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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Taradale

Taradale.

Taradale is almost a suburb of Napier, from which it is only five miles distant, and with which it has hourly communication by coach. It is situated within the county and electoral district of Hawke's Bay. Mails are received and despatched twice daily, and there is a telephone office in the township. The chief industries are dairying, market gardening, and fruit farming, the products being disposed of in the Napier and Hastings markets. Taradale is all flat country, and possesses good roads for cycling and motoring. In the early days it was the scene of a notable engagement between the Maoris and the white settlers. Taradale has three churches, a public school with an average attendance of 150 pupils, a library, two fraternal societies, a rifle club, a glee club, an hotel, and several stores. The capital value of the township is £88,722, and the unimproved value is £52,141. Taradale is governed by a town board.

The Post Office at Taradale is conducted in the store of Mr. R. M. Glenny. There is also a telegraph office, a telephone bureau, and a money order and savings bank department. Mails are despatched and received twice daily to and from Napier, daily to Puketapu, and weekly to Kuripapango. Mr. Robert M. Glenny is officer-in-charge.

Taradale Hotel, corner of Meanee Road and Taradale Main Road. The original hostelry, which was built in the very early days, and had been considerably added to from time to time, was burnt down in May, 1904. The present commodious building was erected immediately after the fire, and presents an imposing appearance. Built of brick, two storeys in height, with a cement facing, and iron ladder fire escapes leading from every room upstairs, the present building is as safe from fire as the ingenuity of the contractor could make it. There are two entrances, one from each street, and the whole front is laid down with a concrete footpath. There is a comfortable commercial room, two private parlours, and the dining room is capable of seating thirty guests. On the first floor there are fourteen single and double bedrooms, tastefully furnished and scrupulously page 437 clean, a bathroom, and a lavatory. The cuisine is of a high standard, and the attendance is all that could be desired. Only the best and purest brands of wines, ales, liquors, and spirits are stocked. Taken altogether, the Taradale Hotel is one of the finest country hostelries in Hawke's Bay.

Mr. Arthur Fitzwilliam, sometime proprietor of the Taradale Hotel, took possession in October, 1903. He was born and educated in Christchurch, and is the son of Mr. John Fitzwilliam, an early settler in Canterbury. He was for many years engaged in the building trade in Nelson, and erected some of the most important buildings in that city. Mr. Fitzwilliam is a member of the Napier Park Racing Club, the Greenmeadows Bowling Club, and is vice-president of the Taradale Rifle Club. He married a daughter of the late Mr. Benjamin Crisp, one of the earliest colonists in Nelson, and has three sons.

McDonald, Ewen, Veterinary Shoeing Forge, General Blacksmith, and Carriage and Implement Works, Meanee Road, Taradale. This business was acquired by the present proprietor in April, 1904. Buggies, carts, drags, and other vehicles are manufactured, while the repairing of agricultural machinery is a speciality. There are two forges, and three men are constantly employed. Mr. McDonald was born in Lovell's Flat, Otago, in the year 1880, and received his education at the Hindon public school. He served a four years' apprenticeship with Messrs Bryce Brothers, of Milton, Otago, and afterwards worked at his trade in Dunedin, Gore, and Hindon. Mr. McDonald is a member of the Greenmeadows Bowling Club, and the Court Bruce Lodge of Foresters, Milton, Otago.

Bunting, photo. Mr. E. McDonald.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. E. McDonald.

Waterhouse, William, J.P., Orchardist, Taradale and Papakura, Hawke's Bay. Mr. Waterhouse has two orchards, and attends to both with the assistance of his four sons, The one at Taradale is the original holding, on which the homestead is situated. Its area is eight and a half acres, and there are four hot-houses for grapes, and one for tomatoes, the total area under glass being nearly 4,000 square feet. Large quantities of table grapes are raised every year, and, besides supplying the local markets, Mr. Waterhouse forwards supplies to both the Wellington and Taranaki districts. The Papakura property comprises thirty acres, of which about five acres are occupied by a great variety of fruit trees, the major portion being cropped with oats, maize, potatoes, carrots, mangolds, melons, etc. Both places are in excellent order. Mr. Waterhouse was born in Burwash, Sussex, England, in the year 1843, where he had a large experience, and came to New Zealand in 1874, by the ship “Bebington.” landing at Napier. In the following year he established himself at Taradale. Mr. Waterhouse has been in various ways connected with local matters; he has been a member of the Taradale Town Board and School Committee, of which latter body he was secretary for two years, and chairman for one year, For a few years he was clerk to the Meanee Road Board, and for over fifteen years clerk to the Taradale River Board. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1893.

Post Office General Store (R. M. Glenny, proprietor), Taradale. This store was established in the year 1867, and is a large two-storeyed wooden building, containing a commodious shop and dwelling rooms. A large trade is carried on, and the stock comprises groceries, drapery, ironmongery, and general merchandise. The proprietor is agent for the South British Insurance Company and the weekly newspapers. Mr. Glenny is a native of Surrey, England. He came to New Zealand in 1883, and has since resided in Hawke's Bay. He is an Oddfellow of many years' standing.

Bunting, photo. Mr. R. M. Glenny.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. R. M. Glenny.

Bennett, John Samuel, Sheep-farmer, Nga Taihira. Mr. Bennett was born at Puketapu in 1867, and is the eldest son of Mr. John Bennett, of Newstead. He was educated at the Napier High School and Wellington College, brought up to pastoral pursuits by his father, and latterly has been managing a property of 163 acres. Mr. Bennett grazes a flock of about 1,000 Lincoln sheep. He is a member of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and is much interested in sporting affairs, including football, golf, etc. Mr. Bennett is a member of the famous page 438 Wharerangi Polo Club, which played against all New Zealand in the Champion Tournament and won the junior cup at Auckland, as well as running second for the Saville Cup at Hastings in the following year. He married in 1892, the daughter of Mr. Heslop, and has one son.

Tareha, Kurupo, Farmer, “Waiohiki,” Taradale. “Waiohiki,” is a freehold property of 500 acres of good grazing land, and is stocked with upwards of 400 head of cattle. The buildings include a fine modern residence of ten rooms, pleasantly situated on a rise overlooking the main road. “Pakowha,” Hastings, another property belonging to Mr. Tareha, is a dairy farm of ninety acres, accommodating upwards of seventy cows, and is worked on the shares principle. He also owns the Kaiwaka station, at Pohui, of 37,000 acres, which he was leased to Mr. G. P. Donnelly. Mr. Tareha was born in the Taradale district in the year 1871, and is a son of the late chief Tareha Moananui. He received his education at the Meanee Mission School and Te Aute College, and subsequently started farming. Mr. Tareha is a member of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, the Napier Golf Club, and the Scinde Masonic Lodge, Napier No. 5, N.Z.C. In 1903 he won the New Zealand Golf Championship, and in 1905 annexed the Manawatu Championship, and is the owner of several medals, trophies, and cups, won in football, bicycling, boxing, and other athletic pastimes. During the Jubilee celebrations of 1897 Mr. Tareha went Home as a sergeant-major, and later, attended the Coronation ceremonies as captain of the Maori Contingent. He is the owner of four racehorses, and drives a six horse-power Wolseley motor car. He married a daughter of Mr. T. Brightwell, of Woodville, in 1898, and has two sons. Mrs. Tareha won the Hawke's Bay Golf Championship in 1902.