RAGLAN PIONEER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 257, 30 October 1929, Page 12

RAGLAN PIONEER.

MR. WILLIAM DUNCAN'S STORY

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS COLONIST.

MANY ACTIVITIES

Extracts from a diary kept by Mr. William Duncan, of Takapuna, are about to be published in book form, and, as he lias lived in New Zealand for sixty-five years, they contain much very interesting information, illustrative of the life of the hardy pioneer settlers who carved out homes in the bush miles away from the nearest town. Mr. Duncan was the eldest son of the late Mr. George Duncan, who was a burgess of the town of Aberdeen. The father was keenly interested in schemes to send emigrants to the British colonies, and in 1803 left with his wife and family for New Zealand in the ship Gladiator. The voyage out was an exciting one, as the ship on one occasion caught fire, and it took strenuous work to extinguish the flames. As the war in the Waikato was then in progress, amongst the cargo carried was a consignment of 500 tons of gunpowder, which was a great incentive to getting the flames under. Later in the voyage there was some trouble, which ended in revolver shots being fired, and the captain finally demanded the surrender of all firearms by the passengers. Off the Cape of Good Hope there was a mutiny because the sailors complained that the food supplied was unfit to eat. Under Maori Protection. Eventually Auckland was reached on March 14, ISG4. The first man to board the ship was the late Sir Henry Brett, who at that time was shipping reporter for the "Southern Cross." Three weeks after landing the Duncan family left for Raglan, to settle on their land grant at Te Mata. A Maori chief named Te Ivavvene, of the Ngatihau tribe, arranged for some of his people to act as guides to the place. The chief Waharoa for £15 got some of his tribe to build a nikau wliare thatched with raupo, and also erected a wooden chimney for the new settlers. Waharoa told the Duncans thev need not fear the Maoris who were fighting in the Waikato, as they would be under his protection, and if any real danger was likely to occur, he would give plenty of warning.

For many years Waharoa was a true friend of the family, in fact Mr. Duncan lias nothing but praise for the old time Maori, adding that the most undesirable people in those days were deserters and other low class Europeans. Tragedy, however, came in later on, for in 1888 the brother-in-law of Mr. Duncan, Frank Pook, with his wife and little boy, were murdered at Mataahu, Waipiro Bay, a crime for which Holiepa te Piri was" subsequently hanged.

Reference is made by Mr. Duncan in his diary to the wreckage of a vessal which is covered with sand near the mouth of the Tiriparu River. It was lying above high-water mark and none of the Maoris had any recollection of hearing how it got there. Mr. Duncan, senior, came to Auckland and carried on stock dealing, but his son William stayed at the farm. Later he went to Christchurch to learn the building trade, but' returned to Auckland in 1877 and bought the old homestead at Te Mata from his mother. Afterwards he was chairman of the Kariore Town Board, the Raglan County Council, and the Licensing Bench. On one occasion a chief named Tihirahi pulled down the beacons near the south head at Ivawhia, and Mr. Duncan was instrumental in getting a detachment of Armed Constabulary under Major Tuke to quell the disturbance. The Maoris were given employment making a road from Te Mata to Papatapu, Mr. Duncan acting as overseer for the Public Works Department as he was a good Maori linguist. Mr. Duncan refers to two pillars of limestone erected at Pepera on a cliff overlooking the sea. They are tall columns evidently fashioned by human hands, and as there is no limestone near at hand it is a problem as to how they were placed in the position they occupied, and for what purpose. The Maoris whom Mr. Duncan questioned knew no more about the origin of these columns than they do of the tattooed rocks near the entrance to Raglan Harbour. Public Activities. In 1881 Mr. Duncan was appointed a justice of the peace, and about the same time was asked by the Government to try to arrange for the Maori King Tawhiao to meet Ministers of the Crown., This he succeeded in doing, as he was well acquainted with the Maori King. After the meeting with the Hon. John Bryce, Native Minister, most of the troubles with the Maoris in the Waikato were ended. Upon deciding to come to Auckland to live in 1885, Mr. Duncan was entertained to a farewell dinner by residents of Raglan. During his residence in this city he served on the Schools Committee and was elected president of the Radical Reform League. He was then a strong advocate for Home Rule for Ireland, and in ISSS) attended a meeting in the City Hall to welcome the delegates, John Dillon, Sir Thomas Esmonde and John Deasv. Sir George Grey and Mr. Duncan were amongst the speakers on that occasion. In 1891 Mr. Duncan was appointed an inspecting assessor for Auckland Province, and three years later was chief valuer for this district under the Advances to Settlers Act. He later became a supervisor of the Government under the Valuation Act, and wns also appointed a member of the Waikato District Land Council. He was afterwards president of the Takapuna Citizens' League and a member of the council of that borough.