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

Havelock North

Havelock North.

Havelock North is a pretty little country township, situated on the lower slopes of a range of high hills, fourteen miles south from Napier, and about three miles east of Hastings. At one time it was of considerable importance as the chief stopping place on the main road between Napier and the south. A fine township sprang up, but on the construction of the railway, the traffic upon which it almost solely depended was diverted, and the township declined. Within recent years, however, Havelock North has received a considerable impetus, due to the fact that it is being recognised as a popular residental suburb of Hastings. It is one of the healthiest townships in Hawke's Bay, has a splendid, bracing climate, good drainage, an abundance of water from artesian and limestone springs, and the roads are good and level for miles. Fruit-growing and sheep, cattle, dairy and agricultural farming are the chief industries; there are also extensive private vineyards, and a Government experimental station, which is one of the most successful in the colony. Brick-making is also carried on, and there are potteries, wool-scouring works, nurseries, and a butter factory in the township. Havelock has a public school, a post office, with telegraph and money order departments and a telephone bureau, three churches, and one hotel. A mail and passenger coach plies between Havelock North and Hastings.

The Havelock North Public School stands on a section of three acres. It is a substantial wooden building, containing two class-rooms, with accommodation for about 150 pupils. There is a roll number of 150, and the average attendance is 125. The staff consists of the head-master, an assistant mistress, and two pupil teachers. Excellent results have always been obtained at the annual examinations. Mr. R. B. Holmes joined the Hawke's Bay Education Board's service in 1885, when he was appointed head-master of the Havelock North public school.

Rich's Drapery and Outfitting Warehouse (John Rich, proprietor), Havelock North. This business was established in the year 1897 by the present proprietor. The premises consist of a one-storeyed wooden building, containing a shop and a private residence. The shop has a fine vate residence. The shop has a fine verandah and two plate-glass show windows, and is fitted up in a convenient and up-to-date manner. A large, imported stock of drapery, ladies' and gentlemen's clothing, mercery, hoisery, dress goods, underclothing, footware, and crockery, is carried. A large trade is conducted, and a two-horse van, which carries a well-assorted stock, plies the district regularly for a distance of forty miles. A delivery cart is also employed.

Mr. John Rich was born in North Devon, England, on the 20th of March, 1862, was educated at the Barnstaple Wesleyan school, and afterwards learned the drapery trade under Messrs John Hopper and Gould Brothers of Barnstaple. He was
Drapery Establishment of Mr. J. Rich.

Drapery Establishment of Mr. J. Rich.

then employed by Messrs J. Rotherham and Company, of London, and soon afterwards opened up on his own account at Braunton, where he conducted a successful business for about three years. Mr. Rich subsequently sold out to advantage, and went to Tasmania, where he first engaged in farming for a short time, then conducted a store on the Scotsdale railway, about twenty miles from Launceston, and later for eighteen months managed and edited a newspaper in Launceston. He subsequently joined the “New Australia” expedition, under Mr. Lane, and left in the ship “Royal Tar” for Paraguay, South America. The expedition failing, however, he returned to England, and established himself in business. Three years later he sold out and emigrated to New Zealand, landing at Napier. Soon afterwards Mr. Rich removed to Havelock, where he has since successfully conducted his present business. While resident in Tasmania Mr. Rich took an active part in public affairs, but during his residence in New Zealand he has not associated himself with any form of public life. Mr. Rich married a Tasmanian lady, Esther Marion, only daughter of Mr. John Barrett, and has six children. Mrs. Rich accompanied her husband on his travels to Paraguay and England. The eldest daughter gained both a National and a Board of Education scholarship in one year. Mr. Rich is the proprietor of the Karoola Orchard and Poultry Farm, which is elsewhere referred to.

The Exchange Hotel (Mrs. M. McLean, proprietress), Havelock North. This old-established hotel was acquied by the present proprietress in the year 1900. It is a two-storeyed wooden building, and contains about twenty well-furnished rooms. On the ground floor there is a large commercial room, several cosy sitting rooms, a commodious dining room, and a convenient bar; and there are twelve page 478 comfortable bedrooms on the first floor. The best of liquors are kept, and an excellent table is maintained. The hotel is widely known as a holiday resort. Mrs. McLean personally superintends the house, and is assisted by a competent staff.

Mrs. McLean, proprietress of the Exchange Hotel, is a native of Scotland, and came to New Zealand in the year 1897. For three years she conducted the Occidental Hotel in Napier, before taking over the “Exchange” in 1900.

Evans, William Frank, Provision Merchant and General Storekeeper, corner of the Middle Road and East Coast Road, Havelock North. The original premises of this business were replaced in 1899 by the present handsome two-storeyed wooden build-which contains a shop, an office, storeroom, and a large private residence. At the rear of this, facing the East Coast Road, there are also large grain and produce sheds, conveniently built for the loading and discharging of delivery vans. The shop is excellently fitted up and appointed, and has three fine plate-glass windows, in which there is an attractive display of goods. A heavy stock of groceries, hardware, leather goods, footware, drapery, stationery, crockery, and grain and produce is carried. Mr. Evans is agent for the Hawke's Bay daily papers, and the leading New Zealand “weeklies.” Three persons are kept constantly employed, and daily deliveries are made throughout the district. Mr. Evans was born at Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in October, 1876, and in the son of a building contractor.

Runciman Brothers, Provision Merchants and General Storekeepers, Havelock North. This old-established business was acquired by the present proprietors in October, 1904. The premises consist of a large two-storeyed wooden building, a private residence, and large storage sheds. The ground floor carries a heavy stock, comprising groceries, ironmongery, crockery, produce, farming utensils, saddlery, drapery, footware, and chafi, bran, and grain. The dressmaking department is conducted on the first floor, and the premises throughout are well-appointed. Five tradesmen are employed in the business, and an extensive wholesale and retail trade is conducted. Two delivery carts are kept constantly employed.

Mr. Alexander Runciman, senior partner in the firm of Messrs Runciman Brothers, was born in Dunedin on the 16th of September, 1874, and is the son of an old identity of Otago. He was educated in Dunedin, was afterwards employed for six years in the office of a wholesale merchant, and then removed to the North Island. For seven years subsequently he conducted a general store at Marton, and was afterwards employed as a commercial traveller at Wanganui. Mr. Runciman then became manager of a general store at Pipiriki, and later at Onga Onga, before acquiring his present business, which he has since conducted in partnership with his brother.

Mr. W. F. Evans' Premises.

Mr. W. F. Evans' Premises.

Guthrie, William, Orchardist and Fruiterer, Havelock and Hastings. Mr. Guthrie started his orchard in the year 1872, and has two places of eighteen and eight acres respectively under cultivation, and well stocked with apple trees, plum trees, lemons, oranges, grapes, red and black currants, etc. He established the Hastings shop in 1895, which is under the capable management of his daughter, and is supplied with fruit daily from the orchard. Mr. Guthrie was born in Scotland, where he learned gardening. In 1861 he went to Rockhampton, Queensland, came to New Zealand eight years later, and worked at his trade in Auckland for three years. He then removed to Hawke's Bay, and purchased his present property. Mr. Guthrie is married, and has eight children.

Havelock Nurseries (John Goddard, proprietor), Havelock North. These nurseries are twenty-four acres in extent. They are without doubt one of the attractions of Hawke's Bay, and strangers to the district should not fail to pay them a visit. Mr. Goddard has had years of experience, and has worked hard to bring the nurseries to their present state of perfection. There are a great many varieties of chrysanthemums, camellias, daphnes, English and Dutch bulbs, and over 250 different classes of roses. The orchard is many acres in extent, and contains a large selection of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, prunes, currants, mulberries, figs, medlars, lemons, etc. Mr. Goddard is a very successful grape grower, and his vineries contain over twenty different kinds. His practice in growing grapes indoors differs in some material points from the generally-accepted standard, and undoubtedly his success demonstrates the soundness of his arguments. These nurseries were visited in 1893 by the Governor of New Zealand and Lady Glasgow, while staying at “Flaxmere,” and they expressed themselves as highly gratified to find horticulture in such a forward state in the neighbourhood, and congratulated Mr. Goddard on his success in grape culture. Black Hamburgh is the leading kind grown in the vinery, but a number of other varieties are grown successfully, such as Gros Colmn, Foster's Seedling, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Madresfied Court, Muscat of Alexandria, and other muscats; late and early varieties are represented, and are in the fullest vigour of health and bearing. Close by is an outdoor vineyard, the vines showing vigourous health and growth. In the immediate vicinity of the packing and plant sheds, and other offices, are the miscellaneous flowering shrub and ornamental plant page 479 grounds, with large stocks of healthy young plants in excellent condition for immediate sale. Of the hedge plants, many thousands are grown, large breadths of cupressus macrocarpa, African box thorn, common barberry, and Californian privet. Blight of every description is carefully guarded against, apples being all worked on blight proof stocks, and the various modern appliances and specifics are freely used in the proper seasons to secure immunity from all other pests. The nurseries give employment to seven competent gardeners, who keep the grounds in beautiful condition. A large stock of seeds is always kept, a splended collection of which may be obtained for twenty shillings. Mr. Goddard issues a very complete and attractive catalogue, which he is pleased to forward, post free, on application.

Havelock Nurseries.

Havelock Nurseries.

Mr. John Goddard, the proprietor, was born in Lancaster, England, where he learned gardening. He came to New Zealand in the ship “Flying Foam,” in the year 1864, landed in Auckland, and was for four years with Mr. C. W. Wren, the wellknown nurseryman of Remuera. He removed to Hawke's Bay in 1871, was employed as head gardenr by Mr. Chambers and other, and eventually started his present business in 1873. Mr. Goddard was the founder of the Loyal Hastings Lodge of Oddfellows (M. U.). He is married, and has tow sons and tow daughters.

Karoola Orchard (John Rich, proprietor), Havelock North. This orchard embraces thiry-one acres of fine fruit-growing land, is situated within two miles of Havelock North, and adjoins the Government vineyard. It contains 2,000 fruit trees, including apples, peaches, and pears. There is a magnificent collection of dessert and cooking apples of every variety, which include such well-known kinds as “Jonathan,” “Dougherty,” “Springdale,” “Rome Beauty,” and “Sturmer.” The orchard is clear of all pests and blights, and the trees are pictures of health and vigour. A poultry farm, on up-to-date lines, is conducted in connection with the orchard, which is used as a fowl run.

Brown, Cartwright, Farmer, Paki Paki, Havelock North. Mr. Brown's property consists of 150 acres of rich level land, capable of carrying eight sheep to the acre all the year round. It is now (1906) stocked with 1,000 sheep and sixty head of cattle. A considerable amount of general stock dealing is also conducted. Mr. Brown was born near Horsham, Sussex, England, on the 6th of January, 1843. He was educated partly at a private school at Little Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, and partly at Eton, and subsequently pursued his studies on the Continent. page 480 At nineteen years of age he came to New Zealand owing to delicate health, spent a short time in Auckland and Wellington, and then went as a cadet on Sir George Whitmore's station, in Hawke's Bay. Later on Mr. Brown took up leasehold country in the Bay of Plenty, and subsequently became manager for Mr. Tiffen, at Greenmeadows, near Napier. He next acquired a freehold farm at Cape Runaway, in 1902 sold out and purchased his present farm. Mr. Brown served as a lieutenat in the local militia in the early “sixties,” and was present at the engagement at Omaranui, during the Maori war. He has been president of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, is shareholder and one of the promoters of the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co-operative Association, a member of the committee of the local branch of the Farmers' Union, and an office bearer in the Havelock Anglican Church.

Part of Karoola Orchard.

Part of Karoola Orchard.

Brown and Ross photo. Mr. C. Brown.

Brown and Ross photo.
Mr. C. Brown.

Hill, Walter James, Farmer and Cattle Dealer, Havelock North. Mr. Hill was born in Bristol, England, in the year 1863, and came with his parents to New Zealand, landing at Auckland in 1864. His father, Mr. James Hill, proceeded to Waiuku, where he took up a small property, and was largely engaged in the flax industry. Mr. Hill was educated at Waiuku, and was engaged with Mr. Edward Constable for seven years, one of the largest farmers and oldest settlers in the district. About 1884 he went to Hawera, Taranaki, which was then a rising district, and was for some time head shepherd for Messrs Hammond Brothers of Rangitikei, remaining with them for three years. He then determined to start on his own account, and successfully speculated and dealt in sheep and cattle for some years. He subsequently became manager of the Pohokura station, which was afterwards cut up for closer settlement, and then removed to Havelock North, where he has since conducted a successful business.

Mr. W. J. Hill.

Mr. W. J. Hill.

Fernhill Hotel.

Fernhill Hotel.