THE NORTH SHORE

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 258, 30 October 1926, Page 27

THE NORTH SHORE

SETTLERS' POSTAL SYSTEM

GETTING PRODUCE TO MARKET,

RELICS OF HONGI'S RAID

By ALLAN O'NEILL.

As there was not any post office on the northern side of the harbour for some years after the arrival of the first settlers, it was the custom for the ferryman to bring over and post letters for the residents, and take back any that were found waiting for them in town. The cargoes carried by the ferry boats from the Shore to town consisted principally of butter and eggs, which had to be taken to market by the wives of the settlers. As they could not afford to disappoint the shopkeepers, it meant crossing the harbour in all kinds of weather.. Some of the women were in the habit of taking over bouquets of flowers mixed with maidenhair fern, which at that time grew freely amongst the tea-tree scrub on the northern shore. These bouquets found ready sale at the hotels in Auckland, which in those early days were mostly called inns. The women also found sale for bunches of groundsell to people who kept canaries. Settlers having fat pigs, sheep or calves used to tie the legs of the animals together and take them across to town in the same boat as the passengers on any day but Saturday. The boats were too well patronised on the last day of the week for any other live cargo to be taken across. Wheat grown at the North Shore and also quarters of beef were also carried across by the ferry boat. The wheat was ground at Partington's Mill in Symonds Street—still one of the landmarks of Auckland. Potatoes, barley, and all kinds of vegetables grown at the Shore found ready sale. The greengrocers used to meet the boats as they arrived, and buy the produce from the settlers. The charge from Barry's Point to the wharf was sixpence per passenger. It is almost needless to add that in the early days there were no Chinese market gardeners in Auckland. Kauri gum was another line brought across by the settlers and sold in the city. In Colonel Wynyard's time anyone wanting casual labour, especially in the harvest time, could, by applying and stating the nature of the work and the number of days required, engage any of the soldiers. But if the work was unfinished in the time stated a fresh application had to be made. Michael Shea, owner of what is now known as Shea's paddock, Takapuna, hired Boldiers for the harvesting, and when the time expired the work was unfinished. He still kept them working and was surprised by the appearance of a sergeant and ten soldiers. They were all placed under arrest and taken to the barracks. Colonel Wynyard explained to, Mr. Shea that they had overstayed their leave, and he was liable for detaining them, and must in future make fresh application if he wanted them for any farther time. A GRUESOME CARGO. On one occasion the ferry boat brought across several bags of human bones found in the dry sand above Milford Beach, which was then known as T)r. Campbell's Bush. All that stretch of land was later purchased by Mr. W. J. Soppet. These bones were the remains of Maoris who had formerly lived at Takapuna. They were victims of Hongi's raid in the "eighteen-twenties." That wily warrior landed some of his men at Okura to march overland, while the rest of the party went on in the canoes and landed on Milford Beach. When the members of the Ngatipouri tribe at Takapuna went to meet the enemy on the waterfront they were attacked in the rear by the party from Okura, their retreat cut off, and a crushing defeat resulted in which most of the defenders were killed and eaten. Hence the bones—all that was left after a cannibal feast. Even in the early days cargo sometimes went astray. The boatmen used to leave goods at the landings, where they were sicked ujp by the settlers. One man at O'Neill's Point missed a bag of sugar, and a bag of flour. He was informed by a neighbour next day that he had seen a canoe with a red blanket for a sail leaving the landing. Upon going to the nearest Maori village he found the natives enjoying a meal of skilly concocted from the flour, sugar and water mixed. Apart from this incident good feeling existed between the settlers and the Maoris, there being an evident desire to help one another. FERRY TIME-TABLE. The following time-table was advertised in the year 1862 in the "New Zealander." Stokes' Point (Northcote), twice every day (Sundays excepted), as-follows:—Leaves Stokes' Point on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at 9 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. Leaves Queen Street wharf same days at 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. On Wednesdays, leaves Stokes' Point at 9 a.m. and 2 p,m., leaves Auckland at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Fare each way, sixpence. Shoal Bay, every Thursday and Saturday, hours according to the tide. Fare each way, sixpence; freight, sixpence per 1001b, and 1/ per sack. Flagstaff (Devonport), every Tuesday and Saturday, twice each way; leaves Flagstaff, North Shore, at 8.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.; leaves Queen Street wharf at 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Fare each way, sixpence. Appended to the advertisement is the following:—Complaints from ferrymen to be entered in the Report Book at the harbourmaster's office, Queen Street wharf. The boats leaving for Shoal Bay were for the convenience of the residents of Takapuna, who were landed at Barry's Point, near the Catholic Orphanage. In 1863 the late Mr; Alexander Alison, then a youth, ran a trip twice daily from Auckland to Devonport in an open boat which was capable of carrying forty passengers. Later three trips were run daily, and in 1864 Holmes brothers ran three trips daily. The same year a company was formed to run the steamer Waitemata regularly, calling at Stokes' Point, then to Devonport and then over to Auckland. In 1865 several new settlers went to live at O'Neill's Point, and a Mr. Smith started a daily ferry. Mr. John* Holmes, who opened an hotel at O'Neill's'Point (Bayswater), took over the ferry business, retaining the services of Mr. Smith to run the boat. The passengers, some half dozen, were mostly people going daily to business in Auckland. When the Thames goldfields opened, most of the men left the district, with the result that the service was suspended. Those who wished to reach town had to walk to Devonport to catch a boat. IN LIGHTER VEIN. In the early 'sixties races were held on Takapuna Beach. Cutters and lighters brought visitors from various places, and others were rowed over from Barry's Point. In 1865 John Copeland made a pleasure garden for excursionists on the property now owned by Sir Henry Brett. Sports were held in the paddock opposite. There was tilting at the ring, quoits, skittles, archery, as well as games of chance. Such games as roulette and under and over were not prohibited in the early days.; : 1 -* - ~ ". Mr. Copeland also built a barn in the. triangle at the corner of the Promenade and Hurstmere Boads. Mr. Copeland's barn ■was used as a bar and luncheon room, and also for dances. .He also built a cottage in which to reside, and it was from there the liquor was supplied. In those days a bush license to sell alcoholic drinks only cost £o per annum, with no restriction as to the hours of closing. It is of interest to note, that the now fashionable suburb of Takapuna was then looked upon as in the bush. I have heard that the liquor sold in that pub was not always well-known standard brands.'. ':^~y^''.';;~-y,K'??■■'' *?<. ■':■ vr_ : '-; :/ •-.:••;:-.,-'• ■%

ILLICIT STILLS. In those days O'Neill'B Point boasted two private illicit stills. Boys used to be sent with empty bottles to get them filled with the liquor, which, however, was not ranked as genuine poteen by the experts of those times. The thought of robbing the excise no doubt gave the liquor a zest. There was one "Judas" in the district, who informed on the owner of an illicit still. He then professed to sympathise with the man's wife and even took round a petition to get her husband released from imprisoment. About a year previously the same man informed on another illicit still at Soldiers' Bay, above Kauri Point. One of the makers of the poteen used to keep his liquor for sale in a barrel covered with a sack in the fowl yard in order to remove suspicion. That "was an illustration of the truth of the old saying, "Most public, most private." When arrested the owner of one illicit still gave the names of several publicans who took liqnor from him but when asked to pay replied, "Summons mc for it." POLITE WATERMEN. Passengers travelling on the ferry boats from Shoal Bay were not allowed to rush the seats in the manner so common on the modern ferry steamers. Ladies were always put in the stern of the open boat, the old men next, and the young men with the boys before the mast, where most spray was encountered. A lad trying to get a seat in the stern would be asked by the boatmen if he was made of sugar or gingerbread, and then sent with the others before the mast, with the promise that if he chanced to melt they would send him home in a bucket. - " ' BRICK YARDS ON THE SHORE. There were several brickyards in the vicinity of Shoal Bay in the early days. One was near where Duder's yard is now. It belonged to a man named Tiller, and was afterwards owned by Barney Kane. Another brickyard was situated up above the cemetery at O'Neill's Point and owned by John Andrews. Another brickyard was located on Sulphur Beach, owned by Phillip Callan Dunning, who also had a brickyard at the bottom of Laketown Eoad, and a man named Melville made enough bricks to build his house, after which he went out of the business. The pioneers at the Shore had at least one compensation, as there were no rates before 1867. Against that there had to be set the fact that there were no formed roads. It was not until 1867 that the Lake Eoad Board was formed, after which rates were imposed and roads made. This was followed by grocers' carts running out from Devonport with goods for the settlers, taking in return butter and eggs. The butchers also went out and bought sheep, pigs and calves from the settlers. The dairies at Devonport took the milk from the herds of cattle. By that time the population of Devonport had increased so that it consumed all the dairy and other produce from the settlers at Takapuna. THE PHOENIX. In the late 'fifties a small steamer named the Phoenix ran to and from Stokes' Point, Johnny Beid being the skipper. One day when running ah excursion the Phoenix was unfortunately wrecked. It was bought by Mr. Mackay, a shipbuilder (father of Mr. Gilbert Mackay, of Queen Street), who converted the hull into a schooner. In 1865, a company built a steamer called the Waitemata to run to Stokes' Point and Devonport, but the vessel did not pay, and was ultimately bought by Messrs. Holmes Brothers. A boat was built at Riverhead and intended for the ferry service, the peculiarity of the vessel being that the "chimney" for the engine was constructed of brick. When the Chinese started growing vegetables, the settlers soon found they could not compete successfully, and gradually went out of that branch of production. Some of the settlers started travelling to Devonport in a bus that ran regularly. Others got buggies of their own, and at last the boats from Shoal Bay stopped running. They were sold to a ship which had lost hers on the voyage out from England; Thus the open boat ferry service from Shoal Bay became a thing of the past. Nearly all the passengers who travelled by the old open ferry boats have one by one crossed the Biver Styx by the service which issues no return ticket. Perchance at nights their spirits may at times return and see an up-to-date ferry steamer leaving Barry's Point to cross the water over which they had often travelled in the flesh in the happy days ef yore*. (To be continued next Saturday.)