Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Myross Bush

Myross Bush.

Myross Bush is in the Awarua electorate, and in the Awarua riding of the county of Southland, and had a population of 153 at the census of 1901. It is an agricultural and dairying district, and it has, also, extensive fellmongeries. As its name implies, it is a bush district, but most of the timber has been cut out, and rich farming lands are seen on every side. Myross Bush has a public school and post office, but the nearest railway station is that at Mill road, on the main line of railway, between Invercargill and Dunedin. The station is only four miles from Invercargill, and stands at an elevation of fifty-six feet above sea level. Myross Bush is the headquarters of the Presbyterian minister of the Waikiwi district, and it has a commodious church and manse.

The Myross Bush Post Office was established in 1884, and has been conducted at the schoolhouse since 1896. Miss Elizabeth McLean, who is in charge of the public school, acts as postmistress, and mails are received, and despatched, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Myross Bush Public School was established in the seventies, but the old schoolhouse was burned down about 1884. The present building, which is of wood and iron, contains a class-room and porch; it has accommodation for about eighty children, and there is an average attendance of thirty. There is a good playground with a shelter-shed and a school residence of two stories.

Miss Elizabeth Mclean , Headmistress of the Myross Bush School, was born at Merton, near Waitati. She was educated at the Merton and
Miss E. McLean.

Miss E. McLean.

Seacliff schools, and afterwards studied at the Normal Training College, Dnnedin. Miss McLean gained her D2 certificate, and then became temporary assistant at the Gore school. page 1054 She was afterwards appointed to the charge of Seaward Downs school, where she served for nine years, was then transferred to Athol, and was appointed to her present position in 1902. Miss McLean is a member of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute.

Taylor And Company (Walter Taylor and Charles Alfred Wallis), Fellmongers and Woolscourers, Myross Bush. These large works were established in 1895, and the business has been conducted by the present proprietors since 1898. The land comprises two acres of freehold, and there are buildings of wood and iron. The drying-shed contains three floors each 140 by 30 feet, and the pelt shed is 30 by 40 feet. There are departments for drying, pulling, curing, scouring, together with lime and engine sheds, stables and offices. The engine is of eight horse-power, supplied from a high pressure boiler, and there is a hydro-extractor and also a centrifugal pump for lifting water, of which there is an ample supply, to all parts of the works. About 80,000 skins and 1,500 bales of wool are treated at the works yearly.

Mr. Walter Taylor , the Senior Partner, was born in 1870, in Dunedin. He was educated at Shotover, and learned his trade under Messrs R. and F. Wallis, at Gore. Mr Taylor is a member of the Myross school committee, and served for three years as a volunteer in the Gore Rifles. He was married, in 1898, to a daughter of the late Mr Andrew Aitkin, Waikaka Valley, and has two sons.

Mr. Charles Alfred Wallis , Of the firm of Taylor and Company, Myross Bush, was born in 1878, at Gore, where he was educated and brought up as a fellmonger. He served for over three years as a volunteer in the Gore Rifles, and was also a member of the Gore Lodge of Oddfellows Mr Wallis was married, in May, 1899, to a daughter of Mr W. H. Wood, and has two daughters. His house stands upon five acres of land on the main road at Myross Bush.

Gerstenkorn, photo.Mr. C. A. Wallis.

Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. C. A. Wallis.

Simon, Mrs Emma , Farmer, Herne Hill, Myross Bush. This property consists of 233 acres of freehold, and is worked as a mixed farm. The land has been farmed since 1883, when the part new occupied by the homestead was dense bush. The whole estate has been very much improved. Mrs Simon, who is a daughter of the late Mr W. Thomas, was born on Stewart Island, and was educated at Riverton. She was married, in 1872, to Mr John Nonnet Simon, and has, surviving, five daughters and five sons, besides two grandchildren.

Wilson, James , Farmer, “Springwell,” Myross Bush. Mr Wilson was born in 1845, in Londonderry, Ireland,
Gerstenkorn, photo.Mr. J. Wilson.

Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. J. Wilson.

where he was brought up to farming. He came out to Queensland in 1864, and two years later removed to Victoria. In 1867, he arrived in New Zealand, and engaged in mining on the West Coast; but, a year later, removed to Waipori, Otago, where he again worked as a miner. Mr Wilson was afterwards, employed on the railway in the Oamaru district, and subsequently started farming at Maere-whenua. Two years later he removed to Southland, and in 1886 settled at Myross Bush, where he purchased seventy-nine acres of freehold, which has been fully improved. Mr Wilson was married, in 1883, to a daughter of the late Mr William Mulholland, of Eden, County Derry, Ireland. His wife died in September, 1897, leaving two sons.

Mr. William Thomas was born in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1811. His father was a soldier in the 17th Light Dragoons, and served as orderly to Governors Bligh, King, and Macquarie. One day while Governor Macquarie's wife was driving out, the coachman drove over and killed one of the orderly's boys, a child of two, which so affected the father that he left Sydney, and went to Tasmania, where he died. It is said that Governor Macquarie made a grant of land to Mr Thomas, as some compensation for the loss of his child; and as this land has not been secured yet, Mrs Simon's family would seem to have a claim to it Be this as it may, Mrs Simon's father, while a mere boy, ran away from school, went to sea, and found employment in whaling. He was one of those who became associated with Stewart Island in the very early days, when he settled at the Neck, and afterwards had land at Pegasus. He engaged for many years in whaling, and settled down in his old age at Herne Hill, Myross bush. Mr Thomas was married, in 1842, on the occasion of the first visit of Bishop Selwyn, to a chieftainess of one of the native tribes of New Zealand. His wife was related to the celebrated chief Hoani Tu-hawa-iki, who was known, in the playful vernacular of the whalers, as “Bloody Jack.” In reality, Tu-hawa-iki was a brave, wise and moderate-minded man, and a strong friend to the pioneer colonists of southern New Zealand. He was born on the islet of Tauhinu, now known as Inchclutha. Dr Hocken, in his invaluable Early History of New Zealand, says that Tu-hawa-iki “was a most intelligent and agreeable native, and possessed considerable influence far and near with his countrymen. His signature appears first on the deed of purchase of the Otakou block, and to his influence, the amicable and speedy character of the final arrangements was principally due. He little deserved, and was, indeed, ashamed of the sobriquet applied to him by the whalers—Bloody Jack—which was derived from the fact that, as a bold warrior, he had been in the constant habit of drilling his followers at the the time when the fierce Ruaperaha made his bloody raids upon the inhabitants page 1055 of this island.” The price given for the 400,000 acres of the Otakou block was £2,400, and Tuhawa-iki's portion was £900. “This,” says Dr. Hocken, “was devoted to the purchase and fitting out of a little vessel, with which to extend the trade which he already carried on. Bold and skilful sailor as he was, he lost his life soon afterwards—in November, 1844—whilst piloting his boat through a tempestuous sea off Moeraki. He was standing at the steer oar, when a tremendous wave struck it so as to knock him overboard, and no effort availed to save him from his watery grave. So perished John Tu-hawa-iki, esteemed and liked by both pakeha and Maori for his intelligence, courage, and justice.” The descendants of Tu-hawa-iki and of the early colonists have, therefore, good cause to cherish his memory; those as that of a princely progenitor, and these, as that of a true, wise, and strong friend of their fathers. Mr Thomas, who was predeceased by his wife, died at Myross Bush, in 1899, leaving five daughters and four sons.