DEATH OF MR J. LANGER

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26523, 11 September 1951, Page 8

DEATH OF MR J. LANGER

PIONEER SETTLER FROM AUSTRIA

A lonely and unusual existence was led by Mr Joseph Langer, who died in Christchurch on Saturday. Up till quite recently he lived alone in a thatched cob cottage almost overgrown by trees high up above the road near Cooper's Creek, 45 miles north-west of Christchurch. Mr Langer, with his parents and three sisters and two brothers, came out to New Zealand in 1874 from Moravia in Austria. They landed at Lyttelton from the Stonehorse, which carried persons of seven nationalities. For a short time they were* in the immigration barracks at Lyttelton, but ultimately they settled on a section of poor quality land at East Oxford, covered with manuka and birch bush and only accessible by crossing a swamp. Using materials at hand they built a small but cosy cob house. As safes and storehouses they hollowed out big trees placing doors over the cavities. With a home-made wooden olough they tilled the clay soil that they had cleared of bush to grow vegetables and the rye from which they made their flour. They also reared stock and became almost self-support-ing. Because they did not understand a word of English the family kept very much to themselves and could not have known much of the law or land regulations of the day. After they had been on the section for about 10 years a notice was served on them for rates amounting to about 5s 3d, but because they had no road to their property the Langers imagined they were not liable to pay. Eventually, when an eviction order was made against them, the family are said to have barricaded themselves into their home and refused to leave, but Mr Langer became suddenly ill and died and the family had to come out. Their property was sold up and to make sure that they did not return the house was burned down.

In spite of their ill-luck the proud Austrian family would not accept anv of the help offered them by sympathetic settlers and moved into the hills near Cooper’s Creek where they once again built a thatched cob house. Mr Joseph Langer lived in the house till only a year or two ago when he »as brought down to the Nazareth Home in Christchurch.

Of the original family two are still living. They are Mr B. Langer, of Niagara, Southland, and Mr J. J. Lan; ger, of Rakauroa, near Gisborne.