plymouth, is situated in Brougham Street in temporary premises. The branch was established in the year 1902, and the staff consists of a manager and nine officers.
Mr. George Edward Mannering ,
Manager of the Union Bank at New Plymouth, joined the staff in Rangiora in the year 1878. He was subsequently transferred to Christ-church, and was manager of the Union Bank at Hastings, Hawke's Bay, for five years before receiving his present appointment.
The Bank Of New Zealand
has been represented in New Plymouth since the year 1860. The branch is domiciled in a wood and iron building, which stands on the corner of Brougham Street and Devon Street. It contains a banking chamber, a manager's room, a strong room, with double entrance, and a residence. The staff consists of a manager and nine officers.
Mr. Edward Forde Blundell
was appointed Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at New Plymouth in the year 1905. He is further referred to on page 1232 in the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
The National Bank Of New Zealand, Limited ,
has been represented in New Plymouth since about the foundation of the institution. The building at the corner of Brougham Street and Devon Street was erected in the eighties. It consists of two stories in wood and iron, contains a banking chamber, manager's room, and two bedrooms for the accommodation of officers of the bank, and premises let for office purposes. The staff consists of the manager and five officers. The nearest branch of the bank to New Plymouth is at Stratford.
Mr. Alexander McHardy
has been Manager of the National Bank at New Plymouth since August, 1905. He is further referred to on pages 167 and 526 of the
Mr. Alfred Edward Augustus Clark ,
formerly Manager of the National Bank at New Plymouth, was born at Motueka. Nelson, and is a son of the late Mr. Henry G. Clark, sometime Commissioner of Crown Lands for the province of Marlborough. Mr. Clark was educated at the Marlborough Grammar School, Blenheim, and joined the National Bank in that town in 1873. He afterwards filed the position of accountant and other responsible posts at Oamaru, Balclutha, Napier, Dunedin, Auckland, and other branches before being appointed manager at New Plymouth in 1891. During his residence at New Plymouth Mr. Clark was president of one of the local football clubs, and of the Liedertafel, and of other local institutions.
The New Plymouth Savings Bank
was established about the year 1850. Officers: His Excellency the Governor, President; Mr. H. Weston, Vice-President; Messrs A. Shuttleworth, W. L. Newman, J. Ward and R. Cock, Trustees; and Mr. P. C. Morton, Manager. The bank is situated in Brougham Street, and is managed on lines similar to those of the Auckland Savings Bank. The object is to provide safe custody for small savings, and interest is allowed on sums not exceeding £100. Of late years the business of the bank has greatly increased; in the year 1888, its total liabilities were £5,766, which had increased in the year 1904, to £19,243. This large sum was represented by securities to the value of £16,220, and cash amounting to £2750. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £1741 over all liabilities.
McAllum, Duncan ,
Insurance Agent and Valuer, District Agent for the United Fire and Marine Insurance Company, and Secretary of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Mr. McAllum was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, in 1852, and received his education in his native town. After leaving school he went to sea in vessels owned by his relatives. He made seven trips round the world, and was for some years in a tea clipper, trading to China and Japan. In 1879, he came to New Zealand, and, giving up a seafaring life, went to the West Coast goldfields; but shortly afterwards he removed to New Plymouth, and took up land in the Omata district. For three years he was wharfinger and deputy-harbourmaster, but established himself in his present business in 1888. Mr. McAllum takes a great interest in athletics, and is connected with the local football, cricket, and rowing clubs. He is also a member of the Taranaki Education Board. Mr. McAllum is married, and has six children.
Mr.
The New Zealand Insurance Company
has had a branch in Brougham Street, New Plymouth, since the year 1897, and the present building, which is of wood and iron, was erected in the year 1898. Part of the premises are let to Messrs Weston and Weston, solicitors.
New Zealand Insurance Company's Offices.
Mr. John Paton ,
Manager of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Insurance Company, was appointed on the 1st of May, 1900. He joined the company in 1887, in Auckland.
Mr. H. M. Didsbury ,
formerly Manager of the New Plymouth branch of the New Zealand Insurance Company, was, before he was appointed to New Plymouth, for twelve years in the company's Wellington office, where he gained a wide experience of under writing.
The Australian Mutual Provident Society
opened its branch in New Plymouth in March, 1905. The district governed from this office is bounded on the north by the Kawhia, on the south by the county of Patea, and stretches eastward as far as the Wanganui river. Formerly, it was a portion of the Wanganui district. The office in Brougham Street contains public and private rooms, and there are three agents regularly canvausing in Taranaki.
Mr. Charles Albert Benbow
was appointed District Secretary of the New Plymouth branch of the Australian Mutual Provident Society in 1905. He was born in Birmingham, England, in the year 1870, and is the only son of Mr. C. H. Benbow, for many years manager for the South British Insurance Company in Wellington. Mr. Benbow came to New Zealand with his father in June, 1875, and was educated at Wellington College. After serving seven months in the National Fire Office, in Wellington, he joined the staff of the Australian Mutual Provident Society on the 7th of November, 1887. As a cricketer, Mr. Benbow played in senior matches from 1886 to 1902 in Wellington, and was a member of the teams playing against one of the Australian teams which visited England, Melbourne and New South Wales, and has played also in local representative matches. In March, 1902, Mr. Benbow married a daughter of the late Mr. George Baynes Birch, of Wellington, and has one daughter.
The visitor to Taranaki is impressed in passing through the towns with the fact that professions, trades, and manufacturies of various kinds, are strongly in evidence. Medical men, dentists, architects and engineers have surgeries and offices in the majority of the townships. Wholesale merchants are, for the most part, domiciled in New Plymouth. Of the retail firms, large numbers are direct importers from the markets of the world, and very fine displays of all kinds of merchandise are noticable in the handsome shop windows. Hardly an article that may be desired, but can be purchased at a reasonable price, in any of the centres, especially at New Plymouth, Hawera and Stratford. Many of the stores and shops are very extensive, with remarkably fine show windows, and roomy, well-lighted show-rooms. The numerous dairy factories and creameries denote that the country is essentially a dairy farming and grazing district. A large part of the produce of the dairy factories of Taranaki is sent to the freezing works at Moturoa and Patea, where it is properly graded by Government experts, prior to shipment at the northern and southern ports. Butter and cheese exported from north and south Taranaki have shown a large and steady increase during the last few years. Bacon-curing is carried on on a very considerable scale, and factories are in operation at Fitzroy, Eltham and Stratford. Of sawmills and sash and door factories some indication is found in every settlement. There are very extensive woodware businesses in New Plymouth and Hawera, and lesser ones at other centres. At Waitara and Patea considerable meat factories are in operation. The manufacture of bricks and earthenware drain pipes is carried on at extensive works at Hawera and Patea. The progress of the application of electricity is very marked in the Taranaki district, and at New Plymouth, Inglewood, Stratford, Hawera, and Patea advantage has been taken of the forces of nature in this connection. In the two ports the work is in the hands of the local municipalities, but the three inland towns have allowed local companies to undertake and carry out the installations. The Hawera County Electric Light Company has a splendid power house on the Okaiawa river, near Normanby, and from that centre Hawera, Manaia, Normanby and Okaiawa are lighted. Several dairy factories, also, are now worked by electric motors. Industries such as coachbuilding, bootmaking, and iron-founding, engineering and the manufacture of furniture are also carried on in many towns in the provincial district.
The Taranaki Chamber Of Commerce
issued its sixteenth annual report in the year 1905. The offices of the Chamber are situated in the Union Company's Building in St. Aubyn Street. The Council and officers are elected in the first week in
Mr. Henry Bedford
was appoint-Secretary and Treasurer of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce in the year 1901.
The Taranaki Land Building and Investment Society
(Permanent) was founded in the year 1865. Officers for the year 1906: Messrs R. Cock (chairman), A. Shuttleworth, W. L. Newman, A. Goldwater, N. King, J. Paul, J. C. George (directors); H. Bailey and E. H. Tribe (auditors); Wilson and Grey (solicitors); and H. M. Bauchope (secretary).
The Equitable Building Society ,
of New Plymouth, which is worked on the Star-Bowkett principle, was established in the year 1901. Directors for 1906: Messrs S. W. Shaw (chairman), J. Paton, F. P. Corkill, W. N. Ewing, E. Dockrill, J. W. Wilson, and D. Berry. Mr. H. Stocker is secretary. Two groups of 600 shares, each of the nominal value of £150, have been created, and the Society has been successful in promoting the building of homes for the people.
Mr. Harry Stocker ,
Secretary of the Equitable Building Society, was born in Christchurch, in 1871. He is the eldest son of Archdeacon Stocker, of Invercargill, and was educated in that town, and also elsewhere in New Zealand. Mr. Stocker was on the staff of the Bank of Australasia in New Plymouth, and also served in Invercargill, Gore, and Ashburton. He retired from the position of accountant in the bank to join the firm of Webster and McKellar, in 1902. In 1901. Mr. Stocker married a daugnter of the late Mr. F. L. Webster, of New Plymouth.
Provident and Investment Building Society
(Permanent), Egmont Street. New Plymouth. This institution was founded in the year 1902. Directors for 1906: Messrs L. W. Alexander (president), F. Messenger, W. Webster, O. W. Sole, J. Ward, E. Griffith, W. Ambury and G. W. Browne. The capital of Society fluctuates according to payments received, but the annual business is considerable in volume.
Mr. Lawrence McLaurin Monteath ,
Secretary of the Provident and Investment Society, is more fully referred to as a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council, and as a grain and produce broker.
Bauchope and Webster
(Henry May Bauchope and Edward Percy Webster), Accountants, Auditors, and Financial Agents, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. This business was founded by the late R. G: Bauchope about the year 1875. In 1900 Mr. H. M. Bauchope took over the business, and was joined by Mr. Webster on the 1st of August, 1904. The firm acts as district agents for the South British Insurance Company, and holds numerous secretaryships.
Bewley and Griffiths
(Walter Bewley and Eustatius Griffiths, Auctioneers, Sharebrokers and Produce Merchants, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This firm dates from June, 1901, though up till then the business had been conducted, from 1894, by the senior partner. The firm acts on behalf of the Standard Insurance Company, National Mutual Life Association, Baldwin and Rayward (patent agents), and represents the Alpha Separator, in Taranaki. Regular land and produce sales are held, and dairy produce is extensively exported by the firm.
Mr. Walter Bewley ,
besides being senior partner in the firm of Bewley and Griffiths, is secretary to the New Plymouth High School Board. He was born in Cheshire, England, in 1855, and was educated at Greenwood College, Hampshire, and the Victoria University, Manchester, and afterwards gained commercial knowledge on the Liverpool Exchange. Mr. Bewley came to New Zealand in the ship “Himalaya,” and after a four round the North Island on horseback, he decided to settle in Taranaki, and bought five hundred acres of land between Inglewood and Stratford. Mr. Bewley resided there for sixteen years, and improved his property in a very complete manner. He then retired from farming, and after a time commenced a land agency business in New Plymouth, which eventually developed into the large auctioneering and agency business now carried on by the firm of Bewley and Griffiths. Mr. Bewley for many years took an active part in local affairs, and was chairman of the County Council, president of the Agricultural and Horticultural Societies, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the New Plymouth Harbour Board and High School Board of Governors. During the Parihaka disturbances he commanded a company of volunteers. In conjunction with the late Mr. Thomas Bayly, he imported the first separators into Taranaki for their private use. Mr. Bewley was at one time a prominent local cricketer, and now devotes his spare hours to shooting, fishing, and golf. His indoor hobby is woodcarving, of which he has done a great deal. In the year 1882 he married a granddaughter of Sir James Brind, G.C.B., and has two sons and one daughter.
Mr. Eustatius Griffiths ,
of the firm of Bewley and Griffiths, was born in Auckland in the year 1871. He was for ten years, before he joined Mr. Bewley, an officer of the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company.
Gilmour and Pattie
(Everard Gilmour and Leslie Pattie), Land, Estate and General Commission Agents, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. This firm acts as agents for the Australian Widows' Fund (life), and for the New Zealand Trade Protection Society, of Christchurch, and also for the New Plymouth Protection Association, established in the year 1905.
Mr. Everard Gilmour ,
of the firm of Gilmour and Pattie, is further referred to as secretary and treasurer of the New Plymouth Horticultural Society, and of the Taranaki Trotting Club.
Mr. Leslie Pattie ,
of the firm of Gilmour and Pattie, was born at Riwaka, Nelson, in the year 1864. He was educated partly at Riwaka and partly at Motueka, and was brought up to farming, which he followed for several years on his own account before settling in New Plymouth. In 1903 he became a member of the firm of Carthew, Pattie and Co., and in March, 1905, joined Mr. Gilmour in partnership. Mr. Pattie was a member of the Nelson Cricket Club, and has played against Australia, and in interprovincial matches. He married a daughter of the late Mr. Alex ander Dalgety, of Kaitangata, in 1897, and has two sons and one daughter.
King, Newton ,
Auctioneer, Merchant; Office and Auction Rooms, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Telephone 20. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Stockyards at Broadway, Stratford, Rahotu, Waiwakaiho, Stoney Ryer, Toko, Awakino, Whangamomona, and Kaponga. Agent for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, Phoenix Fire Insurance Society, New York Life, Messrs Booth and MacDonald's Agricultural Implements, Alexandra Cream Separators, Northern Roller Flour Mills. Cooper's Sheep Dip, McCormick Reapers and Binders, etc., etc. Mr. King is a native of New Plymouth, where his father, the late Mr. Thomas King (one of Taranaki's early and most prominent settlers), was for a number of years manager of the Bank of New Zealand. On leaving school, Mr. N. King was employed in the office of Messrs Webster Brothers until 1879, and gained much experience of the butter industry. In 1879 Mr. King entered into his present business, and his well known character and commercial ability soon drew a large and increasing connection, which has extended to all parts of New Zealand. He is one of the originators of the butter industry in Taranaki, and in conjunction with Messrs R. Cock and J. C. George initiated the extensive Crown Dairy Company, of which they are sole owners. Although Mr. King is indefatigable in looking after his large business concerns, which, necessitate his presence in various parts of the district, he still finds some time for public affairs. He is chairman of the Sash and Door Company, a director of the Crown Dairy Company, and a steward of the Taranaki Jockey Club. In both his private and public capacity, Mr. King is held in high esteem by his numerous friends and by the general public. His private residence, “Brooklands,” is situated a short distance from the town. Mr. King is married, and has three sons and two daughters.
Mr. Frederick Watson
was appointed Manager of the Shipping and Produce Departments of Mr. Newton King's business in the year 1893. He was born on the 1st of November, 1861, in New Plymouth, and educated at Nelson College. Mr. Watson was subsequently employed by Messrs Webster Brothers in New Plymouth and Waitara for seven years and six months, and joined Mr. King's staff in 1885. He has been a steward of the Taranaki Jockey Club since 1903, and a member of the committee since 1890. Mr. Watson owned racehorses for about twenty years. At the time of the Parihaka disturbance, he served with the Taranaki Mounted Rifles. Mr. Watson has held an auctioneer's license since 1901.
Mills, Charles Thomas ,
Sharebroker, Accountant, Valuer, and General Commission Agent, New Plymouth. Mr. Mills represents the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance and Northern Assurance Companies. He is auditor for several companies, and is a director of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society. Mr. Mills was born in 1864 in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and was brought up on a farm. After spending some time at storckeeping in the country, and in other country pursuits, he was articled in 1882 to the late Mr. Edwin Welcome, accountant, of New Plymouth, but owing to the death of that gentleman in 1881, Mr. Mills accepted service with Mr. J. C. Davies, sharebroker and land agent. In 1888 he took up a section in the back blocks, but after a year's experience at bush farming with only fair results, he returned to town, and established his present business in 1890. He received the appointment of county clerk in 1891, but has since retired from the position. He has been successful as an accountant in several complicated cases. Mr. Mills is a member and secretary of St. Mary's choir. He takes an interest in local sport, and was a member of the Taranaki Mounted Rifles and Rifle Volunteers, from which he retired as a sergeant in 1888. At the general Parliamentary election of 1905 he unsuccessfully stood for the representation of Taranaki.
Mr.
Mynott, John ,
Labour and Commission Agent, Currie Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Mynott was born in the year 1841, in the parish of Saffron, Waldon, Essex, England. After attending school he learned the trade of a baker, and subsequently enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery, from which he transferred shortly afterwards to the 43rd Light Infantry, at Chatham. In 1858 Mr. Mynott went out with a draft of his regiment to India, and landed at Calcutta. He went to Dum Dum, and afterwards to Barrack pore, where he remained with his regiment in cantonment for a year, and became a bugler. After completing its term of service in India, the regiment was ordered home, but, owing to the outbreak of war in New Zealand, was sent to Auckland, where Mr. Mynott arrived about the end of 1862. He served at Otahuhu, Drury, and the Queen's Redoubt, where his company kept an advance position. Subsequently, he was present at the
Mr. J. Mynott.Collis, photo.
Newman, William Litchfield ,
Commission and Shipping Agent, Currie Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Newman was born in Taranaki, and, on leaving school, entered the office of Messrs Brown and Co., shipping agents, with whom he gained his commercial training. In 1875 he was appointed purser on the Union Company's s.s. “Maori,” and afterwards served in the same capacity in the s.s. “Wakatipu.” He was appointed the company's manager at New Plymouth in 1878, but resigned the position and commenced his present business in 1897. Mr. Newman is president of the Acclimatisation Society, a member of the Recreation Grounds Board, and is one of the directors of the New Plymouth Savings Bank. His father, the late Mr. J. L. Newman, was one of Taranaki's pioneer settlers.
Mr.
Richards and Jones
(Sydney Knight Richards and Michael Jamos Jones), Land and Commission Agents, Theatre Buildings, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This firm was established in the year 1904. Messrs Richards and Jones are agents for the Ocean Accident, Northern Fire, and Canton Marine Insurance Companies. Mr. Jones is referred to in another article as secretary to the New Plymouth Theatre Company.
Russell, Hickman Frank ,
J.P., Licensed Land Broker, Insurance and General Commission Agent, opposite Post Office. Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established by Messrs A. C. Fookes and Company in the year 1881, and acquired by Mr. Russell in 1902. He is agent for the State Fire Office, conducts a general land broking and agency business, and is also a public valuator. Mr. Russell was born on the 26th of December, 1873, at Sheepshead, near Longborough, Leicestershire, England, and was educated at Ipswich Grammar School. He is a son of Colonel Hickman Rose Russell, of Ipswich, England, late of the 57th Regiment, who served in New Zealand during the Maori war. Mr. Russell came to New Zealand in 1890, and was farming for twelve years in various parts of Taranaki. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1901.
Mr. H. F. Russell.
Collis, photo.
Shaw, W. J. and Company
(Edward William Garner), Accountants and Financial Agents, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Messrs Shaw and Co. act as agents for absentees, and are district agents for the Sun Fire Office, and local agents for the City Life Assurance Company, and Messrs Thomas Cook and Son. They are secretaries for the Mongorei and Oakura Co-operative Dairy Factory Companies.
Mr. Edward William Garner ,
of the firm of W. J. Shaw and Company, after some years of commercial life in Wanganui, removed to New Plymouth as chief clerk to the late Mr. W. J. Shaw, and on the death of that gentleman, on the 27th of November, 1904, he took over the business. Mr. Garner is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and secretary of the vestry of St. Mary's Anglican church. In 1903 he married a daughter of Mr. Jedwin L. Crespin, of Devon, England. Mr. Garner is further referred to at page 1369 of the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.
Todd, Robert ,
Customs, Shipping, and Express Forwarding Agent; Office, Store, and Sample Rooms, Currie Street, and the Pantechnicon, King Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Todd is agent for the New Zealand Carrying Company, Winstone. Limited, Auckland; J. M. Heywood and Co., Christchurch; Colonial Carrying Company, Wellington; and Crust and Crust, Dunedin. Mr. Todd landed in Wellington in 1893, and came straight on to New Plymouth, where he commenced business as a coal merchant in King and Queen Streets. He was formerly a member of the New Plymouth school committee; and was for a number of years a vestryman and warden of St. Mary's Anglican church. Mr. Todd is a member of Lodge Moturoa, United Ancient Order of Druids, No. 19.
Mr. R. Todd.
Collis, photo.
Wells. Benjamin ,
Accountant, New Plymouth. Mr. Wells is a son of the late Mr. Benjamin Wells, one of Taranaki's early pioneers, and was born at Mangorei, Taranaki, in February, 1856. He was educated in New Plymouth, and at the Auckland College and Grammar School, and the University of Otago. Mr. Wells joined the Post and Telegraph Department in Wellington in September, 1874. He was afterwards stationed at Waitaki, Canterbury, for two years, and was subsequently telegraphist at Balclutha for one year. He retired from the public service in February, 1878, joined the staff of the National Bank in New Plymouth, and two years later was transferred as teller to Oamaru, where he remained four years. For a few months Mr. Wells was relieving officer, and after six months at the Dunedin branch, was again stationed at Oamaru. Later on, he served as accountant in the branch at Invercargill for one year. He then returned to New Plymouth in 1884, and became accountant to the late Mr. W. Bayly. In November, 1880, Mr. Wells married a daughter of Mr. George Patterson, C.E., sometime of Newcastle-on-Tyne, who was killed at Frankley Road by the Maoris in February, 1864. Mr. Wells has two brothers, the eldest of whom is postmaster at Whitiangi (Mercury Bay), and the youngest is in the Valuation Department, Wellington.
Mr. B. Wells.
Collis, photo.
Webster, William Dawson ,
Shipping Agent, New Plymouth, and Agent for the Northern Steamship Company. Mr. Webster is a son of the late Mr. James Webster, who was the first chief postmaster of New Plymouth. That gentleman was distinguished for his courage and great endurance in conveying mails from New Plymouth to Auckland in company with the Rev. Mr. Whiteley (afterwards murdered at White Cliffs by the rebels), at a time when only a native track existed, and the road was beset with dangers in fording rivers, etc. On completing his education, Mr. W. D. Webster started business with his brother, Mr. F. L. Webster, as commission agents and general merchants under the style of Webster Brothers, a partnership which existed for over twenty-five years. In conjunction with Mr. W. K. Hulke, they built the present Egmont Flour Mills in 1870, and ten years later erected the Tawhiti Flour Mills at Hawera. On the outbreak of the native troubles, Mr. Webster served in No. 1 Company, Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, under his brother, Captain F. L. Webster, and received the New Zealand medal in recognition of his service. In the year 1888 he dissolved partnership with his brother, and started his present business. Mr. Webster has always shown an active desire to assist in all matters tending to promote
Mr. W. D. Webster.
Webster and McKellar
(James Scott McKellar and Harry Stocker), General Commission and Shipping Agents, Currie Street, New Plymouth. The firm are the agents for the New Zealand Shipping Company, Limited, the Commercial Union Assurance Company, Limited, and the Taranaki Producers' Freezing Works, Limited.
Mr. J. S. McKellar
is a native of Battersea, England, and received his education at a private school in his native place. In 1852 he left England with his mothers and brothers, and landed in New Plymouth from the ship “St. Michael,” after a voyage of 166 days. The family took up land in the Omata district, and on the breaking out of the war he served with the volunteers and militia, and, in the latter force, he attained the rank of captain. He was present at the Waireka engagement and at the capture of Kaitaki, and was awarded the New Zealand war medal. In 1868 Mr. McKellar commenced business in New Plymouth, and shortly afterwards joined the late Mr. F. L. Webster. He is a Freemason and a Past Master; takes great interest in all athletic affairs; is a member of the Bowling Club; and has for many years been a churchwarden of St. Mary's. Mr. McKellar is married, and has two daughters and one son.
Mr. Harry Stocker ,
Junior Member of the firm of Webster and McKellar, is further referred to in another article as secretary of the Equitable Building Society.
Maisey, John Arthur ,
Architect, Phoenix Chambers, Lambton Quay, Wellington. Mr. Maisey was born in the year 1860 in Birmingham, England, where he was educated, and afterwards studied for his profession. He subsequently practised in Birmingham on his own account. Mr. Maisey came to New Zealand in 1884, and landed in Auckland, where he remained for three years. He then went to Australia, and was in Sydney for nine years. Mr. Maisey finally returned to New Zealand, and in the year 1897 settled in New Plymouth, where he designed many town and country residences, including the New Plymouth Exhibition building of 1904. He afterwards removed to Wellington, where he is now (1906) practising his profession. Mr. Maisey married a daughter of Mr. Joseph Ambury in 1882, and has five sons and four daughters.
Messenger, Frank ,
Architect, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Private residence, Cameron Street. Mr. Messenger is a son of Colonel Messenger, and was born in the year 1865. He was educated in New Plymouth,
Mr. F. Messenger.
Sole, Thomas Gore ,
Licensed Surveyor, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Private residence at Te Henui. Mr. Sole is a son of Mr. Thomas Sole, a pioneer colonist, and was born in New Plymouth. In 1875 he entered the service of the Provincial Government
Mr. T. G. Sole.
Collis, William Andrews ,
Photographer, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Collis began business in Brougham Street, in 1875, but in 1882 he built his studio in Devon Street. The building is of wood and iron, and two stories in height; it has a studio, waiting and dressing rooms on the upper floor; and the offices and work
Lealand, David Arthur ,
Baker and Confectioner, Red House Block, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1890, by the present proprietor, and is conducted in a handsome two-storied building which was erected in 1901. It stands on a section measuring 48 feet by 135 feet, and contains a convenient shop and a residence. There is a large and modern bakehouse, and two carts are employed in delivering. Mr. Lealand was born in Shropshire, England, in the year 1864. He came to New Zealand when five years of age, landed in Auckland, and was educated partly in Auckland, and partly at the Thames. Mr. Lealand learned his trade at Coromandel and in Auckland, and after gaining experience in various parts, settled in New Plymouth. He was for four years a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council, is a Master Mason of Lodge De Burgh Adams, and is a Past Grand of Lodge Excelsior, Independent Order of Oddfellows. In 1890 Mr. Lealand married a daughter of Mr. W. P. Snell, of Waitara, but she died in 1892, leaving two sons. Mr. Lealand contracted a second marriage, in 1896, with a daughter of the late Mr. Walter Bishop, one of the pioneers of New Plymouth, who landed in 1840: and three sons have been born of this union.
Lealand, Percy ,
Baker and Confectioner, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1893. The building stands on a quarter of an acre of freehold land, with a frontage of thirty-three feet, and includes a commodious shop and residence, with a new modern oven, and other outbuildings. Delivery is made by cart. Mr. Lealand was born in the year 1873 at Nelson, and was educated at Coromandel, where he was brought up to the bakery business by the late Mr. John Bridson, with whom he lived from the age of five years. After working at his trade for two years in Onehunga, Mr. Lealand removed to New Plymouth, and was about three years and six months at Pungarehu, before starting on his own account. He is a member of Court Waireka, Ancient Order of Foresters, New Plymouth. Mr. Lealand married a daughter of Mr. William Hale, of New Plymouth, in December, 1894, and has two sons and two daughters.
Mr. P. Lealand.
Stagpoole. John Joseph ,
Baker, corner of St. Aubyn Street and Dawson Street. New Plymouth. This business is conducted in suitable premises, three persons are employed, and delivery is made by cart throughout the district. Mr. Stagpoole was born in Kilkenny. Ireland, in the year 1850, went to India in 1858, and was educated in the army, in which he took service as a bugler. He came to Taranaki with the 57th Regiment, and went through the second Maori war, in which his uncle, Mr. Dudley Stagpoole, gained the New Zealand Cross at Omata. Mr. Stagpoole was also a member of the Taranaki Rangers for fifteen months. He subsequently learned his trade as a baker in New Plymouth, and went, in the year 1870, to the West Coast of the South Island, where he remained for two years. Later, he opened a business for himself in Christchurch, and afterwards joined Chiarini's circus as a gymnast, wrestler, etc. Mr. Stagpoole returned to Taranaki in 1875, and opened a store at Inglewood. Two years afterwards he removed to Wellington, where he was in business for some years. He was then successively in Kimberley, Melbourne, Sydney, Wimmera, Queenstown (Tasmania), and Gympie, in Queensland, as a foreman baker, or in business on his own account. For some time he conducted through Australia a troupe of comedians, most of the performers being members of his own family. He finally returned to New Zealand, and settled at New Plymouth. Mr. Stagpoole has always taken a great interest in athletics, and has conducted gymnasiums in various parts of Australia and New Zealand. As a pedestrian, he has won numerous trophies and prizes, and was the holder of three championships; namely, middleweight wrestling (Australia), heavy weight wrestling
Collis, photo.Mr. J. Stagpoole.
Thomson, John Wilson ,
Baker and Pastrycook, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1905. The shop is centrally situated, and has a good show window. It also contains well lighted tea rooms on the first floor. Mr. Thomson's business is chiefly a cash counter trade. He is further referred to on page 838 of the Otago volume of this Cyclopedia.
West, Joseph, Baker ,
Confectioner and Caterer, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established by Mr. West in the year 1887. The premises consist of a shop with a double front and a verandah, a large and modern bakehouse and stables, on a freehold section with sixty-three links frontage, by a full depth. Delivery is made by cart in New Plymouth and the surrounding suburbs. A special feature of the business is catering for banquets, etc. Mr. West catered for the banquet given to the Indian troops, who had been present in Sydney at the opening of the first Parliament of the Australian Commonwealth, and visited New Zealand on their way back to India in the year 1901. He has also catered for the dinners of the New Plymouth
Goldwater, Abraham ,
Wine and Spirit Merchant and General Importer, Currie Street, New Plymouth. Telephone 13. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Vivian
Mr. A. Goldwater's Premises.
Humphries, S. L. and Co.
(William Humphries), Wine and Spirit Merchants, Brougham Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the fifties, by the late Dr. E. L. Humphries, who, in 1863, took his son, Mr. William Humphries, into partnership. When Dr. Humphries died, in 1869. Mr. Edward Humphries joined his brother in partnership, and the business of wine, spirit, and general merchants was conducted by the firm till 1888. The business was then taken over by Mr. Carrington, for a short period, and in 1892 was acquired by Messrs Humphries and Faulkner. In 1899 Mr. S. L. Humphries bought his partner's interest, and was joined, later on, by Mr. William Humphries, under the style of S. L. Humphries and Co. The firm's building stands on part of a quarter-acre section; it is of wood and iron, and has a large floorage space.
Mr. William Humphries ,
of the firm of S. L. Humphries and Co., was born in London, England, in the year 1843, and came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “Sir Edward Paget,” which arrived in New Plymouth in 1851. He was for many years a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council, was a member of the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and he served through the Maori war as a volunteer. Mr. Humphries married a daughter of the late Mr. William Black, of New Plymouth, and has, surviving, three daughters and six sons.
Bond, Robert William ,
Builder, Contractor, and Timber Merchant, Liardet Street, New Plymouth. Private residence, Fitzroy. This
Mr. R. W. Bond.
Brooking, William Francis ,
Builder and Undertaker, Corner of Brougham and Powderham Streets, New Plymouth. This business was acquired by Mr. Brooking in the year 1888, and is conducted in a wooden building, which contains an office, and a workshop. There are also timber sheds, and a monumental mason's yards in connection with the establishment. Mr. Brooking is further referred to as a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council.
Cliff, Arthur ,
Builder and Contractor, Gill Street, New Plymouth. This business was established about the year 1853 by Mr. George Cliff, and taken over by his son, Mr. Arthur Cliff, in 1901. The premises are situated in Gill Street, where all the joinery work required in the business is done. There is also a wood and coal yard in connection with the establishment. Mr. Cliff was born in Timaru, in the year 1878, was educated at the New Plymouth High School, and was afterwards apprenticed to the building trade. Later, he was for two years on a farm, but subsequently returned to his trade, and in the year 1901 took over his father's business. In addition to other places, Mr. Cliff has erected the Old People's Home, the Native Hostelry and Jones' Stables, in brick. In 1905, he was president of the Builders' Association. He is a member of Court Waireka, Ancient Order of Foresters; as a Freemason, he is a member of Lodge De Burgh Adams, Irish Constitution, and is a steward of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, New Plymouth. Mr. Cliff is married.
Robert Coleman and Son
(Robert Coleman and Fred Archer Coleman), General Builders and Contractors,
Mr. Robert Coleman ,
the Senior Partner in the firm of Robert Coleman and Son, was born in the year 1848, at Chippenham, Wilts, England, where he was educated and apprenticed to his trade. Later on, he became foreman for Poole and McGilliver, a large building firm in London. In 1884, Mr. Coleman arrived in Queensland, Australia, where he worked for two years as foreman for a large building firm. He then went to Melbourne, and carried on business on his own account for eight years. Subsequently, he came to New Zealand, settled in New Plymouth, and established himself in business. For over thirty years Mr. Coleman has been connected with the Ancient Order of Foresters, and went through all the chairs in England and in Victoria. He is a member of the Builders' Association, of which he has been president. Mr. Coleman is married, and has three sons and three daughters.
Mr. Fred Archer Coleman ,
Junior Partner in the firm of Robert Coleman and Son, was born in London, England, in the year 1880. He was educated in Melbourne, and brought up to his trade with his father, who took him into partnership in 1903. Mr. Coleman has been a member of the Garrison Band for some years, and is a member of Court Waireka, Ancient Order of Foresters. He is married, and has one son.
Hartnell and Smith
(George Wilfrid Hartnell and John Donaldson Smith). Builders and Contractors, Hobson Street, New Plymouth. This firm carries on a large business, chiefly in wood work and the building of residences. All plans are drawn up by the firm. Several well known residences in the vicinity of New Plymouth have been built by Messrs Hartnell and Smith.
Mr. George Wilfrid Hartnell ,
Senior Partner in the firm of Hartnell and Smith, was born in Albertland, Auckland, in the year 1870, and brought up to the building trade. For some time he worked with his father, a builder in Auckland, and then worked as a journeyman in New Plymouth. In 1899 Mr. Hartnell went to Stratford, and started in business on his own account. He settled in New Plymouth in the year 1900, and was for some time in partnership with a brother under the title of Hartnell Brothers. Later, this partnership was dissolved, and in July, 1905, the firm
Collis, photo. Mr. G. W. Hartnell.
Mr, John Donaldson Smith ,
Junior Partner in the firm of Hartnell and Smith, is a competent tradesman, and entered the firm in July, 1905.
Russell and Son
(Jeffrey Russell, senior, and Jeffrey George Monland Russell), Monumental Sculptors, Builders and Contractors, St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth; branch yard at Hawera. Private residence, Hine Street. This firm was established in the year 1892, and a branch was opened at Hawera in 1905. The premises in St. Aubyn Street consist of an eighth of an acre of freehold, with sheds, and an office. All kinds of monumental work are undertaken, and also buildings in either brick, concrete, or wood. The firm has erected many buildings in the district, including the Auckland Clothing Company's building in Devon Street. About twenty persons are usually employed by the firm.
Mr. Jeffrey Russell ,
Senior Partner of the firm of Russell and Son, was born in Dorsetshire, England, in the year 1838. He was brought up to the trade of a mason, and came to New Zealand in 1876. Mr. Russell married a daughter of the late Mr. James Monland, of Fording Bridge, Hampshire, England, in 1860. This lady died in 1894, leaving three daughters and one son, and there are now (1906) thirty grandchildren.
Mr. Jeffrey George Monland Russell
was born at Swindon, Dorsetshire, England, in the year 1871, and came with his father to New Zealand in 1876. He landed at New Plymouth, and was brought up to his father's trade. Mr. Russell subsequently removed to Greymouth, and, while on the West Coast, had some experience in hydraulic sluicing. During his residence in Greymouth, in conjunction with his father, he erected the Roman Catholic church in that town. Mr. Russell married a daughter of Mr. Joe Ward, J.P., of New Plymouth, in August, 1893, and has three sons and two daughters.
Short, William Francis ,
Monumental Sculptor, Powderham Street, New Plymouth. This business was established about the year 1894,
Collis, photo.Mr. W. F. Short.
Davidson, James ,
Piano and Organ Builder, Central Piano Works, Powderham Street, New Plymouth, This business was established in the year 1905, and is conducted in a two-storied wood and
Mr. J. Davidson.
Honnor and Clark
(Henry Honnor and James Bruce), Coachbuilders and Wheelwrights, Liardet Street, New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. The business of this firm was established by Messrs Honnor and Clark in 1881, and Mr. Bruce joined the firm in 1892. Mr. Clark died in February, 1900, but his widow still retains his interest in the business. The premises comprise show rooms, which are well stocked with all descriptions of vehicles, and the workshops include a smithy and coach-building factory. A hydraulic engine drives the mechanical plant, which consists of sawing, drilling and other machines. From fourteen to eighteen men are employed in turning out all descriptions of vehicles, from light gigs and buggies to heavy drays and waggons. The firm makes a specialty of solid rubber tyres on light wheels.
Mr. Henry Honnor ,
Senior Partner, was born at New Plymouth, where he was educated and learned his trade. He has been an Oddfellow for a number of years.
Mr. James Bruce ,
Junior Partner, is a native of Scotland, and arrived in Auckland with his parents when eleven years old; and in that town he afterwards learned his trade with his brother. In 1879, he removed to New Plymouth, where he worked at the big forge at the harbour works for fourteen years, and became a partner in the present business in 1892. Mr. Bruce superintends the smithy branch of the firm's work.
Mr. Edward Thomas Clark ,
sometime a partner in the firm of Honnor and Clark, was a native of Bury St. Edmunds, England, and came to Nelson in 1874, by the barque “Hannibal,” and from Nelson he went immediately to New Plymouth. After being engaged in occupations connected with his trade, he joined Mr. Honnor in 1881. Mr. Clark died during the month of February in the year 1900.
Jenkinson and Co.
(William Jenkinson), Coachbuilders, Gover Street, New Plymouth. Telephone, 121. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. This firm's extensive business is carried on in commodious premises, where all sorts of vehicles are manufactured and kept in stock, including landaus, buggies, waggonettes, gigs, etc. Fully fourteen persons are employed, and every requisite of the trade—in the shape of seasoned material and importations from England, America and Australia—is kept in stock. The firm obtained a first prize silver medal given
Messrs Honnor and Clark's Premises.
Mr. Joseph Jenkinson
is a native of Yorkshire, England, where he learned his trade. In the year 1864 he came to Auckland by the ship “Ernestine,” accompanied by his family. Shortly after his arrival, Mr. Jenkinson was engaged by the Provincial
Messrs Jenkinson and Co.'s Premises. Mr. J. Jenkinson.Mr. W. Jenkinson.
Steffensen, Carl Olaf ,
Cordial Manufacturer, corner of Eliot Street and Lemon Street. New Plymouth. This business, which is conducted in freehold premises, is devoted principally to the making of horehound beer, ginger beer and vinegar. The horehound beer is a specialty, and its sale extends as far distant as Marton. Three persons are employed, and goods are delivered throughout the New Plymouth district. Mr. Steffensen
Collis, photo.Mr. C. O. Steffenson.
McConnel, Thomas Baird ,
Painter and Paperhanger, Octavius Terrace, corner of Eliot Street, New Plymouth. This business was established by Mr. McConnel in the year 1904. All classes of work are undertaken in any part of the district. Mr. McConnel is further referred to as bandmaster of the Taranaki Garrison Band.
Ambury Brothers
(Walter Ambury and Arthur Ambury), Drapers and General Importers, Devon Street and Brougham Street, New Plymouth. Established 1890. Telephone 86. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Branch at Manaia. This business was first opened at the corner of Devon and Brougham Streets by Messrs Ambury Brothers, but they were compelled to enlarge their premises by adding the adjoining shops, and now (1906) they have one of the finest places in New Plymouth. The main frontage in Devon Street extends for about 130 feet, and is sheltered with a handsome verandah. There are three entrances from Devon Street, and the first floor on the right leads to the ready-made department, where a large assortment of the latest styles of men's clothing, etc., is shown. Through a wide archway opening from this department, the central shop is entered, and there dresses, silk, hosiery, and Manchester goods are in good display. The millinery and mantle showrooms, measuring in all seventy feet by forty feet, are on the second floor, and are ways prettily decorated with the latest styles for the current season. The firm imports direct from the leading British markets, and its buyers, in choosing goods, carefully study the taste and requirements of colonists.
Messrs Ambury Brothers' Premises.
Mr. Walter Ambury ,
Senior Partner in the firm of Ambury Brothers, was born in Gloucestershire, England, gained his first business experience in Cheltenham, and was for three years
Mr. W. Ambury.
Mr. Arthur Ambury ,
Junior Partner in the firm of Ambury Brothers, is also a native of Gloucestershire, and was for twenty years with Mr John Lance, wholesale and retail draper at Cheltenham, and for fifteen years of that time he held the responsible position of buyer to the firm. Before
Mr. A. Ambury.
Griffiths, George ,
Merchant Tailor, Devon Street. New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1899 by the late Mr. Abner King. It is conducted in a two-storied wood and iron building, which contains a shop, fitting and cutting rooms, and a workshop. Eight persons are employed. Mr. Griffiths was born at the Thames, in the year 1877. He was educated in Auckland, where he learned his trade with Mr. R. H. Swales, with whom he remained for eight years, and he rose to the position of cutter. Subsequently, he gained further experience in the best Auckland shops. Mr. Griffiths then removed to New Plymouth, and bought the business of the late Mr. Abner King. He takes a keen interest in outdoor games, was a member of the Ponsonby Football Club, and is secretary of the Taranaki Referees' Association. Mr. Griffiths married a daughter of Mr. J. Pegler, of Onehunga, in the year 1901, and has two daughters.
Marks, Lewis ,
Fashionable Tailor, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Marks' fine business premises are situated in the centre of New Plymouth. The shop is large and commodious, and has workrooms fitted with every convenience, and the wide windows display
Mr. L. Marks.
Braund and Tunbridge
. Cabinetmakers, Wickerwork and Wire Mattress Manufacturers, Devon Street East, New Plymouth. The premises of the firm comprise a fine two-storey building, the ground floor of which is occupied by shop and show rooms, and the upper portion with a large stock of manufactured furniture, comprising suites, bedding and house furnishings of all sorts. Mr. George Braund was born in Auckland, and served his apprenticeship with Mr. James Halliday. After completing his indentures, he started business for himself in Auckland, where he remained two years; then he came to New Plymouth under engagement with Mr. E. T. Petty, with whom he remained six years as foreman. He entered into his present business in the beginning of 1897, and was afterwards joined in partnership by Mr. Tunbridge.
Clark, S. and Co.
(Sidney Clark), House Furnishers, Cabinetmakers and Importers, Cash Furniture Warehouse, Deyon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1885 by Mr. George Brown, and acquired by the present proprietor in 1903. The premises consist of wood and iron buildings, which stand on a freehold section which has forty feet frontage by a large depth. They contain a shop and show room, workshops and a store. There are separate rooms for the polishing, upholstering, cabinetmaking and undertaking departments, in which eight persons are employed. Messrs Clark and Co. are direct importers of bedsteads, crockery, tapestry, carpets, etc. At the New Plymouth Exhibition of 1904 the firm took the first and a special prize for a locally manufactured duchess pair, and a special diploma for the best piece of cabinet work.
Mr. Sidney Clark
is the third son of the Rev. Joseph Clark, of the Auckland Tabernacle, and was born in London, England, in the year 1877. He was educated in Nottingham, and learned his trade under Messrs Foster, Cooper and Foster, of Arkwright Street, Nottingham. In 1898 he came to New Zealand, landed in Auckland, and for two years conducted a business in Svmonds Street on his own account. Mr. Clark takes an interest in football, and was the founder of the Association game in New Plymouth. He was captain of the team that went to Auckland and Wellington, and made a draw with both. Mr. Clark married a daughter of Mr. Peter Edward Cheal. of Auckland, in 1905.
Heldt, Frederick ,
Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer, Devon Street East, New Plymouth. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Heldt's business was established by him in 1893, and occupies a large two-storey building, in which there is a display of beautiful cabinet work and high class furniture in great variety, including drawing room, dining room,
Mr. F. Heldt's Premises.
Antiseptic Hairdressing Saloon
(William Lints, proprietor), Devon Street East, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1906, and is conducted in a convenient shop. The saloon behind has two chairs, and is lighted with electric light, and fitted up with all the latest improvements. The latest antiseptic methods are adopted by Mr. Lints.
Mr. William Lints ,
Proprietor of the Antiseptic Hairdressing Saloon, was born in the year 1880, in Aberdeen, Scotland. When he was two
Collis, photo. Mr. W. Lints.
Bullot, Arthur Bertrand ,
Hairdresser and Tobacconist, Devon Street, New Plymouth. The business conducted by Mr. Bullot has been established for many years, and was acquired by him on the 15th of June, 1904. The establishment includes a shop, and a hairdressing saloon with two chairs.
Mr. Arthur Bertrand Bullot
was born in December, 1882, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and learned his trade under Mr. R. Terrill, whose business he afterwards bought. Mr. Bullot is a member of Court Waireka, Ancient Order of Foresters, and has been a member of the Tukapa Football Club.
Edwards, Henry ,
Hairdresser and Tobacconist, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Established in 1897. This business is conducted in a wood and iron building, which includes a shop with a verandah and a well appointed saloon, containing three chairs. Mr. Edwards was born in Sussex, England, and came to New Zealand at an early age. He was educated partly in Hawke's Bay, and partly in Rangitikei. He subsequently learned his trade at Feilding, Marton, and Bulls,
Mr. H. Edwards.
Freeman, Walter
(William H. Schlierike, manager), Hairdresser and Tobacconist, Egmont Hairdressing Saloon, Egmont Street, New Plymouth. The premises occupied by this business consist of part of a brick building, known as Freeman's Buildings, and contain a shop, a hairdressing saloon, with two chairs, and chess, draught and billiard rooms. Features of the business are ladies' hair work and ladies' hairdressing, and of the requisites of these branches the proprietor has the best assortment and display in the town.
Mr. William H. Schlierike ,
Manager of the Egmont Hairdressing Saloon in New Plymouth, was born in the year 1883 in Wellington. He was educated partly in Wellington, and partly in Palmerston North, and gained experience in his trade under the employment of Mr. Freeman during
Collis, photo. Mr. W. H. Schlierike.
Robottom Brothers
(Ernest Alfred Robottom and Sydney Herbert Robottom), Hairdressers and Tobacconists, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was founded by Mr. Stohr in the year 1893, and was taken over by the present proprietors on the 17th of April, 1903. The premises include a shop, and a hairdressing saloon with two chairs.
Mr. Ernest Alfred Robottom
is a son of the late Mr. Alfred Thomas Robottom, of Ashburton, and was born in Christchurch in November, 1876. He was educated at the Normal School, and brought up to mercantile life. For about ten years he was in the office of the Ashburton Building Society, and resigned in order to join his brother in the present firm. Mr. Robottom is a member of the New Plymouth Boxing Association, the New Plymouth Junior Cricket Club, and the Tukapa Football Club. He is also an amateur photographer.
Mr. Sydney Herbert Robottom
is a son of the late Mr. Thomas Robottom, and was born in Christchurch in the year 1874. He attended various schools and learned his trade under his father in Ashburton. Some years after Mr. Robottom went to Timaru for a time, and, later on, to Christchurch. In 1900 he removed to New Plymouth, and gained further experience of his trade before entering into partnership in business with his brother.
Criterion Hotel
(Daniel O'Brien, proprietor), Devon Street, New Plymouth. The Criterion Hotel is a fine three-storied building with wide balconies; it is situated in the centre of the town, and is complete and up-to-date in every respect. It contains forty-one bedrooms, several sitting rooms, a large drawing room, a splendid commercial room, and a billiard room. The tariff is moderate; the table and accommodation good, and the liquors of the best brands. The proprietor makes the comfort and convenience of guests and travellers his first consideration.
Mr. Daniel O'Brien ,
the Proprietor of the Criterion Hotel, was born in Melbourne, Australia, in the year 1847, and was brought up on a farm in Victoria. He took up horse racing, and in 1867 came to New Zealand. For a time he was part proprietor of the Empire Hotel in Oamaru, and from 1883 to 1888 he conducted an hotel and racing stables at Riccarton, Canterbury. He has at various times been owner of such well known horses as Carbine, Trenton, Tasman (who won the first New Zealand Cup), Loyalty, and many others, and is still an owner of racehorses, and takes a keen interest in sport. Mr. O'Brien is married.
Collis, photo.Devon Street: Looking West.
Collis, photo. Mr. D. O'Brien.
Taranaki Hotel
(Henry John Julian, proprietor), Brougham Street, New Plymouth. This hotel is built of wood and iron. It contains twenty-five rooms, of which seventeen are bedrooms, and seven are sitting rooms; and the dining room will seat twenty-eight guests.
Mr. Henry John Julian ,
Proprietor of the Taranaki Hotel, has been in charge of the establishment since the beginning of the year 1904. He was previously, for a short time, landlord of the Midhurst Hotel, and for some years before that had the Railway Hotel at Inglewood. Mr. Julian is referred to in another article as a former member of the Inglewood Town Board.
Mr. Robert H. Campbell ,
formerly proprietor of the Taranaki Hotel, New Plymouth, is a native of Ireland, and arrived in Auckland in the year 1870. After a short time in that city he went to Canterbury, where he was engaged in farming and contracting for about two years, and used seventy horses, and fourteen double-furrow ploughs. In 1882 he removed to Parihaka, where he received from the Government the transport contract for the conveyance of the troops, and removal of the Maori prisoners during the Te Whiti disturbances, and employed in the work about forty teams. Mr. Campbell next removed to Greymouth, where he acquired the well known Club Hotel, which he conducted for four years. After this he was successively in occupation of the Mail Coach Hotel, at Hawera, and of hotels at Woodville and Stratford; and in 1898 he acquired possession of the Taranaki Hotel in New Plymouth. Mr. Campbell, who is a very keen sportsman and an active supporter of racing, afterwards removed to Kaponga.
The Terminus Hotel
occupies one of the best sites in New Plymouth in St. Aubyn Street, overlooking the sea. It is a modern two-storey building, surrounded on the front and sea side by a broad balcony, which provides a pleasant promenade. The house contains about twenty-five bedrooms, with smoking, commercial, drawing and ladies' sitting rooms, all furnished comfortably and with good taste. The hotel stands on about two acres of nicely laid out grounds. A short distance from the hotel, and surrounded by shrubberies, there are two detached cottages; one of which contains nine rooms, and the other two rooms. In each case the rooms are well furnished, and at either cottage married couples or private families can enjoy the privacy of a home. The “Terminus” has also a fine tennis court, which affords visitors an opportunity for healthy recreation. The situation of the house is considered the most healthy in New Plymouth, and persons who take up their quarters at the “Terminus,” find that the mild climate, combined with the bracing sea air, soon restores their health.
Mr. Audus Raynes ,
who formerly conducted the Terminus Hotel, was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to Auckland in the year 1862 by the ship “African.” After being for some time engaged in pastoral work, Mr. Raynes, in 1878, built the first hotel in Wairoa South, and conducted it, together with a general store, for some time, but finally sold the whole
A “
Terminus” Cottage. Mr. A. Raynes.
Abbott, John ,
Plumber and Tinsmith, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1873, by Mr. John Abbott, senior, who conducted it until 1901, when
Collis, photo.Mr. J. Abbott.
Griffiths Brothers
(William Henry Griffiths and Fred C. Griffiths), Plumbers and Tinsmiths, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Established in 1870. Telephone, 135. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. The workshop contains a very complete plant, including curving, screwing, down-pipe, ridging, and drilling machines. A specialty is made of the manufacture of tanks and baths, and one of the baths exhibited by the firm at the New Plymouth Exhibition was awarded first prize.
Messrs Griffiths Brothers' Premises.
Messrs Griffiths Brothers.
Mr. William Henry Griffiths ,
Senior Partner, is a native of Auckland, and learned his trade with Mr. Swales of that city. On the expiration
Okey and Rollo ,
Engineers, Millwrights, Blacksmiths, Iron and Brass Founders, Taranaki Iron Foundry, New Plymouth. This foundry was originally established in 1866. Mr. F. W. Okey was for years the sole owner, in succession to Mr. Vivian, but he has latterly been joined in partnership by Mr. Rollo, Much of the plant supplied to the country dairy factories has been manufactured by the firm, which has also completed orders for turbines for industries in the north of Auckland. The manufacture of water wheels is a special feature of the foundry, where upwards of twelve persons are employed. Mr. Okey was born in Taranaki, and is a son of Mr. Edward Okey, senior partner of the firm of Okey, Son and Arnold, ironmongers, of New Plymouth. He was educated in Taranaki, and served his indentures with Mr. Vivian, who formerly owned the business. On the completion of his term, he went to Auckland, and served with Messrs Fraser and Tinney, ironfounders and engineers, with whom he remained a year and gained much experience. He returned to New Plymouth, and, on the retirement of Mr. Vivian, took over the business, in which he has since been joined by Mr. Rollo. Mr. Okey takes an interest in Friendly Societies, and is a member of the Rechabites, and has held office on several occasions. He is married, and has children.
Messrs Okey and Rollo's Premises.
Roberts, John ,
Blacksmith and Farrier, Currie Street, New Plymouth. Established in 1887. Mr. Roberts is a native of New Plymouth, where he first learned his trade, and afterwards removed to Auckland, where for about four years he was engaged in the Auckland Tram Company's shoeing forge. He left Auckland in 1887, and started business in New Plymouth in Devon Street, whence he removed to his present more commodious premises. Mr. Roberts is a Freemason, and also a member of the Order of Foresters.
Smart, G. and Co. ,
Electricians, Plumbers, Dairy and Sanitary Engineers, Gasfitters and Tinsmiths, Manufacturers of the Acetylene Gas Generators for the province of Taranaki, Brougham Street, New Plymouth, and at Broadway, Stratford. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. This business was established in 1892 at Stratford by Mr. George Smart, and every description of plumbing and dairy work is manufactured and fitted up in any part of the province. The workshop now contains a complete plant for the manufacture of every branch of the trade, including spouting and down pipe machinery. The firm fitted up buildings for the electric light when it was installed in Stratford. Twelve persons are employed in the business.
Messrs G. Smart and Co.'s Premises.
Mr. George Smart
was born in Auckland in 1862, and learned his trade with Messrs Branston and Foster, of that city. In 1884, he started business on his own account in Auckland, where he remained about three years, but in order to gain a more
Messrs Smart Brothers.
Tunbridge, Henry Hardwick ,
Shoeing and General Smith, Gill Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Tunbridge conducts the business of a general
Mr. H. H. Tunbridge.
George, Arnold ,
Cycle Engineer and Agent, Brougham Street, New Plymouth This business was established in the year 1901 by Mr. M. A. Campbell, who was joined in partnership by Mr. A. George in 1902. Mr. George acquired his partner's interest in 1904, and has since carried on the business on his own account. It is conducted in part of a two-storied wood and iron building, which contains a shop, a show room and a workshop. Mr. George imports Birmingham Small Arms parts, and builds good machines under the name of Sunbeam; he also carries a stock of first grade National and Rothwell cycles and a second grade Rover. The workshop is fitted up with modern appliances, and a skilled mechanic is employed. Mr. George was born in the year 1870 in New Plymouth, was educated at local schools, was afterwards for some time employed at the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory, and was for seven years farming on his own account at Omata. He subsequently gained experience at his trade in the Taranaki district. Mr. George gained many prizes in connection with running, amongst others a gold medal in 1894, which was points-prize for a quarter-mile race, a half-mile race, and a one-mile race at one meeting. He commenced cycling in 1898, and within two months of learning to ride won an open handicap race in New Plymouth; his total number of wins for the first four months was thirteen. Among many others subsequently, Mr. George won a ten-guinea cup locally, a twenty-points prize, and others at Wanganui and elsewhere. In 1899, he took a wheelrace against the champion, and won £15, gaining the same day a gold medal points-prize, and two others. In the year 1896 Mr. George married a daughter of Captain J. Davidson, a former Mayor of New Plymouth, and has two sons and two daughters.
Murton, W. W. and Co ,
Ironmongers and Hardware Merchants, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1903, and is conducted in a double-fronted two-storied brick building, which contains a large shop with office and show rooms. At the back of the building the bulk of the heavy goods are stored. All lines, including general furnishing and builders' ironmongery, are imported by the firm.
Mr. William Walter Murton
was born in the year 1869, in Suffolk, England, where he was educated, and was apprenticed to the ironmongery trade at Ipswich. After some years' experience in other towns of Suffolk and Sussex, he came to New Zealand, and landed in New Plymouth in 1896. For several years Mr. Murton had local experience in his trade before taking up his present business. As a Freemason, he is a member of Lodge de Burgh Adams. He married a daughter of the late Mr. Joseph Sole, of North Leech, Gloucestershire, England, in 1891.
Okey, Son and Arnold, Limited
(Edward Okey, E. Nelson L. Okey, and Alfred H. Arnold), Ironmongers, Oil and Colourmen, Central Hardware Depot, New Plymouth. Telephone 69; P.O. Box 25. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. The premises of this firm consist of a two-storied building in Devon Street, running through to Currie Lane, with cellarage throughout, the floor space being about 7600 feet. The main floor is devoted to the firm's extensive furnishing and general hardware business; the upper floor is used for warehousing goods, and the cellars for oils, plants, colours, glass, etc. The firm has additional storage on the opposite side of Currie Lane. Being direct importers, Messrs Okey, Son
Messrs Okey, Son and Arnold's Premises.
Reynolds, E. and Co., Limited ,
Cycle Engineers and Importers, Taranaki branch, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Head Office, Wellington. This branch was opened in the year 1903, when the company acquired the business of Mr. L. M. Taunton, which was the first to be established in New Plymouth. The business is conducted in a wood and iron building, which includes a shop, an office, and a well equipped workshop. Three persons are employed.
Mr. Frederick Charles Tribe
was appointed Manager of the New Plymouth branch of Messrs Reynolds and Company, Limited, in 1901. He was born in the year 1881, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, Mr. Tribe has had considerable experience in engineering in connection with agricultural implements, in repairing cycles and motors. He is a member of the New Plymouth cricket and hockey clubs.
Skeates and Bockaert, Limited ,
Motor and Cycle Agents, Taranaki Branch, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Head Office, Auckland. This branch was established in the year 1902, and is conducted in part
Mr. George Wilson Gunson ,
Manager of the Taranaki branch of Messrs Skeates and Bockeart, Limited, was born in the year 1883 in Auckland, where he was educated. In
Mr. G. W. Gunson.
The Royal Steam Laundry
(Frederick Nichols, proprietor), Gill Street, New Plymouth. This laundry was established in the year 1900, on freehold premises, and is complete and up-to-date in every respect. The plant includes a Tangye boiler and engine, washing machines, a centrifugal drying machine, ironing machines, and polishing machines. Seven persons are employed, and a large business is done throughout Taranaki.
Mr. Frederick Nichols ,
Proprietor of the Royal Steam Laundry, was born in New Plymouth, in the year 1863. For several years he was employed in various kinds of work, including carpentry, and work at the gas works. Mr. Nichols was for nine years a member of the Taranaki Rifles, and rose to the rank of sergeant, and is a member of the Taranaki Guards. He has won several trophies in shooting matches. Mr. Nichols is married, and has one son.
Collis, photo. Mr. F. Nichols.
The A.B.C. Boot Depot
(W. G. Linthorn and H. C. Evans, proprietors), Boot and Shoemakers and Importers, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1902, and was taken over by the present proprietors in 1905. The premises consist of a wood and iron building, which contains a double-fronted shop, a fitting room and workshop, with a plant including a solesewer, rollers and general machinery.
Mr. William G. Linthorn ,
of the A.B.C. Boot Depot, was born in the year 1871, in Bristol, England, where he was educated, and learned his trade under his father, who was a boot manufacturer. He came to New Zealand in 1905.
Mr. Henry Cave Evans ,
of the A.B.C. Boot Depot, was born in the year 1870, in Christchurch, where he was educated, and learned his trade. He was employed by the late Mr. W. Harris, and afterwards by Mr. A. H. Pannell. After a good many years' experience, he went to Taranaki, and took up farming. Some years afterwards he sold out, and went into the boot trade in Inglewood, for three years. After spending a winter in Christchurch he returned to Taranaki, and commenced business in Devon Street in 1902. Two years and six months later he was joined by Mr. W. G. Linthorn, and bought the A.B.C. Boot Depot, which had previously been conducted by Mr J. R. Chatterton. Mr. Evans has been connected with the volunteer movement for some time, was a member of the Christchurch College Cadets, and is sergeant in the Taranaki Guards.
Egmont Boot and Shoe Company
(Hal Goodacre, proprietor and manager), Courtenay Street, New Plymouth. Telephone, 113; P.O. Box 73. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Telegraphic Address, “Egmont Boot.” This business was established in the year 1887, and is carried on in Courtenay Street in a fine large two-storied building, which is a prominent landmark of the town The original firm consisted of Mr. Goodacre and Mr. Carthew, but Mr. Goodacre bought his partner's interest, and has now for many years been sole proprietor. At first only six persons were employed, but now more than fifty men and women are engaged in connection with the business. After the Taranaki Exhibition (of whose committee Mr. Goodacre was chairman), the manufactures of the firm gained great popularity, and the “Egmont Tignts”—a strong watertight boot—took a leading place in colonial trade. Besides the heavier class of goods, dancing pumps, and ladies' and gentlemen's boots and shoes of stylish patterns are made, and find an extensive sale. The latest machinery is used, and the large stocks include three special ladies' brands (“Heart,” “Queen,” and “Victoria”), besides cycling, canvas, and other shoes of every description. The warehouse is on the ground floor, where large assortments of the best manufactured goods from the English, German, and American markets are in stock; and the manager's room, accountant's office, and sample room are in touch with the warehouse. The clinking room is reached by a wide staircase, and is a fine large apartment under the control of Mr. Fred Goodacre, who has seven assistants. It is stored with about forty-five different kinds of black leather, in addition to tan and coloured leathers. Near the clinking room is the machine room, where a number of girls are employed at a double row of machines, fancy stitching and plain sewing. In the benching and making-up room about twenty operatives are engaged in hammering and pegging, and a fine Blake sewing machine is used to stitch the outer sole to the inside of the boot. The ceiling of the factory is lighted through the medium of what is called the “southern light,” which consists of large windows set at such an angle that the direct rays of the sun never enter the room, and thus a
Egmont Boot and Shoe Company's Premises.
Mr. Hal Goodacre ,
Sole Proprietor of the Egmont Boot and Shoe Company, was born in Derbyshire, England, educated at Leicester, where he thoroughly learned his trade, and was one of the six men chosen to proceed to Germany to start a factory on English principles. In 1874 he came to New Zealand by the ship “Assaye,” and landed in Auckland, where he remained two years, gaining colonial experience. He then established a business at Wanganui, where he remained some years, and was afterwards at Patea and Hawera for three years before he entered upon his present successful undertaking. Although a very busy man, Mr. Goodacre devotes a considerable share of his time to local matters, and has been for a long period a member of the New Plymouth school committee, president of the Horticultural Society; and he was first president of the Prohibition League, of which he is an active member. Mr. Goodacre is married, and has three sons and one daughter.
Mr. H. Goodacre.
Jones, Frederick ,
Tanner, New Plymouth. Mr. Jones was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. His brother, Mr. Benjamin Jones, was head leather dresser for Messrs Hallister, in Staffordshire, for over forty years. Mr. Jones came to New Zealand in 1872 from America, where he had been in the service of Mr. F. D. D. Cossett, leather manufacturer, of Chicago. He landed at Auckland, and entered the employment of Messrs Geddes Brothers, where he remained for seven years, when he took over the Frankley Road Tannery in New Plymouth, in conjunction with Messrs Christmas and J. C. George. A year later the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Jones has since been in business on his own account. He is married, and has two sons and one daughter.
Ramson, Maynard ,
Saddler and Harness Maker, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Established in 1887. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Mr. Ramson's fine premises are situated in the centre of the town, and have a frontage of thirty feet by a depth of sixty-five feet. There is a large assortment of saddlery, harness and
Mr. M. Ramson's Premises.
The Taranaki Producers' Freezing Works Company, Limited ,
dates from the year 1901; the works were established originally at Moturoa, in 1895, when the company was known as the Taranaki Freezing Company, Limited. The present company consists really of a cooperation of dairy factory owners. The original works were burnt down in May, 1904, but the present establishment was immediately erected, and commenced work in September, 1904. The buildings are of brick, wood, and iron, and stand on a site of about five acres and a-half, and have ample cool storage accommodation for butter and cheese awaiting shipment. During the year which ended in June, 1905, 168,627 boxes of butter, and 5,253 cases of cheese were received. In the same period 146,964 boxes of butter, and 4,297 cases of cheese were shipped to London; besides 1310 boxes of butter to South Africa, and 11,989 boxes of butter, and 846 cases of cheese to Australian and local markets. Directors: Messrs J. B. Connett (chairman), J. Brown, B. Dive, J. W. Foreman, A. Morton, H. Spratt, and R. Dingle, Mr. J. S. McKellar is secretary, and Mr. D. K. Morrison, manager and chief engineer at the works.
George, James Cartwright ,
Merchant, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Telephone, 125. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Private residence, “Te Ruru,” Devon Street. Mr.
Mr. J. C. George.
J. B. Macewan and Co.
(James Ballantyne MacEwan), Dairy Produce Merchants and Exporters, Dairy Specialists, Dairy Machinists and Supply Importers, and Dairy Refrigerating Engineers. Head office at Wellington, and branches at Auckland, Dunedin, and New Plymouth. This well known firm was established in the year 1897, in Dunedin. In the following year it became necessary to remove the head office to Wellington, and the staff at Dunedin took charge of the South Island business. In
Messrs J. B. MacEwan and Co.'s Premises.
Mr. James Ballantyne MacEwan ,
Founder of the firm of MacEwan and Co., was born in Canada, where he gained his early experience in connection with the dairy industry. He came to New Zealand in the year 1894, under engagement to the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, as Dairy Commissioner; but retired from the office in one year and eight months later, and founded his present business.
Nathan, L. D. and Company, Limited ,
General Merchants, Taranaki Branch, Devon Street, New Plymouth; Head Office, Auckland. This branch was established in the year 1902, and is situated in a two-storied wood and iron building. There are two cart-loading stages, and departments for groceries, wines, fancy goods, and tea. The firm's bond is at the New Zealand Express Company's building, St. Aubyn Street. In connection with the establishment, there is a store for kerosene and oilman's stores in Gill Street. Eight persons are employed, including three travellers, who visit the settlements between Urenui and Hawera, and round Mount Egmont.
Mr. Alfred Oldham ,
Manager of the Taranaki Branch of Messrs L. D. Nathan and Company, Limited, was born in the North of Auckland, and
Collis, photo. Mr. A. Oldham.
Sargood, Son, and Ewen ,
Merchants and Warehousemen: Taranaki branch, Currie Street. New Plymouth. The Taranaki branch of Sargood, Son. and Ewen was opened in the year 1890, and the business is conducted in a two-storied wood and iron building. Two travellers are employed.
Mr. George Ramson
was appointed Manager of the Taranaki branch of Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen in the year 1896. He was born in 1876 in Manchester, England, where he was educated. Mr. Ramson came
Collis photo.
Welch, Thomas William ,
Dairy Produce Merchant and Exporter, New Plymouth. Branch office, 61 Shortland Street, Auckland. Agent for Messrs John lsaac and Sons, importers of New Zealand produce, Cardiff. Wales, England. The branch office in Auckland was opened in 1004, and had previously been carried on as an agency of Messrs Pearson and Rutter, Limited, for nearly five years. Mr. Welch was born in 1875, in London, England, and educated at the Borough Road College, and was brought up to a mercantile life in London, where he had many years' experience. He came to New Zealand in 1900, settled in New Plymouth, and joined the staff of Pearson and Rutter, Limited. The business was subsequently amalgamated with that of Mr. F. N. R. Meadows, of Wellington, and Mr. Welch then began business on his own account. He afterwards bought out the Auckland Butter Company, which was then established as a branch. About eighteen persons are employed at the head office and branch office. Mr. Welch married a daughter of Mr. Benjamin Weale, of Cornwall, England, and New Plymouth, in April, 1903, and has two sons.
The Moturoa Petroleum Company, Limited ,
has its head office in Devon Street, New Plymouth. Since the early fifties efforts have been made to utilise the mineral oils of Taranaki. Two companies were formed in London in the early days. The first was known as the People's Company, and subsequently a company was formed by the late Sir Julius Vogel. Money was expended in connection with the establishment of a plant, and the company put down a bore to the depth of 900 feet. In October, 1904, the South Australian Company acquired the plant, and continued operations till January, 1905, when the Moturoa Petroleum Company bought the concern. Work has been vigorously continued, and the bore was at a depth of 2100 feet when the Moturoa Company took possession. The depth is now (May, 1906) about 2400 feet. At that date the plant at Moturoa consisted of a fifteen horse-power engine, which made forty-five strokes per minute. The oil and water pumped up flowed into a tank, the capacity of which was 4,400 gallons. The petroleum rose to the top of the water, and was then skimmed off as required. A very large sum of money in the aggregate has been spent in connection with this industry, and in April, 1906, clean oil, totally free from water, began to flow from the bore in an uninterrupted stream.
Mr. George Charles Fair ,
who has been manager of the Company since its formation, has had large experience in Canada, and other parts of the world in connection with oil works.
City Fruit and Flower Company
(John Buttimore, proprietor), Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1902 by Messrs Carter and Green, and was acquired by Messrs Goodacre and Buttimore in 1904. All vegetables sold at the shop in Devon Street are grown at the company's gardens, which are five acres in extent, and are situated near the cemetery. All kinds of choice flowers and shrubs are supplied from the Morshead Nurseries, for which the company is agent. Seeds are imported direct from French and other well known growers, including Atlee, Burpee and Co.'s “seeds that grow,” from Philadelphia, United States of America.
Mr. Fred Goodacre ,
formerly Senior Partner of the City Fruit and Flower Company, was born at Melbourne, Derbyshire, England, in the
Mr. F. Goodacre.
Duncan's Nursery ,
Westown, New Plymouth, Mr. Duncan's nursery consists of eight acres of freehold land, situated about two miles from Westown, with a long frontage to the main road. Shelter is obtained from hedges of macrocapa, pinus insignis, etc. Fruit and shelter trees, roses, climbers and flowering shrubs are grown. A specialty is made of saltwind resisting shrubs, such as escallonias and other hedge plants; timber trees, conifers, and shrubs are also grown. A special feature is a small portion of the grounds devoted to the testing of fruits in their relation to soil and climate. Mr. Duncan exhibits, and has taken prizes for roses and bulbs. Daffodils are a special hobby, there being over 150 varieties in the nursery.
Mr. James Robertson Duncan ,
Proprietor of Duncan's Nursery, was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, in the year 1869. After he was educated he entered an office in Ashburton, but retired in order to take up nursery and garden work. In 1891 he went to Melbourne to gain experience, and entered the service of a large florist firm,
Collis photo. Mr. J. R. Duncan.
Horne, John ,
Nursery Gardener, New Plymouth. Mr. Horne is a colonist of sixteen years' standing, and was born near Woburn, on the Duke of Bedford's estate, Bedfordshire, England. He is one of a family of twelve, being the eldest of nine boys, and was educated in the village of Solsoe. He was afterwards employed in the gardens of the Right Honourable Earl Cowper, and while there he gained much experience. After a course in the large London nurseries, Mr. Horne was for two years gardener to the Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII.) at Sandringham. He was then employed by Mr. Tait (of Tait Gallery fame) London, but finding that hot-house work did not agree with him, he decided to come to New Zealand. He landed in Wellington in December, 1890, and subsequently settled in Taranaki, where he took up a section of bush land at Tarata Inglewood. He remained there for twelve years, during which he transformed the wilderness into rich dairy land and beautiful gardens. Mr. Horne took a trip Home, and paid a visit to his birthplace, in the year 1900. He returned to New Zealand, and a year later sold his property at Tarata, and has since bought and sold several beautiful suburban properties in the neighbourhood of New Plymouth. He finally acquired fourteen acres of land at Westown, where he carried on business as a nurseryman and market gardener. Mr. Horne was one of the promoters of the Tarata Dairy Factory Company,
Collis, photo.Mr. J. Horne.
Morshead Nursery Company
. The main nursery, of ten acres, is situated on the South Road, and there is a branch nursery of two acres in Lemon Street. The business was established in the year 1880 by the late Mr. Joseph William Morshead, and is now conducted by the
Mr. Joseph William Morshead ,
sometime Proprietor of the Morshead Nurseries, was born in Pelyat, Cornwall, England, in the year 1817, and was for five years gardener on the estate of Major T. T. S. Carlyon. He came to New Zealand in 1871, and settled in Canterbury. In
The Late Mr. J. W. Morshead.
Carter, C. ,
Grocer and Provision Merchant, Devon Street. New Plymouth. Telephone 110. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Carter established his business in 1897 in a two-storey building, admirably adapted for the grocery trade. He has an extensive connection throughout
Mr. C. Carter's Christmas Card (1897).
Monteath, Lawrence McLaurin ,
Grain and Produce Broker, Egmont Street, New Plymouth. This business was founded in Devon Street, and was afterwards removed to its present position in Egmont Street in 1902. Mr. Monteath acts as agent for the Victoria Insurance Company, and is secretary to the Provident and Investment Building Society. For some years previously to settling in New Plymouth, Mr. Monteath was a farmer at Tariki road. He is further referred to as a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council, and as secretary of the Provident and Investment Building Society.
Sentry Hill Roller Flour Mills
(J. Little and Co., proprietors). Sentry Hill, near New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. This is the only complete roller mill in the Taranaki province. The building is of wood and iron, four stories in height, and is well adapted for the trade. The main driving shaft and wheat-mixing bins are on the ground floor; and on the next floor are four sets of Simon's roller mills and other machinery. The dressing machinery and the purifier are situated on the third floor, and the shafting and other portions of the plant on the upper floor. The whole of the machinery is driven by a Victor turbine wheel, but a Tangye oil engine is also available if required. The firm puts through a lot of grain in the course of the year, and has an excellent connection throughout Taranaki.
See page111.Sentry Hill Roller Flour Mills.
Mr. Joseph Little ,
the Senior Partner of the firm, is a native of Teesdale, Durham, England, and was for many years in Neweastle-on-Tyne, in one of the largest commercial firms in that city. He came to New Zealand in 1880 in the ship “Western Monarch,” settled in Taranaki, and bought the Sentry Hill Roller Flour Mills, with which he has been connected for many years. Mr. Little is a Justice of the Peace, a Past Master of Ngamotu Lodge of Freemasons, and is connected with many other societies in Taranaki.
Veale and Chatterton ,
General Grocers and Provision Merchants, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Courtenay Street. This business was established by Mr. Thomas Veale in the year 1877, in premises situated in the main street, to which it has a frontage of about thirty feet. A large and complete stock of goods of the best quality and at reasonable prices is always kept, and the firm has deservedly a large connection throughout the province. Mr. Thomas Veale has retired from the business, which is now carried on as that of Messrs Veale and Chatterton.
Whitaker, Joseph ,
General Storekeeper, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mr. Whitaker took over the business in 1892, after it had been in existence for eight years. He imports general goods to suit the public, but his specialty is the well known Gangaoya Tea, which is much sought for its fine flavour and purity. This tea is specially imported by Mr. Whitaker, from the hillside plantations in Ceylon, and he has had considerable success in introducing it to public notice. Mr. Whitaker was born at Dewsbury, in Yorkshire, and about twenty-three years ago came to New Zealand. For a period of nine years he managed drapery and general stores for Messrs Murch and Jones, and then opened business on his own account. His premises occupy a very good position, and have a splendid frontage to Devon Street and Liardet Street. For six years Mr. Whitaker has acted as secretary to the Rechabite Tent, and is much interested generally in the affairs of Friendly Societies.
Mr. J. Whitaker's Premises.
The New Plymouth Gas Company, Limited ,
has its headquarters in Brougham Street, and its works at the corner of Molesworth Street and Gill Street. Directors: Messrs A. Shuttleworth (chairman), W. L. Newman, A. M. Thomson, E. Dockrill, and T. Furlong. Mr. C. Rennell acts as secretary. The capital of the company in £20,000 in 2000 shares paid up to £5, and a second issue of 2000 shares paid up to £4. The company has paid dividends from its inception. An area of three-quarters of an acre is occupied by the works, and the plant consists of two holders, capable of containing 46,000 cubic feet of gas. There are twenty-one retorts, besides purifiers. Fifteen miles of mains are laid throughout New Plymouth and suburbs, and there are 1000 consumers. The average price of gas is 7s per 1000 feet.
Hasell, Alfred Spearpoint ,
Manufacturer of Tents, Tarpaulins, Horse Covers, and Oilskins, Devon Street, New Plymouth. This business was established in the year 1898. The premises include a shop, an office, and two large workrooms, and a large flat for drying. Five persons are employed. Mr. Hasell was born in Croydon, Surrey, England, in the year 1872. He came with his parents to
Criterion Livery and Bait Stables
(M. Jones, proprietor), Devon Street and King Street, New Plymouth. Telephone, 29. These fine stables are situated in the centre of the town and opposite the Criterion Hotel. They contain twenty-six stalls, and twelve loose boxes; and landaus, single and double-seated buggies, etc., are supplied at a moment's notice. Picnic parties can be supplied with four-horse brakes, and the proprietor keeps a large specially imported hearse for funerals. Trains and steamers are met on arrival, and there is a night service to connect with the departure of the steamers from the breakwater. Special arrangements have been made with Messrs Cook and Son for the conveyance of tourists to Mount Egmont; and good horses and careful drivers can be depended on in connection with the stables.
Criterion Livery and Bait Stables.
Mr. M. Jones ,
who is a native of County Monaghan, Ireland, arrived in New Plymouth in 1879, and followed farming for five years. He then bought the mail coach service between New Plymouth and Opunake, which he successfully carried on for eight years. In 1893 he disposed of his coaching business, and took possession of the Criterion Livery and Bait Stables.
Jury, William Alfred ,
Livery and Bait Stables Proprietor, New Plymouth. Baiting accommodation is provided for a large number of horses. Mr. Jury keeps reliable horses for hire, with a good plant of buggies and other vehicles. He was born in Taranaki, and was educated in New Plymouth. At fourteen years of age he went to Australia, and gained many years' experience among horses in Sydney and Melbourne. In 1893 he returned to New Zealand, and for some time conducted stables at Waitara before removing to New Plymouth. Mr. Jury is interested in sport, and was a member of the Waitara Racing Club.
Jury, William Henry ,
White Hart Livery and Bait Stables. Queen
Mr. W. H. Jury's Stables.
West, James William ,
Tattersall's Livery and Bait Stables, Egmont Street. New Plymouth, Established in 1890, Telephone 62, Mr. West's stables are within a minute's walk of the railway station, and occupy about half an acre of ground. Accommodation is provided for about eighty horses, and eleven new loose boxes have been added to meet the requirements of an increasing connection. In the main building, which contains a floor space of about 4500 square feet, there is a large stock of buggies, landaus, hansoms, brakes, etc. The office and ladies' waiting room are situated in front of the building. Regular conveyances meet the train on arrival, and several more are constantly employed in connection with the stables. On market days business is always exceptionally brisk, and sometimes as many as one hundred horses are baited. Mr. West is a native of Lincolnshire, England, and came to New Zealand in the year 1875. On his arrival in Taranaki, he was for some time engaged in bushfelling, and after farming for twelve years, entered into business. The general public may rely on receiving every attention at Tattersall's stables, and all orders and telegrams are promptly attended to.
Mr. J. W. West's Stables.
Cooke, Alexander Laird ,
Watchmaker and Jeweller, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Courtenay Street. The fine premises in which Mr. Cooke conducts his business possess handsome plate glass windows, with gold and silver watches, chains, bracelets, broaches, rings, etc., in all their glittering attractiveness. Goods of the latest designs are constantly imported to Mr. Cooke's order from the British and European markets. The workroom is fitted with the latest machinery for the manufacture of various articles of the trade, and it contains also a complete electro-plating battery. Mr. Cooke was born in Dunedin, and educated at the Normal School in that city. He afterwards served his apprenticeship with Mr. Albert Bergen, the well known jeweller and watchmaker, removed with him to Auckland, and remained in his employment for about two years. He was next in the service of Mr. Hawden, of Auckland, for two years. Then he decided to start on his own account, and bought his present business from Mr. Bartlett in 1895. Mr. Cooke is very musical, and a good performer on the violin. He was for nine years a prominent member of the Auckland Orchestral Society. He is also an artist, and many of his oil paintings exhibit considerable merit. Mr. Cooke is a Freemason.
Parker, John Henry ,
Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Optician, Devon Street, New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank
Mr. J. H. Parker's Premises.Mr. J. H. Parker.
Brown, Henry and Co.
(Henry Brown and Charles Ahier), Sash and Door Manufacturers, Sawmillers and Timber Merchants; Yards at New Plymouth, Stratford, and Waitara, and mills at Inglewood, East Road and Surrey Road. Telephone 10. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. The yards at New Plymouth are conveniently situated and arranged, and occupy a space of three-quarters of an acre, where every description of seasoned timber is kept in stock, including flooring, lining, rusticated boards, mouldings, doors, sashes, and turners' and builders' ironmongery. Special attention is given to the manufacture of butter and fruit boxes. The business extends to nearly all the towns in the Taranaki province; about 130 men are constantly employed, and the pay sheet averages about £800 per month.
Mr. Charles Ahier
is a native of Jersey, in the Channel Islands. When a lad he came to New Zealand by the ship “Green Jacket,” served through the Waikato wars, and then determined to try his luck on the Thames goldfields. After very successful operations, on the Upper and Lower Thames, he bought a share in the old-established business of Henry Brown and Co., in 1893. Mr. Ahier was for a number of years secretary to several Friendly Societies. He is an ardent Prohibitionist; and although
Mr. C. Ahier.
Koru Sawmilling Company
(E. A. Ede, manager), Devon Street, New Plymouth. Mills at Koru. The company has cutting rights over 3,500 acres of bush at Koru. The mill, situated within eight miles of New Plymouth, is of wood and iron, and is driven by a twenty-horse power steam engine. There is also a twin saw, measuring twenty-six feet six inches (the only one of the kind in Taranaki), and planing and logging machinery. The output is about 7000 feet per day.
Mr. Ernest Alfred Ede ,
Manager of the Koru Sawmilling Company, was born in 1859 in Surrey, England, where he was educated. After about five years' experience in a bank he came to New Zealand, and landed in Dunedin in 1883. Mr. Ede gained a general experience in the colony till 1896, when he became manager of Mr. Greenaway's mill at Dannevirke. He afterwards removed to New Plymouth, and established the Koru mill in 1904. Mr. Ede married a daughter of Mr. J. C. Burrell, of Dannevirke, in 1886, and has two sons and two daughters.
New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory and Timber Company, Limited
. Directors for the year 1906: Messrs N. King, (chairman), R. Cock, J. Paul, J. B. Connett, W. F. Brooking, J. C. George, and A. Goldwater. Mr E. Snowball is manager, and Mr. J. McArthur, secretary. The factory and office of the New Plymouth Sash and Door and Timber Company are situated in Gill Street, New Plymouth, and stand on part of a freehold section of three acres. The plant is driven by a twenty-five horsepower steam engine, and consists of the most modern machinery. Sashes, doors, and all kinds of joinery work are turned out. The sawmills of the company are at Toko, Egmont road and Tariki road; and from 150 to 200 persons find regular employment in connection with the mills and factory. The produce is distributed in the North Island, between Auckland and Wellington.
Mr. Edward Snowball ,
General Manager of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company, Limited, was born in Durham, England, in the year 1856. He was educated at the Knaresbro' Grammar School, and was brought up as an engineer, at the works of Messrs R. Stephenson and Co., at Newcastle-on-Tyne. After serving five years at the works he went to sea for two years, as an engineer. In 1880 Mr. Snowball landed in Wellington, and afterwards removed to New Plymouth. He joined the Sash and Door Company in 1884, as manager.
Mr. James McArthur
was appointed Secretary of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company in August, 1904. He is a brother of Dr. McArthur, Stipendiary Magistrate, of Wellington, and was born in 1869 at Emerald Hill, near South Melbourne, where he was educated and brought up to a mercantile life. During the land boom Mr. McArthur was clerk to the Hon. G. D. Carter, Treasurer in the Paterson Government. He subsequently became accountant for a wine and spirit firm, for ten years, before settling in New Plymouth. Mr. McArthur married a daughter of Mr. A. Sugden, of Fitzroy, Melbourne, in the year 1892, and has one son and two daughters.
Shuttleworth Brothers
(Alexander Shuttleworth), Timber Merchants, Ironmongers, Coal Merchants and Importers, Albion Yards, Devon Street and King Street, New Plymouth. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Devon Street East. Messrs Shuttleworth Brothers established their well-known business in 1863, the retail part of which is carried on in a large two storied building. At the back are situated the oat-crushing, chaff-cutting, and bone mills, known as the Albion Mills, the machinery of which is driven by one of Messrs Warner and Son's powerful Annular windmills. The firm's coal and timber sheds cover about an acre of ground. Large supplies of red
Mr. Alexander Shuttleworth
was born in Essex, England. He arrived in New Zealand in the year 1856, by the ship “Bank of England,” and landed at Auckland,
Mr. A. Shuttleworth.
Glegg, Robert ,
Farmer, Eliot ROAD, Westown, New Plymouth. Mr. Glegg was born in Stonehaven, about twenty miles from Aberdeen, Scotland, in the year 1840. He was educated partly at Stonehaven, and partly in Aberdeen, where he also learned the business of an ironmonger. Mr. Glegg came to New Zealand in 1869, and landed at Port Chalmers by the ship “Christian McCausland.” He found employment for two years in Dunedin, and then removed to Wanganui, where he was employed by Mr. John Duthie for some years. In 1877 he settled at Midhurst, and opened up business as a storekeeper. At that time there were no roads, and his store was the first building in the settlement. Mr. Glegg continued at Midhurst until 1885, when he took up farming at Westown. He has been chairman of the Manganui Road Board, and of the Committee of the Midhurst Public Hall and Cemetery Trust, a member of the Westown school committee, and the Frankley school committee; and has also been chairman of the Eliot Road Board for many years.
Honeyfield, W. J. ,
Farmer, Moturoa Farm, New Plymouth. Mr. Honeyfield's pleasant property contains 100 acres, and the homestead commands a splendid view of the surrounding country. The farm produce is principally supplied to shipping, Mr. Honeyfield having held contracts for this for the past twenty years. He was born in New Plymouth in 1856, and educated privately, was thirteen years with his uncle, a well known settler, and finally started on his own account. Mr. Honeyfield has shown what perseverance and energy properly directed can do, and may be justly regarded as a type of the successful colonist. He has taken considerable interest in public matters, and is a member of most of the local societies.
Mr. W. J. Honeyfied's Residence.
Okey, Henry James Hobbs ,
Farmer and Stock Dealer, New Plymouth. Mr. Okey is the second son of Mr. Edward Okey, of the firm of Okey, Son and Arnold, Limited, and was born at Frankley Road, in the year 1857. He was educated in New Plymouth, and brought up to farming, and worked under his father until 1878, when he struck out on his own account. Mr. Okey's farm consists of about 2000 acres, situated on Frankley Road, and is devoted to sheep farming, dairy farming, and stock raising. Mr. Okey is also a large dealer in stock. He contested, unsuccessfully, the Taranaki seat in 1902 and 1905, in the interests of the Opposition, and was strongly supported by the farming community. During these campaigns he was an advocate for the opening up of back country roads, and supported the No License cause. Mr. Okey was chairman of the Taranaki County Council for nine years, and has acted as chairman of the Frankley Road Board since 1885. He was one of the originators of the Moturoa Freezing Works, and held office as a director of the first company. Mr. Okey married a daughter of the late Mr. Morey, of New Plymouth, in July, 1883, and has, surviving, five sons.
Tisch, Gustave ,
Settler “Heidelberg,” South Road, New Plymouth. Mr. Tisch, who was born in Christchurch in 1852, is a son of the late Mr. Philip Tisch, an old colonist, and for some years followed farming. In 1878 he removed to Taranaki, where, in conjunction with his brother, he obtained the first license, and opened the first hotel at Stratford. Three years later, he opened the first hotel at Eltham, named it the Sawmillers' Arms, and remained there about twelve months. In 1882 he took over Beach House, New Plymouth, now the Terminus Hotel, and carried it on successfully for fourteen years. Mr. Tisch
Mr. G. Tisch.
Taranaki
had amongst its pioneers and earlier colonists men whose names are distinguished, or deserve to be distinguished, in the history of New Zealand. Indeed, on account of the long continued trouble with the Maoris, colonisation was a more strenuous business there than it was in any other part of the country, and many men whose names are now practically forgotton, attempted or achieved things entitling them to honour and grateful remembrance at the hands of their countrymen. Perhaps, however, no man filled a larger amount of space in the early history of the province than Mr. Frederick Alonzo Carrington. He came out to New Zealand in 1840, as surveyor to the New Zealand Company, and returned to England in 1844. Until 1851 he followed his profession as surveyor and civil engineer in England; and between 1851 and 1856 he made several journeys for professional purposes to the Continent. He left England for New Zealand once more in 1857, intending to settle with his family in Taranaki, and hoping to bring the famous Taranaki ironsand into commercial importance. When the native rebellion broke out he was appointed engineer-in-chief, for the purpose of road-making through the district. He played an active part in the long conflict with the natives; and was from 1869 to 1876 Superintendent of the province. For many years after the abolition of the provinces he was member for the district of Grey and Bell in the House of Representatives; and throughout his long career in the colonies, he displayed marked energy and enthusiasm in everything that he undertook, and enjoyed a high reputation for personal integrity and public spirit.
There was, however, another Taranaki pioneer who won a still more distinguished place in colonial if not in provincial history. Sir Harry Atkinson, perhaps better known as Major Atkinson, was a Taranaki settler who did good service in the local forces during the Waitara war. In 1863 he entered the House of Representatives, and became Minister of Defence in the Weld Ministry in November, 1864. He successively represented Grey and Bell, New Plymouth and Egmont in Parliament, and between 1876 and 1891 he was head of no fewer than five ministries. Sir Harry Atkinson's character has been often discussed by friends and foes; and, in spite of many differences of opinion, all agree that he possessed remarkable abilities, and many eminent public virtues. He was extremely self-reliant; and with this faith in himself went great moral courage. He had had no financial training, but his industry and ability enabled him to become a very successful Colonial Treasurer. He was never exactly popular, for he was rather abrupt and dogmatic in his manner of speech; and Gisborne has said in his “New Zealand Rulers and Statesmen” that he subordinated policy and measures to tenure of place. But no one ever doubted his honesty, or the public spirit which actuated his political life. In 1891 he was appointed
Closely allied with Sir Harry Atkinson in the work of pioneering and politics, was the Richmond family. Mr. W. H. Richmond was one of Taranaki's Superintendents; Mr. J. C. Richmond was one of the province's members of Parliament for nearly the whole of the period, 1860–70; and Mr. Christopher Richmond, better known as Judge Richmond, was member for New Plymouth from 1856 to 1861, and it is said that during that period he did more than any other colonist to bring pressure to bear upon the Government to adopt a coercive policy towards the natives; thus, in the opinion of his opponents, directly expediting the unfortunate native wars. Indeed, of the Atkinson-Richmond family it has been truly written, that, for more than a generation, what they said and wrote and what they did, helped much to form an important part of New Zealand history. and it has further been said with justice that “whatever difference of opinion exists—and a great difference does exist—as to the merits of their public policy, no one suspects their political integrity, or doubts the zeal, industry and talents, which they devoted to a cause which they, and many others at the time, honestly believed to be the best on the whole for the interests of both races in New Zealand.”
Perhaps, however, the man who was, in a wide human sense, the most interesting of Taranaki's early colonists, was one who lived but a short time in New Zealand, and had little opportunity to influence the course of its progress. Mr. Charles Armitage Brown, the father of the first Superintendent of the province, was born so far back as 1786; and when the New Plymouth settlement was formed he determined to cast in his lot with the colonists. His son reached New Plymouth in the “Amelia Thompson” in 1841, and he himself followed later in the year, in the “Oriental.” He died after only seven months' residence in the colony, and was buried on Marsland Hill. But the chief interest of his history lies in his association with great literary celebrities earlier in life. He had lived a great part of his time in Italy, and had been the intimate friend of Byron, Leigh Hunt and Walter Savage Landor, and was one of the most
View Of Mount Egmont, From The Road To The Mountain House. Collis photo.
Mr. Isaac Bayly ,
who is the third son of the late Mr. Thomas Bayly, was born in the year 1840, on the borders of Cornwall and Devon, England, and was brought to New Zealand as an infant, in the ship “Amelia Thompson,” which arrived off New Plymouth in 1841. He was brought up to country pursuits, and ultimately engaged for some years in farming in North Taranaki. Thence he removed to the Hawera district, where he farmed for eighteen years, and was subsequently for about twelve years at the Mahia Peninsula, about forty miles out of Gisborne, Poverty Bay. Mr. Bayly has twice visited England; first in 1879, when he journeyed by way of San Francisco and New York, to Liverpool; and then, in 1902, when he travelled by Cape Horn and Monte Video, and returned by the Cape of Good Hope and Hobart. Although he still retained his interests in the Gisborne district, Mr. Bayly settled in New Plymouth, on returning from his last trip to England. Mr. Bayly represented the district of Grey and Bell for four years in the Taranaki Provincial Council. While at Hawera he was chairman of the County Council for five years, and has generally taken an interest in connection with the work of local bodies. He is a member of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, and is known amongst flockowners as a breeder of Lincoln sheep. In the early days, during the time of the Maori troubles, Mr. Bayly served five years in Major Atkinson's Bush Rangers. Subsequently he served as captain of the cavalry corps, and about the years 1879–80 he was captain of the Hawera Infantry, and had 110 men under his charge. He retired from the volunteers at the time of the settlement of the Parihaka trouble. In 1870, Mr. Bayly married a daughter of the late Mr. James Dingle, of New Plymouth.
Mr. Robert George Bauchope
was born and educated in Scotland, and entered business life at an early age. In the year 1856 he went to London, where he remained seven years, and arrived in New Zealand in 1875 by the ship “Halcione.” Mr. Bauchope at once removed to Taranaki, where he soon took a prominent position as an expert accountant, and gradually acquired many important appointments. He was secretary and treasurer of the Taranaki Land Building and Investment Society,
The Late Mr. R. G. Bauchope.
Mr. George Cliff
was born in Derbyshire, England. He arrived in New Zealand at the age of nineteen, and landed at Wellington, where he worked at the erection of the present Government Buildings in that city. Some time afterwards he went to the Australian goldfields, but, being dissatisfied with his luck there, returned to New Zealand, and was engaged in
Mr. G. Cliff.
Mr. Chew Chong ,
who is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, was born in the year 1830, in China, where he went to school. He has associated with English people since his early years, when he was a household servant in Singapore for ten years. In 1855, he went to Melbourne, Australia, and was engaged in storekeeping and goldmining for eleven years. Mr. Chong then came to New
Mr. Chew Chong.
Mr. William Courtney
was born in Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1840, and landed at Auckland, New Zealand, with his parents in 1851. He afterwards started farming at Epsom, and remained there for about ten years, when he determined to try his luck on the Otago goldfields, where he worked for about three years with considerable success. Then he joined the rush to the West Coast, and subsequently commenced business as a contractor. On obtaining certain concessions
Mr. W. Courtney.
Mr. Allan Shaw Douglas ,
sometime a Barrster and Solicitor in New Plymouth, and Registrar of Deeds, was born in the year 1846, in Adelaide, South Australia, and was a son of Mr. John Douglas, of Thurso, Caithness, Scotland. He came to New Plymouth at the age of eight years, and attended school until he was fifteen. He then went to an uncle at Wick, Caithness-shire, Scotland, where he studied law, and on his return to New Plymouth, shortly before he came of age, continued his studies under Mr. William Halse. Two years later he was admitted to the bar. From 1869 until 1872 Mr. Douglas practised his profession in New Plymouth.
The Late Mr. A. S. Douglas.
Mr. Josiah Flight ,
who was one of Taranaki's pioneer settlers, was born in September, 1800, at Tiverton, England. He was apprenticed to a wine manufacturer, and afterwards started in business on his own account. He came to New Zealand in the barque “Timandra,” which arrived off New Plymouth in February, 1842. In conjunction with his brother-in-law, Mr. Flight took up land at Manauoraka, but was driven off by the natives, and ultimately, owing to Governor Fitzroy's award, had to abandon his holding, which was surrendered to the Maoris with other lands bought for the Plymouth Company. On several occasions Mr. Flight and his family were in imminent danger of their lives at the
The Late Mr. J. Flight.
Dr. Edward Larwill Humphries
was an old colonist, who in the days of the Provincial Government, frequently performed the duties of Acting Superintendent, and was Speaker of the Provincial Council for many years. He was born in the year 1816, in Cornwall, England, where he was educated, and subsequently became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dr. Humphries practised in London at the time of the cholera epidemic of 1848, but, in 1849, owing to failing health, he came to New Zealand as surgeon on the ship “Mary.” He returned Home by another vessel, and brought out his family by the ship “Sir Edward Paget,” which landed them at New Plymouth in February, 1851. Dr. Humphries settled on land near New Plymouth, where the family resided for some time, but owing to the threats of the Maoris, who danced a war dance in front of Dr. Humphries' house, he and his family were compelled to seek shelter in the township. The house in which the family lived was afterwards occupied by Commodore Seymour and the officers of H.M.S. “Niger.” During the Maori war Dr. Humphries was an army surgeon. He afterwards became a general merchant in New Plymouth, and conducted business on his own account until the year 1863, when he was joined by his son, Mr. William Humphries. Dr. Humphries married a daughter of the late Mr. William Dixon, an officer of the 44th Regiment, in 1840. He died in the year 1869, leaving four sons and five daughters.
Mr. John Litchfield Newman ,
one of the pioneer colonists of New Plymouth, was a son of Mr. George Newman, solicitor, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, and was born in 1815. He was in business as a merchant and shipowner in his native town, until 1848, when, owing to the bad years following the famine, 1845–7, he decided to emigrate to New Zealand. Having touched at Nelson, Wellington, and Auckland, he finally settled in Taranaki in 1849, and was engaged with the late Mr. Richard Brown in trading ventures for some time. Finally he took up land in the Omata district, and in common with other settlers bore the brunt of the native disturbances. His familiar figure was well known in the old electioneering days of open voting. In the year 1850 he married a daughter of Mr. Honeyfield. Mr. Newman died in 1886, leaving one daughter and four sons.
The Late Mr. J. L. Newman.
Patrick Joseph Felix Valentine O'Neill O'Carroll ,
M.D. (Edin.), L.R.C.S.I., L.M.C.S.I., and sometime physician and surgeon at New Plymouth, was also senior Brigade Surgeon in the New Plymouth Militia,
The Late Dr. O'Carroll.
Major Robert Parris
was born at Chard, Somerset, and came of an old West of England Roundhead family, who had their property confiscated by James the Second. He arrived in New Plymouth in 1812, by the barque “Blenheim,” and was accompanied by his wife and family. On the Constitution Act coming into force, he was elected to the Provincial Council of Taranaki. In 1857 he entered the Government service as Land Purchase Commissioner, and in 1859 was appointed assistant Native Secretary, a position he held till 1865, when he was made Civil Commissioner for the district. During the whole of the war Major Parris gave invaluable assistance to the military authorities and to the Government of New Zealand. On several occasions he narrowly escaped being murdered by natives. Major Parris was attached to the Imperial troops throughout the whole of the trouble with the Taranaki Maoris, and had command of native levies, with the rank of Major in the New Zealand militia. His name was often mentioned in the despatches. Sir H. J. Warre, in a letter to him thanked him for the great services which he had rendered as interpreter, and for the valuable information he had given, and for his skilful dealings with the natives. It was in consequence of the information and the assistance given by Major Parris that the Imperial troops were able to drive the Maoris from White Cliffs to Stony river. It may be said, too, that the peace which ensued was largely owing to his diplomatic management of the natives; and in the disturbances of 1868–9, Major Parris' influence with the Opunake natives restrained them from joining the rebels of the southern portion of the district. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1868 by Sir George Grey. In 1876 he retired, and the Government acknowledged his great services to the colony. He was afterwards requested to assist Sir William Fox and Sir Francis Dillon Bell on the West Coast Native Commission, and on the final report being sent to the Governor, Sir William Fox referred in most eulogistic terms to Major Parris' services. Major Parris died at New Plymouth, on the 19th of September, 1904; aged eighty-eight years.
Mr. William John Shaw ,
who was well known for many years in New Plymouth, was the eldest son of the late Mr. John Shaw, one of the early colonists. He was born at the Kawau Pa, New Plymouth, in 1860, received tuition at private schools, and completed his education at Wellington College in 1876. In 1878 he became clerk in the office of Mr. R. G. Bauchope,
The Late Mr. W. J. Shaw.The Late Mr. J. Shaw.
Mr. William Henry John Seffern ,
sometime Journalist and Justice of the Peace, New Plymouth, was born in 1829, and came out to Australia in 1851. Having visited more of the colonies, he finally settled down in Auckland. From 1863 till the end of 1865, he was one of the proprietors of the New Zealander, the first morning paper published at one penny in New Zealand. In connection with another partner in Auckland, he bought out the Penny Journal in 1866, and the Auckland Budget in 1867. In January, 1868, he accepted the editorship and management of the Taranaki Herald, and remained in that position nearly twenty-eight years. Mr. Seffern was the Auckland correspondent of the Empire (Sydney) for several years, and the Taranaki correspondent of the Otago Daily Times from 1868 to 1875. In 1888 he wrote a work named “The Early Settlement of New Zealand,” which appeared simultaneously in the European Mail (London), Colonies and India (London), the Auckland Evening Star and the Family Friend in New Zealand. “The Battle of Waireka,” written by Mr. Seffern, appeared in the New Zealand Volunteer Gazette in the year 1890. On Taranaki celebrating its jubilee, Mr. Seffern wrote a history of the province, and the sale was so large that the book went out of print. Considering that the Taranaki Herald's fortieth anniversary was an event worth recording, Mr. Seffern wrote “The History of a colonial newspaper—its Start, its Vicissitudes during a ten years' war, and its progress up to 1892.” The work received notices from a number of London and colonial papers. The Marquis of Salisbury wrote an autograph
The Late Mr. W. H. J. Seffern.
Mr. Thomas Kingwell Skinner ,
formerly Surveyor to the Borough Council of New Plymouth, is a son of the late Mr. Thomas Kingwell Skinner, one of the pioneer settlers who landed in Taranaki in 1841. He was born in New Plymouth, educated there and in Auckland, and served his
Mr. T. K. Skinner.
Mr. George Tate ,
who was one of Taranaki's early pioneers, was born in Yorkshire, England, was brought up to agriculture, and became foreman on a large farm. He came to New Plymouth in the ship “Phoebe Dunbar,” in 1850, and soon became engaged in farming at Waitara. At the time of the native disturbance Mr. Tate joined the commissariat and transport department, for which he was employed in buying working bullocks, and he was present at several engagements with the rebels. To his popularity with the settlers and natives was due the fact that, although the natives burnt all the settlers' houses, Mr Tate's property was left untouched. His farm of 400 acres consisted of some of the finest land in the district. Having had an extensive experience in farming, and as a breeder of Lincoln and other sheep, his advice was much sought after by his fellow-
Mr. John Veale ,
one of Taranaki's oldest settlers, was born on the 21st of January, 1814, in the parish of Cotton, Devonshire, England. He was brought up as a carpenter and builder, and in the year 1854 came to New Zealand, and landed with his family at New Plymouth. During the native disturbances he carried his gun night and day, chiefly within the town of New Plymouth. For many years subsequently he was engaged in the building trade, afterwards went into business as a storekeeper, and retired in the year 1878, when the business was taken over by his sons. Mr. Veale was a member of the Taranaki Provincial Council, and of the New Plymouth Town Board. In the year 1840 Mr. Veale married a daughter of the late Mr. Philip Cola, of Devonshire, England. Mrs Veale died in February, 1878, and there are three sons and three daughters surviving. Mr. Veale has about thirty-four grandchildren, and twenty great-grandchildren.
Mr. Thomas Veale
is a native of Devonshire, England, and came to New Zealand with his parents in the year 1854 by the ship “Hamilla Mitcell.”
Mr. T. Veale.
Mr. F. L. Webster
was born in London, England, and arrived in New Zealand with his parents by the ship “Amelia Thompson,” in 1841. His father, the late Mr. James Webster, was appointed Collector of Customs at New Plymouth. After receiving his education, Mr. Webster joined a mercantile firm as clerk in 1856, and some time afterwards commenced business with his brother as commission and shipping agents. On the breaking out of the Taranaki war in 1860, Mr. Webster joined the volunteers, and served through the campaign, gaining the rank of captain in 1861, and the New Zealand medal. He established the Egmont Flour Mill about forty years ago, and on dissolving partnership with his brother, became associated with his brother-in-law, Mr. J. S. McKellar, in the business still carried on by Mr. McKellar and Mr. H. Stocker. Mr. Webster was a member of the Egmont Reserve Board, and a Past Master in the Masonic Order; he also took a great interest in church work, and was a churchwarden of St. Mary's. He was married, and had eight children. Mr. Webster died on the 15th of April, 1904.
Mr. Benjamin Wells
was one of the pioneer colonists of Taranaki, and for many years was connected with its educational and other public institutions. He was born in the year 1824, at Woolwich, England, and was a nephew of the late Mr. James Wells, of the London Stock Exchange. He came to New Zealand in 1849 in the barque “Cornwall,” and landed in New Plymouth. Mr. Wells took up land in Taranaki, but he and his family were driven into the town at the time of the Maori rising, and his wife and children were among the refugees who were sent to Nelson. After serving as a militiaman for some time, he rejoined his family, who returned with him when a truce had been declared. For a short time Mr. Wells acted as schoolmaster in Nelson, but had again to take up arms. In 1864 he visited England, but returned two years later. In the year 1874 he became editor of the Taranaki News, and held the position until his death. Mr. Wells was chairman of the Taranaki Education Board, and held office as a School Commissioner and member of the Harbour Board. He was a lay preacher in the Presbyterian church, but also frequently conducted services in the back blocks for other denominations. He married a daughter of the late Mr. Henry Hawkins, of Good Easter, near Chelmsford, England; and at his death, in 1881, left three sons and two daughters. Mr. Wells wrote a History of Taranaki, which is of the greatest value to students of the country's colonisation.
Mr. Charles Douglas Whitcombe
was the eldest son of the late Captain D. T. Whitcombe, K.S.G., and a grandson of the late Sir Samuel Whitcombe, K.C.B. He was born on the 7th of September, 1836, at Rochester, Kent, England, and was educated at Plymouth, and at St. Brieuc, Brittany, France. At seventeen years of age Mr. Whitcombe entered the
The Late Mr. C. D. Whitcombe.
The Rev. John Whiteley ,
well known in the history of New Zealand as a devoted Wesleyan missionary, was murdered at White Cliffs by the Maoris, on the 13th of February, 1869. He was born in the year 1806, at Kneesal, Nottingham, England, where he was educated. After some experience in country life he was accepted as a probationer in the Wesleyan church before
The Late Rev. J. Whiteley.
Country Towns and Districts.
The Settlement OfOmata
is on the New Plymouth-Opunake road, and the mail coach passes through it. The surrounding country is undulating, and is devoted to dairy farming. Omata is situated four miles to the south — west of New Plymouth, and almost due north of Mount Egmont. It forms part of the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and is in the Omata riding of the county of Taranaki. The village has a post office, and churches of the Primitive Methodist and Anglican bodies are supplied by visiting clergymen and lav preachers from New Plymouth. Omata was one of the settlements, which, at the time of the Maori war, were devastated by the natives, and from which the settlers were driven to New Plymouth for shelter.
Rawlings, John ,
Farmer Omata. Mr. Rawlings was born in the year 1832, in London, England, where his father was an architect and builder. He was educated at East Islington Commercial School, and articled to the profession of an architect. However, close confinement was distasteful to him, and he ran away to sea in a South Sea whaler. In 1854 he came to New Zealand, as a steward of the ship “Lady Ebrington,” and left her to start farming in Nelson, where he also carried on business as a timber merchant. Sixteen years later he sold out, and went to Wanganui, where for six years he was proprietor of the St. John's Hotel, and afterwards engaged
Mr. J. Rawlings.The Late Mr. Lewis C. Noble.
Fitzroy
is a suburb of New Plymouth, and is about two miles from the General Post Office. It contains a public school, four churches, some places of business and a post office with a telephone bureau. The New Plymouth borough abbatoirs are located at Fitzroy, and so also is the factory of the local co-operative dairy company. Fitzroy is a residential suburb, and a number of the business people of New Plymouth reside there. There is regular and frequent communication by omnibus with New Plymouth. Fitzroy is in the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and in the Waitara riding of the county of Taranaki.
The Taranaki Co-Operative Bacon Company, Limited ,
was established in March, 1905. The nominal capital is £5000, of which about one-half is subscribed. Directors for the year 1906: Messrs R. Price (chairman), A. Monro, F. Salway, C. Warren, T. Rowe, C. Colson, C. Andrew, P. Wilcox, and J. Whitaker. Mr. R. Pepperell is secretary, and Mr. H. Whittington, factory manager. The office and factory of the company are situated at Fitzroy. The factory was originally established in 1896 by Mr. Alfred Drake, who subsequently sold out to the company in 1905. It stands on a site of two acres, and is of wood, iron, and brick, with concrete floors. The plant is capable of dealing with 7000 bacon pigs per annum. These are bought in the open market, and the produce is sold in the colony or exported.
Taranaki Bacon Factory.
Mr. Henry Whittington ,
Manager of the Taranaki Co-operative Bacon Company's Factory at Fitzroy, was born in Durham, England, in the year 1868, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1878. He was educated in New Plymouth, and started work in the machine room of the Taranaki Herald. He subsequently took up gardening, which he followed for about four years, and, later, was employed at a tannery for eight years. He then returned to gardening, and worked for some time with Mr. Mason at Taita, in the Hutt district. Mr. Whittington returned to Taranaki, and, in 1900, became manager of Mr. Drake's bacon factory. The factory was afterwards taken over by the Taranaki Co-operative Bacon Company, Limited, and Mr. Whittington was retained as manager. He is married.
Mr. Reuben Pepperell ,
Secretary of the Taranaki Co-operative Bacon Company, was born in the year 1869 at Bell Block, where he was educated and brought up to country pursuits. He settled down to farming on the property on which he was born at Bell Block, and took over the farm at his father's death in 1890. Mr. Pepperell is secretary of the Bell Block, Hurworth, and Hillsborough Co-operative Dairy Companies. He married a daughter of Mr. T. Clare, of Waitara, in 1891, and has two daughters and one son.
The Bell Block Co-Operative Dairy Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1895. Directors for 1906: Messrs F. Salway (chairman), J. B. Connett, S. Rundle, T. French, and J. L. Connett. Mr. R. Pepperell is secretary. The plant ranks among the best in the district, and there are thirty-five suppliers.
The Hurworth Co-Operative Dairy Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1897. The factory is situated on the Carrington road, about seven miles from New Plymouth. Directors for 1906: Messrs J. B. Riley (chairman), W. Seamark, R. Gilbert, J. B. Pepperell and F. Shodroski. Mr. R. Pepperell is secretary. The butter from this factory won the gold medal at the New Plymouth Exhibition. There are fifteen suppliers.
Mr. Alfred Drake ,
formerly proprietor of the Taranaki Bacon Factory, was born in London, England in 1847. After being educated at Margate, he was apprenticed to the ironmongery trade with Messrs Barron and Wilson, of that town. He was subsequently in business as an ironmonger in London on his own account for about fifteen years. Mr. Drake did well in business, but in 1887 he came out to New Zealand in the “Ruapehu,” and selected Taranaki as his future home. He identified himself with local affairs, but, tiring of a life of inactivity, he entered business by establishing the Taranaki Bacon Factory, which he conducted with great success, and ultimately sold to its present owners.
Mr. A. Drake.See page 127.
Chivers, Alfred ,
Carrier, Fitzroy. Mr. Chivers was born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, in October, 1850, and was educated at Derby Hill. He landed in Wellington from the ship “Waikato” in the year 1874, and settled in New Plymouth. Mr. Chivers was in the service of the New Plymouth Borough Council for over twenty-one years, having charge of the horses. He subsequently settled at Fitzroy, and has since conducted business as a carrier. As an Odd-fellow he has twice passed the chairs in Lodge Egmont. Mr. Chivers married a daughter of the late Mr. Abraham Percy, of Dorsetshire, England, in 1871. Mrs Chivers died in 1904, leaving an adopted son.
Colson, George Alexander ,
Farmer, Fitzroy. Mr. Colson is the holder of two farms, situated on the Smart road, one of fifty-seven acres, and the other of 140 acres, on which he conducts dairying and cropping. Mr. Colson has exhibited cattle and horses with fair success at the New Plymouth Agricultural and Pastoral Show, and on one occasion he took Mr. Newton King's prize for the best dairy cow. Mr. Colson is the son of an old settler, and was born in the year 1860, in New Plymouth, where he was educated. He was brought up to butchering, and for sixteen years was in the employment of the late Mr. W. Bayly, of New Plymouth. Mr. Colson subsequently took up farming. He is land valuer for the Loan and Mortgage Company of New Plymouth: is a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters; and is a member, and was for three years a steward, of the New Plymouth Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Mr. Colson was a member of the New Plymouth Cavalry, and went to Parihaka. He is a director of the Taranaki Co-operative Bacon Company, Limited, and a member of the Fitzroy school committee; has been a
Collis, photoMr. G. A. Colson.
Hillsborough
is seven miles from New Plymouth and nine from Inglewood, and is a dairy-farming district. The local dairy factory is in the centre of the settlement, and the business of the post office is conducted at the house of the manager. Hillsborough is in the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and forms part of the Moa riding of the county of Taranaki.
The Hillsborough Co-Operative Dairy Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1897. The factory is situated on the Egmont road, seven miles from New Plymouth. Directors for 1906: Messrs C. Greenway (chairman), H. C. Sampson, N. W. Hill, C. Smellie, and W. Cheffings. Mr. R. Pepperell is secretary. The plant is driven by water power; it is up-to-date in every respect, and includes a refrigerator. The machinery and plant include a two-horse-power boiler, a half-ton Linde freezer, an Alpha de Laval separator and pasteuriser, an H. Brown and Company's churn and butter worker, and a Humble and Son's cream vat. There is also a manager's residence. The average output is over sixty tons. The company gained the silver cup and gold medal at the New Plymouth Exhibition for export butter, against all comers, and the Twenty-five Guinea Cup at the Taranaki Agricultural Show in 1905.
Mr. John Rutherford ,
Manager of the Hillsborough Co-operative Dairy Factory is also the local postmaster and mail contractor. He was born at Stenhouse Muir, near Falkirk, Scotland, in the year 1877, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1879, landing at Dunedin. He was educated at Kaitangata, and brought up on his father's farm. At sixteen years of age he entered the Inch Clutha Dairy Factory, where he served for two years. He then removed to Taranaki, and was for two years first assistant at the Cardiff Dairy Factory, and for two years at the Ngaire Dairy Factory. For three years subsequently Mr. Rutherford was manager of the Hurleyville Dairy Factory, and in 1903 received his present appointment. Mr. Rutherford has taken seven first and five second prizes for butter at the shows at Hawera, New Plymouth and Wanganui, and at the New Plymouth Exhibition. He has been a member and bugler of the Kaitangata Rifles, and was a member of the Hurleyville school committee. Mr. Rutherford married a daughter of Mr. A. Ruff, of Ngaire, and has two sons.
Greenway, Christopher ,
Farmer, Egmont Road. Mr. Greenway's farm consists of 172 acres of freehold land, on which there is a comfortable homestead and all necsary buildings. It was taken up in the year 1875, when covered with bush; but is now highly improved, and devoted to dairy farming. Mr. Greenway was born in South Australia in the year 1842. He afterwards came to New Zealand, and settled in Taranaki in 1855. Later, Mr. Greenway took up land, and on the outbreak of the Maori war, in 1860, he joined the Land Transport Corps, and went through the first campaign. He then became a member of the Taranaki Rangers. Mr. Greenway has been a member of the Bell Licensing Committee, and the Egmont school committee, a director and chairman of the Hillsborough Dairy Company, and for several years has been a member of the Board of Management of the New Plymouth Friendly Society. He
Collis photo.Mr. C. Greenway.
Smellie, Thomas ,
Farmer, “Hillsbrough Farm,” Hillsborough. Mr.
Collis photo.Mr. T. Smellie.
Bell Block
is an historic settlement, and lies four miles and a-half north-east of New Plymouth. Several events of unusual interest in connection with the Maori war occurred in the locality, but the settlers now peacefully pursue the occupation of dairy farming. Bell Block has an Anglican church, a Primitive Methodist church, a local dairy factory, blacksmiths' and wheelwrights' shops, and two general stores, one of which has a post office and a telephone bureau. The settlement is in the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and forms part of the Waitara riding of the county of Taranaki.
Pote, Henry ,
General Storekeeper, Corner Store, Bell Block. For some years Mr. Pote conducted the Tariki store and post office. He was born in the year 1854, and was for some time employed in his father's store in New Plymouth. He subsequently learned the baking trade, and afterwards worked as a journeyman in various parts of the province, until he entered business at Tariki, whence he removed to his present commodious store at Bell Block. Mr. Pote has taken an active interest in Masonic matters, and has held office as Worshipful Master. He is married, and has two daughters.
Mr. H. Pote.
Connett. John Snell, Junior
. Dairy Farmer, “Penrose Farm,” Bell Block, Mr. Connett was born in the year 1869, at New Plymouth, and was educated at the New Plymouth High School. He was brought up to farming, and subsequently leased from his father, Mr. J. B. Connett, a farm of 340 acres, on which he conducts extensive dairying operations. The property is well adapted for grazing cattle, and Mr. Connett has about eighty milch cows and thirty head of young stock. The milk is supplied each
Mr. J. S. Connett.
Hoskin, Arthur John ,
“Riverside Farm,” Bell Block. Mr. Hoskin's property, “Riverside,” consists of about 400 acres of freehold land, devoted to dairying and sheepbreeding. The flock numbers about 500 crossbreds, besides the stud flock from imported rams. Mr. Hoskin was born in Devonshire, England, in the year 1838, and came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “Amelia Thompson,” which arrived at New Plymouth in 1811. He was brought up to farming, and on the outbreak of the Maori war, joined the militia. Mr. Hoskin was present at Mahoetahi, Huirangi, and other engagements, and subsequently received the New Zealand war medal. At the conclusion of the war
Mr. A. J. Hoskin.
Putt, Henry ,
“Newton Farm,” Henwood Road, Bell Block. Mr. Putt is an old settler with a long and varied experience of colonial life. He was born in South Devon, England, in the year 1825, and landed in New Plymouth when about fifteen years of age, from the ship “William Bryan.” His first experience of farming was at Moturoa, where, with his brother, he took up a 100-acre section, and was doing well when the native rebellion broke out, Mr. Putt joined the militia, and saw much active service. On the conclusion of hostilities he received compensation from the Government for his losses, and settled on his present farm, which contains about 300 acres, and is well watered, fenced, and grassed. A large and valuable herd of cattle, including a good strain
Mr. H. Putt.
Tarurutangi
is about eight miles to the north-east of New Plymouth, and is the site of the dairy factory owned by the Tarurutangi Co-operative Dairy Company. There is a public school in the settlement, but residents have to travel to Bell Block to transact any business in connection with the post office. Tarurutangi is a part of the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and is in the Waitara riding of the county of Taranaki.
Longstaff, George Markham ,
Farmer, “Riverton,” Tarurutangi. “Riverton” is a farm of 111 acres of freehold land, on which dairying is the chief industry. Mr. Longstaff was born in Bell Block, in the year 1877, and was educated at the Upland road school, Tarurutangi. After
Collis photo.Mr. G. M. Longstaff.
Rowe, Thomas ,
“Willow Farm,” Tarurutangi. Mr. Rowe's farm consists of 200 acres of freehold land, which he devotes chiefly to dairying. Mr. Rowe was born in Essex, England, in the year 1857, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1860 by the ship “Joseph Fletcher.” He was educated in New Plymouth, and was brought up to farming. Later, he started business on his own account as a building contractor, and erected several prominent buildings in New Plymouth. About 1886 he settled in Tarurutangi, and acquired his present farm. Mr. Rowe is a member of the Egmont Road Board, of which he has been chairman for five years. He has been chairman of directors of the Tarurutangi Dairy Factory Company since 1898, is a director of the Taranaki Bacon Factory Company, Limited; and, as a Freemason, is a member of Lodge Waitara, New Zealand
Mr. T. Rowe and Family.
Mangorei
is a small settlement with a large dairy factory, and is situated at the intersection of Mangorei road and Junction road. The district is devoted to dairy farming; it forms part of the Paritutu survey district of the Tarauaki land district, and is in the Moa riding of the county of Taranaki.
Carrick, Matthew ,
Farmer, Mangorei. Mr. Carrick's property consists of 375 acres of freehold land, on which he depastures sheep and cattle. He was born in Northumberland, England, in January, 1834, and was educated in Cumberland. Mr. Carrick subsequently gained experience in mercantile life in a wine and spirit merchant's office, and came to New Zealand
Residence Of Mr. T. Rowe.
Lepperton
is a dairy-farming district ten miles from New Plymouth by rail, and eleven by road. Its railway station is two miles from Sentry Hill, and seen miles from Inglewood, and stands at an elevation of 249 feet above sea level. The settlement forms part of the Paritutu survey district of the Taranaki land district, and is in the Waitara riding of the county of Taranaki. The first settlers in the district were military men, who took up their holdings at the time of the Maori war; indeed, the place gets its name from Major Lepperton. Daily mails are received and despatched at the post office, at the local store, which also contains a telephone bureau. Besides its store, Lepperton has a butchery, a co-operative factory, and a public school.
Hall, George
. Carpenter, Lepperton. Mr. Hall was born in the year 1840 at Winterton, Lincolnshire, England, where he was educated, and learned carpentry. He afterwards came to New Zealand in the ship “Matoaka,” with Ball's Party, which consisted of upwards of eighty souls from Prigg, Lincolnshire. Mr. Hall arrived in Wellington on the 11th of September, 1859, and left on the 15th for Auckland, where he landed on the 25th of the same month. He worked at his trade for seven years, and removed to New Plymouth in December, 1866. Mr. Hall bought into the No. 2 Military Settlers Company, which then had nine months to serve, and was stationed at Lepperton. He worked at his trade, and also carried on bush farming up till 1899, when he and his wife went for a nine months' trip to the Old Country. Mr. Hall married a daughter of the late Mr. Reardon, of Liverpool. England, in the year 1863, and has eight daughters and one son. Mr. Hall has followed carpentry since the year 1854, and one man has now (1906) been in his employment for twenty years, and
Collis, photo.Mr. G. Hall.
McTaggart, Norman Ellis ,
Settler, Lepperton. Mr. McTaggart acquired his present property in the year 1894, and has since effected considerable improvements. The Bell Block racecourse is situated on the farm. Mr. McTaggart is a native of Surrey, England, and was educated at Clifton College. For some years he studied for the medical profession, but owing to ill health was unable to continue his studies. He came to New Zealand in 1890, with his mother, and
A Fern Bank On Mr. McTaggart's Property.
Mr. N. E. McTaggart.
Waitara
is a small seaport town about eleven miles to the north of New Plymouth, and three miles from Sentry Hill, where the Waitara branch railway joins the main line. The township is a little to the east of north from Taranaki's great landmark, Mount Egmont, and the local railway station stands at an altitude of fourteen feet above sea level. Waitara is historically remarkable for being the site of W1 Kingi's pa, and the spot where the purchase of 600 acres of land made from Teira led to the protracted and costly war in Taranaki. The district is wonderfully rich in grazing land, and cattle are exported in large numbers, both live and frozen. The port of Waitara is at the mouth of the Waitara river; there is regular steam communication with various New Zealand ports, and the harbour is under the control of a Board. The settlement is in the Waitara survey district of the Taranaki land district, and in the Waitara riding of the county of Taranaki. The principal local industry consists in freezing works, which are very extensive, and give employment to a large number of men; and there are brick works and a fellmongery. The noteworthy buildings include the Bank of New Zealand, three hotels, two churches, a public school, the post office, etc. Waitara was constituted a borough in 1904, and clergymen of the Anglican and Methodist bodies have their homes in the town. There is a police station, with a resident constable, who also acts as Clerk of the Court, of which monthly sittings are held by the Stipendiary Magistrate stationed at New Plymouth. The town will (July, 1906) ere long be lighted by electricity, produced by a suction gas plant and engine; and the promoters of the scheme claimed that they would thus produce the light cheaper than by water power. The scheme was undertaken by private enterprise, and the cost of installation was estimated to be about £2500.
The Waitara Borough Council
dates from September, 1904, previous to which the local body was the Raleigh Town Board. The borough comprises an area of 2080 acres, the rateable value of which is £130,287.
Murgatroyd, photo.Waitara.
Councillor Einnim Ashburnham Dugdale
was elected to the Waitara Borough Council in April, 1905. He was born in the year 1856, at Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia, where he was educated and brought up to farming. His father, Captain Dugdale, of the ship “Duke of Bedford,” surveyed Sandridge, Melbourne, in the year 1852, and took his ship in and worked her there, against the
Collis, photo.Councillor E. A. Dugdale.
Councillor Aloys Klenner
was one of the first members of the Waitara Borough Council. He was born in the year 1866, in Vienna,
Councillor A. Klenner.
Councillor Arthur George Tatton
was one of the first members of the Waitara Borough Council. He was born in the year 1870, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and was for four years employed at coopering. At eighteen years of age he entered the Waitara Freezing
Councillor A. G. Tatton.
Mr. Thomas Buchanan ,
Town Clerk of the Borough of Waitara, was born in Christchurch. After various experiences in newspaper work and commission agency, he became clerk of the Raleigh Town Board in 1898, and on the constitution of the borough, was appointed to his present position. Mr. Buchanan also acts as Registrar of Electors and Returning Officer for the Egmont electorate.
Mr. Thomas Elliot ,
who was a member of the Raleigh Town Board for many years, is a son of the late Mr. Peter Elliot, one of the early Taranaki settlers. He was born in Taranaki, and served through the Maori war with the volunteers, and was several times under fire. At the conclusion of hostilities, he was for some time on his father's farm, and afterwards purchased 250 acres of land at Waitara, where he commenced farming on his own account. In 1875 he entered into partnership with Mr. James Bayley, and successfully carried
Mr. T. Elliott.
Mr. Burton Charles Lawrence ,
who was a member of the Raleigh Town Board, is a son of the late Mr. B. C. Lawrence. He was born in London, England, in the year 1851, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1853, in the ship “Joseph Fletcher.” He was educated in New Plymouth, and learned the trade of a baker. Subsequently, in conjunction with his brother, he took over his father's business. Mr. Lawrence has been a member of the Waitara school committee, and a trustee of the Wesleyan church.
Mr. B. C. Lawrence's Premises.
The Waitara Harbour Board
is an old constituted body, but has no rating power. A fair amount of trade is done, chiefly by small coastal steamers, some of which are locally owned. Large ocean liners, however, anchor off the mouth of the Waitara river, and are loaded with produce from the Waitara Freezing Works, by tenders. The office and sheds of the board are situated on West Quay, Waitara. Of the seven members of the Board, three are nominated by the Government, two are elected by the Waitara Borough Council, and the Mayor of Waitara and chairman of the Clifton County Council are both, ex-officio, members. Members, in 1906: Messrs H. H. Stubbs (chairman) W. T. Jennings, M.H.R., H. Chappell (Government nominees): J. Lindsay and E. A. Dugdale (Waitara borough representatives); J. W. Foreman (chairman Clifton County Council); T. S. Drynan (Mayor of Waitara).
Mr. George Herbert Stubbs ,
J.P., was appointed Chairman of the Waitara Harbour Board in the year 1905, and re-elected in 1906. He was born in the year 1874, at Redhill, Surrey, England, where he was educated, and brought up to commercial life; and in 1892 he came to New Zealand and settled in Taranaki. Mr. Stubbs became interested in the Mokau coal mines, and about 1898 acquired the Mangapapa mines. In 1899 he was elected a member of the Waitara Harbour Board, as Government nominee. He is also a member of the Egmont Licensing Committee. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1899. Mr. Stubbs is married, and is further referred to as a coal merchant and coal mine owner.
Collis, photo. Mr. G. H. Stubbs.
Mr. John Cameron ,
J.P. Secretary of the Harbour Board, Harbourmaster, Pilot, Wharfinger and Custom House Officer at Waitara, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He was educated in his native town and in Lancashire; then went to sea and traded to the Crimea during the Crimean war. In the year 1857 he went to India and joined the Honourable East India Company's Navy, in which he volunteered for shore service; and for a considerable time he served in various parts of Bengal during the Mutiny; he was also for some time at the Andaman Islands. At the expiration of his term of service Mr. Cameron went to Australia, and came to New Zealand in 1861. During the Tarauaki war he was engaged in harbour service under the old Provincial Government, for which he landed stores, etc., at New Plymouth,
Mr. J. Cameron.
Mr. Arthur W Ogle ,
J.P., who was a member of the Waitara Harbour Board for several years, was first nominated by the Government in the year 1893. He was born in Lancashire, England, where he was educated, and was afterwards apprenticed to Dr. Scowcroft, surgeon, of Bolton, with whom he remained four years. Mr. Ogle Waitara Breakwater, South Side Of River.F. W. Furkert, photo.
The Clifton County
has an area of 1518 square miles. In the year 1906 the capital value of all rateable property in the district was £794,235, and the county revenue amounted to £4,429. Meetings of the Council are held at the council chambers in Waitara, on the first Friday in each month. Members in 1906: Messrs J. W. Foreman (chairman), F. McKenzie, W. A. Wright, C. O'sullivan, H. T. Joll, C. Gaustad and T. E. Bishell. Mr. H. E. Vaughan is County Clerk, and Mr. C. H. Dowsett, County Engineer.
Mr. John White Foreman ,
Chairman of the Clifton County Council, was born in New Plymouth, in 1846. His parents were among the pioneers of the province, and he was brought up to farm life. During the Maori war, he joined No. 2 Company of the Taranaki Volunteers and saw a good deal of active service, including the fights at Manutahi and Kaitake. On the conclusion of the war, Mr. Foreman received a Government grant of land at Tikorangi, on which he settled. His farm at Tikorangi consists of about 300 acres of fertile soil; it yields good crops, and he depastures a large number of cows, the milk of which he sends to the local dairy factory. Mr. Foreman has a bush property of about 700 acres further up the country, which is worked by his sons. In public life he has taken a fairly active part for many years, and has been connected with the Waitara East and Tikorangi Road Boards and
Mr. J. W. Foreman.
Mr. Robert Henry Pigott ,
formerly Chairman of the Clifton County Council, was born at Gibraltar, in the year 1866, and is the son of a noncommissioned officer of the 15th Regiment. He was educated in England and India, and came to New Zealand in 1877, by the Peninsula and Oriental
Mr. R. H. Pigott.
Mr. Frederick Furze ,
formerly Clerk and Treasurer to the Clifton County Council, was born in London, England, in the year 1855, and is a son of Mr. John Noakes Furze, a Whitechapel brewer. He was educated at Broadstaff, Brighton, and Hursly Point, and was engaged in commercial life in London for several years. At eighteen years of age he came to New Zealand in the ship “Lactura,” and for eight years was a shipping clerk at Lyttelton. He was next a schoolmaster at Urenui for about two years, and in 1894 was appointed clerk and treasurer of the Clifton County Council. He has a comfortable farm situated in the Tikorangi district, and does a good deal in stock-dealing and commission agency business. As county clerk Mr. Furze was energetic and courteous, and took an active interest in all matters conducive to the welfare of the district.
The Waitara Post Office
stands at the corner of Queen and Whitaker Streets, and contains a public
Mr. Henry Ernest Gilbert ,
Postmaster at Waitara, also acts as Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. He was born at Omata in 1855, has served about thirty-three years, and was appointed to Waitara in November, 1903.
The Waitara Police Station
is an old building, and contains an office and two cells. There is also a residence for the constable. Sittings of the Court are held monthly by the Stipendiary Magistrate from New Plymouth, and by the local Justices of the Peace at other times.
Mr. Thomas Henry Price ,
Constable in Charge of the Waitara Police Station and Clerk of Court, Bailiff, Inspector of Factories, etc., was born in the year 1867, in London, England, where he was educated, and came to New Zealand with the household of Lord Glasgow in 1891. About 1892 he joined the Permanent Artillery, and in 1894 was drafted to the Police Force, and received his training in Wellington. For six years Mr. Price served in Blenheim as mounted constable and was afterwards for three years constable in charge of Havelock. In February, 1905, he was appointed to Waitara, after being nine months in charge at Moawhango. As a Freemason, he was Junior Warden in Lodge No. 106, Unanimity, Blenheim. Mr. Price is married, and has three children.
Taylor, Herbert ,
Veterinary Surgeon, Waitara. Mr. Taylor was born at Ecclestow, near St. Helen's, Lancashire, England, in the year 1866, and was educated at the Shrewsbury College. He subsequently studied veterinary surgery, went to South Africa, and from 1891 to 1893 practised in Johannesburg. Mr. Taylor then came to New Zealand, and in 1896 settled in the Marlborough district, where he took up a small grazing run in the Pelorus Sound. He remained there for about eight years, practising his profession most of the time, and in 1904 removed to Waitara. Mr. Taylor is married.
Collis, photo.Mr. H. Taylor.
The Waitara Public School
Contains Three Class Rooms, and Is Well Equipped In Every Respect. The Play-Ground Has An Asphalt Cricket Pitch, and Is Surrounded By A Ring Of Sheltering Trees. A Seven-Roomed Residence For The Teacher Adjoins The School. There Are 220 Names On The Roll, and The Average Attendance Is 187. The Headmaster, Mr. Samuel Wylie, Is Supported By Two Assistants, and Two Pupil Teachers. He Holds A D certificate.
The Waitara Parish Of The Anglican Church
extends from New Plymouth to Inglewood, and stretches from Waitara, its centre, to a point four miles north of the settlement of Urenui. St. John Baptist church in Waitara has accommodation for 225 persons, and services are held four times every Sunday. There is a parish hall, and the vicar occupies a ten-roomed residence about three-quarters of a mile from the church. There are churches at Lepperton, Tikorangi, and Urenui. The vicar is assisted by seven lay readers in various parts of the district.
The Rev. William George Dent
has been Vicar of Waitara since 1902. He is a native of London, England. Mr. Dent, landed in Wellington in 1891, and was vicar of Paparoa for some time before his appointment to Waitara.
The Waitara Circuit Of The Methodist Church Of Australasia
embraces Inglewood, Midhurst, Uruti, and other settlements between these places and Waitara. Waitara church will accommodate 200 persons, and other churches are located in various parts of the circuit. The local church stands on four acres of land, and there is a parsonage with seven rooms.
The Rev. John Jeffree Pendray ,
Minister in charge of the Waitara circuit, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1845. After studying for the ministry, he came to New Zealand in 1870, and had circuits in various parts of the colony, before he was stationed at Waitara.
The Waitara Institute and Library
; Mr. H. Spurdle, Secretary and Librarian.
Mr. Henry Spurdle ,
Secretary and Librarian of the Waitara Institute and Library, was born in Waitara, and is the son of Mr. O. C. Spurdle, a well known settler. He was educated in Waitara, and afterwards entered the Post and Telegraph service, but finding too much indoor work unsuitable, he decided to learn the wheelwrights' trade and was with his father and brothers for some years. Mr. Spurdle then managed Mr. J. R. Clarke's wheelwright works for some time, and subsequently entered the employment of Mr. G. Pearce. In all sporting and athletic matters Mr. Spurdle takes a lively interest, and renders valuable assistance in promoting the success of local pastimes. He is secretary of the Waitara Jockey Club, the Clifton Rowing Club, the Waitara Football and Athletic Club, and the Taranaki Annual Regatta Club.
The Waitara Municipal Brass Band
was established many years ago. The instruments and properties are vested in the Borough Council, and concerts are given periodically. Officers for the year 1906: Mr. H. Spurdle, secretary; Mr. George William Hughes, bandmaster; and Mr. C. Sampson, sergeant.
Mr. George William Hughes
was appointed Bandmaster of the Waitara Municipal Brass Band in the year 1904. He was born in 1877, in New Plymouth, where he was educated and learned his trade. He then went to Stratford, where he remained for seven years with one firm, and afterwards removed to Hawera, where he was foreman for J. P. Keen and Company for three years and a-half. In March, 1904, he returned to Waitara and started business on his own account. Mr. Hughes' father was for many years bandmaster at Stratford, and on his resignation was succeeded by his son. Subsequently, for three years, Mr. Hughes was deputy bandmaster at Hawera. He holds various medals and trophies gained in connection with music. Mr. Hughes is choirmaster of the Waitara Anglican church, and is a member of Court Stratford. Ancient Order of Foresters, in connection with which he has been through all the chairs. He is married, and has two children. Mr. Hughes is further referred to as a baker in Whitaker Street, Waitara.
The Waitara Evening Mail and Clifton County Chronicle
was established in the year 1898 by
Mr. William Henry Nosworthy ,
Senior Partner in the firm of Messrs Nosworthy Brothers, is editor and business manager of the Waitara Evening Mail and Clifton County Chronicle. Mr. Nosworthy was born in the year 1869, in Blenheim, where he was educated, and was in a bank for five years. He was then for three years on the staff of the Marlborough Daily Times, and afterwards entered the service of Mr. J. H. Clayton, a well known journalist, first in the commercial department, later as a reporter, and finally as sub-editor. In 1895 Mr. Nosworthy became editor of the Thames Advertiser, and held the position for two years, and, in conjunction with his brother, he took over the Waitara Evening Mail in 1898. Mr. Nosworthy is a member of various athletic clubs, and takes a general interest in the progress of the district. He is married.
Mr. George Ernest Nosworty.
Junior Partner in the firm of Messrs Nosworthy Brothers, is in charge of the composing room and mechanical department. He was born in the year 1875, in Blenheim, where he was educated, and served an apprenticeship of five years to printing on the Marlborough Daily Times. On leaving that paper in 1895, he went to the Thames district, where he was on the staff of the Thames Star. After a short period spent in Wanganui, he joined his brother in taking over the Waitara Evening Mail. Mr. Nosworthy is married.
Townsend, Cecil Moore ,
B.A., L.L.B., Barrister and Solicitor, Waitara. Mr. Townsend was educated at Timaru Main School and Timaru High School, and after spending some years in the service of the Railway Department he became a student at Canterbury College. Subsequently, he joined the staff of Mr. J. B. Roy, and then that of Messrs Govett and Quilliam, both firms of solicitors practising in New Plymouth. Having spent five years in acquiring a practical knowledge of his profession, he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of New Zealand by Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout, in the early part of the year 1906; and immediately afterwards he entered on the practice of his profession, at Waitara.
The Bank Of New Zealand
has been represented at Waitara since the 12th of September, 1876, when the branch was opened for business. The premises are situated in Queen Street, and consist of a one-storied wood and iron building, which was erected in 1877, and has since been enlarged. It contains a banking chamber, a manager's room, and a residence. The staff consists of a manager and two officers. The branch is the most northerly in Taranaki.
Mr. Robert James Matthews
has been Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Waitara since the opening of the branch in 1876. He is the sixth son of the late Dr. Matthews, and was born in Auckland on the 3rd of August, 1851. Mr Matthews was educated in Auckland and Invercargill, and joined the bank in Auckland on the 1st of February, 1869. He was transferred to Wellington in 1872, and in the following year to New Plymouth as teller; a position which he held until he was appointed to Waitara. Mr. Matthews married a daughter of Mr. Marshall, of New Plymouth, in the year 1878, and has six sons and three daughters.
Wilson, John ,
General, Land, House and Commission Agent, McLean Street, Waitara. Private residence, Queen Street. Agent for the Temperance and General Life Insurance Association. Mr. Wilson was born in the year 1844, at Berwick-on-Tweed. Scotland, where he was educated. He afterwards entered the ironmongery business of his father and grandfather—a very old established business—and remained in it for eight years. In 1871 he came to New Zealand, and entered the service of a wholesale general merchant in Wanganui. Later, in conjunction with Mr. Burns, he started on his own account as an auctioneer and general produce merchant. Five years later the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Wilson carried it on alone for about four years. He then removed to Taranaki, in order to manage the Waitara branch of the Taranaki Farmers' Co-operative Association, and established his present business in the year 1900. Mr Wilson was for some years a member of the Waitara school committee, and for a time secretary of the Anglican church. He is married, and has nine children.
Mr. J. Wilson.
Collis, photo.
Walker, John Henry ,
Licensed Interpreter, Waitara. Mr Walker was born in Lincolnshire. England, in the year 1843. He was eduacted a the Blue Coat School, Spalding, and was brought up to the trade of a bootmaker. In the year 1860, he came to New Zealand, and three years later returned to England. He came back to the colony in 1865, and during the Maori war served with the colonial forces throughout the Taranaki campaign under Colonel Me Donnell. Mr. Walker was geverals wounded at Te Ngutu-o-te-Man, but subsequently rejoined his corps, and served till its disbandment. Mr. Walker then carried on farming at the Hutt Valley, and, later on, was farming and horsebreaking at Waikanae. He was afterwards in business as a bootmaker for some years. Mr. Walker learned the Maori language, in the early days, and first acted as an interpreter in the year 1869. In 1899 he gave up his trade, and settled in Taranaki as a Licensed Native Interpreter. Mr. Walker is a widower, and has three sons and ten daughters.
Hughes, George William ,
Baker and Confectioner, Whitaker Street, Waitara. This business was established in the year 1994. Orders are promptly attended to, and goods are delivered throughout the district. Mr. Hughes is further referred to as bandmaster of the Waitara Municipal Brass Band.
Pearce, George ,
Coachbuilder, Waitara. Mr. Pearce was born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, where he was educated. He afterwards learned the coachbuilding trade at Cardiff, Wales, where he remained six
Mr. G. Pearce.
Lonergan, William ,
Tailor, MeLean Street, Waitara, and Jackson Street, Petone. This business was established in January, 1904, by Mr. Lonergan. It is one of the largest in Taranaki, and ten persons are employed in the Waitara establishment. Mr. Lonergan was born in the year 1863, in Auckland, where he was educated and learned his trade. He then went to Australia, and worked successively with Schofield and Coultas, in Melbourne, and Holle, Limited, Sydney, and was manager of the woollen department and cutter to Overell and Sons, of Brisbane. For some time subsequently Mr. Lonergan was manager and cutter for J. A. Clark, of Too-woomba, and, later, was manager and cutter for the L.X.L. Company, Bingara, New South Wales. He accompanied the First New Zealand Contingent to South Africa as master tailor. On his return to Australia he was employed by Mr. Hayward, the well known ladies' tailor in Sydney. He then came to New Zealand, and settled in Waitara in 1904. Mr. Lonergan is a steward of the Waihi Jockey Club, and vice-president of the Caledonian Society, and of the Waitara Rowing Club, etc. He has competed with success at pedestrian events. Mr. Lonergan is married, and has one daughter.
Mr.
Newbery, William Field ,
Tailor and General Outfitter, McLean Street, Waitara. This business was established in the year 1893, by Mr. W. F, Newbery, who carries on a considerable trade in his commodious premises. There is a boot, shoe, and saddlery department, which is under the management of a son-in-law of the proprietor. Six persons are employed. Mr. Newbery was born in the year 1843, at Thorncombe, Dorsetshire, England, where he was educated and learned the tailoring trade. Subsequently, he was in business on his own account for six years in Richmond, London. He came to New Zealand in 1874, and conducted a large business in Timaru for five years. Mr. Newbery then went to Auckland, where he was for many years manager for other firms. Later on, he was for a time manager for Blyth and Co., Napier, and in 1893 settled at Waitara, where he established his present business. Mr. Newbery was for about six years chairman of the Waitara school committee, was vicar's warden and churchwarden in St. John's Anglican church, and had charge of the church at a time when there was no resident clergyman. He was also chairman of directors of the Waitara Road Dairy Company, Limited, and is a member of the Waitara Harbour Board, and of the Harbour Board Works Committee. He was elected Mayor of Waitara in April, 1905, and held office for a year. Mr. Newbery takes a keen interest in all matters connected with the progress of the district. He joined the Caledonian Masonic Lodge in Timaru in 1879, and, later on, Lodge St. George, Dargaville. Mr. Newbery is married, and has two daughters, both of whom are married.
Mr. W. F. Newberry.
Murgatroyed, photo
Stubbs, George Herbert ,
Coal Merchant, and Colliery Proprietor, Waitara. Mr. Stubbs carries an a successful business as a coal merchant, and handles a large quantity of coal from his own mines, as well as acting as a general agent for coal. He acquired the Mangapapa coal mines, situated on the Mokau river, some years ago. These mines are an increasingly valuable property, and contain an almost inexhaustible supply of coal. Mr. Stubbs is further referred to as chairman of the Waitara Harbour Board.
Dugdale, Cara Pacey ,
Cabinetmaker and Piano Agent, West Quay, Waitara. This business was established by Mr. Dugdale, in October, 1905, and is conducted in a commodious shop on West Quay. There is also a large workshop, in which all general
Interior Of Engine Room, Waitara Freezing Works.
Murgatroyd, photo.
Masonic Hotel
(John Andrew Smyth, proprietor), McLean Street, Waitara. This hotel has been established for many years, and was acquired by the present proprietor in the year 1901. It is a two-storied building, and contains twenty-six rooms, including three sitting rooms, and a billiars room. The best brands of liquors are kept, and there is a good table and accommodation.
Mr. John Andrew Smyth ,
Proprietor of the Masonic Hotel, was born in New York, United States of America, in the year 1869. He was educated in Ireland, and after some general experience came to New Zealand in 1888. For ten years he was in various Government offices, including the Audit Department. He subsequently took up hotelkeeping, and in 1901 took over the Masonic Hotel. Mr. Smyth is vice-president and chairman of the committee of the Caledonian Society, president of the Waitara Football Club, a steward of the Waitara Racing Club, and, as a Freemason, is a member of Lodge Ngamotu, New Zealand Constitution, No. 48, and also Companion of the Royal Arch. Mr. Smyth is married.
Collis, photo.
Klenner, Aloys ,
Butcher, McLean Street, Waitara. Private residence, Grey Street. This business has been established for some years, and is conducted in commodious premises. Three persons are employed, and delivery is made throughout the district. Mr. Klenner also holds a farm of 100 acres. He is further referred to as a member of the Waitara Borough Council.
The Waitara Freezing Works
are now owned and worked by Messrs Thomas Borthwick and Sons (Australasia), Limited, whose head office for New Zealand is at Christchurch. The works were opened in the early eighties, as a branch of the Auckland Freezing Company. Subsequently they went through several hands and various vicissitudes until acquired by the present firm. They are situated on the banks of the Waitara river, and are connected with the railway system by sidings. The extensive buildings, which cover an area of about two acres, are two stories in height, and fittings and equipments are up-to-date in every respect. The motive power and electric lighting is supplied by a 41 R.W. direct-coupled generating set, and a sixty-ton Hercules freezing machine steam driver. The firm recognises the importance of fully utilising all byproducts, and tallow, manure, small goods, etc., all receive their due share of attention. A new feature of the works is the production of oleo, of a fine edible quality, which is sent Home for consumption, after going through a final process of manufacture there. There is a fellmongery, as well as a cooperage, on the premises. A very large number of animals are put through the works in a year; about one hundred persons are employed, and the industry is a most important factor in the life of Waitara; indeed, of Taranaki.
Mr. Joseph Finnerty ,
formerly Manager and Buyer at the Waitara Freezing Works, was born in Auckland, educated there, and afterwards brought up to farming on his father's farm at Panmure. For many years he was with Messrs Banks and Fisher, of the Auckland Freezing Company, and was appointed manager and buyer at the Waitara branch, when it was opened in the year 1883. Mr. Finnerty held the joint positions for many years.
Mr. J. Finnerty.
Mr. Walter Stoddart ,
formerly Chief Engineer to the Waitara Freezing Works, is a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and received his education at the High School of his native city. On leaving school he was apprenticed for five years to the St. Rollox Foundry Company at Town Head, Glasgow, and afterwards had considerable experience with the Palmer Shipbuilding Company, and Messrs Blair and Co., of Stockton-on-Tees. Mr. Stoddart then went to sea, and was engineer on boats trading between London and the Mediterranean for some years. He came to New Zealand as chief engineer of the Union Company's s.s. “Southern Cross,” in 1874, and for eight years was engaged on various coastal boats in the North Island. In the year 1882 he became chief engineer to the Auckland Freezing Works, and took up the same position at Waitara in 1890. Mr. Stoddart is married, and has sons and daughters.
Mr. W. Stoddart.
Fraser, Simeon Grey ,
General Merchant, Queen Street, Waitara. Private residence, East Waitara. Agent for the Royal Insurance Company, Yates' Seeds, Welshbach Light Company, L. D. Nathan's Teas, Gregg and Co., Dunedin, etc. This business is conducted in freehold premises by Mr. S. G. Fraser. Full stocks of groceries, ironmongery, crockery, etc., are carried. Mr. Fraser also deals in grain and wool. Delivery is made throughout the district. Mr. Fraser was born in Greymouth in the year 1868, and was educated in Hokitika. In 1882 he went to Taranaki, and started in a general store as a boy. He subsequently started in business on his own account, and was for about eleven years in partnership with Mr. Beckbessinger. On the dissolution of the partnership he took over his present business. Mr. Fraser is a member of Court Raleigh, Ancient Order of Foresters, and was secretary for fourteen years. For some years he was secretary of the Waitara Rowing Club, and of the Waitara Tennis Club, and was for about six years a member of the Waitara Town Board. Mr. Fraser is married, and has one son and one daughter.
Collis, photo.Mr. S. G. Fraser.
Beckbessinger, Ernest ,
General Storekeeper, Waitara. Mr. Beckbessinger, who was for some years secretary to the Raleigh Town Board, was born in the year 1871 at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England, where he was educated. In 1891 he came to New Zealand and established himself in business with Mr. Fraser at general storekeeping in Waitara. He was subsequently secretary to the Raleigh Town Board, which was superseded by the Waitara Borough Council, in the year 1904.
Mr. E. Beckbessinger.
Joll, Herbert ,
Storekeeper and General Merchant, Waitara. This business was established originally in the year 1879, and was for many years carried on in partnership by the present owner and his brother, Mr. Harry Joll, who is now (1906) farming in the district. The firm imported the first goods shipped direct from London to Waitara. Mr. Herbert Joll is agent for the Commercial Insurance
Mr. H. Joli.
Williamson, James ,
General Storekeeper, McLean Street and Warre Street, Waitara. Mr. Williamson carries a general stock of stores, groceries, fruit, etc., and has his own delivery carts. He has been contractor with the Waitara Freezing Works for the loading of vessels since about the year 1890. Mr. Williamson owns the yacht “Queen of Beauty,” and the small steamer “Kotahi,” trading on the coast. He was born in the Shetland Isles in 1860, and went to sea at an early age. In 1875 he came to New Zealand, and for a short time settled at Inglewood. He went to sea again in the New Zealand coastal trade, and has commanded various steam and sailing vessels, chiefly in the Taranaki coastal trade. For some years Mr. Williamson rowed in the Waitara champion crew. He is married.
Collis, photo.Mr. J. Williamson.
Waitara Brick Works
(Johnston Brothers; Charles Herbert Johnston and Arthur William Johnston), Waitara. These works were established in the year 1903 by Messrs Johnston Brothers, and are situated about three-quarters of a mile from the township. The firm owns eighteen acres and a quarter, on which there is a good supply of clay for ordinary bricks. There is an up-to-date plant, which includes an eight horse-power engine, and a wire-cutting machine. The kila has a capacity of 35,000 bricks, and is on the Hoffman principle. Carting is done by the firm's own teams or traction engines.
Mr. Charles Herbert Johnston ,
Senior Partner in the firm of Johnston Brothers, carries on a large business as proprietor of threshing machines, chaff-cutters, traction engines, and a straw-pressing plant. The plant includes two traction engines, two threshers, two chaff-cutters, and a straw-presser. Mr. Johnston works over a wide district in north Taranaki, and gives employment to a considerable number of men. He was born in Rangiora, Canterbury, in the year 1868, and at an early age went to Taranaki, and was educated at Bell Block. He afterwards returned to Canterbury, where he was engaged in farm work, and gained a knowledge of traction engines and threshing machinery. In 1897 Mr. Johnston bought a plant, and has since added to it. In 1903, in conjunction with his brother, he started the Waitara brick works. He was a member of the Waitara Town Board, and one of the first members of the Borough Council; is a member of the Waitara Rifle Volunteers, the Waitara Lodge of Oddfellows, and the Clifton Rowing Club. Mr. Johnston is married, and has one daughter.
Collis, photo. Mr. C. H. Johnston.
Mr. Arthur William Johnston ,
Junior Partner in the firm of Johnston Brothers, was born in the year 1878, at Bell Block, where he was educated and brought up to farm work. In partnership with his brother he started the Waitara brick works in 1903. Mr Johnston holds a first class competency certificate as a driver of traction engines. He went to South Africa as a member of the Fifth New Zealand Contingent, and saw a good deal of service.
Ayton, Christopher George ,
General Carrier, Waitara. This business was established in the year 1904 by Mr. Ayton. Two vehicles and three
Murgatroyd photo.Opening of the Waitara Road Dairy Factory.
Coulter, Edward ,
Coach Proprietor, New Plymouth and Waitara. Mr. Coulter runs a line of coaches between Waitara and New Plymouth, connecting with the Mokau and Urenui coaches. His private residence and stables are situated on freehold property in Waitara. Mr. Coulter was born in London, England, in the year 1862. He afterwards came to New Zealand, and landed in New Plymouth in 1873. He was for some time employed in the Taranaki Ironsand Works, and was then engaged in farming in the Urenui district. Mr. Coulter was subsequently eleven years coachdriving for Mr. C. N. Rowe, of Urenui, and in 1901 became the proprietor of the present line of couches. Mr. Coulter has been a member of the Lepperton Rifle Volunteers, and the Hawera Rifle Volunteers. He is married, and has fourteen children.
Bayly, James ,
Farmer, Waitara. Mr. Bayly was born in Taranaki, and is a son of the late Mr. William Bayly, one of the old colonists who came to Taranaki in the year 1811. He served as a volunteer during the Maori war, and afterwards leased a farm at Waitara. He then joined Mr. T. Elliot in partnership in 1875, as a runholder and breeder of fat stock for shipment. Mr. Bayly has been a member of the Clifton County Council, and was a member of the Waitara Town Board and various road boards for several years. He is married, and has two daughters and one son.
Mr. Samuel Joll
was an old settler who served in the volunteers against the Maoris in the sixties. He took a trip to Australia when Ballarat, Bendigo, and Fryer's Creek were household words, met with fair luck, returned and settled in Taranaki, and reared a family of thirteen. His second son has the largest private butter factory in New Zealand, at Okaiawa; and represented his province in the football field against the Englishmen, when Taranaki defeated them. Another of his sons. Mr. Harry Joll, is a farmer in the Waitara district, and Mr. Herbert Joll is a storekeeper and general merchant in the town of Waitara. Mr. Samuel Joll died on the 13th of September, in the year 1899.
The Late Mr. S. Joll.
Tikorangi
lies fifteen miles to the eastward of New Plymouth, and fourteen miles to the southeast of Waitara. Its name is also the name of a riding in the county of Clifton. Tikorangi is in the Waitara survey district of the Taranaki land district, and was first occupied in the year 1865 by military settlers. Regular services are held every Sunday at the local Anglican church. There is a public school in the township, a public hall, and a good library of one thousand volumes. Tikorangi has a post and telegraph office, and a telephone bureau. At the time of the native troubles, there were several Maori pas in the neighbourhood of the village.
F. W. Furkert, photo. A Crag on Mount Egmont.
The Tikorangi Public School
is conducted in an old building, which is said to have been erected during the time of the Maori disturbances. The land, on which there also stands a teacher's six-roomed residence, is about an acre in extent. The average attendance is twenty-five. Mr. Isaac Moody West is headmaster.
Crump, Walter ,
Farmer, Tikorangi. Mr. Crump was born in Devonshire, England, and was brought up to farming by his father. He came to New Zealand in the ship “Rakaia,” in 1879, landing in Wellington, and shortly afterwards acquired his present property, which contains about 400 acres. Mr. Crump devotes his attention chiefly to dairying; he milks as many as eighty cows daily, and sends the milk to the local factory. He has also a fine property of 600 acres in the Otaraoa block, Waitara.
Mr. W. Crump.
Foreman, John White ,
Farmer, Tikorangi. Mr. Foreman is referred to in another article as chairman of the Clifton County Council.
Tikorangi Bridge. Murgatroyd, photo.
Urenui
is twenty miles to the north-east of New Plymouth, and ten miles to the east of Waitara, The surrounding district is devoted to dairying and grazing, and there is a dairy factory at Onaero, about a mile and a-half nearer Waitara. Urenui has a post and telegraph office, a large town hall, two stores, a butcher's shop, two blacksmiths' shops, a hotel, public school, public library, and cattle saleyards. It has also a domain, which is administered by a board, and there is a Rifle Club. Urenui was originally a very important Maori settlement, and there are several native pas in the district. During the war a large number of troops were stationed in the place, and a redoubt was erected by Captain Good. Urenui is also the name of a riding in the county of Clifton. The Urenui river empties itself into the sea near the settlement.
A Government Post Office
has been erected at Urenui, There is a bi-weekly mail service, and there is communication by telephone with New Plymouth.
Urenui Hotel
(Stuart McGuinness, proprietor), Urenui. The Urenui Hotel was established in the early seventies. The present building is a fine two-storied one, and contains twenty-five rooms. The accommodation is good, the tariff is moderate, and the best brands of liquors are kept. There are large livery and bait stables in connection with the establishment, and horses and vehicles can be hired.
Mr. Stuart McGuinness ,
Proprietor of the Urenui Hotel, was born in New Plymouth, in the year 1865, and is a son of an early Taranaki settler, who was one of the few saved from a vessel which was destroyed by fire on a voyage to New Zealand, and who afterwards became a lieutenant in the Bush Rangers during the Maori war. Mr. McGuinness was brought up on a farm in the Oakura district, resided in New Plymouth for many years, and was connected with racing, owning, amongst other horses, the well known “Waiuku.” He subsequently bought the Breakwater Hotel, and conducted it for nine months, and in 1903 took over the Urenui Hotel. Mr. McGuinness is a member of all the sporting and athletic bodies of the district, and a member of Lodge Egmont, Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, New Plymouth. He is married, and has one son.
Amoore, Edward Fermor ,
General Blacksmith, Horseshoer and Wheelwright, Main North Road, Urenui. This business was established in
Rowe Charles Nicholas ,
Storekeeper, Urenui. Mr. Rowe's business was established in the year 1877, and a considerable trade is done with the settlers in the district. A branch of the store has been established at Ureti (twelve miles up the Mimi Valley) and is managed by Mr. Frank Aroa, who is also postmaster. Mr. Rowe is a son of the late Mr. Henry Nathaniel Rowe, one of Taranaki's early colonists, and was born in Surrey, England, of an old and well connected family. He came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “Joseph Fletcher,” in the forties, and landed in Auckland, but removed to Taranaki shortly afterwards, and assisted his father on his farm at Bell Block. On the breaking out of the native disturbances, Mr. Rowe saw service with the Taranaki militia and cavalry volunteers, and was some time attached to the transport corps. At the conclusion of the war, he settled at Urenui. He is assisted in his business by Mr. George Bertrand, an old comrade who served through the war with him. Mr. Rowe takes an interest in local affairs, and is much respected. He is married, and has four sons and one daughter.
Mr. C. N. Rowe.
Black, Peter Lawrie ,
Settler, “Onaero Farm,” Urenui. Mr. Black's property consists of 425 acres, on which he depastures 120 head of cattle and about 400 crossbred sheep, while about fifty acres are in crop. Mr. Black was born in the western district of Victoria, Australia, in the year 1867. He was educated at the Collegiate School, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and completed his course at the University, where he paid special attention to the study of agriculture in its various branches, including veterinary surgery at New College. After some time spent in travel, Mr. Black decided to make his home in New Zealand, and in 1896 acquired his present property.
Mr. P. L. Black.
Halcombe, Arthur Herbert ,
Farmer, “Fern Grove,” Urenui. Mr. Halcombe's farm of 720 acres is situated within a short distance of Urenui, and is devoted chiefly to the grazing of sheep and cattle. Mr. Halcombe also owns a grazing run of 1100 acres, which carries both cattle and sheep. Mr. Halcombe was born near Marton in the year 1869, and is a son of the late Mr. Arthur William Follett Halcombe, a well known Wellington colonist, who was for a time manager of the Feilding Settlement and Provincial Secretary of the Wellington province. He was educated at Wanganui College, subsequently managed “Fern Grove” for his father for many years, and succeeded him in 1890. Mr. Halcombe takes a keen interest in local matters, is a member of the Domain Board, chairman of the Urenui school committee, and of the Cemetery Trust, and is vice-president of the sports club at Urenui and Uruti. He is also a steward of the New Plymouth Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and has successfully exhibited cattle and horses at various shows. He married a daughter of Mr. McCosh Clark, and has one child.
Jenkins, Walter Frederick ,
Farmer, Urenui. Mr. Jenkins was born at Conroy, County Donegal, Ireland in the year 1857, was educated at the Royal School, Raphoe, and was brought up to mercantile life with his father, the late Mr. Andrew Jenkins. In 1875 he came to New Zealand by the ship “Hourah,” and landed in Wellington he went overland from Wellington to Napier, where he gained considerable experience on the late Mr. Henry Russell's station at Waipukurau.
Mr. W. F. Jenkins.
The Site Of The Picturesque Borough OfInglewood
was, in the year 1874, a dense mass of virgin bush. Most of the surrounding land was originally sold on deferred payment, in sections of from fifty to eighty acres. A strong batch of Lincolnshire settlers were among the first to arrive on the scene; among them such men as Messrs J. King, F. Clough, R. and W. Urry, T. Bishell, and W. H. Franklyn. The settlers were of a very suitable type, and first found employment in cutting the bush on the main roads, and preparing the township. They were accorded the right to the first selection of agricultural land. Soon afterwards there was a considerable influx of settlers from Europe, and these included natives of Poland, Russia, Germany, Denmark, and other countries. It is stated that it was no uncommon thing to hear seven or eight different languages spoken on the verandah of the first hotel, in the early days. The felling of the bush and the building of rough slab huts of two rooms each, for the accommodation of the immigrants, constituted the principal employment of the first settlers. In 1877, Inglewood consisted of two hotels and several stores; the site of the town had been surveyed, and roads had been laid out but not metalled. At that time there were 700 or 800 people in the locality, the greater number of whom were living in whares, and a large number could not get on to their land until clearings had been made in the bush. Two mills were then working in the neighbourhood; the railway had been opened from New Plymouth to Sentry Hill, and was extended about the end of 1877 to Inglewood.
Inglewood to-day is governed by a Borough Council, which was constituted on the 8th of April, 1903, prior to which the governing body, for some years, had been the Inglewood Town Board. There is a large co-operative dairy factory, the machinery of which is driven by an electric motor, supplied by the local Electric Light and Power Company. About a mile out of the township, towards Egmont Village, there is a large and successful bacon-curing factory. The Moa Farmers' Co-operative Company carries on a large store in the borough, and besides this establishment, all branches of the retail trade are fully represented by well-equipped places of business. The Bank of New Zealand and Bank of New South Wales have local branches. Inglewood has its own railway station, a large modern brick Post and Telegraph Office and a police station. The professions are represented by a resident medical man and two solicitors. The railway line passes right through the centre of the borough. Saturday is the regular market day, when the town is made busy by the presence of country settlers. There are two sawmills at work. Accommodation for travellers is provided by two hotels, and an excellent coffee palace. There is a large public school in Inglewood, which is the headquarters of the Moa Road Board. The town also has a newspaper, the Inglewood Record, which is referred to in another article. There are Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Primitive Methodist churches in the town. The railway station stands at an altitude of 657 feet above sea level on the main trunk line, New Plymouth to Wellington, and is seventeen miles from the former, and 230 miles from the latter, via Manawatu. The town has about twenty-four acres of reserves, and the recreation grounds are planted with shrubs and shelter trees, and supplied with seats. Trimble Park, which is intersected by Rata Street, is utilised for the benefit of the residents. The borough is surrounded by the Moa riding of the county of Taranaki. Its population at the census of 1901 was 719, which had increased to 1152 at the census of 1906; a substantial increase. Inglewood, which is in the Egmont survey district of the Taranaki land district, is intersected at Mountain road by the Junction road, by which it is fourteen miles from New Plymouth, via Egmont Village. The borough lies to the south-east of the provincial capital, and to the north-east of Mount Egmont. The Waiongono stream runs to the north and west of Inglewood, and the Manganui river and its tributaries are to the south and east. Inglewood is the centre of a very large and prosperous dairy country, and factories and creameries are seen in all directions.
The Inglewood Borough Council
dates from the 8th of April, 1903, when the first Mayor and councillors were elected. It has jurisdiction over an area of 703 acres of land, part of block 4 in the Egmont survey district. The borough is intersected by the Government railway—New Plymouth to Wellington line—and extends for about a mile on the west side, and about a quarter of a mile on the east side, where it terminates at the cemetery.
The total capital value of all rateable property within the borough is £125,214, on which a general rate of 1½d in the £ is levied. The borough took over a debt of £600, from the old Town Board, and in consequence a general rate of one-twelfth of a penny in the pound is levied to cover interest. The borough includes the whole of the district governed by the late Town Board, and certain areas taken out of the Moa road district, which surrounds the borough. A loan of £200 was taken over from the Moa Road Board, and a rate of one-sixteenth of a penny in the pound is levied for interest charges. Since the incorporation, £101 has been raised for repairing the Waiongono road, and £154 for improving the Windsor road; these loans necessitate special rates of one-eighth and one-twelfth of a penny respectively, to cover interest and sinking fund. Some time ago the Council authorised a loan of £14,000 to be raised by debentures in the colony, at five per cent interest; namely, for a water supply, estimated to cost £9000; for drainage and sewerage, £3000; and £2000 for general street improvements. The total revenue of the borough for the year ending March, 1905, was £1,558; which included license fees from publicans, auctioneers, carriers and boarding houses, amounting to £145. The borough has a reserve which is leased for a period of twenty-one years, and this, together
His Worship The Mayor,Mr. William Edward Percival ,
was first elected Mayor of Inglewood, in April, 1905. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, America, in the year 1856, but was educated in the North of England, and for some years was connected with the management of estates. In 1888 he came to New Zealand, and joined Mr. Alfred Perry, after having had some farming experience and considerable insight into colonial life. The firm of Perry and Percival afterwards became that of Percival and Messenger. Before becoming Mayor of Inglewood, Mr. Percival had gained considerable experience in local government as clerk of the Moa Road Board.
Mr. William Ogier ,
Town Clerk and Treasurer of the Borough of Inglewood, was appointed to the position on the 21st of September, 1905. He is a native of St. Helier's, Jersey, was born in 1872, and was educated in his native island. In 1893 he landed in Wellington, where he continued for about eighteen months. After being two years on the Auckland goldfields, he settled in Taranaki, and was for several years employed by Messrs H. Brown and Company, timber merchants and sawmillers. For some time he was foreman at their Eltham yards and butter box factory, and continued in that township until that branch of the business was disposed of when he removed to Inglewood, where he was employed by the same firm for two years. Mr. Ogier was then farming for two years at Huirangi, on his own account. Then he returned to Inglewood, and became proprietor of the Inglewood Fruit Company, which he still conducts. Mr. Ogier was married in June, 1903, to a daughter of the late Mr. John Shore, of Mokau, and has one daughter.
Collis, photo. Mr. W. Ogier.
Mr. Leonard Grantley Paoli Spencer
is a native of Tavistock, Devonshire, England, where he was educated. He was an engineering pupil on the Cornwall Railway, under Mr. T. H. Gibbons, M.I.C.E., and Assistant Engineer on the Plymouth-Devonport and South Western Junction Railway, under Sir J. W. Szlumper, M.I.C.E. In the year 1888 he came to New Zealand, and was employed as contractor's engineer on the Reefton section of the Midland railway, by J. R. Rees and Co., until the completion of the work. Subsequently, he was employed in Tasmania on railway location and construction, harbour and municipal works. Mr. Spencer was afterwards for four years in charge of a division of the Assam-Bengal railway, which he constructed. In 1896 he returned to New Zealand, and was engaged in a great variety of engineering works on the West Coast of the South Island, and in Wellington and Taranaki. He is at present (1906) engaged in designing and carrying out water supply, drainage, and other works for the Inglewood Borough Council. Mr. Spencer is an Associate Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, a member of the Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers, and a Licensed Municipal Surveyor, of Victoria.
Mr. L. G. P. Spencer.
Mr. Benjamin Howard Nicholls ,
J.P., was the first Mayor of the Borough of Inglewood, and was elected in April, 1903. He was re-elected in the following year, and held office till April, 1905. Mr. Nicholls was born in the year 1843, in Cambridge, England, where he was educated, and brought up to mercantile life, of which he subsequently gained further experience in London. He then went to America, and was for about ten years in Lowville, State of New York. Afterwards he came to New Zealand, landed in Auckland in the year 1878, and settled on the east coast, where
Mr. B. H. Nicholls.
Mr. Joseph Clarke Peach ,
formerly Chairman of the Inglewood Town Board, and a member from its inception, until his health failed, was the promoter of the scheme to raise £600 under the Loan to Local Bodies Act, for the formation of streets and footpaths. The whole of the work has been carried out, and great credit is due to Mr. Peach for his energetic action in this and other matters for the welfare of the town. Mr. Peach was born in Northamptonshire, England, where he was educated, and was brought up to the boot trade. In the year 1860 he joined the Army, and came to New Zealand with the 57th Regiment in 1861, landing in Taranaki. Mr. Peach served through the Taranaki war, and holds the Imperial medal. His regiment then returned to England, and shortly afterwards went to Ceylon, Mr. Peach being then colour-sergeant. In 1875 he obtained his discharge, came again to New Zealand, and commenced business as a boot and shoe dealer in Inglewood. He has been closely connected with public matters for nearly thirty years, and has done much for the advancement of the town. Mr. Peach was chairman of the Inglewood Cemetery Board for many years, and chairman of the Inglewood Domain Board. As a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, he has been secretary for over twenty-five years, and was one of the first district officers. He is a member of the Wesleyan church, and Superintendent of the Sunday school.
Mr. J. C. Peach.
The Moa Road District
was established about the year 1876, and extends from Egmont Village on the west, to Tarata on the east, and adjoins the Waitara road district on the north. The total capital value of all rateable property is £463,611, on which there is a general rate of two-thirds of a penny in the pound, and the total loans amount to £28,000 under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. Members of the Board in 1906: Mr. H. Trimble (chairman), Messrs J. W. Henwood, W. Jordan, W. E. Miles, G. Marsh, G. Turner, A. Chard, T. Chainey and A. Corkill. Mr. A. E. Atkinson is clerk and treasurer.
Mr. Arthur Edward Atkinson
was appointed Clerk and Treasurer of the Moa Road Board in November, 1892. He was born in 1850, in Norfolk, England, where he was brought up to farming, and came to New Zealand in 1882. Mr. Atkinson was for five years farming in the Timaru district, in Canterbury. In 1887 he settled at Inglewood; and took up a farm of 200 acres of freehold land. In 1887 he married a daughter of the late Mr. E. A. Gould, of Pleasant Point, Canterbury, and has three sons and one daughter.
The Inglewood Post Office
is a substantial two-storey brick building, which was completed in February, 1902. It stands at the corner of Rata Street and Mountain road, and contains a public office, a mail room, the postmaster's room, a private box lobby, with forty-two boxes, a telegraph lobby, and a residence for the postmaster. There is a telephone exchange in Inglewood, with twenty-three subscribers. Mails are delivered twice a day in the borough. The postmaster has five assistants.
The Inglewood Police Station
was established in the year 1880. It is situated on a section of half an acre at the corner of Mountain road and Brook Street. The building is of wood and iron, and contains a four-roomed residence, an office and two cells. The district extends from Lepperton, six miles to the north, to Tariki, six miles to the south, and from Albert road, six miles to the west, and to Matau, thirty miles inland.
Mr. Patrick Duddy
was appointed Constable-in-charge at Inglewood in January, 1904. He was born in the year 1872, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and joined the police force in Auckland in 1897. Mr. Duddy was subsequently transferred to Wanganui, where he was stationed for two years and ten months. He was afterwards in sole charge at Raetihi for nearly three years, before his present appointment. In 1903 he married a daughter of Mr. David Neil, of Christchurch, and has one son and one daughter.
The Inglewood Railway Station
was erected about the year 1886. The building is of wood and iron, and contains a ticket lobby, a general railway office and a ladies' waiting room, etc. There is a large goods shed, and also a covered asphalted platform. About eight trains pass through the station daily. The chief exports include butter, cheese, timber, cattle, and sheep. The staff consists of a stationmaster and three assistants.
Mr. Ernest Edwin Ingpen
was appointed Stationmaster at Inglewood in the year 1902. He was born in 1860 in Wellington, where he was educated, and entered the Government service at the Napier railway station, where he served for about nine years. He was subsequently at Te Aute, Halcombe, and at other places in the North Island before receiving his present appointment. Mr. Ingpen married a daughter of the late Mr. Spencer Sutton, of Te Aute, and has four sons and three daughters.
The Inglewood Public School ,
which fronts Rata Street, has a site of two acres. The buildings, which are of wood and iron, were originally erected in the year 1885, but the first school in the district had been opened eleven years earlier. The school buildings have been four times enlarged, and contain four class rooms and three porches. There are 290 children on the roll of the school, and the average attendance is 251. The headmaster has three assistant teachers and three pupil teachers.
Mr. James Grant ,
B.A., was headmaster of the Inglewood school from the year 1885, until the 31st of March, 1906, when he retired on a pension. He was succeeded in the headmastership by Mr. Burnside, who had been second master of the Central School, New Plymouth.
The Inglewood Parochial District Of The Anglican Church
extends from the Waipuku river on the south, to Waiongono on the north,
The Rev. Herbert Reeve ,
M.A., was appointed Vicar of Inglewood in the year 1903. He was born at Swaffham, Norfolk, England, in 1868, and was educated at Holt Grammar School, Norfolk, and at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1896. Mr. Reeve was ordained to St. Matthew's church, New Kent Road, London, S.E., in the same year, and for four years was assistant curate at the parish church of Croydon. He subsequently came to New Zealand, and was appointed to the parochial district of Inglewood.
The Inglewood — Tarata Charge Of The Presbyterian Church
extends from Inglewood to five miles beyond Tariki, and also to Waitui. The principal church is known as Knox church, and stands in Cutfield Street, Inglewood. It is of wood and iron, and was built in 1902, and accommodates 200 persons. There is a Sunday school, with sixty children, in charge of seven teachers. A smaller church at Tarata has seats for eighty adults, and services are held at Tariki and Waitui, in other buildings.
Mr. James Deans Webster ,
Home Missionary in charge at Inglewood, was born in Christchurch, in 1871, and has been stationed at Inglewood since 1902.
The Inglewood Methodist Church
forms part of the Waitara circuit of the Methodist Church of Australasia. The building is of wood and iron, has seats for 200 persons, and stands on a quarter-acre section in Rata Street. An old building, now used as a schoolroom, formerly served as a church. Services are held at Waipuku and Midhurst, where there are small churches, and at public schools at Salisbury, Stanley and Lincoln roads; in the Presbyterian church at Tarata, and in the public hall at Kaimata.
The Rev. E. D. Patchett
is Minister-in-charge, and was appointed in April, 1906.
The Inglewood Horticultural and Poultry Society
was established in the year 1896. An annual show is held on the second Thursday in March, each year, at Inglewood. The society is supported by subscriptions and donations, for special prizes, and the revenue from admission to the show, which is steadily increasing in popularity. It is under the management of a local committee, and Mr. W. B. Messenger acts as treasurer and secretary.
Mr. Walter Bazire Messenger ,
who was appointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Inglewood Horticultural and Poultry Society in 1905, is a member of the firm of Messrs Percival and Messenger, estate and commission agents.
The Inglewood Brass Band
was established some years ago. Officers for the year 1906: Messrs W. T. Jennings, M.H.R. (patron), B. H. Nicholls (president), G. W. Bennett (secretary and treasurer). Mr. H. W. Cottier is bandmaster.
Mr. Henry William Cottier ,
Bandmaster of the Inglewood Brass Band, was born in the year 1868, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and brought up to the soft goods trade, in connection with different firms. He afterwards gained experience in Wellington and other places in the colony, and in Sydney, New South Wales, and was for six years in business on his own account in New Plymouth. He has long been interested in musical matters, and was a member of the Invercargill Garrison Band, as leading cornet, a member of King's Band, at Wellington, and of the Wanganui Garrison Band. For a number of years Mr. Cottier was bandmaster of the New Plymouth Band.
Collis, photo. Mr. H. W. Cottier.
The Inglewood Record
was established in the year 1892, and was issued every Wednesday; the Weekly Record, by the same proprietary, was published each Saturday, the Record being an advance sheet of the weekly paper. In October, 1901, the journal was acquired by Messrs T. E. Hamerton and C. E. H. Hamerton, and in December of the same year the Record became a tri-weekly paper, published on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. It is a four-page sheet, of eight columns each, about one-third of which is reading matter. The journal was first domiciled on Mountain road, but in 1899 it was removed to the premises now (1906) occupied in Moa Street. The building is of one storey, in wood and iron, and contains a public office, an editorial room, and composing and machine rooms. The establishment is up-to-date in every respect, and the proprietors subscribe to the Press Association.
Mr. Thomas Edward Hamerton ,
Senior Partner of the firm of Hamerton and Son, is the fifth son of the late Mr. Holden Hamerton. He was born at “The Hollins,” near Burnley, in Laneashire, England, in the year 1841, and was educated at Burnley Grammar School. In the year 1854 he came to New Zealand with his parents in the ship “Cashmere,” and on arrival in New Plymouth was engaged on his father's farm. Mr. Hamerton went through the Taranaki war, rising from a bugler boy to the rank of lieutenant in the cavalry volunteers. Subsequently, he was captain of the Patea rifles, and held the rank until the corps was disbanded, and obtained the New Zealand war medal. He began business on his own account as a commission agent in New Plymouth in 1867, but when, in 1869, the White Cliffs massacre occurred, he again took service as a mounted volunteer. In 1873 he started in business as an accountant and auctioneer, and continued until 1881, when he removed to Patea as accountant and drafting clerk to his brother, Mr. G. Hamerton, the well known solicitor. Three years later, he took over the Patea Mail, afterwards styled the Patea County Press, and in 1901 became part proprietor of the Inglewood Record. Mr. Hamerton was a member of the last Town Board of New Plymouth, and as such became a member of the first Borough Council at its formation. In Patea he was a member of the school committee, of which he was either chairman or secretary for over twelve consecutive years. In 1865 he married Miss Parris, of New Plymouth, and has four sons and five daughters. Mr. Hamerton's second son, Mr. R. W. H. Hamerton, is town clerk of Patea,
Malone, McVeagh and Anderson ,
Barristers and Solicitors. Head Office, New Plymouth; Inglewood branch, Mountain road, Inglewood. Mr. M. J. Crombie, manager.
Mr. Melville John Crombie ,
Manager of the Inglewood branch of Messrs Malone, McVeagh and Anderson, barristers and solicitors, is the fourth son of the late Mr. C. M. Crombie, formerly Land and Income Tax Commissioner for New Zealand. He was born in the year 1876, in Wellington, educated at St. Patrick's College, and at Victoria College. Having passed his final law examination in 1902 he was admitted to the bar in New Plymouth in June, 1904, and joined the firm of Messrs Malone, McVeagh and Anderson. Mr. Crombie takes a keen interest in outdoor games, and was for some years on the Management Committees of the Wellington Rugby Union and Wellington Cricket Association. He was also an active member of the Wellington Cricket Club and United Hockey Club, and has represented both Wellington and Taranaki on the cricket field. He now captains the Inglewood Cricket Club. Among other offices, Mr. Crombie held the position of honorary secretary to the St. Patrick's College Old Boys' Association until he left Wellington to settle at Inglewood.
Mr. M. J. Crombie.
Thomsom, Harold John Moule ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Mountain road, Inglewood. This practice was established in the year 1901. Mr. Thomson is agent for the New Zealand Insurance Company, and solicitor to the Moa Road Board, the Inglewood Borough Council, and the Inglewood Electric Light and Power Company, Limited. He was born in the year 1873, in Auckland, and is the second son of the late Inspector J. B. Thomson. After being at the Wellesley Street School in Auckland, he attended Wellington College, and studied law at the office of Messrs Brown, Skerrett and Dean, Wellington. Mr. Thomson was for three years and a-half in the office of the Supreme Court, Christchurch, and subsequently for nearly four years in the Magistrate's Court. Auckland. He was admitted to the bar on the 26th of January, 1901, by Judge Conolly, and was the first solicitor in New Zealand to take the oath after the proclamation of King Edward the Seventh, on the previous day. Mr. Thomson was the first resident solicitor to commence practice in Inglewood. He was a member of Christ's College Rifles, Christchurch, is first lieutenant of the Inglewood Rifles, and is secretary of the Inglewood Tennis Club. Mr. Thomson married a daughter of the late Mr. J. Dargaville, of Auckland.
Bank Of New South Wales ,
Inglewood; Mr. J. H. Rowe, branch manager.
Mr. John Henry Rowe ,
Manager of the Bank of New South Wales, Inglewood, was born in Gloucestershire, England, and educated at a private school. He came to New Zealand in the year 1883. and joined the Bank of New South Wales at Christchurch. Shortly afterwards he was removed to the Timaru branch, where he remained two and a-half years as teller and accountant. From Timaru he was transferred to Wellington, thence to Masterton, and in 1890 to the Blenheim branch. Four years later, Mr. Rowe was at various branches in the position of relieving officer, and about the end of 1894 was appointed to take charge of the Inglewood agency, which was raised to a branch in 1898. Mr. Rowe has been an enthusiastic athlete, and a member of various football, cricket, boating, and lawn tennis clubs in different parts of the colony. He is also musical, and has been a member of several operatic societies.
Mr. J. H. Rowe.
The Bank Of New Zealand
in Inglewood is situated on the Mountain road, and was erected in 1899. The building is of wood and iron, one storey in height, and contains a banking chamber, the manager's room, and a private residence. Prior to 1895, Inglewood was periodically visited from New Plymouth, but in that year the branch was opened in temporary premises.
Mr. Adam Francis Thomson
has been Manager of the Inglewood branch of the Bank of New Zealand since the year 1905. He is a son of the late Inspector J. B. Thomson, and was born in Invercargill. Mr. Thomson joined the Bank in Auckland, and had been stationed in various parts of the colony before being appointed to Inglewood.
Percival and Messenger
(William Edward Percival, and Walter Bazire Messenger), Accountants and Land and Commission Agents, Moa Street, Inglewood. This firm conducts a general agency business, and Mr. Percival acts as secretary to the Moa Farmers', Tarata, Lepperton, and Waitui Co-operative Diary Factory Companies, Limited, and to the Maketawa Dairy Factory Company, Limited. He also prepares plans and specifications for the building and equipment of dairy factories. Mr. Percival has prepared many such, and has also supervised the erection of several factories in various parts of the colony.
Mr. William Edward Percival ,
Senior Partner of the firm of Percival and Messenger, is further referred to as Mayor of Inglewood.
Mr. Walter Bazire Messenger
is a son of Colonel Messenger, formerly of Wellington, but now a resident of New Plymouth. A portrait and biography of Colonel Messenger, as Captain Messenger, appear in Gudgeon's Defenders of New Zealand; pages 86–92.
Mr. Edwin Townshend ,
formerly Manager of the Maketawa Dairy Factory, was born in Invercargill in 1868, and after completing his education was for seven years on his father's farm. He gained his experience in butter and cheese making at the Matanra Dairy Factory, and was for some time with the Edendale Butter and Cheese Factory. Mr. Townshend then went to Australia, and was for two years engaged in the dairy industry in Victoria, Gippsland, and in the Kerang district. He returned to New Zealand in 1893, and was first assistant in one of Messrs Reynolds and Co.'s factories in Taranaki until 1895, when he was appointed manager of the Maketawa dairy factory.
Mr. E. Townshend.
Chinn, William Ervine ,
Painter and Decorator, Rata Street, Inglewood. This business was established by Mr. Chinn in the year 1893. Contracts are undertaken throughout the district. Mr. Chinn is further referred to as Honorary Librarian of the New Plymouth Hospital.
Robinson, Robert Henry ,
Draper, Clothier, Mercer, Millinery and Boot Importer, Manchester House, Moa Street, Inglewood. Headquarters, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1902 by Mr. Curtis. It was afterwards conducted by Mr. Smith, and in 1904, was acquired by the present proprietor. The building is of wood and iron, with brick walls, and stands on a freehold section of a quarter of an acre. There are two large double-fronted shops, which contain clothing and general drapery departments and a millinery department.
Mr. Edward Hercules Robinson
was appointed Manager of Mr. R. H. Robinson's Inglewood business in the year 1904. He is the second son of Mr. R. H. Robinson, and was born in the year 1880 in Napier, where he was educated and brought up to the drapery business by his father. Mr. Robinson is vice-president of the Inglewood Tradesmen's Association, and of the Hockey Club. In the year 1901 he joined the Stratford Rifles, but retired in 1904, after having attained the rank of sergeant. He is the possessor of a long service medal in connection with fire brigades. In 1905 he married the daughter of Mr. E. C. Shepherd, of Hamilton, Waikato.
Mr. E. H. Robinson.
Drake, G. W. and H.
(George Waddington Drake and Henry Skelton Drake), Cabinetmakers, Upholsterers, and Undertakers, Rata Street, Inglewood. This business was established in 1904 by Mr. G. W. Drake, who was joined in partnership by his brother six months later. The premises include a shop, a workshop, and storeroom. The manufacture of all kinds of household furniture is undertaken.
Mr. George Waddington Drake
of the firm of G. W. and H. Drake, was born in the year 1878, in Taranaki. He was educated at Inglewood and New Plymouth, and learned his trade under Mr. Thomas Drake. He subsequently gained further experience in Wellington. Mr. Drake was a member of the Inglewood Rifles for about three years, and rose to the rank of colour-sergeant.
Collis, photo. Mr. G. W. Drake and Mr. H. S. Drake.
Mr. Henry Skelton Drake ,
of the firm of G. W. and H. Drake, was born in Taranaki in December, 1883. He was educated in Hawera, and learned his trade at Mr. A. H. Arthur's furniture factory in Hawera. Subsequently he gained further experience as a journeyman before becoming a member of the present firm. Mr. Drake was for three years a member of the Hawera Infantry Volunteers.
The Inglewood Coffee Palace
(F. C. Bennett, proprietor), corner of Rata and Moa Streets, Inglewood. This is a two-storey wood and iron building. Shops on the ground floor are leased to tenants, and the rest of the building is well equipped as an up-to-date hostelry. The building is lighted throughout by electricity, and is well conducted by its proprietor.
Mr. Frederick Charles Bennett ,
Proprietor of the Inglewood Coffee Palace, was born in London, in 1869. He came with his parents to New Plymouth in 1875, and learned the trade of a coachbuilder, under Mr. G. Kennedy, in Inglewood. After gaining further experience at Wanganui, he bought an old established business in Inglewood, in the year 1891. This he conducted for a number of years before taking over the Coffee Palace. Mr. Bennett is associated with such local institutions as the Inglewood racing and athletic clubs, and the Hawera Mounted Rifles.
See page151. Mr. F. C. Bennett.
Frewin, Richard James ,
Boot and Shoe Importer and Manufacturer, Mountain road, Inglewood. Established in 1895. Private residence, Inglewood. This business is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a shop with a verandah, a fitting room, and a workshop. Mr. Frewin was born in the year 1870, in Nelson, and was educated in New Plymouth, where he learned his trade, and found employment until settling and establishing his business in Inglewood. Mr. Frewin was for five years a member of the Inglewood Volunteer Corps, and rose to the rank of colour-sergeant. He is also a member of the Inglewood Lodge of Druids. In the year 1902 he married a daughter of Mr. Christopher Bond, of Inglewood, and has one son and one daughter.
Gamlin, Abel Blake ,
Butcher, and Grain and Produce Merchant, corner of Rata Street and Richmond. Street, Inglewood. This business was established in the year 1891 by Mr. Gamlin. It is conducted in a two-storied wood and iron building, which is erected on leasehold land, and contains a large shop, an office, and a small goods room. The produce department is situated in a separate building, and contains an oil engine, and up-to-date machinery. At the back there is a stable with four stalls, a shed, and a store room. Three carts are employed in connection with the business, and delivery is made throughout the district. The slaughter house is erected on part of seventy-seven acres on the Mountain road, and the land is used for grazing and cropping. Mr. Gamlin has also a freehold farm of 100 acres at Urenui, and 100 acres of leasehold land, and also leases fifty acres of land on the Junction road, Inglewood. Eight persons are employed in connection with the business.
Gernhoeffer, Emil ,
Butcher, corner of Mountain road and Kelly Street, Inglewood. This business was one of the first to be established in Inglewood, and was acquired by Mr. Gernhoeffer in the year 1900. The premises include a shop, an office, and a small goods room, and the house and stables are erected on a freehold section of a quarter of an acre. The slaughter house is situated on part of a block of seventy-one acres, and is one of the best equipped in the colony. Mr. Gernhoeffer was born in the year 1864, in Germany, where he was educated, and came to New Zealand in 1876. He learned his trade at Inglewood, Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Auckland, and at seventeen years of age was employed in the establishment of which he subsequently became proprietor. Mr. Gernhoeffer first started business on his own account in 1892, in Inglewood. Two years later he removed to New Plymouth, and was employed by Mr. W. Bayly. He subsequently managed a store for Mr. Frankley at Tarata, and then took up farming. Six years afterwards he sold out, settled in Inglewood, and acquired the business in which he had worked as a lad. In 1888 Mr. Gernhoeffer married a daughter of Mr. George Burroughs, of Dudley road, and had, surviving, one son and three daughters at the time of his death, which occurred, suddenly, on the 21st of May, 1906, after this article had been prepared for the press.
The Inglewood Co-Operative Bacon-Curing Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1900. Directors for the year 1906: Messrs A. Morton (chairman), J. Hall, W. Harkness, J. Horne, A. Chard, W. Houston, D. Todd, J. Davidson, and R. Kenny. Mr. J. Allan is manager, and Mr. G. F. Dewhirst, secretary. The Inglewood Bacon Curing Factory is situated on the Junction road, about one mile distant from Inglewood, on a site containing five acres of land, on the bank of the Waiongona stream. Water is brought in by a race, and about twenty horse-power is developed. The buildings are of wood, iron, and brick, and contain a slaughter house, a hanging shed, a cutting-up room, lard, salt, curing, chilling, small goods and grain rooms, and three store rooms, a packing room and an office. There is a smoking house, and a refrigerating chamber, which is worked by one of Humble and Son's D Ammonia machines. The receiving shed, to which styes are attached, is separate from the main factory. There are receiving stations for pigs at Smart road, Midhurst, and at Waitara. The company has about 300 shareholders, the majority of whom supply pigs. The company also purchases in the open market. In the year 1905 over 3500 pigs were killed, and the brand for hams and bacon is “Star.”
Inglewood Bacon Curing Factory.
Mr. John Allan
was appointed Manager of the Inglewood Bacon Factory in March, 1900. He was born in
Collis, photo. Mr. J. Allan and Mr. G. F. Dewhirst.
Mr. George Francis Dewhirst
was appointed Secretary of the Inglewood Co-operative Bacon Factory Company in the year 1903. He was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1858, was educated in the county of Durham, and brought up to the grocery trade. Mr. Dewhirst afterwards came to New Zealand, landed at New Plymouth in 1894, and was farming at Egmont Village before receiving his present appointment. In 1890 he married a daughter of the late Mr. T. Cromhic, of Fifeshire, Scotland, and has two sons and one daughter.
Lile, William John ,
Butcher, Rata Street, Inglewood. This business was established in the year 1896. It is conducted in a commodious shop, with double windows, and a small goods room behind. There are also stables in connection with the establishment.
Drake, T. and Co.
(Thomas Drake), General Importers, Inglewood. Agents for the South British Insurance Company, Wiesner's Pianos, and Rudge-Whitworth, Royal Enfield, and other makes of bicycles. This flourishing business was established by Mr. Thomas Drake, senior, more than twenty-five years ago, in New Plymouth, when it was started and known as the Old Curiosity Shop. Twelve months later, it was transferred to Inglewood. The premises consist of a handsome building, which has a frontage of sixty-two feet facing the railway station. There are ironmongery, crockery, cabinetmaking, stationery, upholstering, fancy goods, and other departments. Furniture is manufactured on the premises. Mr. Drake was born in Kent, England, in the year 1861, and came to New Zealand at fourteen years of age with his parents, who settled in Nelson for some time before removing to Taranaki. Mr. Drake was a member of the Inglewood Town Board, and has been the energetic treasurer of the local Court of Foresters for many years. He takes considerable interest in cycling, and acts as consul for the Cycling Tourist Club. He married Miss Nixon, of Hexham, Northumberland, England, and has two sons and two daughters.
Mr. T. Drake.
The Moa Farmers' Union, Limited ,
was established in the year 1891. Directors for the year 1906: Messrs A. Morton (chairman), D. H. McDonald, D. Todd, J. Davidson, and W. Houston; Mr. B. H. Nicholls, secretary and manager. The premises are centrally situated, and include drapery, millinery, grocery, ironmongery, saddlery, earthenware, and baking departments, with competent men in charge. Two large ovens are kept fully employed. The turnover is steadily increasing, and in 1905 amounted to £35,000. About forty persons are employed.
Mr. Benjamin Howard Nicholls ,
J.P., was appointed Secretary and Manager of the Moa Farmers' Union, Limited, in the year 1893. He is further referred to as the first Mayor of the borough of Inglewood.
Mr. Henry William Cottier
was appointed Manager of the Drapery and Clothing Departments of the Moa Farmers' Union, Limited, in the year 1902. He is further referred to as bandmaster of the Inglewood Brass Band.
Mr. Arthur James Hopson
was appointed Manager of the Grocery Department of the Moa Farmers' Union in the year 1896, and has been employed by the Union since its inception. He is a son of Mr. Mark Hopson, a former manager, was born in the year 1875, in Dorset, England, where he was educated; and he came to New Zealand in 1888. Mr. Hopson has been a member of the Inglewood football, cricket, and athletic clubs, has taken part in competitions and been successful as a prize winner. He is a member of the Inglewood Rifles, and of the local Rifle Club. Mr. Hopson is also a fancier and exhibitor of pure bred poultry, and secured thirty-six prizes in the year 1905.
Collis, photo. Mr. A. J. Hopson.
The Inglewood Fruit Company
(William Ogier, proprietor), Rata Street, Inglewood. This company imports fruit from various parts of the colony, Australia, and the Islands, and maintains a varied supply, which is disposed of wholesale and retail. Mr. Ogier is further referred to as Town Clerk of the borough of Inglewood.
Drake, Francis ,
Bookseller and Fancy Goods Dealer, Rata Street, opposite the Post Office, Inglewood. This business was established in the year 1899, by Mr. Robert Ellis, and
Collis, photoMr. F. Drake.
Leech, Charles ,
General Storekeeper, Rata Street, Inglewood. Agent for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, North Queensland Fire, and Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States of America. This business was established in the year 1892, and was acquired by Mr. Leech in 1903. It is conducted in a two-storied building of wood and iron, which stands on a freehold section of half an acre. Full stocks of millinery, grocery, hardware and crockery are carried, and there is also a dressmaking department. There is considerable storage room at the back of the building. Two delivery carts are constantly in use, five horses being employed. Mr. Leech was born in the year 1866, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and brought up to country life. He afterwards went to Nelson, and was for about two years in the Wakefield district. He then returned to Taranaki, and acquired a farm on Bristol road, which he worked for ten years. Later on, he sold out, and bought his present business. Mr. Leech, in conjunction with two brothers, has 3000 acres of land at Awakino, about seventy miles from Inglewood, and they use it for cattle raising. He has been a member of the Moa Road Board, and was president of the Taranaki Farmers' Union. During his period of office he organised about twenty branches of the Union, and represented Taranaki at the first North Island conference held at Palmerston North in 1901, and the following year represented his district at the colonial conference in Welllington. At the general election of 1902, Mr. Leech stood for the Egmont seat in the House of Representatives, and was defeated by only fifteen votes; and he was again unsuccessful at the election of 1905. In 1891 he married a daughter of the late Mr. W. H. Wood, of New Plymouth, but she died in 1895, leaving one daughter. Mr. Leech married a daughter of Mr. J. Tuck, of Inglewood, in the year 1902.
Mr. C. Leech.
Nicholls, Austin Clements ,
General Storekeeper, corner of Rata Street and Brown Street, Inglewood. This business was established in the year 1904. The premises consist of a corner shop, with a store room and office, and stabling behind. There is also a handsome ten-roomed residence. Mr. Nicholls was born in 1860, in Auckland, where he was educated, and brought up to farming by his father. During the Maori war, in the Auckland district, the family had to take refuge in a stone church at Tamaki. Mr. Nicholls then worked at sawmilling for ten years, and was employed successively by Dr. Logan Campbell, and the Kauri Timber Company, at Te Kopuru. He removed to Inglewood in 1892, and was employed by Mr. H. Brown for ten years. During his spare time Mr. Nicholls learned bookbinding. He afterwards started business on his own account as a printer and bookbinder, and acquired a complete plant, which he sold in January, 1906. Mr. Nicholls was for seven years a member of the Inglewood Town Board, was for two years a member of the Inglewood Borough Council, and has been a member of the Inglewood school committee. In 1888 he married a daughter of the late Mr. William Potter, of Epsom, Auckland, and has three sons.
The Inglewood Electric Light and Power Company, Limited ,
was incorporated in January, 1904. Directors for the year 1906: Messrs H. Brown (chairman). W. E. Richardson (managing director), W. Marshall, E. Nops, and Mr. E. R. A. Haworth (secretary). There is an up-to-date plant, including “New America” turbines by the Dayton Globe Company, and two dynamos (45 by 75 k.w.), by the International Electric Engineering Company, and power is derived from the Ngatori
Directors Of The Inglewood Electric Light and Power Company Limited.
Mr. William Ernest Richardson ,
Managing Director and Electrical Engineer of the Inglewood Electric Light and Power Company, Limited, has been associated with the company since its inception. He was born in Port Chalmers and educated in the Taieri district. Mr. Richardson was brought up as a flour miller, and afterwards took up electrical work, first as an amateur, and subsequently as a professional. The first public electric lighting work that Mr. Richardson undertook, was the installation of electric light at Outram. Later, he was connected with the promotion of the Waipori power supply for Dunedin. In 1898 Mr. Richardson married a daughter of Mr. James Meston, of Dunedin, and has one son.
Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.Mr. and Mrs W. E. Richardson.
Mr. Edmund Robert Alfred Haworth ,
a Director and Secretary of the Inglewood Electric Light and Power Company, was born in January, 1862 at Rangiora, Canterbury, where he was educated, and is the son of an Imperial officer who came to the colonies in the early fifties. After leaving school Mr. Haworth joined the staff of the Bank of New Zealand, and was stationed successively at Rangiora, Hokitika, Ross, Christchurch, and Ashburton during a period of ten years. Mr. Haworth then went to Australia, but returned to New Zealand, and settled in Taranaki. Later, he was for some years engaged in sheep and cattle farming in the Inglewood district, but disposed of his property, and settled in Inglewood. Mr. Haworth has been a member of the Clifton County Council, and of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. In 1888 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Robert Wood, of Timaru, and has four sons and one daughter.
Mr. E. R. A. Haworth.
Giles, Thomas ,
Carrier and Forwarding Agent. Standish Street, Inglewood. This business was established in the year 1884. The premises occupied stand on part of an acre of land, and include a private residence and stables. Two drays are employed in connection with the business. Mr. Giles is agent for the New Zealand Express Company. He was born in 1857, in Kent, England, where he was educated, and gained his early experience in the management of horses. In the year 1875 he came to New Zealand, by the ship “Avatanche,” and settled at Omata, where he was employed at farm work by Mr. Curtis for two years. He subsequently worked in a blacksmith's shop and, later on, became a barman at the Red House Hotel, New Plymouth, and afterwards at other hotels in Taranaki. Mr. Giles was then proprietor of the Railway Hotel, Inglewood, for about five years before establishing his present business. In the year 1879 he married a daughter of the late Mr. William Hopkinson, of Inglewood, and has two sons and two daughters.
The Inglewood Livery Stables
(E. L. Julian, proprietor), Mountain road, Inglewood. These stables were established in the year 1902 by Mr. E. L. Julian. They are built of wood and iron, and are situated at the back of the Inglewood Hotel. They contain eighteen stalls, nine loose boxes, and there is standing room for vehicles. Five gigs, two double buggies, and about nine horses are employed in connection with the business.
Mr. Ernest L. Julian ,
Proprietor of the Inglewood Stables, was born in the year 1876, in New Plymouth, where he was educated, and brought up to hotel life. He was for three years a member of the Hawera Mounted Rifles. In 1890 Mr. Julian married a daughter of the late Mr. Wellington Carrington, of New Plymouth, and has three daughters and one son.
The Railway Hotel Livery Stables
(Richmond Johnson, proprietor), Rata Street, Inglewood. These stables, which are carried on in connection with the Railway Hotel, consist of wood and iron buildings, and contain fifty-two stalls and three loose boxes. There is also standing room for a large number of vehicles. About ten conveyances and ten horses are employed in the business.
Mr. Richmond Johnson ,
Proprietor of the Railway Hotel Livery Stables, was born in the year 1875, and was educated at Waitara. He had thirteen years' experience in training horses, and was for some time driving his own coaches, before he acquired his present business in the year 1901. In 1897 Mr. Johnson married a daughter of Mr. E. J. Julian, proprietor of the Taranaki Hotel, New Plymouth, and has two daughters and one son.
Curtis, Herbert Bloomar ,
J.P., Farmer, “Bushlea,” Inglewood. Mr. Curtis' property consists of 550 acres of freehold land near Inglewood. The homestead is sheltered on all sides from prevailing winds by some fine bush. Mr. Curtis also owns another farm of 450 acres. He was born in the year 1852, at Omata, and was educated in New Plymouth. At the time of the native disturbances he went with his father's family to Nelson, with the Taranaki refugees; but returned eighteen months later, and worked with his father at Omata. On
Lile, Adam ,
Settler, Junction road, Inglewood. Mr. Lile was born in Scotland in the year 1818, and came to New Plymouth with his father in 1862. At the time of the native troubles in 1863, he was ememployed by the contractors for supplying meat to the troops. He also joined the Taranaki Militia in 1869, and saw much active service. In 1872, he entered the Armed Constabulary, and remained in the force until 1877, when he started business in Waitara as a baker and confectioner, and remained there for over ten years. He then removed to Kaikoura until 1889, when he settled in Inglewood, and established a prosperous business. Mr. Lile now lives on a farm at Junction road, near Inglewood. He has been a member of the Order of Foresters for over thirty years. He is married, and has five daughters and two sons.
Mr. A. Lile.
Mr. John William Cowley
was born in the year 1846, in Lincolnshire, England, where he was educated, and brought up to farming. He came to New Zealand in 1875, by the ship “Halcione,” which landed at Taranaki; and for three years he worked hard at bush contracts. When the Tariki settlement was formed, he was one of the earliest to take up land, and selected a holding of 119 acres, which he named “Woodthorpe Grange.” This property he brought to an excellent state of cultivation, and carried on dairying and general farming. Mr. Cowley has always taken considerable interest in local affairs, and has been a member of the Tariki school committee. He is married, and has two sons and one daughter. Mr. Cowley now (1906) resides in Inglewood.
Mr. Henry John Julian
took part in the local government of Inglewood, as a member of the Town Board, to which he was elected in 1897. He is a son of Mr. Richard Julian, who came to Taranaki as one of the pioneers, in the year 1840, and was born in New Plymouth in 1846. When twenty years of age he went to Nelson and the West Coast, where he was for some time engaged in mining. On returning to Taranaki he joined the transport corps, served through the war, and received the New Zealand medal for his services. In the year 1868 he was at Patea as a member of the Nelson volunteers, who were in service in connection with the Maori troubles. Afterwards Mr. Julian was for over twenty years engaged in the business of a livery-stable-keeper in New Plymouth. Later on, he took over the Taranaki Hotel, which he kept until the year 1890, when he entered into possession of the Railway Hotel, at Inglewood, and carried it on successfully for a number of years. Mr. Julian has been an Oddfellow for over thirty years, and has passed through all the chairs. He is married, and has eight sons and four daughters. In the year 1906 Mr. Julian became proprietor of the Taranaki Hotel in New Plymouth.
The Jullian Family—Four Generations. Mr. H. Julian. Mr. H. J. Julian. Eric Julian. Mr. R. Julian.
Mr. Edmund James Morgan ,
of “Oakleigh,” Kaimata road, Inglewood, a well known colonist, is a native of Gillingham, Dorsetshire, England, where he was born in the year 1841, and brought up to farm life. He came to New Zealand in the barque “Ashmore,” 512 tons, in 1856, and landed at Auckland. Thence Mr. Morgan proceeded to New Plymouth, and thence again to Wanganui, where he remained till 1860. In company with his brother, John, he visited the Otago diggings, but was not very successful. After a year's experience on the fields he returned to Wanganui, and was engaged at various occupations till the war broke out, when he joined the Wanganui Cavalry, and was present at the engagement at Wereroa pa and many other skirmishes. He received the New Zealand war medal and a grant of land for his services as volunteer. His farm in Patea, which he bought from military settlers, was a good one, and he lived on it till 1866, when he removed to Rahotu, and farmed land in that district for the next seven years. He then acquired his present property, which contains 350 acres of good pasture land, on which he conducts dairying operations. The homestead is surrounded by a beautifully laid out garden and orchard. Mr. Morgan was for several years on the Patea County Council, was chairman of the Patea West Road Beard for a number of years, and has been a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He married Miss Wright, of Brunswick, Wanganui, and has three sons and four daughters. His second son, William, was one of the contingent sent to represent the colony at Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in London, on the 22nd of June, 1897.
Mr. E. J. Morgan.
The Little Settlement Known As Egmont Village
is the centre of a farming district, and lies ten miles to the south-east of New Plymouth, and four miles to the west of Inglewood, on the Junction had. It is in the Moa riding of the Taranaka county, and in the Egmont survey district of the Taranaki land district, and lies a little to the east of north from Mount Egmont. It has a public school, a creamery, a Primitive Methodist church and a local hall.
Earp, Frederick ,
“Punga,” Egmont Road District; postal address, Egmont Village. Mr. Earp's farm consists of 222 acres of freehold land, and is devoted to the production of beef and to dairy farming. He also holds a farm of eighty acres on the Waitara river, and has a separator and butter working plant. Mr. Earp was born in Worcestershire, England, in the year 1841, and was brought up as a blacksmith. He subsequently went to British Kaffraria, South Africa, where he remained for five years. In 1886 he came to New Zealand, landed in Taranaki, and settled in Okato. Mr. Earp took up land as a military settler, and did block-house duty during the Maori war. In 1872 he took up part of his present holding, which was then in its native state; and he and Mr. Bosworth were the first settlers in the district. Later, Mr. Earp took charge of a party of immigrants for the Government, and instructed them in bush work, etc. In this way he supervised the clearing of the site of Inglewood, and hence is often spoken
Mr. F. Earp.
Kaimata
nestles in a pretty little valley, five miles east of Inglewood, on the Junction road, at the intersection of a cross road. It is the centre of a rich dairy-farming district. The settlement has a public school, and the local creamery is one of the largest in the colony; 4,200 gallons of milk were daily put through the separators during the season of 1905–6. The business of the post office and telephone bureau is conducted at the residence of the creamery manager. Beyond Kaimata, Junction road continues for about five miles, and passes over a most picturesque zigzag to the settlement of Tarata, between which and Inglewood there is daily communication by coach. Originally, the site of the village of Kaimata and of the surrounding settlement was covered by dense bush, most of which had been cleared away by the year 1893. It is undulating well watered country, and is in the hands of industrious and prosperous settlers. The Manganui river flows through the settlement, which is in the Huiroa survey district of the Taranaki land district, and is a part of the Moa riding of the county of Taranaki. Kaimata lies north-east of Mount Egmont.
The Kaimata Public School
was opened in July, 1890. It is a wood and iron building, and contains two class rooms, and two porches. Accommodation is provided for sixty pupils. There are fifty-seven names on the roll, and the average attendance is fifty. The headmaster is assisted by a mistress. There is a convenient residence adjoining the school.
Mr. Hugh Alexander Livingstone
was appointed headmaster of the Kaimata Public School in March, 1902. He was born in 1872, at Cust, Canterbury, was educated at Summerhill, near Cust, and served as a pupil teacher at Barry's Bay. After one year at the Normal School, Christchurch, he was appointed sole teacher at Eiffelton, near Long Beach, Canterbury, in July, 1893. Four years later, Mr. Livingstone was transferred to Wakanui, where he continued until he received his present appointment. In 1900 he married a daughter of Mr. Thomas Hayman, of Studholme, Canterbury, and has one son and one daughter.
Brittan, Edgar James ,
Farmer, “Zig-Zag,” Kaimata. Mr. Brittan's property consists of over 236 acres, on which he conducts dairying. He was born in Hertfordshire, England, where he was educated, and for some years he was connected with mercantile life in London. Mr. Brittan came to New Zealand in 1896, and settled in Taranaki. In 1900 he took a trip to the Old Country, and on his return settled at Kaimata. Mr. Brittan married a daughter of Mr. J. Crozier, of New Plymouth, in the year 1905, and has one son.
Burwell, Albert Edward ,
Farmer, Kaimata. Mr. Burwell's farm consists of 207 acres of freehold land, on which he conducts dairy farming. Mr. Burwell was born at sea, on the American ship “Autocrat,” between San Francisco and Callao, in October, 1865, and is the son of a sea captain. He was educated at the Waterloo High School, near Liverpool, England, and at St. John's College, Grimsargh, near Preston, Lancashire, and was afterwards for about three years in the wholesale trade in America. In 1886, he came to New Zealand, settled in the Kaimata district, and took up eighty-eight acres of land, which, with the exception of ten acres, was covered with bush. He subsequently increased this area to 207 acres. Mr. Burwell is a member of the Kaimata school committee. In 1897, he married a daughter of Mr. John Minchin, of Inglewood, and has two sons and two daughters.
Capper, George ,
Farmer, Dairy Brook Farm, Kaimata. Dairy Brook Farm consists of 320 acres of freehold land. It is undulating country, all ploughable, with the exception of about twenty acres. The land will maintain on an average twenty-five cows to each 100 acres, in addition to horses and young stock. Mr. Capper was born in the year 1853, in Astbury, Cheshire, England, where he was educated and brought up to farming. He came to New Zealand in 1875, and settled in Taranaki. Mr. Capper was then for fourteen years in business as a road contractor near Stratford. He removed to the Inglewood district, farmed 215 acres at Tariki road, and afterwards took up 156 acres in Inglewood. This property he sold in October, 1904, and subsequently acquired Dairy Brook Farm. Mr Capper was for about eight years a member of the Manganui Road Board, and was also chairman for part of the time; he was a member of the Stratford Town Board, and was for three years a member of the Stratford Licensing Committee. In December, 1877, he married a daughter of the late Mr. John Hill, of Stratford, and has five sons and eight daughters.
Haverbier, Hans August ,
Farmer, “Thorncliffe,” Kaimata. Mr. Haverbier was born in the year 1844, in Holstein, Germany, where he was educated, and brought up to farming. He afterwards learned the trade of a silk-and-wool weaver, and gained experience in various large factories in Germany. He became an expert in connection with his trade, and was employed for seven years in Saxony as a teacher of weaving in Government Industrial Schools. Mr. Haverbier subsequently came to New Zealand, arrived in New Plymouth in 1874, and settled in the Inglewood district, before there were any roads. He after-wars helped to fell the bush which covered the site of the borough of Inglewood. On his arrival in New Zealand he could not speak a word of English. About 1887 Mr. Haverbier removed to Kaimata, where he look up a farm of 201 acres of freehold land. He has been a member of the Moa Road Board, and of the Kaimata school committee; for five years he was a director of the Moa Farmers' Union, and was a director of the Moa Dairy Company for about ten years, during which he was chairman for two years. In 1869 he married a daughter of the late Herr Brentigam, of Saxony, and has four daughters, and two sons, and five grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs H. A. Haverbier.
Jenkins, Eldon Francis ,
Farmer, Kaimata. Mr. Jenkins leases 203 acres of education endowment land, and milks as many as forty-two cows, chiefly of the Jersey-Holstein
Taylor, George Samuel ,
Farmer, Puriri Farm, Kaimata. This property consists of 363 acres of land. When taken over by Mr. Taylor there were about 200 acres of standing bush, but this has now all been levelled, with the exception of shelter patches. Mr Taylor does not believe in having all his eggs in one basket, and the system of alternating grazing paddocks has been adopted by him. By this means the quality of the grass is very much improved, and the best results are obtained for dairying purposes. He started with cross-bred cows, but is now working with the best strains of Ayrshire, and has an imported bull of that breed. Mr. Taylor is a son of Mr. C. W. Taylor, and was born in the year 1870, in Lincoln, England. He was brought to New Zealand at an early age, and landed in New Plymouth by the ship “Urenui,” on her first trip, in 1875. Mr. Taylor was educated in the New Plymouth district, and was brought up to country life. In conjunction with his father, he took up sixty-one and a-half acres of land, on the deferred payment system, in 1888, and this property has been increased until the area now amounts to 363 acres. In 1890, Mr. Taylor married a daughter of the late Mr. W. Henry Heal, one of the first settlers in the Moa district, and has seven sons and two daughters.
Collis, photo.Mr G. S. Taylor.
Webster, Sidney ,
Farmer, Kaimata. Mr. Webster's property consists of 102 acres of freehold land, on which he conducts dairy farming. He was born in Lyon road, Bexley Heath, Kent, England, in the year 1869, and was educated in the Upper School in connection with Dulwich College. Mr. Webster was brought up to the grocery trade in London, where he remained for ten years. He then came to New Zealand, and landed in Taranaki in 1896. Subsequently he acquired a farm at Carrington road, New Plymouth, and worked it for five years. This property he afterwards exchanged for one at Tarata, an education lease of 368 acres. Later on, Mr. Webster acquired his present property. In 1901, he married a daughter of Mr. J. B. Riley, of Carrington road, and has one son.
Mr. and Mrs S. Webster.
Tariki
is a thriving settlement situated twenty-three miles from New Plymouth by rail, and is the nearest railway station to Mount Egmont. It is in the Moa riding of the county of Taranaki, and forms part of the Huiroa survey district of the Taranaki land district. Tariki was originally known as a sawmilling centre, and for many years a mill belonging to the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory has been in operation. There are two creameries situated not far from Tariki; one at Waipuku, two miles to the south, and one at Ratapiko, about five miles inland. Tariki has a hotel, and a public hall; and business firms are represented by two stores, a butchery, a saddlery, a bakery, and a blacksmith's establishment. At the railway station, which stands at an altitude of 948 feet above sea level, the business of the post office and telephone bureau is conducted. There are Anglican and Methodist churches in the settlement, and a well equipped public school. The Mountain road from New Plymouth to Hawera, runs parallel with the railway through Tariki; good shooting and fishing are obtainable in the neighbourhood.
The Tariki Railway Station and Post and Telegraph Office
has been under the management of a stationmaster since the year 1902. The building is of wood and iron, and contains a ladies' waiting room, a public lobby, a general work room, and a post and telegraph office. The station is connected by telephone with Hawera and New Plymouth, and the intermediate stations.
The Tariki Public School
was opened in the year 1897. It stands on a site of an acre and a-half of land. The original building was enlarged in 1903, and the old school had been removed from Waipuku. There are two class rooms and two porches, with accommodation for 150 children. There are 125 names on the roll, and the average attendance is 105. The headmaster is assisted by a mistress, and a pupil teacher.
Mr. Harry Albert Eason ,
Headmaster of Tariki school since its inception, was born in Dorset, England, where he was trained as a teacher. On arriving in New Zealand in 1888, he was appointed to Opunake school, whence he was transferred to Tariki.
St. Philip's Anglican Church
at Tariki stands on a quarter-acre section. It is of wood and iron, with seats for sixty persons, and was erected in the year 1899. There is a Sunday
Hancock, Robert ,
General Blacksmith, Tariki. This business was established in the year 1898. The premises consist of a large smith's shop, with a residence adjoining. Mr. Hancock was born in the year 1875, at Plumpstead, Kent, England. He came to New Zealand with his parents as an infant, and was educated at Wanganui and Wangaehu. Subsequently he learned his trade at Stratford, where he remained for about seven years. Mr. Hancock then removed to Tariki, where he acquired his present business. He has been a member of the Tariki school committee, and the Caledonian sports committee, and is secretary of the local Lodge of Odd-fellows—a position which he has held for ten years. In 1899 Mr. Hancock married a daughter of Mr. Alfred William Hewitt, of Stratford.
Collis, photo.Mr. and Mrs R. Hancock.
Jones, G. and W. ,
Butchers, Mountain road, Tariki. Head establishment, Midharst. This business was opened in 1894 by Messrs G. and W. Jones. Mr. David Jones is manager, and is further referred to as a farmer.
The Tariki Road Sawmills ,
the property of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company, were established some years ago. The plant is large and up-to-date. A special feature is the steam haulage of logs in the bush, which Mr. Nixon was the first to introduce into Taranaki; this was tried by the company on his recommendation, and has proved entirely successful.
Mr. Hugh Nixon ,
Manager of the Tariki Road Sawmills, was born in the year 1856, in Northumberland, England, and was afterwards in charge of engines and machinery at the Stonecraft lead mine. In 1879 he came to New Zealand, and, after a year's farming experience in Otago, he engaged in sawmill work at Normanby for several years. He next spent a year in the kauri mills at Tairua; but returned to Taranaki in 1884, and remained at Ngairs nine years, most of the time in the service of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company. Mr. Nixon subsequently received his present appointment. He has taken considerable interest in local matters; he was a member of the local school committee for four years, and was also one of the promoters of the church at Tariki road. Mr. Nixon is a Justice of the Peace.
Mr. H. Nixon.
Canning, Alfred ,
Farmer, Tariki. Mr. Canning was well known as a business man in Eltham, where he was agent for the United Fire Insurance Company, and was secretary to the Eltham Athenaeum, the Caledonian Society, and the local Lodge of Oddfellows. He was born in the year 1849 at Devizes, Wiltshire, England, and was educated at the Southwark Grammar School. For eight years subsequently he was a member of the London Corn Exchange. In 1876 he came to New Zealand by the ship “Avalanche,” and was for seven years manager of a station at Porangahau, in Hawke's Bay. In 1887 Mr. Canning removed to Taranaki, and four years later established himself in Eltham as a land and commission agent. This business he successfully conducted for a number of years, and then, having disposed of his interest, he became a farmer at Tariki.
Mr. A. Canning.
Jones, David ,
Farmer, Tariki. Mr. Jones's property consists of 105 acres of freehold land, which is used chiefly for grazing purposes. There is a comfortable homestead, and the property has been much improved. Mr. Jones was born in March, 1871, in North Wales, England, where he was educated and brought up to farming. He came to New Zealand in 1894 by the s.s. “Gothic,” and settled in Taranaki with his brothers, Messrs G. and W. Jones. Subsequently he took over the management of their branch butchery business at Tariki. Mr. Jones is a member of the Tariki school committee, and of the Caledonian sports committee. In 1899 he married a daughter of Mr. Robert Hooker, of New Plymouth, and has one son and one daughter.
Kelsey, Walter Herbert ,
Farmer, Tariki road. Mr. Kelsey was born in the year 1868. in Surrey, England. He was educated at Whitgift Grammar School, and afterwards served an apprenticeship in the engineering trade. For six years he was employed on different steamers belonging to the well known firm of Wood Brothers,
Waipuku
is a small settlement situated twenty-four miles south by rail from New Plymouth, halfway between Inglewood and Stratford, and is in the county of Stratford, and in the Huiroa survey district of the Taranaki land district. A short branch line of railway to Manganui is (1900) being constructed in order to open up the district, which was originally covered with virgin bush. Waipuku has a creamery and a post office, situated near the corner of Rutland and Croydon roads. There is a public school at Tariki, about two miles distant. The railway station, the highest in Taranaki, stands 1125 feet above sea level. The main south road, known as the Mountain road, runs through the settlement.
The Waipuku Post Office
is conducted at the homestead of Mr. F. Bell. It was opened in 1894, and receives and distributes a daily mail, but no mail is despatched from the office.
Mr. Frederick Bell ,
Postmaster at Waipuku, is a native of Lincolnshire, England. He became a colonist of New Zealand in 1876, and after working at his trade as a blacksmith for twenty-one years in New Plymouth, he settled at Waipuku in the year 1897.
The Waipuku Creamery
is one of the skimming stations of the Midhurst Dairy Factory Company. It stands at the junction of the Rutland and Croyden roads, on a half-acre section. The building is of wood and iron, and the plant includes a six horse-power steam engine, and a number six Baillie separator, capable of treating 880 gallons per hour. During the season of 1906 there were twenty suppliers, and up to 1400 gallons of milk were delivered daily.
Mr. Robert Milne
was appointed Manager of the Waipuku Creamery in the year 1905. He was born in 1875 in Wanganui, and was educated at the Wanganui Boys' High School. Mr. Milne was brought up to country life, and afterwards gained eight years' experience at the Moa Dairy Factory in Inglewood, where he had charge, for part of the time, of the separators and engine. He was subsequently manager of the Skinner Road Creamery for one year before he took up his duties at Waipuku. In 1898 Mr. Milne married a daughter of Mr. H. F. Goff, of Woodville, and has one daughter.
Midhurst
is a dairy-farming and sawmilling settlement, twenty-seven miles south-east by rail from New Plymouth, in the north riding of the county of Stratford, and in the Huiroa survey district of the Taranaki land district. The township has two large stores and several smaller ones, a bakery, a butchery, two smithies and a hotel; and also Anglican, Primitive Methodist and Methodist churches, and a public hall. The settlement has a public school, and other schools are situated at Salisbury and Beaconsfield roads, where there are also skimming stations belonging to the Midhurst Dairy Factory Company. The Midhurst Dairy Factory is one of the largest in the colony. The railway station is at an altitude of 1122 feet above sea level. The surrounding country is of an undulating character, and was at one time entirely covered with bush; and two mills, belonging respectively to the Union Timber Company, and Messrs Quin Brothers, are still (1906) in operation. Game and fish can be obtained in the neighbourhood.
The Midhurst Public School
was established about the year 1890. It is a wood and iron building, and contains two class rooms, and two porches; and the school and the teachers' residence stand on a section of three acres. The school has accommodation for 140 pupils; there are 151 names on the roll, and the average attendance is 120. Mr. James William Mail, who was appointed headmaster of the Midhurst public school in the year 1904, was born in the Shetland Islands in 1869, and came to New Zealand at an early age. He was trained as a teacher in Invercargill, and had considerable experience under the Southland Education Board before his appointment to Midhurst.
The Salisbury Road Public School
was established in the year 1894, and stands on a section of six acres. The building is of wood and iron, and contains two class rooms, two porches, and there is a six-roomed residence for the headmaster. The school has accommodation for seventy children. There are sixty names on the roll, and the average attendance is fifty. Mr. James Alexander Auld was appointed headmaster in May, 1904, and Miss L. Finnerty, assistant mistress, in August, 1905.
Mr. Henry James Reaks ,
formerly Master of the Midhurst school, was born at Rattray, Perthshire, Scotland, where he was educated and trained as a teacher. He came to New Zealand in 1887, and was for some time engaged in teaching under the Otago Education Board, at Ida Valley and Blacks. Mr. Reaks removed to Taranaki in 1896, under engagement with the Taranaki Education Board, to take charge of the Midhurst school. On leaving the Ida Valley school, Mr. Reaks was presented by his pupils with a handsome gold locket; and on his departure from Blacks, with a Gladstone travelling bag, from the school children, and was entertained and presented by the parents and other residents with a purse of sovereigns. He is married, and has four children. After leaving Midhurst Mr. Reaks went to reside at Stratford.
All Saints' Church ,
Midhurst, is a wood and iron building. It stands on a section of a quarter of an acre in extent, and has accommodation for seventy persons. Services are
Mr. H. Pedersen
was a native of Denmark, and learned the trade of a cabinetmaker. In 1870 he came to New Zealand, landed in Napier, and after working there for some time started business on his own account in Kaikora North, where he remained for seven years. He then removed to Taranaki, took up land, and subsequently established a business in which he was assisted by his son. Mr. Pedersen died some time ago.
The Midhurst Co-Operative Dairy Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1895. Directors for 1906: Messrs A. Brown (chairman), L. Baskin, S. Carlton, W. Hathaway, S. M. Porritt, A. Ridd, F. E. Y. Taylor, and A. A. Ward. Mr. R. C. Templer is secretary, and Mr. F. Kleemann, manager. The Midhurst Dairy Factory is a wood and iron building, and contains a receiving room, a separating room, and cream, butter, chilling and freezing rooms. The plant is driven by water power, which is obtained from the Tepopo stream, on which a concrete dam has been constructed. The water is then brought by wooden fluming through a tunnel thirteen chains long, to the McCormick twin turbines. These will develop thirty-six horse-power in combination. There is also a De Laval separator, and Humble and Sons' four ton freezing machinery is employed. The output of the factory is about 380 tons of butter per annum. There are seven creameries within six miles of the factory; namely, at Waipuku, and at York, Rugby, Salisbury. Pembroke, Beaconsfield and Stanley roads.
Mr. Reginald Charles Templer
was appointed Secretary of the Midhurst Dairy Company in the year 1905. He was born in 1855 in Lyttelton, and is a son of the late Mr. Edward Merson Templer, of Coringa station, who was a member of the first Provincial Council of Canterbury. He was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and was brought up to farming. Mr. Templer subsequently served under the Wanganui Education Board as a teacher for eighteen years, during ten years of which he was headmaster of the Cheltenham school. In 1893 be became connected with the dairy industry, assisted in establishing the Cheltenham Dairy Factory, and was secretary for six years. He left the district to take up the management of a large herd of cows for Mr. C. Fitzherbert, of Cinder Hill. Two years and a-half later, Mr. Templer removed to Stratford, where he was in business on his own account as an auctioneer and commission agent for two years. He was the first to organise the Farmers' Union in the Taranaki district, and was for some time afterwards secretary of the Stratford Dairy Company, before his present appointment. In the year 1881 Mr. Templer married a daughter of Dr. Richards, of Hororata, Canterbury, and has two sons and one daughter.
McAllister, photo Mr, R. C. Templer.
Mr. Fritz Kleemann
was appointed Manager of the Midhurst Dairy Factory in the year 1902. He was born in 1866, in Germany, where he was educated. In 1893 he came to New Zealand, landed at Lyttelton, and was for six years employed by the Tai Tapu Dairy Factory, as butter-maker. He then removed to Stratford, and held a similar position in the Stratford Dairy Factory, for five years, and in 1901 went thence to Midhurst. A year later, he was promoted to the position of manager. In 1892 Mr. Kleemann married a daughter of Mr. Smidt, of Christchurch, and has one son and two daughters.
The Pembroke Road Creamery
of the Midhurst Dairy Company was originally an independent co-operative butter factory, before it was acquired by the Midhurst Co-operative Dairy Company. The buildings are of iron and wood, and stand on an acre of ground. The plant is driven by a four-horse horizontal engine, and there is a Crown separator with a capacity of 510 gallons per hour. During the season of 1905–6 there were nineteen suppliers; and a record of thirteen hundred gallons per diem was reached in the height of the season.
Mr. John R. Murch
was appointed Manager of the Pembroke Road Creamery in the year 1904. He was born in 1875, in London, England, where he was educated, and followed a seafaring life for seven years. Afterwards he went to Argentina, South America, where he learned his present business, and from 1895 to 1901 was in the service of a company known as La Escandinavia Argentina Limitada. He then went to Australia, and joined the firm of Bartam and Son, the well known dairy machinery importers, of Melbourne. Later, he came to New Zealand, was for some time employed as fireman at the Belfast Freezing Works, and finally removed to Stratford and joined the Stratford Dairy Company. He was afterwards manager of the Toko road and Makuri creameries before his present appointment. In 1905 he married a daughter of Mr. Lees Watkins, of Stratford.
McAllister, photo.
Jones, G. and W.
(Griffith Jones and William Jones), Butchers and Farmers, Midhurst; branch at Tariki. The premises owned by the firm of Messrs G. and W. Jones stand on a freehold section of half an acre, and include two shops and a smithy. The portion occupied by the butchery consists of a shop with a verandah and a small
Mr. William Jones ,
of the firm of G. and W. Jones, was born in March, 1859, in North Wales, England, where he was educated. He came to New Zealand in the ship “Rangitikei,” in 1879, when he was unable to speak a word of English. Mr. Jones was for two years in Christchurch, Canterbury, but, later on, removed to Stratford, then in its infancy, and was for a number of years engaged in bush work, shearing and road construction. He was afterwards at Kaiapoi, Canterbury, for two years, and gained experience as a butcher and in threshing mill work. Finally, he returned to Taranaki, and in 1892, in conjunction with his brother, established the present business. In 1894 Mr. Jones married a daughter of the late Mr. John Carson, of West Oxford, Canterbury; but she died, leaving one son.
Mr. S. Sergeant
established himself in business as a general storekeeper and produce merchant at Midhurst in the year 1899. A large and complete stock of all descriptions of merchandise necessary for a first-class trade was kept on hand by Mr. Sergeant, who also had various agencies essential to the requirements of the district. Mr. Sergeant afterwards sold his interest in the business to Mr J. R. Parkinson, and removed to Tauranga.
Carter, John William ,
Farmer, Salisbury road, Midhurst. Mr. Carter's property consists of 100 acres of freehold land, on which he conducts dairying. He was born in the year 1880, at Bell Block, Taranaki, was educated at Waipuku, and brought up to country life. Afterwards he was employed at the Eltham Butter Factory for some time, and rose to the position of assistant, and then to that of buttermaker. In 1904 Mr. Carter acquired his present property, and has since carried on farming on his own account.
Mr.
Mr. Joseph George Harkness ,
formerly Secretary and General Manager of the Midhurst Co-operative Dairy Factory, is well known as a politician. He was born in Nelson, was educated at Nelson College, and was afterwards a school teacher for some time. He then joined the firm of Messrs Hodder and Company, merchants, of Richmond. In 1892 he removed to Taranaki, and took up land at Tariki, and afterwards became secretary and manager of the Midhurst Co-operative Dairy Factory. He subsequently removed to Wellington, and is now (1906) secretary of the National Dairy Association. Mr. Harkness has twice represented Nelson city in Parliament, where he was a strong supporter of the Atkinson Government. In Nelson he was a member of the Waimea County Council for eight years; as chairman of the Richmond Town Board, he took a prominent part in the waterworks scheme; and he was a member of the Nelson Education Board and school committee for many years. While he was in Taranaki he was chairman of directors of the Midhurst Co-operative Dairy Factory, a member of the Moa Road Board, and a director of the Inglewood Moa Farmers' Union. As a Freemason he has held office as Past Grand Master and Junior Deacon. Mr. Harkness is married, and has five sons and four daughters. He is further referred to on page 36 of the Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.
Stratford
is a thriving borough on the Patea river, in the centre of an extensive dairying district, thirty miles south by rail from New Plymouth, in the county of Stratford, and in the Ngaire survey district of the Taranaki land district. It is situated about 1000 feet above sea level, about nine miles from Mount Egmont; the climate is bracing, though somewhat moist. In the year 1877 the whole countryside was covered with a vast, virgin forest, and the timber stood like a wall on either side of the Mountain road. In that year the population of Stratford and the surrounding district numbered about half a-dozen settlers, and most of these had been compelled to cut tracks through the bush to reach their holdings. A small store was erected on the present site of Broadway, before the survey of the township was completed. In 1878 the railway line was opened from New Plymouth to Stratford. Three years later, the settlement is described as still having only one store, which stood on the site now (1906) occupied by the Bank of New South Wales. The ground was in such a condition that planks had to be stretched across the present Broadway, and it was no uncommon thing to see bullock teams and the drays they were attempting to draw, stuck in the mud. But from that time forward, the progress has been steady, and in recent years, even rapid. The local government of the district was for a number of years conducted by a Town Board, which did good work; but in 1898, Stratford was constituted a borough. The main thoroughfare, Broadway, is a fine wide street, and contains a large number of substantial shops, with handsome plate glass show windows. Stratford has a town hall, and a fine building known as the Municipal Chambers. The town has a District High School, a private school, and a technical school; and the Roman Catholic high and primary school is conducted in connection with the Monastery of Our Lady of Perpetual Succession. There are Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Primitive Methodist churches, and the Salvation Army is also represented. Stratford has several branches of the various banks doing business in the colony, and the Government Departments include the police station, the District and Stipendiary Magistrate's Court, the Stock Office, the Public Health Office, the Post and Telegraph Office, railway station, and the Public Works Department for the whole of the Taranaki provincial district.
Furkert, photo. A Tiphead On Stratford-Ongarue Railway.
Mr. Walter Symes ,
Member of the House of Representatives for the Patea electorate, was first returned to Parliament as member for Egmont in the year 1896, and he was re-elected for the same constituency at the general election of 1899. In 1902, however, he stood for Patea, for which he was elected, and was re-elected at the general election of 1905. Mr. Symes was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1852. While he was an infant he was brought to Taranaki by his parents, and received his education in the provincial district of Taranaki, and at Nelson and Wanganui. As a youth he was articled to a lawyer, who, however, died without leaving a will, and he was therefore unable to get his articles assigned. Mr. Symes then took to auctioneering, and was in business for about four years in Wanganui and Palmerston North. Then he bought into a sheep run on D'Urville Island; but after five years returned to Taranaki, and settled down to farming at Waverley. While a resident in that district he became interested in local politics, and was for some years a member and chairman of the Wairoa Road Board. He was also elected to the Patea County Council, of which he was chairman for nine years. In the year 1890 Mr. Symes acquired interests in the Stratford district, and was a member of the Stratford County Council for six years. He took up land at Toko in 1890, and five years later settled on his estate, which he farmed till 1900, when he sold out and took up his residence in the borough of Stratford, where he has engaged in insurance and general agency work. Mr. Symes married a daughter of the late Mr. John Treweek, an old colonist, who came to New Zealand in the year 1840, and died at Kakariki at the age of eighty-four; and has one son.
TheStratford Borough
Council was constituted on the 1st of August, 1898. Stratford has an area of 1920 acres, with a population of 2126, as disclosed by the census taken in April, 1906. The capital value of property in the borough is £354,000; and the unimproved value, £191,000. The rating is carried out on the basis of the unimproved value, and the general rate of 2⅜d in the pound. Special rates, aggregating one penny and seven-tenths of a penny in the pound, are struck to provide interest on various loans.
Stratford is particularly fortunate in its water and drainage schemes, as an inexhaustible supply of water is obtained by means of filtration tunnels sunk under the bed of the Patea river, which rises at the base of Mount Egmont, some nine miles away. The drainage of the borough is on the septic tank principle, and is a striking testimony to the thoroughness of the bacteriological system for the disposal of sewage. As both water and drainage schemes are carried out by means of gravitation, the cost of upkeep is practically nil. The average pressure of the water service is 100lb to the square inch. The work of installing both schemes was designed and carried out by Mr. H. W. Climie, C.E., the Council's Engineer.
The Council possesses a large number of municipal reserves, which produce a revenue that is annually increasing. The town is also fortunate in the possession of several domains, the largest of which is King Edward's Park, fifty acres, and Victoria Park, twenty acres in extent. The former is used chiefly for hockey and golf, whilst the latter is the principal ground for football and cricket and other sports.
The Town Hall, situated in Juliet Street, is a commodious building capable of seating 800 persons. It is lighted throughout by electricity, and has every accommodation and convenience for theatrical performances, dances and other entertainments. The municipal buildings are situated in the centre of the town, on a valuable reserve. The lower portion of the building is at present (1906) divided into four large shops, from which a revenue is derived by the Council. The upper portion consists of the Council Chamber, the Town Clerk's room and other offices, the Public Library and Reading Room.
The municipal abattoirs are situated about two miles and a-half out of the town, and stand in an area of thirty-two acres, sub-divided into six paddocks, which are let to butchers at a yearly rental of £10 each. The cost of the land, buildings, slaughterman's cottage, yards, etc., has been £4,300, which was obtained from the Colonial Treasury at 3½ per cent., one per cent. of which goes to provide a sinking fund. As the annual charges on the loan are met out of revenue derived from the slaughtering fees and paddock rents, the ratepayers are in the position of having an extremely useful institution, which will become their own property in forty-one years, when the loan expires, without any extra burden whatever being laid on their shoulders.
The streets of Stratford are well lighted by means of electricity; and the lamps, fifty-five in number, burn from sunset to sunrise, the year round.
A well equipped and up-to-date fire station is situated in the centre of the town, and there is a smaller station south of the Patea, river. The Public Library and Reading Room in the Municipal Buildings are open to the public daily, free of cost, from 9.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. A regular supply of the latest literature is received each month.
Stratford possesses two cemeteries, one within the borough, five acres in extent, and another, about three miles outside on the Ohura road, ten acres in extent. The old cemetery will
The members of the Council, who hold office till 1907, are Messrs N. J. King (Mayor), D. J. Malone, H. L. Betts, A. B. Blackett, H. N. Liardet, R. McK. Morison, P. F. Ralfe, R. H. Robinson, G. Sangster and S. A. Ward. The officers of the Council are: Town Clerk and Treasurer, E. F. Hemingway; Assistant, W. Whitlock; Borough Solicitor, T. C. Fookes; Borough Engineer, H. W. Climie; Sanitary Inspector, F. B. Gardner; Ranger and Town Hall Custodian, C. J. Wickham; Abattorr Manager, G. Thomson.
His Worship The Mayor,Mr. Nathaniel John King ,
was elected Mayor, of Stratford in April, 1903, and again in the years 1904–5–6. He was born in 1860, in Bedford, England, where he was educated, and brought up to the trade of a builder. He came to New Zealand in 1879, and landed in Auckland by the ship “May Queen.” In 1888 Mr. King went to Melbourne, Australia, where he gained four years' experience, and returned to New Zealand in 1892. He finally settled in Stratford, where he established his present business. Mr. King has been a member and chairman of the Stratford school committee, and has been a member of the Stratford Borough Council since its inception. In 1881 he married a daughter of the late Mr. J. B. Lawrence, of Auckland, and has two sons and one daughter.
Councillor Robert McKinney Morison
was one of the first members of the Stratford Borough Council, and, except for two years, has served continuously since its inception. He was born in the year 1862 at Mahurangi, where he was educated, and gained his first experience of nursery work. In 1880, Mr. Morison settled at Ngaire, where he took up 130 acres of land. This property he farmed for a number of years, and was one of the promoters, and for several years a director, of the now famous Ngaire Co-operative Dairy Factory. Mr Morison has been a member of the Egmont Licensing Committee for three years, has been a member of the Stratford school committee, and now represents the Borough Council on the Technical School committee. He has also been a member of the Library Committee since its establishment. In 1886 Mr. Morison married a daughter of Mr. Thomas Drake, of New Plymouth, and has one son and five daughters. He is further referred to as the proprietor of “The Nurseries.”
McAllister, photo.Councillor R. McKinney Morison.
Councillor Pilcher Frederick Ralfe
was elected a member of the Stratford Borough Council in the year 1902. He was born in Sheerness, Kent, England, and was educated at King William College, Isle of Man. He afterwards followed a seafaring life for seven years, and was also engaged in farming in the Old Country for about five years. In 1851 he went to Australia, and in the year 1862 came to New Zealand, and settled in Canterbury, where he carried on farming for some years. Mr. Ralfe subsequently removed to Taranaki, and settled in Stratford in 1871. Later, he acquired 500 acres of land at Cardiff, which is now (1906) farmed by his son. Mr. Ralfe has been a member of the Ngaire Road Board, the Stratford County Council, the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and other local bodies. In 1866 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Charles Bates, of Banks Peninsula, and has three sons and one daughter. He is further referred to as secretary of the Stratford Bacon Curing Company, Limited.
Councillor Sidney Arthur Ward
was elected a member of the Stratford Borough Council in April, 1903. He was born in the year 1878, at New Plymouth, and is the youngest son of Mr. J. Ward, J.P. He was educated at New Plymouth, and afterwards learned the ironmongery trade with his brother, Mr. H. Ward, with whom he continued until starting on his own account at Stratford in May, 1899. Mr. Ward has been secretary of the Stratford Municipal Band for some time, and is a member of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce. As a Freemason, he is Junior Warden of Lodge Stratford, No. 75, New Zealand Constitution, and is a member of the Loyal Stratford Lodge, Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity. In 1900, Mr. Ward married a daughter of Mr. William Doughty, an old resident of Stratford, and has two sons and one daughter. Mr. Ward, who is a Justice of the Peace, is further referred to as a member of the firm of S. Ward and Co.
McAllister, photo.Councillor S. A. Ward.
Councillor Herbert Llewellyn Betts
was elected a member of the Stratford Borough Council in April, 1905. He was born in the year 1869, at Brighton, England, and at an early age came to New Zealand with his parents. He was educated at Southbrook, North Canterbury, and in 1884 removed to Okaiawa, Taranaki. He then entered the employment of the Hawera Star, and four years later was appointed accountant, a position which he held for thirteen years. In the year 1901 he went to Stratford, where he had acquired a stationery, bookselling, and fancy goods business in Broadway. Mr. Betts is vice-president of the Stratford Tradesmen's Association, and secretary of the Stratford Bowling Club. In 1892 he married a daughter of Mr. W. Sanson, of St. Albans, Christchurch, and has two sons. Mr. Betts is further referred to as a bookseller and stationer.
Councillor Robert Henry Robinson
was elected a member of the Stratford Borough Council in April, 1905. He was born at North Allerton, Yorkshire, England, in the year 1853, but came to New Zealand with his parents when he was ten years of age, and landed in Auckland. Mr. Robinson was educated at the Old Wesley College, Upper Queen Street, and was afterwards apprenticed to the drapery business under Messrs S. and J. R. Vaile. Shortly after completing his term he went to Napier, and resided there for twenty-five years. He established a business in Napier, which he conducted successfully for nearly twenty years. With a view to further advancement, and to keeping his family around him, Mr. Robinson removed in 1898 to Stratford, where he acquired and built up a large business. Mr. Robinson takes a keen interest in local affairs, and is president of the Stratford Tradesmen's Association, a very live organisation. He married in 1875, and has five sons and three daughters. Mr. Robinson is further referred to as a draper.
McAllister, photo.Councillor R. H. Robinson.
Mr. Edward Fredric Hemingway ,
Town Clerk and Treasurer of the borough of Stratford, comes of an old Yorkshire family, though he spent the greater part of his early life in the South of England, and was educated at the Sutton Valence Grammar School, near Maidstone, Kent. He landed in New Zealand in 1892, and removed to Taranaki the following year. Mr. Hemingway has been closely identified with municipal matters since 1896, and has occupied the position of Town Clerk since February, 1902.
Mr. R. H. Kivell ,
Captain of the Stratford Volunteer Fire Brigade, is a son of the late Mr. H. Kivell, a well known colonist, and was born and educated in New Plymouth. He was brought up to farming, and was for some time with Mr. H. R. Hulke, of Bell Block. Subsequently he learned his trade as a saddler under Mr. Cunningham, with whom he remained for four years; later on, he was employed by Mr. Henderson, of Hawera. He returned to New Plymouth in 1889, and entered the service of Mr. Harris Ford. About three years later, he opened the Stratford branch of his business, of which he has since continued in charge. Mr. Kivell has always taken an active interest in fire brigades; he has filled his present position for several years, and done much to place, the Stratford Brigade in its present flourishing condition. He has been a prominent athlete, represented the district in the football field against England in the year 1886, and is handicapper for the Taranaki district for athletic sports. As a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Mr. Kivell has held office as Past District Chief Ranker, and in Hawera was instrumental in forming Court Egmont, of which he was for some years secretary.
Mr. R. H. Kivell.
The County OfStratford
was constituted about the year 1890. It has an area of 784 square miles, and the total capital value of the county is £1,479,214, of which the unimproved value is £898,265. The county is bounded on the north by the counties of Taranaki and Clifton, and on the south by those of Hawera and Patea. Its western boundary crosses the top of Mount Egmont, and the district extends inland to the Wanganui river on the east. The rates average from 1⅝d to 2¾d in the pound on unimproved values. Altogether the Council has raised loans amounting to £69,600, which has been expended on roads and bridges. A large bridge over the Patea river, in the borough of Stratford, is under the control of the Stratford Borough Council, which has become responsible for the debt incurred in the construction. The county offices are situated in the borough of Stratford; they are of wood and iron, stand on a half-acre section, and were erected in the year 1902. The Council has a traction engine and a stone crushing plant. The county has five ridings; namely, North, South, East, West, and Ohura. Members in the year 1906: Messrs G. A. Marchant (chairman), and D. L. Astbury, A. Brown, W. Hathaway, J. Thomson, J. Christoffel, J. B. Hine, A. W. Wood, and W. A. McCutcheon. Mr. C. Penn is County Clerk and Treasurer, and Mr. E. C. Robinson, County Engineer.
Mr. Alexander Brown
has for some years been a member of the Stratford County Council. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in the year 1856, and went to Cape Colony as a child with his parents. In 1865 the family came to New Zealand, and settled in Auckland, where Mr. Brown, senior, is still (1906) farming. Mr. Brown was brought up on his father's farm, and afterwards settled in Taranaki, where he started farming on his own account about 1879. He took up his present farm in the year 1904. This property, which is named Manganui, after the stream of that name, is situated at Midhurst, on the Mountain road. It consists of 280 acres, on which he conducts dairying, and cropping for home use. Mr. Brown has also another farm of 100 acres, situated about five miles from Midhurst. He has been a director of the Midhurst Dairy Factory since its inception, and was chairman for the year 1906; has also been chairman of the Midhurst school committee, and is chairman of the Waipuku Domain and Cemetery Boards. Mr. Brown is married, and has seven children.
Mr. Ernest Crellin Robinson ,
C.E., was appointed Engineer of the
The East Egmont Forest Board
has its headquarters in Stratford. Its members for the year 1906 were: Messrs Dingle, King and Cameron. The Stratford Mountain House is under the control of the Board, and delightful views can be obtained from it. The Dawson's Fall House is situated not far from the Stratford House. A magnificent view of the mountain, and of the surrounding country, can be obtained, and a fine waterfall of 100 feet is to be seen on the route.
Government Institutions.
The Stratford Post and Telegraph Office
was erected in the year 1895, and contains a public room, a postmaster's room, a mail room, and telegraph operating and telephone exchange rooms. Mr. J. J. Pickett, who was appointed postmaster on the 1st April, 1901, is assisted by a large staff of officers.
The Stratford Stock Office ,
in connection with the Agricultural Department, is situated in Broadway, and is in charge of a resident inspector, who visits the surrounding districts.
Mr. James Budge ,
Inspector of Stock in connection with the Agricultural Department at Stratford, is further referred to on page 1023 of the Otago and Southland volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.
The Stratford Police Station
is situated in Broadway South, Stratford, and Constable W. H. Ryan is officer-in-charge.
Constable William Henry Ryan ,
Police Officer in charge of the Stratford district, is a son of Mr. George Ryan, merchant, of New Plymouth. He was born in the year 1853, in New Plymouth, where he was educated; joined the Police Force in 1872, and has been stationed, successively, at Napier, Waipawa, Tolago Bay, White Cliffs, New Plymouth and Inglewood. At one time Constable Ryan was stationed at Parihaka, and while there saved Inspector Pardy from drowning in the Waitotara river. For this he received the Humane Society's silver medal, and a special letter of thanks from the Hon. John Ballance, who held Inspector Pardy in high estimation. In the year 1878, Mr. Ryan married Miss Walsh, of New Plymouth, and has two daughters and one son.
Constable W. H. Ryan.
The Public Works Department
for Taranaki has its headquarters in Stratford, and was constituted a separate branch in March, 1901. The district extends from Mokau in the north, to Wanganui in the south, and many miles inland from the sea. It is under the care of a resident engineer, who is assisted by two assistant engineers, two engineering cadets, a clerk, three overseers, and a timekeeper. In February, 1906, 220 men were employed on public works under the Taranaki branch of the department.
Mr. Frederick William Furkert ,
formerly Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department for Taranaki, was born in the year 1876, at Ross, Westland, and was educated partly at Ross, and partly at the Hokitika High School, where he passed his civil service examination, taking first place out of about 400 pupils. In 1894 he entered the Public Works Department in Wellington, and eight months afterwards was transferred to Greymouth, where for a year he was engaged on harbour and road improvements, and on the construction of the Greymouth-Hokitika railway. For two years subsequently Mr. Furkert was engaged on construction work on the Otira section of the Midland railway. He was then transferred to the North Island, and, having qualified as a surveyor in 1898, was engaged in survey work for about three years, on the main trunk railway. As an amateur photographer, Mr. Furkert has taken many excellent representative views of various parts of the country. In September, 1902, he married a daughter of Mr. Henry Plimmer, of Wellington, granddaughter of the late Mr. John Plimmer, the Father of Wellington, and his one son. Mr. Furkert was transferred from Taranaki to take charge of the construction work at the south end of the main trunk railway, with his headquarters at Taihape.
McAllister, photo. Mr. F. W. Furkert.
The Public Health Office
for the Provincial District of Taranaki is domiciled in the municipal buildings, Broadway, Stratford. Mr. F. B. Gardiner, Sanitary Inspector under the Public Health Act for the whole of the Taranaki district, was appointed to the position in October, 1905. He joined the Health Department in Wellington in the year 1901.
The Stratford Railway Station
dates from about the year 1878. It is built of wood and iron, and in cludes a ticket lobby, a ladies' waiting room, a general work room, a parcels office, and the stationmaster's room, and there is also a goods shed. Stratford is the junction of the branch line to Toko, officially known as the Stratlord-Ongarue line. There is a dock from which trains start to Toko, and about ten trains pass daily through Stratford.
Mr. John Baird Campbell ,
Stationmaster at Stratford, entered on his duties in August, 1905. He had been previously in charge at Waimate, Canterbury, and is further referred to on page 1065 of the Canterbury volume of this Cyclopedia.
The Stratford District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board
was established in the year 1905, when the district was separated from New Plymouth, with which it had formerly been connected. Members of the Board for 1906: Messrs W. Monkhouse (chairman) representing the Stratford borough; J. B. Hine and G. A. Marchant (representing Stratford County), and Mr. H. N. Liardet, secretary. The first duty of the Board was to arrange for the erection of a local hospital in Stratford on the site of five acres and aquarter, which had been set apart for the purpose in 1893. Plans were prepared, and the contract let for a brick T shaped building, with a tower roof, men's and women's wards, an operating room, and all needful departments. The hospital was expected to be in operation about the end of 1996.
The Stratford District High School
was constituted in the year 1897. There are two classes, in which botany, physics, dairying, chemistry, woodwork and dressmaking are taught. Mr. H. Dromgool, B.Sc., as master, and Miss A. M. Budd, M.A., as mistress, are in charge of the work, under the direction of Mr. F. A. Tyrer. This school has established a record in Taranaki for the number of its successful candidates at scholarship examinations. Pupils have on two occasions won Queen's Scholarships, and have also gained two out of three National Scholarships awarded to Taranaki; in 1905 a Stratford boy took second place in the colony, with 660 against 661 marks. Since the year 1898 thirty-nine pupils have passed the matriculation examination. In the year 1903–04, one pupil gained a Junior University Scholarship, another passed the medical preliminary examination, four passed the matriculation and solicitors' general knowledge examinations, and three the junior civil service. Two scholars took first and second place respectively in senior scholarships, and two third and fourth places in junior scholarships. In the year 1905 one scholar passed with credit the Junior University Scholarship, five passed the matriculation and solicitors' general knowledge, and four the junior civil service examinations, and the school also won a Queen's Scholarship. From three to five-hours each week are devoted to technical and manual work. The syllabus of the primary classes includes paper work, cardboard and woodwork. There are two cadet corps in connection with the school. The staff includes Mr. F. A. Tyrer, headmaster and superintendent of the Technical School; Mr. A. R. Gatland, B.A., first assistant; Mr. R. Brown, second assistant; Miss S. Hogg, third assistant; Miss J. Blackett, fourth assistant; and Misses King and Mackay, junior teachers. Mr. R.H. Clark is manual and art teacher.
Mr. Florance Antony Tyrer
was appointed Headmaster of the Stratford District High School and Primary School, and Supervisor of the Technical School, in the year 1897.
The Stratford Public School
stands on a section of four acres, at the corner of Fenton Street and Juliet Street. There are two school buildings; namely, the main school, which contains four class rooms and three porches, and the infants' school. There is accommodation for 525 pupils, though the names on the roll sometimes exceed that number, and in the year 1905 there was an average attendance of 477.
The Stratford Technical School
is situated in Orlando Street, on a half-acre section, which was originally the site of the first co-operative dairy factory in the district. The building was crected in 1903. It is of wood and iron, and contains four class rooms, devoted to art work, science, chemistry, wood-work and dairy work. Mr. F. A. Tyrer, headmaster of the Stratford Public School, is superintendent, and Mr. R. H. Clark is manual and art teacher.
The Monastery Of Our Lady Of Perpetual Succession
was founded in Stratford on the 23rd of January, 1897, when work was begun in a lean-to at the back of the primary school. The first portion of the present fine building was commenced on the 17th of May, 1899, and was enlarged in 1904, by the addition of a wing. The building, which is of wood and iron, is two stories in height, and contains fifteen rooms; of which four are dormitories, The high school, which is attended by twenty children, is held in the convent, and St. Joseph's primary school adjoining has an attendance of 120 pupils. There are eight Sisters in charge, and two of these travel daily to conduct the primary school at Eltham, where sixty children are in attendance.
The Stratford Parish Of The Anglican Church
until lately included the settlements of Midhurst, Waipuku, Cardiff, Toko, Strathmore, and Whangamomona, but the two last named places are now in the charge of the Home Mission. The parish was constituted about the year 1891, with the Rev. A. English as the first incumbent. Holy Trinity church, Stratford was erected in 1890 on the East road, and was enlarged in 1899. It is built of wood and iron, and has accommodation for 200 persons. There is also a Sunday school, with about 170 children, in charge of thirteen teachers. Services are held regularly in the various townships. The vicarage which has lately been enlarged and renovated, stands on a section of two acres and a half of land in Orlando Street.
The Rev. Cecil Alexander Burns Watson ,
B.A., was appointed Vicar of Stratford in the year 1903. He was born in 1870, in London, England, where he was partly educated. In 1890, He went to Tasmania, and in 1893 came to New Zealand. He subsequently studied at St. John's College, Auckland, and at the Auckland University, Where he graduated B.A. in 1902. Mr. Watson was ordained
McAllister, photo.
The Stratford Parish Of The Presbyterian Church
dates from the year 1891. The district covers the country between Eltham and Inglewood, and extends as far as Whangamomona. The principal church is St. Andrews, which stands on half an acre of land in Regan Street. Stratford. It is of wood and iron, was built in 1902, and has accommodation for 250 adults. The old church has since been used as a Sunday school. Services are also held in various parts of the district, and there is a Presbyterian church at Toko.
The Rev. James Millar Thomson ,
M.A., has been in charge at Stratford since June, 1905. He was born in Turakina, in 1872, graduated B.A. in 1896, and M.A. with second class honours in the following year. Mr. Thomson was ordained in 1901 at Lincoln, Canterbury.
The Stratford Parish Of The Roman Catholic Church
extends from Ngaire on the south to Waipuku in the north, and goes as far east as the settlement of Whangamomona. The principal church in the district is known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and is situated in Mirada Street, Stratford. It stands on a half-acre section, and was erected in February, 1894. The building is of wood and iron, and has seats for 300 persons. The presbytery, convent, and school stand on a section of about three acres on the opposide side of Miranda Street.
The Very Rev. Patrick Treacy ,
Priest-is-charge of the Stratford Parish since 1901, was born in County Limerick, Ireland. He was ordained at Waterford in the year 1881, and came out to Wellington, New Zealand, in the same year. Before settling in Stratford, Father Treacy had been stationed at Lyttelton, Masterton, Kumara, Geraldine, Hawarden and New Plymouth.
The Stratford Circuit Of The Methodist Church Of Australasia
includes the settlements of Ngaire, Cardiff and Toko. The principal church in the district is at Stratford. It is known as Wesley church, and stands on a quarter-acre section at the corner of East road and Cordelia Street. It is of wood and iron, and has seats for 260 persons. The Sunday school, which is under the charge of ten teachers, is attended by 120 children. There is a small church at Cardiff with seats for 100 persons, and services are also regularly held at Ngaire and Toko.
The Rev. John Wesley Griffin ,
Minister in charge of the Stratford circuit, was appointed in April, 1901. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1853. Mr. Griflin was for some years a minister of the Free Methodist church before the Union took place. Before arriving in Stratford, he had been stationed successively at Pahiatua, Kimbolton and Whangarei. He was married, in 1876, to a daughter of the late Mr. A. Hood, of Auckland, and has, surviving, six sons and two daughters.
The Primitive Methodist Body
has been represented in Stratford since July, 1889, when periodical visits were begun from New Plymouth. The district was formed into a separate circuit in March, 1890, and the first church was erected about that time on a quarter-acre section fronting Broadway. In less than three years it became necessary to enlarge the building. The present convenient new church, which replaced the old one in September, 1899, is of wood and iron, and has seats for 250 persons. The old building is now used as a Sunday school room, and there are eighty scholars under the charge of eleven teachers. The town of Eltham was originally worked from Stratford, but this has latterly been constituted a separate circuit. There is also at Midhurst a wood and iron church, which was erected about the year 1892, and has seats for eighty adults. Services are held regularly at various points in the settlements round Stratford.
The Rev. Thomas Harwood Lyon ,
Minister of the Primitive Methodist Circuit at Stratford, was stationed at Greendale, Canterbury, before taking up his duties at Stratford in April, 1906.
The Salvation Army
has been represented in Stratford since the year 1891. The barracks in Fenton Street were erected in 1894, and adjoin the railway line. The building is of wood and iron, and has accommodation for 250 adults. There are two vestries. Services are held regularly in Stratford, and also at Midhurst, Toko, and Huiroa. The soldiers in Stratford number thirty-one, and the corps is in charge of Ensign Joseph Brookes, who was appointed in August, 1905.
The Stratford Bowling Club
was established in March. 1900. Officers for the year 1906; Messrs G. N. Curtis (president), R. Dingle (vice-president), C. S. Curtis (treasurer), H. L. Betts (secretary), and a committee of five. The club, which has fifty members, has a splendid green situated in Cloton road, near the Technical School. It is surrounded by shelter trees, and there is a fine pavilion.
The Stratford Racing Club
was founded in 1891. Officers for the year 19006: Dr. T. L. Paget (president), and Messrs A. W. Budge (vice-president), S. Pitt (treasurer), W. H. Hartgill (judge), J. Henry (handicapper), and J. R. Mackay (secretary). The property of the club is situated on Pembroke road, and consists of ninety-four acres of freehold land, with a racecourse, one mile long, and a training track, seven furlongs in length. The fine grand stand of wood and iron will seat 1,500 persons, and there is also a smaller stand. The annual meeting is held on St. Patrick's Day, and is a popular gathering. The stakes amount to over £1000.
Mr. John Reay Mackay
was appointed Secretary of the Stratford Racing Club in the year 1901. He was born in Nelson, and is a son of Mr. Joseph Mackay, who was at one time headmaster of the Wellington College. Mr. Mackay was educated at Wellington College, studied for his profession as a surveyor in Stratford, and qualified in 1899. He is further referred to as a member of the firm of Orbell and Mackay, engineers and surveyors.
The Stratford Caledonian Society
was established in the year 1902. Officers for the year 1906: Messrs N. J. King (president), J. H. Thompson (honorary secretary and treasurer), and a committee of twelve. The annual sports meeting is held in January of each year in Victoria Park, Stratford. It is a popular gathering, and about £100 is annually given away in prize money.
The Stratford Acclimitisation Society
is under the management of a local committee, and Mr. J. A. Jone is the curator. The fish hatcheries are situated on the Gentle Annie stream, near Stratford. There are four concrete ponds and two large dams, in which there are about ten thousand brown trout (savelinus fontinalis), one or two thousand Loch Levin trout (salmo Levenensis), and about one hundred large stock fish, mainly rainbow trout (salmo iridia). There are also about one hundred and fifty English salmon (salmo salar). Timber is (July, 1906) on the ground to erect a building capable of turning out 50,000 fry every year; hitherto about 30,000 have been turned annually into the rivers.
The Collier and Colonial Piano Company, limited
; Head Office, New Plymouth; Stratford branch, Broadway, Stratford. This branch was established in the year 1902, and is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a shop, an office, and a workroom. About twenty pianos are usually in stock for selection, and there is a staff of experts engaged in tuning. All kinds of musical instruments and music are kept in stock.
Mr. Herbert Ernest Rountree ,
J.P., was appointed Manager of the Stratford branch of the Collier and Colonial Piano Company in the year 1902. He was born in June, 1872, at the Thames, Auckland, and was educated in Christchurch. Mr. Rountree started in business on his own account, as a general storekeeper, at Poro-o-taroa and Ongarue, in the year 1900. While there he organisised the Ongarue Liberal League, and was appointed its secretary. He was also chairman of the Ongarue and Poro-o-taroa Storekeepers' Association. He sold out his interests in 1902, and was manager for the Colonial Piano Company, at New Plymouth, until two years ago, when it amalgamated with Collier and Company. Then he removed to Stratford, where he is manager of the Collier and Colonial Piano Company (United), Limited. He is at present (1906) secretary for the North Island West Coast Band Association. Mr. Rountree is the composer of the Auckland Exhibition barn dance, and takes an active interest in musical matters. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in the year 1901.
Mr. H. E. Rountree.
The Stratford Municipal Brass Band
was established in the year 1891 under the name of the Stratford Town Band, and received its present name in 1903. It has competed at local contests, and at Hawera and Wanganui. There is a membership of twenty-four, and Mr. T. G. Grubb is chairman and bandmaster.
The Stratford Evening Post
is published by the Stratford Printing and Publishing Company, Limited. Directors for the year 1906; Messrs O. Curtis (chairman), W. D. Anderson, A. Bayly, A. W. Budge, S. Pitt, and J. McCluggage, The journal, as now constituted, resulted from the amalgamation, in November, 1903, of the Stratford Post and the Egmont Settler. The Egmont Settler was founded in 1890 by the late Hon. John Ballance and the Stratford Post was founded by Mr. J. Ivess in 1896, and afterwards owned by Mr. J. H. Clayton. The Post is an evening paper of thirty-six columns, printed on four pages, and has a large circulation through central Taranaki. In politics it is independent. Ten runners are employed, who deliver the paper every evening throughout the district, covering a distance of 160 miles daily. Mr. A. F. Copping is editor, and Mr. W. C. Whitlock, manager.
Mr. Arthur Edward Copping
was appointed editor of the Stratford Evening Post in the year 1904. He was born in the year 1866, at Tottenham, London, England, and was educated at the Cloudesley College, and at St. Mary's, Stoke Newington. He then for some time travelled on the Continent of Europe and in America, but subsequently returned to England, and entered the Judicature Department in the New Law Courts, London. Shortly afterwards Mr. Copping went to Australia, and arrived in Sydney, in 1886. He was for nine months in New South Wales, and during that time he contributed articles to Australian journals. After again visiting Europe, he came to New Zealand, and shortly after joined the staff of the Wairarapa Daily Times, on which he remained until, in 1900, he was appointed subeditor of the Christchurch Press; and he continued in that office until his appointment as editor of the Stratford Evening Post. Mr. Copping was initiated into the Masonic Order in England, and is a member of the Royal Arch Chapter. In 1896 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Henry Owen, of Masterton. This lady died in 1899, leaving one daughter. In 1905, Mr. Copping married a daughter of Mr. John Bavley, of Alkington, Fernside, Canterbury.
Mr. A. E. Copping.
Mr. William Charles Whitlock
was appointed Manager of the Stratford Evening Post in the year 1903. He was born in the year 1865 in London, England, where he was educated, and brought up to commercial life. He afterwards came to New Zealand, and arrived in Blenheim in 1886. Mr. Whitlock engaged in farming for a short time, and afterwards took up land in the Central Buller district, where he farmed for about fourteen years. In the year 1899 he acquired the Egmont Settler, and conducted that journal up to the time of the formation of the present company Mr. Whitlock has been a member of the Stratford Rifles. In 1892 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Albert Alexander, of Hobart, Tasmania, a member of the Royal Academy of Music, and has two sons and two daughters.
The Stratford District and Magistrate's Court
in situated in Broadway. The first courthouse was destroyed by fire some years ago, and subsequently the present handsome building was erected and enlarged in 1905. It is built of wood and iron, and contains a court room, a public office, a magistrate's room, and rooms for witnesses and the clerk of the court. There is also a library and a robing room. Weekly sittings of the Magistrate's Court are held, and quarterly sittings of the District
Mr. Michael Foley
was appointed Clerk of the Stratford District and Magistrate's Court, in June, 1905. He was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1868. After settling in New Zealand he joined the Justice Department in Wellington, in 1898. He was clerk of the Magistrate's Court at Gore, before he received his present appointment.
Fookes, Thomas Cracroft ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Broadway, Strafford. Established 1891. Bankers, Bank of Australasia. Mr. Fookes was born in New Plymouth, and is a son of Mr. A. C. Fookes, of that town. He was educated at Nelson College, and was afterwards articled to Messrs Fitzsherbert and Marshall, of Wanganui. Mr. Fookes was admitted to the bar in 1890, and commenced practice in the following year. He has always taken a prominent part in athletic matters, and was connected with various football and rowing clubs in Wanganui and Taranaki. Mr. Fookes has long been connected with the Stratford Chamber of Commerce and the Stratford Horticultural Society, and supports all progressive movements.
Mr. T. C. Fookes.
Malone, McVeagh and Anderson
(William George Malone, James McVeagh, and William David Anderson), Barristers and Solictors, Broadway, Stratford. This firm was founded in Stratford in the year 1903; but the senior partner, Mr. Malone, had carried on business previously for ten years. The firm has branches in New Plymouth, lnglewood, Eltham, and Kaponga, with a resident solicitor in charge of each branch.
Wake, Frederic William ,
Barrister and Solicitor, Broadway, Stratford. This practice was established in the year 1898, Mr. Wake having been admitted to the bar two years previously in Christchurch. He is solicitor to the Bank of New South Wales in Stratford.
Paget, Tom Lakin ,
M.R.C.S. (England), I.R.C.P. (London), Physician and Surgeon, Page Street, Stratford. Dr. Paget, who has practised in Stratford since 1893, was born in Loughborough, England, in 1868, and took his diplomas in 1890. Dr. Paget served as a member of the Stratford Borough Council for one year.
Hunter, Samuel Benton ,
Surgeon and Mechanical Dentist, Kickapoo Chambers, Juliet Street, Stratford. Branches at Eltham, Kaponga, Manaia. Hawera, Patea, and Waverley, Each of these branches is under the care of a qualified dentist.
Mr. Samuel Benton Hunter
was born in September, 1859, at New castle-on-Tyne, England, and was educated in America. He studied for his profession at Boston Dental College, qualified as a dentist in 1881, and commenced practice in Boston. Subsequently, Mr. Hunter graduated in medicine, at the University of Ohio, and took his M.D. degree in 1887. He came to New Zealand in 1899 as agent to the Kickapoo Medicine Company, and travelled throughout the colony. The agency was subsequently taken over by Messrs Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., and in 1900 Mr. Hunter founded his present business. In 1896 he married a daughter of Assistant Quarter-master General Albert Hatcher, of Bermuda, a retired officer, who served twenty-four years in the Royal Artillery, and has three sons and two daughters.
McAllister, photo. Mr. S. B. Hunter.
Stohr, Edward Baldwin ,
Chemist and Druggist, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1894 by Mr. Teed, and acquired by the present proprietor in 1901. It is conducted in a wood and iron build-which contains a shop, a consulting room, and a drug store. Mr. Stohr is an importer of fancy toilet goods and drugs. He was born in 1869, in Dunedin, where he was educated; and he qualified for his profession in Dunedin, and afterwards in Melbourne, Australia. Then he returned to New Zealand, and was registered as a chemist and druggist in 1899. Mr. Stohr is a steward of the Stratford Racing Club, is selector and has been secretary of the local football club, and was one of the promoters and a member of the Stratford Bowling Club. In 1893 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Tom Campbell, of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
The Bank Of Australasia
at Stratford occupies a prominent site in the principal street. It was opened as an agency in 1891, and in October of the following year was created a branch. The bank does a good business, and is under the management of Mr. F. G. Kimbell.
The Union Bank Of Australia, Limited ,
opened in Stratford in 1903.
Mr. W. G. C. France
was appointed to the management of the Stratford branch of the Union Bank in March, 1905. He has had banking experience in England, Australia, and New Zealand, and had been sixteen years in the service of the Union Bank, which he joined in London.
The Bank Of New Zealand
in Stratford was opened as an agency several years ago, and established as as a branch, in the year 1891. It is centrally situated between the National Bank and the Bank of Australasia, and has a good connection in the town and district.
Mr. Henry Curnow ,
formerly Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Stratford, is the only surviving son of the late Mr. John Curnow, who was a well-known merchant in Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Curnow was born in Melbourne in 1861, and educated there at the Scots College. After a short experience in a solicitor's office, he, at the age of seventeen, came to New Zealand to take an appointment in the Bank of New Zealand at Christchurch. His first move was to Greytown North, and shortly afterwards he was transferred to Wellington, where he was quickly promoted to the position of senior ledger kceper. Then he went to the Te Aro branch as accountant, and remained about six years, and in 1892 was appointed to the management of the Stratford branch. In 1892 Mr. Curnow married the daughter of Captain Hyde, of Nelson. The late Mr John Curnow, M.A., LL.B., who was formerly second master in Mr. Farquhar Me-Rae's college and grammar school at Auckland, and, later, Inspector of Schools for Canterbury, was a brother, and Mr. W. Curnow, sometime editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, a cousin of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Henry Curnow was transferred from Stratford to the management of the Bank of New Zealand at Whangarei.
The National Bank Of New Zealand
at Stratford is situated on a corner site at the intersection of Broadway and Fenton Street. It was opened in the year 1890 as an agency, doing business on one day in the week only; but in 1894 it was raised to the status of an ordinary branch, under the management of Mr. W. M. Bayly. The building now in use was completed early in 1897, and is one of the finest in Stratford.
Mr. William Morant Bayly ,
Manager of the National Bank at Stratford, was born in New Plymouth in the year 1867, and is a son of Mr. Daniel Bayly, of Wanganui, who came to New Zealand in 1841 by the ship “Amelia Thompson.” Mr. Bayly was educated at the Wanganui Collegiate school, joined the National Bank, and has been stationed at New Plymouth, Wanganui, Napier, and Wellington. He is secretary of the Stratford Tennis Club, and a leading player.
Mr. W. M. Bayly.
The Stratford Chamber Of Commerce
was established in the year 1904, and is supported by a large number of business and public men. Meetings are held periodically at the Municipal Chambers. Mr. N. J. King is president, and Mr. J. H. Thompson, honorary secretary.
James. Sydney Henry ,
Land and Commission Agent, Agent for the Alliance Assurance Company and Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, Broadway, Stratford. Mr. James was one of the first settlers in Stratford, where he arrived as early as 1880, when dense forests covered the districts and farming was in its most primitive stage. In 1888 he established his present business, which has grown with the progress of the town and district. Mr. James is chairman of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce and the Stratford Farmers' Cooperative Association, Limited, a director of the Stratford Bacon Curing Company, Limited, and has taken a prominent part in promoting the advancement of the district.
Mr. S. H. James.
King, Newton ,
Stock and Station Agent; Stratford branch, corner of Broadway and Fenton Streets, Stratford. Agent for Messrs P. and D. Duncan, Christchurch, the Norwich and London Accident Insurance Company, and the New York Life and Phoenix Fire Insurance offices, etc. The Stratford branch of the well known business of Mr. Newton King, stock and station agent, was opened in the year 1900. The premises are situated in Broadway, and consist of a wood and iron building, which contains extensive offices, and a large general sales' room. In Juliet Street there are three large bulk stores, fitted with a water-power lift and grain crushing plant, in connection with the main establishment. Weekly sales of produce, furniture, pigs, poultry and horses are held each Saturday at the Mart and Haymarket yards; fortnightly stock sales at Mr. King's yards, at the corner of Fenton Street and Portia Street; and regular stock sales at Toko, Kaponga, and Whangamomona. Sixteen persons are employed, including two auctioneers.
Mr. Frederick William Webster
was appointed Manager and Auctioneer of the Stratford branch of
Morison, John Dugald ,
Auctioneer and General Commission Agent, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1898, by the present proprietor, and is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains an auction room, and a general store. Mr. Morison does a large business in seeds and is agent for Messrs Sutton and Son, London, Gibbons and Co., of Wellington, the Victoria Fire Insurance Company, Wilson and Co. (Portland cement), Kempthorne, Prosser and Co. (Westfield manure), and R. MeK. Morison (nurseryman). Mr Morison holds a regular weekly sale of farm produce and poultry at his rooms in Stratford. He was born in the year 1863, in Auckland, and is a son of Mr. John Morison, an old settler, who arrived in Auckland in 1842, and was afterwards for many years a resident of Mahurangi. Mr. Morison was educated in Auckland, and was brought up as an orchardist in the Auckland district, where he remained for some years working on his own account, before establishing his present business in Stratford. He was a member of the Stratford Town Board, has been a member of the Stratford Borough Council, and is a member of the Stratford Agricultural Society. In 1886 Mr. Morison married a daughter of Mr. Alfred Catchpole, merchant, of Ponsonby, Auckland, and has one son and four daughters.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. J. D. Morison.
Steuart and Corrigan
(Frederick James Steuart and Samuel Bradley Corrigan), Auctioneers and Commission Agents. Head office, Manaia; branch at Stratford. This business was established by Messrs Budge and Good, and subsequently acquired by Messrs Steuart and Corrigan. Regular sales are held at Manaia, Stratford, Otakeho, Kaponga, Strathmore; and an annual sheep fair takes place at Manaia during February. Owing to the firm's large and increasing connection, a branch was established at Stratford.
Mr. F. J. Steuart ,
Senior Partner of the firm of Messrs Steuart and Corrigan, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in the year 1849. He was educated at Chatham. England, and afterwards came to New Zealand. In the year 1868, in conjunction with his brother, he took up a station in Otago, where he remained for five years. Afterwards he was in partnership with Mr. Brown for five years, and then removed to the North Island. He took up a large block of several thousand acres of land in Taranaki, in partnership with his father-in-law, and in 1890 took up another 4000 acres in the East Ward. On a part of this property the township of Strathmore was afterwards formed. About 700 head of cattle and 4000 crossbred sheep are depastured. Though not actively engaged in publie life, Mr. Steuart takes a keen interest in all things that bear upon the progress of the district. He married a daughter of a well known settler at Manaia, and has both sons and daughters.
Thompson, Joseph Henry ,
Public Accountant, Auditor, Land, Commission, and Insurance Agent, York Chambers, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in January, 1903, by Mr. Thompson. He is agent for the Sun Fire office, the Accident branch of the New Zealand Insurance Company, secretary of the Stratford Electric Supply Company, Limited, Derby Brothers' Stratford Sash and Door Factory, the Taranaki Athletic Association, the Stratford Caledonian Society, and the Stratford Chamber of Commerce. He is also agent for Mr. W. Butler, carrier.
Mr. Thompson was born in 1880, at Feilding, and was educated partly in Feilding and partly in Stratford. He was brought up as an accountant, and for six years was accountant to the
McAllister, photo.Mr. J. H. Thompson.
Orbell and Mackay
(Stanley Orbell and John Reay Mackay), Engineers and Surveyors. Broadway, Stratford. Branch at Inglewood. This firm was constituted in the year 1899. Messrs Orbell and Mackay undertake surveying and engineering throughout the district; they are engineers for the Maganui, Moa, and Waitara West Road Boards, and formerly were engineers to the Inglewood Borough Council and Clifton County Council. Mr. Mackay is further referred to as secretary of the Stratford Racing Club.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. J. R. Mackay.
McAllister, James ,
Photograph-ic Artist, Broadway, Stratford. Private residence. Mountain Road North. This bbusiness was established in the year 1896. It is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a show room, a waiting room, a well-lighted studio, a dark room and finishing rooms. Mr. McAllister undertakes all kinds of portraiture and landscape photography. He was born in Helensborough, Scotland, and when six years of age came to New Zealand with his parents. He was educated in Dunedin, where he afterwards learned photography. Mr. McAllister subsequently worked in Christchurch and Wellington, and then removed to Hawera. A year later he disposed of his business, and established himself in Stratford.
Ellingford, Mrs. Margaret ,
Baker and Confectioner, Central Tea Rooms, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in November, 1893, by Mrs. M. Ellingford. The premises adjoin the Post Office, and consist of a wood and iron building, with a verandah. The shop has double windows, and there is a large luncheon room, which will seat about forty people. There is a bakehouse in connection with the establishment, under the charge of a competent baker. Bread is delivered throughout Stratford and the surrounding districts. Mrs. Ellingford was born in Banks Peninsula.
Lacey, Francis ,
Baker, Stratford. Mr. Lacey, who, until the incorporation of the borough in 1898, was a member of the Stratford Town Board, is a native of Lincolnshire, England. He came to New Zealand by the ship “Halcione,” and for several years was engaged in contracting in Taranaki. He also had a farm on Smart road. In 1892 he removed to Stratford, and acquired his present old established bakery business. Mr. Lacey takes a leading part in local affairs, and is a local preacher in the Primitive Methodist church, of which he has been a member for over thirty years. He is married, and has seven daughters and three sons.
Mr.
Lambert, Frederick Henry ,
Baker and Confectioner, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1891. It is conducted in suitable premises, which include a modern bakehouse with the latest improvements. Delivery is made by cart throughout the district.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. F. H. Lambert.
Wilson, Miss Christina E. ,
Baker and Confectioner, Covent Garden Tea Rooms, Broadway, Stratford. These tea rooms were established in the year 1894, and were acquired by Miss Wilson in 1901. The premises consist of a wood and iron building, with a verandah, and contain a shop, a tea room, and a residence. There is also a bakehouse under the charge of a competent baker. Bread is delivered throughout Stratford and the surrounding district. Miss Wilson was born at Meanee, Hawke's Bay, and is a daughter of Mr. Peter Wilson, an old settler of the Stratford district. She was educated at Kakara-mea and Manutahi, and was brought up to country life. For four years and a-half Miss Wilson worked in Stratford for Messrs Curtis Brothers, and subsequently gained two years' experience in the Auckland district, before she entered on her present business.
Johnston, Hugh ,
Aerated Water and Cordial Manufacturer, Stratford. Established 1892. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Johnston was born in the year 1854, at Waimea, Nelson, where he was educated, and afterwards was farming. In the year 1890 he took over his present business from his brother Mark. Mr. Johnston has greatly increased his trade, and has an extensive connection in the district. He is a member of the Order of Oddfellows, and has filled all the chairs.
Pollock, William Henry ,
Coach Builder and General Blacksmith, and agent for the Massey-Harris Bicycles, Page Street, Stratford. This business is conducted in a wood and iron building which contains a general smith's shop, a wheelwright's shop, and a paint shop. There is also a convenient office. The smith's shop was the first establishment of its kind in Stratford, and was founded by Mr. James McKenzie in the year 1879. Nine persons are employed. Mr. Pollock was born in 1872, in Belfast, Ireland, where he was educated. He landed in Wellington in February, 1885. Then he went to Taranaki, learned his trade in Stratford, and was employed for ten years in the establishment, of which he became owner in 1896. Mr. Pollock is married, and has two sons and three daughters.
The Egmont Clothing Company
(Cornelius O'Leary, proprietor), Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1903, by Mr. C. O'Leary, who was for four years previously manager of the local branch of the Melbourne Clothing Company. The premises consist of a wood and iron building with a
McAllister, photo.
Mr. C. O'Leary.
Melbourne Clothing Factory
(B. F. Hardy, manager), Clothiers and Mercers, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in 1900. The premises include a double-fronted shop with a verandah, a fitting room, and a residence. A large stock of clothing, mercery, and boots is maintained, and the company imports most of its merchandise.
Mr. Benjamin Farrers Hardy
was appointed Manager of the Melbourne Clothing Company in the year 1902. He was born in 1878, in Auckland, where he was educated, and learned his trade under Messrs Rush-brook and Co., of that city. Mr. Hardy subsequently gained experience in connection with other firms, before his present appointment. In 1899 he married a daughter of the late Mr. W. Nealie, of Waikato, and has one son and one daughter.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. B. F. Hardy.
Plumtree, Frank ,
Draper, Clothier, Milliner, etc., Municipal Buildings, Broad way, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1895, and was acquired by the present proprietor in 1904. It is conducted in a double-fronted shop with a verandah. Mr. Plumtree imports Manchester and dress goods, as
McAllister, photo.Mr. F. Plumtree.
Robinson, Robert Henry ,
Draper, Manchester House, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1896, and was acquired two years later by the present proprietor. Manchester House is the largest retail establishment in Stratford, and consists of a double-fronted roomy shop, and a convenient showroom, an office, and a reserve room, etc. Mr. Robinson imports the bulk of his stock direct from English manufacturers, and thus gets his goods at the finest prices. He is ably supported by his two sons, Messrs W. H. Robinson and J. L. Robinson, and four other assistants. In 1904 Mr. Robinson bought an old established business at Inglewood, which is managed by his second son, Mr. E. H. Robinson, with a staff of five assistants. Mr. Robinson is further referred to as a member of the Stratford Borough Council.
Fieldes, William Alfred ,
Merchant Tailor, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1896. The premises consist of a wood and iron building, and contain a shop with a verandah, a cutting room, a fitting room, and two workrooms. Mr. Fieldes is an importer oftweeds, and tailors' trimmings, and maintains a well assorted stock. He was born in 1867 at Nelson, and is a son of a very early settler; was educated partly in Nelson and partly at the Blenheim High School, and afterwards worked at his trade for five years in Nelson. Afterwards he removed to Hawera, and conducted business on his own account for four years. He then sold out, and was for
McAllister, photo.Mr. W. A. Fieldes.
Patterson. James ,
Merchant Tailor, Broadway Stratford. This business was established by Mr J. Francis, and afterwards acquired by the present proprietor. It is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a shop with a verandah, a workroom and cutting rooms. Mr. Patterson is an importer of tweeds and tailors' trimmings, and maintains a considerable stock. He was born in the North of Ireland in the year 1868, and came to New Zealand at an early age with his parents. He was educated in Dunedin and Inver-cargill, where he learned his trade. Then he went to Australia, and gained four years' experience in the best tailoring establishments in Melbourne and Sydney. Mr. Patterson returned to New Zealand, and worked as a journeyman in Dunedin for two years-before settling in Taranaki. In the year 1893, he married a daughter of Mr. F. Lacey, of Straford.
Jensen, John Robert ,
Hairdresser and Tobacconist, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1902. It is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a shop, and a saloon with two chairs. A general stock of tobacco and fancy goods is maintained, Mr. Jensen was born in the year 1877, in Blenheim, was educated at Wanganui, and learned his business under his father. He is an honorary member of the Stratford Football Club; for three years he was a member of the Stratford Brass Band; was a member of the Wanganui band for one year; and is a member of the Stratford Gun Club, and Boxing Association. In 1902 he married a daughter of Mr. William Brun-skill, ol the firm of W. and J. Staples, boot manufacturers, Wellington, and has one daughter.
McAlister, photo,Mr. J. R. Jensen.
Mercer, Thomas ,
Hairdresser, Tobacconist, and Billiard Room Proprietor, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in September, 1891, and was the first of its kind in Stratford. It is conducted in a building of wood and iron, which contains a shop with a verandah, a saloon fitted with three chairs, and a well-lighted billiard room, which contains a fine table by Wright Ranish and Co. Mr. Mercer was born in the year 1870, at Maidstone, Kent, England, and came to New Zealand with his parents at an early age. He was educated in Nelson, and learned his trade with Mr. Aldous, in Wellington.
The Commercial Hotel
(Frederick Smyth Pollock, J.P., proprietor), corner of Broadway and Page Street, Stratford. This hotel was established in the year 1892. It is a large two-storied wood and iron building, with a balcony on three sides, and contains twenty-three bedrooms, seven sitting rooms, a commercial room, and a fine dining room, which will seat fifty guests. There are also stables in connection with the establishment.
Mr. Frederick Smyth Pollock ,
J.P., Proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, was born in the year 1867, in County Derry, Ireland, where he was educated, and brought up to farming by his father, with whom he worked until emigrating to Canada in 1886. He was for six years and a half in New York and Montreal, and then returned to the Old Country, Mr. Pollock afterwards went to New South Wales, Australia, was for some time in Sydney, and atterwards made a trip through the country, visiting Burke, Newcastle, and other places. Subsequently he came to New Zealand, settled in Stratford in 1896, and became proprietor of the Commercial Hotel. Mr. Pollock took a trip to the Old Country in 1902, and visited America, Ireland, England, and Scotland, Honoluln, and Pago Pago. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1904. In 1896 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Gallie, of Timaru, and has two sons.
Harkness, Bertram ,
Engineer and Cycle Agent, Juliet Street, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1896, but the premises now occupied were not erected until December, 1902. They consist of a one-storied wood and iron building, which contains a double-fronted shop, part of which is divided off as a cycle show room, and a workroom. The plant includes a four horse-power Pelton water wheel, lathes and drilling, shaping, grinding, and other machines, Mr. Harkness Imports Allday and Onion cycles, and builds machines from Birmingham Small Arms parts. He was born in 1872, in Wanganui, was educated in Hawera, and learned engineering in Wellington, under the firm of S. Luke and Company, Limited, by whom he was employed for six years. He subsequently settled in Stratford, and founded his present business. In 1899 Mr. Harkness married a daughter of Mr. F. Hawkins, of Makara, Wellington, and has two daughters and one son.
Ward, S. and Co.
(Sidney Arthur Ward), Ironmongers and Hardware Merchants, Broadway, Stratford. This business was founded by Mr. S. A. Ward in May, 1899, and is conducted in large, suitable, and specially fitted up premises. The firm does a large indenting trade, and its customers are scattered over the surrounding districts, as far as the back blocks. Three persons are employed. Mr. Ward is further referred to as a member of the Stratford Borough Council.
The Direct Supply Cash Boot Company
(Herbert Mercer, manager), Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1902. It is conducted in a wood and iron building, which contains a shop with a verandah, ladies' and gentlemen's fitting rooms, an office and a workshop. A large and well assorted stock is maintained by the company.
Hannah, R. and Company, Limited ,
Boot and Shoemakers and Importers; Head Office, Wellington; Stratford branch, Broadway, Stratford. The Stratford branch of this business was founded in the year 1891. The premises are situated on leasehold land, and consist of a double-fronted shop with a verandah, and a workroom behind.
Mr. William George Dixon ,
Manager of the Stratford branch of Messrs R. Hannah and Co., was born in the year 1869, in London, England, where he was educated, and learned his trade. In 1891 Mr. Dixon went to Melbourne, Australia, and nine months later removed to Tasmania, where he was employed by Messrs B. G. Clark and Co., of Launceston, for two years. He afterwards went to Sydney, where he had four years' experience in the boot business, and was subsequently for two years at Armidale. In 1901 Mr. Dixon came to New Zealand, and finally settled in Stratford. He is a member of the Stratford Bowling Club. In 1894, Mr. Dixon married a daughter of Mr. Robert Meredith, of Sydney, New South Wales, and has one son.
McAllister, photo,
Jordan, Albert ,
Boat and Shoemaker and Importer, Corner Shop, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1888, and acquired by Mr. Jordan in 1904. The premises consist of a large shop with a verandah and a good show window. There are also fitting rooms and work rooms. Mr. Jordan imports English and European goods, and also keeps a considerable stock of colonial bootware. He was born in the year 1876, at Ashburton, Canterbury, and was educated at Palmerston North. In 1894 Mr. Jordan removed to Stratford, where he learned the saddlery business, and found employment for four years. He was then employed at the Corner Boot Shop, and gained experience for three years and a-half before acquiring the business on his own account. Mr. Jordan married a daughter of Mr. William McIvor, of Dunedin, in 1903, and has one son.
Universal Boot Depot
(George L. Pearce, proprietor), Boot and Shoe Importer, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in 1902. It is conducted in a wood and iron building with a verandah, and contains a shop, a fitting room, and a workshop.
Mr. George L. Pearce ,
Proprietor of the Universal Boot Depot, was born in the year 1873, in Cardiff, Wales, England. He came to New Zealand at an early age, was educated at Waitara, and gained experience of commercial life at Dannevirke, Christchurch, and Ashburton. He afterwards settled in Stratford, and acquired his present business in 1904. Mr. Pearce is a member of the Stratford Municipal Brass Band. In 1897 he married a daughter of the late Mr. John Renowden, of Nelson, and has two sons and two daughters.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. G. L. Pearce.
Curtis, John William ,
Butcher, Broadway, Stratford. Private Residence, Juliet Street. This business was established many years ago, and was acquired by the present proprietor in the year 1903. The premises consist of a large shop with a verandah, an office, and a small goods room, and there is also a stable. All meat sold in the establishment is killed at the municipal abattoirs. Mr Curtis was born in 1861, in Surrey, England, where he was partly educated. He came to New Zealand at an early age, and for about ten years resided in Napier, where he learned his trade as a butcher, under Mr. Conway. He then removed to Auckland, and was with the well known firm of R. and W. Hellaby for twenty-two years, for fourteen of which he had the management of the firm's Parnell shop. Thence he removed to Stratford to take over his present business. Mr. Curtis was for fourteen years a member of St. Mary's Cathedral choir in Parnell, and is a member of the Holy Trinity church choir in Stratford. He is also a member of the Stratford school committee. In 1891 Mr. Curtis married a daughter of Mr. John Conway, builder, of Tauranga, and has three daughters.
The Stratford Bacon Curing Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1898. Directors for 1906: Mr. R. Dingle (chairman), and Messrs O. M. Curtis, S. H. James, N. J. King, R. Cock, J. C. George, and J. B. Connett. Mr. P. F. Ralfe is secretary, and Mr. J. Batcher, curer. The factory is situated on three acres of land on Cloton road. It is a two-storied building in wood, iron, and brick, and has cutting, curing, washing, trimming, and drying departments. The plant includes a water turbine engine of fifty-six horse-power, and a British Linde six-ton refrigerator. The cool chambers can carry 100 pigs per week. The brand is “Shakespeare,” and the goods include both smoked and green cured bacon. The slaughter house is one mile distant from Stratford, on part of a section of 134 acres on East road, and is connected by a tram-line with the factory.
Mr. Pilcher Frederick Ralfe ,
Secretary of the Stratford Bacon Curing Company, is further referred to as a member of the Stratford Borough Council.
Walsh, Charles Blackmore ,
Butcher, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1904, and is conducted in a wood and iron building. Mr. Walsh was born in 1864, in Victoria, Australia, where he was educated, came to New Zealand at an early age, and learned his trade in Wellington. He was afterwards for four years employed in Nelson, and then removed to New Plymouth, where he remained for six years. Mr. Walsh settled in Stratford in 1900, and, after working for some time as a journeyman, started in business on his own account. In 1886 he married a daughter of the late Mr. John Ruck, of Wellington. This lady died in 1898, leaving three daughters and two sons. In January, 1901, Mr. Walsh married a daughter of Mr.
The Bradford Woollen Company
(Alfred Gilbert Wallace, manager), Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1903. The premises consist of a shop with a verandah and a residence. A large stock of well assorted English and colonial tweeds is maintained.
Mr. Alfred Gilbert Wallace
was appointed Manager of the Bradford Woollen Company in the year 1904. He was born in 1885 in Wanganui, where he was educated, and where he gained five years experience at the tailoring trade, before he received his present appointment.
The Central Co-Operative Store Company, Limited ,
Stratford, was founded in the year 1896. Directors for the year 1906: Mr. H. N. Liardct (chairman), and Messrs N. Randrup, R. Orr, G. Moir, N. B. Fry-day and J. Irvine; G. H. Archer (manager), and W. Monkhouse (secretary). The company's buildings, situated in Broadway, consist of a large store with offices, and a store room, and contain departments for clothing, grocery, hardware, crockery, glass-ware, and grain and produce. The company has also a store and stabling in Juliet Street.
Mr. George Henry Archer
was appointed Manager of the Central Co-operative Store, at Stratford, in the year 1904, and was formerly connected with the Golden Cross Co-operative Store, Golden Cross, Ohinemuri. He is further referred to at page 916 of the Auckland volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.
The Stratford Farmers' Co-Operative Association, Limited ,
was founded in the year 1895. Directors for 1906: Mr. R. Dingle (chairman), and Messrs W. Montgomery, G. Sangster, W. Peters, T. Hine, J. C. George, J. Pennington, W. H. Were, and E. Walter. Mr. J. F. Batey is manager, and Mr. H. Hine, secretary. The Central Factory of this Association stands on a section of three acres in extent, on Cloton road, and contains a full modern plant, the output of which is about 500 tons of butter per annum. The Association has seven creameries in the surrounding districts; namely, at Robson, Skinner, Toko. Gordon, Douglas and Makuri roads, and also at Toko. The milk receiving stage at the Central Factory is large enough for two milk waggons to be unloaded at a time, and by means of a steam hoist the milk is taken at the rate of 2500 gallons per hour. When the milk is received it is weighed, and samples are taken from each supplier, who is paid on the percentage of butter fat as shown by the Babcock milk tests. The separator room is 36 feet by 24 feet, and is fitted with five Alpha de Laval separators, capable of treating 2000 gallons per hour. The separators are supplied with milk from two 1100 gallon Triumph pasteurisers. In summer 4500 gallons of milk are received per day, with a growing supply. The skim milk is returned to suppliers at the rate of eighty-five per cent, and ten per cent, of butter milk. The cream room is 22 feet by 24 feet, fitted with one 600-gallon and three 400-gallon cream vats, which stand high enough to run the ripened cream from them to the churns. The cream, as it runs from the separators, is elevated by means of the Sabroa cream elevators, the first of their kind introduced in New Zealand. From them the cream passes over the Alpha de Laval cream cooler into the cream vats, where it is ripened, and the proper temperature controlled by means of freezing machinery. The butter room is 36 feet by 24 feet, fitted with three churns and two butter workers, of the latest improvement, and a capacity of 1000lb each. Off the butter room there are two cooling chambers, where the temperature can be controlled to any degree without trouble. There is also a fine storeroom, where all boxes are prepared for packing. Above the store-room is the salt room, with every convenience for its purpose. Off the separator room is the engine and freezing machinery room, whilst the boiler room, which is built of iron, stands about four feet clear from the main building.
Mr. John F. Batey ,
Manager of the Central Factory of the Stratford Farmers' Co-operative Association, drew the ground plans, and had the building and plant erected as he required it. In fact all the machinery has been fitted up by himself, and the factory is admitted by all experts to he the finest and most up-to-date in New Zealand. Mr. Batey was born in Cumberland, England, where he was brought up in the butter trade and dairying, and had considerable experience in factories. He was one of the first practical experts that came out to New Zealand, and arrived in Canterbury in 1888, when the dairy industry was in its infancy. Mr. Batey first took charge of the well known Tai Tapu factory, twelve miles from Christchurch, where he remained eight years, and under his capable management the factory secured its present flourishing position. He was appointed manager of the Stratford Central Factory in 1896, and shortly afterwards was successful in carrying off the champion shield at the Hawera show, and many other first prizes at the New Plymouth and Dunedin shows. Mr. Batey's English experience has been of great value, and in him the Association has a thoroughly practical and capable manager. He has made himself very popular with the settlers and townspeople, and has done much towards furthering the advancement of the dairy industry. Mr. Batey is a Freemason, and has held office as Senior Warden in the Lincoln Lodge. He has served on the committee of the Stratford District High School.
Messrs J. F. Batey And W. Tisch.
The Nurseries
(Robert McKinney Morison, proprietor), Main Road, Stratford. These well kept nurseries include fifty-five acres of land, situated partly within and partly outside the boundary of the borough of Stratford, and are well watered by a creek. Mr. Morison makes a specialty of shelter trees, hedge trees, and shrubs, and has splendid specimens of shelter hedges to meet every requirement. He is further referred to as a member of the Stratford Borough Council.
Betts, Herbert Llewellyn ,
Bookseller, Stationery and Fancy-goods Dealer, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established about the year 1894, and was acquired by the present proprietor in May, 1901. The premises include a large shop with a verandah, and a well assorted stock is maintained in all departments. Mr. Betts imports, largely from the best markets. Two persons are employed. Mr. Betts is further referred to as a member of the Stratford Borough Council.
Hopkins, Henry Joseph ,
General Storekeeper, Broadway, Stratford. Mr Hopkins is the eldest son of Mr William Hopkins, of Saltwater Creek, North Canterbury, and was born on the 16th of December, 1861. He was educated at the local public school, and afterwards worked on his father's farm for some years. In the year 1882 he began business on his own account as a storekeeper at Woodend, and remained there for nine years. He then went to Kaikoura, and in the year 1893 removed to Papanui, Christchurch, where he conducted a general store very successfully for ten years. In 1903 he removed to Stratford, and entered into partnership with Mr. W. Burrough, storekeeper. Two years later Mr. Hopkins bought his partner's interest, and has since conducted the business on his own account. In 1883 he married a daughter of Mr. John Stevens, of Woodend, and has four daughters, the eldest of whom is married to Mr. Robert Masters, of Stratford.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. H. J. Hopkins.
The Stratford Electric Supply Company, Limited ,
was established in the year 1899. Directors for 1906: Mr. R. H. Cameron (chairman), and Messrs F. J. Steuart, G. E. Wilson, N. J. King, A. W. Reid, and S. H. James. Mr. W. J. Newton is engineer, and Mr. J. H. Thompson, secretary. There is a capital of £5000, and there were dividends at the rate of eight per cent, in 1904. and five per cent, in the years 1905 and 1906. The works, which were the first established in Taranaki, and the first, outside Wellington city, to supply public lighting by electricity in the North Island, are situated on the Patea river, about three-quarters of a mile east of the town boundary. The plant includes two Brown Boverie alternators single phase forty cycles, each driven by twin turbines of Swiss manufacture. The current leaves the station at 2200 volts, and is transformed in the town to 100 volts. The capacity of the plant (1906) is ninety kilowats. The company runs a night load only, but it is intended shortly to supply a day load for motors.
Mr. Walter Joseph Newton
entered the service of the Stratford Electric Supply Company's service in August, 1902, and was appointed chief engineer in February, 1903. He was born in the year 1850, at Tunbridge Wells, England, and was educated partly in his native place, and partly in Sweden. Mr. Newton served an apprenticeship in fitting and turning in his father's workshop, after which he became a partner. Disposing of the business in Sweden, Mr. Newton returned to England in the end of 1872, and in 1874 came to New Zealand, landing in Dunedin. In 1887 he removed to Wellington, and for about three years was in charge of the industrial branch of the New Zealand Equitable Fire and Life Assurance Society. He afterwards became a member of the firm of Gaby and Newton, engineers, Wellington, and commenced the systematic manufacture of split pulleys, bearings, etc. After dissolving partnership, he went into business as a practical electrician, and was a co-patentee of the “Pononga Electric Belt.” In January, 1897, he was appointed assistant engineer at the Porirua Asylum, and held the position until August, 1902. In 1871 Mr. Newton married a daughter of the late Mr. Carl Johan Scherstrom, of Stockholm, and has one son.
McAllister, photo.
Gilbert, Leslie John ,
Jeweller and Watchmaker, Stratford. Mr. Gilbert's establishment is well fitted up; he keeps an up-to-date stock, and has a good and steadily increasing connection. Mr. Gilbert was born in the year 1859, at New Romney, Kent, England, where he was educated, and learned his trade with his father, who had an old established business in that town. Hearing good accounts of New Zealand, he came to the colony in the ship “Oldenburg,” and soon after his arrival, opened up his business in Eltham, whence he removed to Stratford. Mr. Gilbert takes a considerable interest in local matters, and has been a member of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, and of the Education Board.
Mr.
Petrie, John ,
Watchmaker and Jeweller, Broadway, Stratford. This business was established in the year 1896 by Mr. John Petrie. The building is of wood, iron, and brick, and contains a large shop, well equipped in every respect, and a convenient work room. There is also a very fine show window. Mr. Petrie was born in the year 1854 in New Deer, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where he was educated and learned his trade. Subsequently for a few years he conducted the business which was established by his grandfather, John Petrie, at New Deer, in the year 1800, and carried on by his father, William Petrie. In 1875 Mr. Petrie came to New Zealand on account of the health of his family. He married Miss Stephen, of New Deer, and has three sons and three daughters.
McAllister, photo.
Mr. J. Petrie.
Jury, Maurice Ingram ,
Carrier, Coal, Firewood, Grain, and Produce Merchant. Office, yards, and stablos, Broadway and Juliet Street, Stratford. Agent for the New Zealand and Colonial Carrying Companies. This business was established by Mr. Jury in 1900. The premises consist of a commodious iron store, stables, and yards, situated on half an acre of freehold land in Broadway, and of a stable, stores and yards situated in Juliet Street. There is storage capacity for 5000 sacks of grain, and a plant for crushing oats and wheat, and for cutting wood, which is driven by a six horse-power engine and boiler. The stables in Broadway consist of six stalls and four loose boxes, besides a man's room. The Juliet Street premises have a sixteen-stalled stable, with five loose boxes, together with a harness room, a storeroom, a man's room, and covered coal sheds. There is also standing room for traps, etc. The plant includes four large lorries, an express, seven spring drays, and two tip drays. Eighteen horses are employed in the business. Mr. Jury also owns a mower, and a side delivery reaper, and undertakes agricultural contracts in the district. In June, 1906, he bought out the business of Mr. W. Butler, who was in the same line, including his New Zealand Express Agency, and works it in conjunction with his old business. Mr. Jury was born in 1870, in Omata, was educated at Tikorangi, and brought up to farm work. Subsequently he worked a farm of eighty acres on the Pembroke road, Stratford, for eleven years, and after he had greatly improved it he sold the property to the Stratfor