ON HIGH COUNTRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 41, 27 November 1937, Page 10

ON HIGH COUNTRY

AUTHORITY ON MANAGEMENT. EDWIN TURTON’S GREAT REPUTE SOME WELL-KNOWN STATIONS. V. (Specially written for the “Guardian” by John Brown). It is with deep regret I have to chronicle, before 1 have yet finished the history of the Turtons, the death of Beverley Cartwright, the 16-inonths-okl daughter of Air and Airs Gordon Cartwright, whom I mentioned just a week ago in “Coincidences in the Tnrton Family.” This great, great granddaughter of AVilliam and Frances Turton (the first settlers in what became the town of Ashburton), while seemingly in the best of health, took suddenly ill and within n very few hours passed away. Truly, “In the midst of Life, we are in Death.” Mrs Tucker, the daughter of Mr and Airs James Jamieson, who was a pupil at the first school, confirms the facts given by Air John Turton regarding the first schools and schoolmasters in Ashburton, but says that while some of the children probably called the first schoolmaster “Alail” (a confusion of sound), his proper name was “Alay.” She is certain of this because in the first three months of liis teaching career in Ashburton he stayed with Air and Airs Jamieson. The story of the engagement of Mr Alay as teacher runs as follows. Mr Jamieson wanted a ploughman, and went up to the Immigration Barracks to see if lie could get one. Among the immigrants was a man in tho garb of the times —top hat and tail coat —who was prepared to take on Mr Jamieson’s job. The first half day’s work showed tjiat lie was not getting on well—that, in fact, he did not know tho first thing about the job he was engaged for. In the course of conversation Air Jamieson ascertained that he was actually a certificated teacher. As the parents were looking for someone to teach their children, he was offered the position, at a remuneration of so much per child per week, and on the following Alonday started teaching in the lean-to mentioned by John Turton. He was a good teacher, and evidently pioneering conditions in New Zealand soon changed the frock coat to the red shirt and belt as pictured by John Turton. So that there were two schools before the Ashburton Public School was opened—that is certain. The first was in the lean-to near the Accommodation House of AVilliam Turton, and the teacher was Air Alay (called “Alail” by Air Turton and others, possibly by confusion of sound and spelling). The second school was a boarding school kept by Air Afnyo. Air Frank

Mayo, his son, was afterwards wellknown in connection with the Hampstead section of Ashburton. The public school built later had Mr Ward as its first schoolmaster, but he was not there very long. The similarity of the names “May” and “Mayo” led most likely to the mistaken idea that Mayo was the first schoolmaster. To continue the history of Edwin Turton from his marriage and the man agement position at Hakatere, which he held for some time: He was offered and accepted the charge of Mt. Torlesse, which then included Grassmere and Cora Lynn. Mr Nat. Butler, who is now a fat lamb buyer lor Nicoll Bros., Ashburton, was shepherding on this place when Mr Turton was managing. Waikaia Station in Southland—a large place, now cut up—was his next charge. From Southland he went to Birch Hill, Marlborough, up the Wairau River —a very well-known place. After a few years here he went back to Southland again, being put in charge of the Wairuna Estate, which was sold, Mr Turton considered, at a particularly cheap rate —£2 an acre as a going concern,” freehold. At the sale the flock, which had been under Mr Turton’s care for some time, was commented upon as one oi the finest in Southland. Later the Government bought this property for soldiers--atid some parts were valued up to ,€H i an acre.

St Helen’s Station came next, and his long managership of the place was, as I have said, highly thought of. Many tales of this 250,000 acre place were told by Melville. Turton, Ed\vin’s son, who learned his high-country lesson under his father, no better man. This was the last place owned and sold the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, the purchaser being Mr F. JSaville, a. member of the Shaw, Saville Steamship family of Savilles. Mr Turton then bought farms first at Waikari and then at Ealing. I many a time passed this latter place when he owned it, and noted his excellent farming method. The high country again called, and Mr Turton was offered the managerrnent of St. James’ in North Canterbury—l9o,ooo acres in extent, the country running right on to the Lewis Pass. From here he went to Omarama, in Hawke’s Bay, but he stayed there only twelve months. He liked neither the climate nor the north, and when he was offered the managership of the far-famed New Zealand and Aus : trnlian Land Company’s “Hakataramea” Estate lie took it and, stayed there for eight years until his retirement, 15 months before he died. Edwin Richard Turton, died on June 25. 1937, and his wife on February 28. 1928. Their family were: — Margaret—who is married to Mr John Parsons, the present manager of Hakataramea. Ruby—who is married to Mr Edgar Clements, of Ealing. Melville—of Ashburton, who married Miss Skurr, of Christchurch. Vera —who is married to Mr Ashby, now of Hunter. Mr Edwin Turton was a particularly likeable man. When Melville Turton, his only son, wrote to Mr W. 0. McKellar, the Inspector for the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, acquainting him with the illness of his father, these few words taken from the official’s reply are worthy of putting on record: “I have a very high opinion of your father for his integrity and loyalty to his employers.” And equally worthy of record, are the words of one of the employees of the Hakataramea Estate. Mr J. A. S. Moar, written from “Top End Whare,” Paddock 69, on April 13, 1936. “It gives me a feeling of pain and real sorrow to think that your term of office as manager of the Hakataramea Estate has terminated. “It is my duty now to thank you, as your kindnesses unto me were many and varied. No boss could have treats ed me fairer. Now that the time lias arrived for you to take things* a bit easier, my sincere wish is that you may be blessed in health, strength, and happiness for many a year to come. “I thank you kindly that you were humble enough to come into my whare and have a drink of tea with me. I 'appreciate it more than I am able to explain. ...” The President of the Canterbury Sheep Owners’ Union (Mr E. Hay) in moving a resolution of sympathy with the relatives, mentioned, that Mr E. R. Turton was a foundation member of the Union, and a leading authority in high pasture’ country. To be classed as “a leading authority in high pasture country” by his fellow-high countrymen is praise indeed. :■ n *

Among Edwin TurtonV papers I came across an interesting document the writing quite plain, but the ink somewhat faded. It was:— “Edwin Richard Turton, son of William and Frances Turton, was Baptised

by me on this the 6th day of March, 186 L H. Eendall Curate of Lower Hcathcote with Sumner. Names of Sponsors, George Turton Thomas Turton Jane Lowson. It seems that during the early ’Sixties the church services were held in the woolshed of the Ashburton Station, which Mr Thomas Moorhouse was managing. " The whole Turton family used to go up to the station in their bullock dray. There was no resident minister then. The mention of “Tom” Moorhouse led John Turton to tell this story: Tom was the only J.P. in the district close handy to the Accommodation House, and he attended at “Court” when the necessity arose. Some "of the young men had been having a jollification, and one had gone just over the mark in rowdiness, and, to cool his ardour, Sergeant Horneman put him into “clink.” Not wishing to keep him in there long, he went up to get Tom Moorhouse to “sit” on him. Tom said he would lie down shortly, and Horneman came back ahead of him, only to find that the young men in uproarious mood, had let the prisoner out of “clink” and were thoroughly enjoying the joke oil Horneman, whom they all really greatly liked. But Horneman could not see the joke too clearly because he had acquainted the J.P. with the fact that he

had a prisoner to be tried, the J.P. would soon be on the road down, there would be no prisoner to “try” and there certainly would be a wigging for the sergeant. He explained it to the. men, who to their credit saw the gravity for Horneman. Mr Andrew McFarlane, who was one of the most honoured men in the County, volunteered to take the place of the man who had been released, stood up before the dumfounded Mr Moorhouse who could not understand the sudden lapse of his great friend. However, he did his duty nobly and fined Mr McFarlane five shillings which was cheerfully paid; and then all retired to enjoy the joke and relieve the anxiety of the J.P. by a cheerful recital of the fun they had been having, and of tiie quick-wittedness of their mate. (To Be Continued).