The Chatton-Waikaka Roads.
Mataura Ensign, Volume 17, 14 June 1895, Page 6
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The Chatton-Waikaka Roads.
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO AND NOW' The retirement at the annual election in May last of Mr John McQueen, the oldest mainber, from the personnel of the Knapdale Road Board, after an almost unbroken connection with it ever since its institution in 1878 — 17 years ago — marks an epoch in the history of the district which may be taken advantage of to review the early history of the district, or at least part of it. " The few remarks which will be penned in the following lines may fairly be accepted without question, as they bave been compiled from authentic records which the writer has been favored with a perusal of. The revolutionising of the system of local government from Provincialism to County Councils was given effect to in 1876-7. It was jußt about thia time, too, that new eettlement was began in the Chatton district. Southland in those days, with its vaat areas of uncultivated, undrained lands, was noted as being a very rainy district — on?, indeed, that might be instanced as typical of what Dante wrote in his " Inferno " : I am in the third circle of rain, eternal, cursed, cold, heavy ; unchgnged for ever, both m kind and chrracter. Early Southlandera will b 9 able to appreciate the force and aptness of this illustration. Very soon after the constitution of the Southland County Council an application was made on behalf of the Chatton- Waikaka residents for roads to open up the newly-settled country. The present generation will hardly believe that at that time there was nob a road formed from Gore leading into either the Knapdale, Chatton, Waikaka Valley, or Merino Downs districts : that beyond the lines having been surveyed, the landscape was utterly void of thoroughfares. A. good idea of what they were like in 1877 may be gathered from what the Ensign said of thsm the following year in its issue of June 28, 1878:- From Gore to Waikaka, a distance of 16 mileß, the road deßervea all the anathemas that can be heaped upon it. With a good hack it takes over six /tours to complete the journey, and horse and rider are then covered with an incrustation of mud. With a dray it is almost impossible to move. The Chatton, Otama, aDd Waikaka Bottlers are certainly a long-suffering community. We have not drawn upon our imagination in the slightest, as our* subscribers and others can testify, and in all probability many will say that matters are even worse than we have described them. ' "When the settlera' application came before the Council an obstacle to its near consummation appeared imminent, as no County Engineer or Inspector had yet been appointed. However, the sturdy yeomen of those days were not wanting in grit, but were imbued with the sentiment, " The more power, ful the obstacle, the more glory we have in overcoming it." The late Mr A. McNab, proprietor of the Knapdale Estate, was the local member of the County Council at the time, and to that gentleman was relagated the task of doing what was possible to assist the settlers towards the fulfilment of their request. He therefore had formed the ' Gore Road Committe,' the principal function of that body being to supervise the expenditure of the money voted by the County Council — a sum of L3oo— for the purpose of forming roads to provide outlets for the settlers on the newly opened country at dale and Merino Downs. v We find that the first moeting of the Gore Road Committee was hold at Knapdale homes Lead on April 25th, there being present— Messrs A. McNab, H. Mclntyre and John McQueen, the last named being appointed chairman. Of these three gentlemen only one remains — viz, Mr McQueen. Mr McNab, of Knapdale, and Mr Mclntyre, of Merino Downs, have complied with the law of Nature, that at fixed periods men should succeed each other. All that live mast die, Passing through nature to eternity, Evidently this worthy trio, recognising the responsible duties with which they were charged, and appreciating that • in the multitude of counsellors there is safety,' resolved ' that the namea of the following gentlemen be added to the Committee: Messrs J. Mclntyre, W. Nichol, J. Robertson, T. Reid, A. McKinnon, B. Johnston, and A. J). Johnston.* That concluded the buainess of the first meetiDg. A glance at these names shows that one of the number has succumbed to the call of Time, and passed over the border— viz., i the late Mr A. D. Johnston ; all the others, excepting Mr Reid, are still residents of the district. Mr James Mclntyre resideß on Merino Downs; Mr Nichol was then and still is the proprietor of Liliesleaf farm; Mr Robertson at that time resided at Riverbend farm, but is now farming at Waikaka, and wo believe that this present term is the first time he bas been elected a member of the Knapdale Road Board; Mr Reid, who is now retired and lives at Palmerston, then farmed on the Knapdale flat ; Mr McKinnon still resides at the same farm at Middle road, as also doea Mr B. Johnston at Waikaka Valley ; and the late Mr A. D. Johnston divided his time on his farms at Kaihiku and Waikaka respectively. Mr Johnston, by the bye, succeeded Mr McNab as the local moinber of the County Council, and he was in turn succeded by Mr Thomas Mac Gibbon, who latterly gave place to Mr John McQueen. The second meeting of the Gore Road Oommittea was held at Mr Reid's on Ist May, 1877, when the Chairman (Mr McQueen) and Messrs J. Mclntyre and B. Johnston were appointed a subcommittee to ' examine the roads in the district, and report at next meeting/ and the Chairman was instructedjfgto ' order timber suitable for culverts, to
be delivered on the reserve, eaat side of Railway Bridge, Gore.' At the third meeting held at Mr B. Johnston's on 9th May, the sub-committee's report re roads was adopted, and the Chairman instructed to ' prepare specifications and call tenders for the construction of culverts, also to order timber, etc^, required, and let delivery of Bame at the sites of culverts. The fourth meeting held at Mr Reid's on 20th May, was of an important nature, as tenders were opened at it for ' No. 1 contract,' for making culverts and side-cuttings from East Gore to McKinnon's. We annex particulars of the several tenders, and draw attention to the striking anomaly between the highest and lowest : — L. Cody and bo (accepted) £46 9 0 J. N. Scott ... ... 97 15 0 Walter Springfield ... 143 10 0 B. White 168 16 0 Evidently, the highest tenderer had a 1 good thing in his eye.' Mr Cody, the successful man, now resides in the Western District ; Mr Soott, long a resident of Gore, is dead ; the whereabouts of Mr Springfield are not known to the writer, and Mr White who was then living at Gertnantown, has also been lost ken of. At {he came meeting it was decided to ask Mr David Gardiner, of Stanley Hill (now Engineer to the Borough of Gore), to become Inspector of Works ; the tender of L. Cody and Co. for laying timber as required, at 53 6d per 100 ft, was accepted ; and the Chairman and Messrs A. D. and B. Johnston, and NichoJ, were appointed to ' look round the district, and see where work was moat urgently required.' The fifth meeting was held at Waikaka echoolhoase (Pinnacle, now closed), on Ist June, and a good deal of business transacted. The terms on which Mr Gardiner agreed to act as Inspector were declined ; a letter was received from Borne settlers near Gore, ' offering to erect footbridge on Waikaka, if material was supplied,' a sub-committee being appointed to re. port. The Chairman was instructed to write to the County Council, ' complaining of alterations on road through reserve near Gore, whereby a good, direct, and easily constructed road has been closed ... the Chairman to call a meeting of the Council, and get the matter set right.' The road referred to, we believe, was none other than the famous one past Mr Dillon's property, and of which the Gore Borough Council possess an intimate knowledge. The mandatory letter to the County Council apparently did not 'get the matter set right,' after all, for we find that at the Committee's next meeting, on June 30th, ' Messrs Reid and Me- Kinnon reported on the neio road on reserve near Gore, and recommended that the culverts intended for the old road be put in the new one.' The new road referred to is the main County road which now ruus past Mr B Troll's nursery. Among other business trans* acted at this meeting, was the granting of the following applications for material to construe!; culverts and bridges :— Applicants. Bridges Culverts J. Johnston and others ... 1 5 W. Nichol and others ... 1 2 A. D. Johnston and others ... 0 4 W. Bannerman and others ... 0 5 John Milne and others ... 1 0 George How (now of Gore) and others ... ... 0 1 At next meeting, held in the Pinnacle schoolhouse on July 21st, ' Messrs Reid and McKinnon reported bavins; let to Cody and Co. ditching on road (past Birrell's) near Gore, at 4s 11s a chain, arid that the work was almost completed.' An application for a bridge over Taylor's Creak was held over until it was known whether that part of the Btream would be within the boundary of the proposed road district. Messrs A. D. and B. Johnston were appointed a sub-committee to ' examine the road between How's and the railway line ' — which is the main road now leading from the siding to Waikaka township. August 25 bh was the date of the next meetiDg, at which Messrs Nichol and McQueen were deputed to 'examine road between Messrs Chittook's and How'p, and call tenders for necessary ditching and culverts' — this point was near to Mr Sarginson's farm — and an application from Mr W, Waddell for 'material for constructing culverts on road east side of Waikaka stream,' was held over for further information. On September 28th another meeting was held, when the following tenders for ditching and culverts 00. road between Chittock's and How's were opened: — W. Costello (accepted), ditching 8a per chain, culverts L 5 P. McQueen and Co,, 93 and L 8 Robert White, 93 lOd and L 6 10a 53 J. M. Scott, 11s and L 5 17s 6d. Ifc may by mentioned that Mr Costello was then and still is a Gore resident Mr McQueen now farms at Black Hills, and Mr White at Otama. Mr WaddeH'a application for bridging material was reconsidered, and again held over ' for consideration at next meeting.' The 'last Saturday in October' witnessed the next meeting, when it was resolved to refuse Mr Waddell's application in the meantime, the minute closing with the significant letters 'N.S.J?.' The following important minute was aleo recorded: 'That the County Council bo requested to Bend their Engineer to examine the Waikaka river on the Gore-Tapanui and Swiizers- Dunedin roads, and prepare estimates for traffic bridges at these places ; also to examine the roads in Waikaka and CUatton districts, in order that the County Council may know the requirements of the districts, ua tbiu Committee is of opinion that utileus n large sum of money is expended thin Bummer on the roads in the above districts traffic will be completely h topped in the winter.' The mooting then adjourned till the 15 ih Nbvembor, 1877. But that meeting was nover held, as it was found out that the County Council's grant of L3OO had run out, and without the ' needful,' the occupation of the Gore Road Committee, like Othello's, was gone ! •x- •* * i # *
The first meeting of the Knapdale Road Board was held on Saturday, 28th September, 1878. We are obliged to fall back on the early files of the Ensign for information showing the steps that led no the formation of the Board. In No. 7 issue of our journal — date June 21, 1878—' Cockatoo ' writes indignantly complaining of ' one of the greatest slurs on the County Council, the state of the main road from East G-ore to Knapdale station/ which was lin such a state that it is next to impossible to take an empty dray over it, much less a loaded one.' On June 28, a local notifies that ' Mr S. D. Powdrell has been gazetted presiding officer at the first eleotion of members of the Knapdale Road Board.' On July 12, a local says that the subdivision of the newly constituted Board would be con. Bidered a week hence, and the election of members take place on the 26 th. On August 9th, it is announced that the Board elections * will probably take place on the 26th instant.' On Sep. tember 13fch, » His Excellency the Governor has appointed the following members to the Knapdale Road Board : —•Messrs George Davidson, William Bannerman, John McQueen, William Waddell, Donald Mcßain, and Adam Fleming.' Naturally, this governmental procedure in the way of summary constitution did not please everybody, and on September 20 bh we find that ' Cerberus ' confesses to ' a feeling of disgust ' upon the matter, and hints pretty plainly that the chosen Six would be no gentlemen if they did not at onoe resign, ' ao showing they will not be parties to the hole-and-corner proceedings.' Evidently ' Cerberus' ' shot struck home, for on September 27th we read that the first meeting of the Board fell through, owing to the absence of the majority of the Six. However, a quoram was obtained on 28th September, 1878, and from that date the Knapdale Road Board sprung into existence. Mr George Dawson was appointed the first chairman, Mr I. S. Simaon clerk and collector, and Mr Alfred Dawson engineer. Mr Andrew Watt succeeded Mr Simson as clerk in August, 1881, but he resigned on Ist October following, Mr John Watt being appointed in his place ; and on tbe latter gentleman also resigning on 7ch October, 1882, Mr J. H. Perkins was appointed clerk and collector, a position he has held continuously ever since, with credit to himsel* and satisfaction to the Board. * # * # # What between the proposal to merge the Knapdale Road Board into the County Council, and the rumor that all local bodies are to be shortly abolished, the above resume of the rise and progress of the roads in the stated districts should be of interest at the present juncture. It should be of further interest as an evidence of the toils and vicissitudes of the early settlers. Now that the whole of the Knapdale Road District is so splendidly roaded, it should be with feelings of pride that the present generation should look back on the manner in which their fathers acted the role of sturdy, honest pioneers.
