A STATION FOUNDED BY 19th CENTURY WEALTH

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34107, 20 March 1976, Page 11

A STATION FOUNDED BY 19th CENTURY WEALTH

One of the most beautiful country areas in Canterbury lies north of the Waipara River — up the Omihi Valley and into the Waikari Basin. Its scenery is magnificent through all the chanj'ng seasons — win* V, with a backdrop of mow-clad mountain K-ktoner and autumn, ripening grain crops, lush stands of lucerne, wellkept farm homes and buildings. In fact, each acre seems to be individually ministered. ! In this area nearly a century ago one man controlled over 150.000 acres. At the height of the wool season 100 shearers toiled in an immense woolshed. Forty acres of garden, tended by six permanent gardeners, surrounded a fabulous country mansion. Swans and ducks »wam leisurely on an artificial lake, and peacocks stalked on lush, green, closely mown lawns. From the area, in 1866, the greatest treasure found in New Zealand was dug from swamps. Sir Julius von Haast,

curator of the Christchurch Museum, estimated that the bones of 1000 moa birds had lain buried there until brought to the surface after tedious digging. The initial wealth of the museum stemmed from this discovery. Museums the world over were the recipients of many of the bones, the city museum receiving treasures in return. Today visitors would find little evidence remaining of the past. Certain buildings still stand, but in the early hours of January 23, 1891, the mansion was destroyed by fire. It is possible, however, to visualise the original lay-out of the property. Down a long driveway, bounded by trees, the gate-keeper’s lodge, comes into view, built beside the large iron gates of the main entrance. Through the gateway the drive continues to another ornate gateway, and meanders down a gentle slope towards the front entrance of the homestead. The drive continues through an avenue of trees to the stables. Near

the former stables, which are still in use as store-' rooms and implement sheds. the manager's house stands. It all started in the year 1853, when a sailing vessel arrived at Lyttelton from Tasmania. Such an occasion was noteworthy solely because on the ship’s passenger list was the name of a man who was to become one of the most controversial figures to set foot on the shores of Canterbury. For better or worse, George Henry Moore, late of the Isle of Man, now of “Mona Vale” sheep station, Tasmania, and in years to come to be known throughout New Zealand as “Moore of Glenmark,” had arrived. He was in Canterbury’ to buy land — land and more land. Moore had all the attributes to make him a discerning and astute land buyer. He was a mature man. well educated, travelled, a hard businessman; and he had behind him 23 years of experience in all aspects of sheep farming Historians have also suggested that he was an embittered man, that the

failure of his marriage had changed him from an open, friendly person into a harsh, self-centred man with one ambition — to own more land than any other man. The land north of the Waipara River interested Moore. This land was then outside the Canterbury’ Block, and could be purchased from the State, under New Zealand Regu* lations, for ten shillings an acre. Moore, on behalf of himself and his partner, R. Q. Kermode, bought “Glenmark” and further areas of land in the vicinity. By 1856 the partners had purchased 56,000 acres in the Omihi Valley. Not content with their holdings north of the Waipara River, Moore and Kermode purchased, in 1856, 30,000 acres at the mouths of the Ashburton and Rakaia rivers, and in 1858 took up a further 36.000 acres at Hinds. To stock “Glenmark” quickly, Moore chartered the William Hyde, a vessel of some 533 tons, and in one year completed three trips from Hobart to Lyttelton, bringing a

total of 6000 Merino sheep. cattle, horses, ploughs, seeds, bullock yokes, and sundry farming items. In North Canterbury, Moore was proving himself very unpopular with neighbouring property owners. He had an offensive, high-handed attitude towards his rivals, and a complete indifference to the incidence of “scab” amongst his flock. His contempt .for regulations regarding the eradication of the disease — he would sooner pay fines ’han go to the expense of cleaning his flock — helped him in the acquisition of further land.

Neighbouring farmers, in their haste to get away from the infected areas, sometimes sacrificed their runs; and Moore bought. In 1876 “Glenmark” shipped to London 1069 bales of wool, 75 bales of skins, 38 kegs of butter, 126 casks- of tallow, 609 cases of preserved meats, 28 cases of hams (hind legs of mutton), 13 casks of meat, 14 bales of flax, 13 bales of tow. and 12 bales of hides. In 1873, when Kermode died in Tasmania, and the

partnership was legallv dissolved, “Glenmark” carried nearly 100,000 sheep, it had a good house (later to be the manager’s _ residence) stables for oO horses, a shearing shed capable of holding 4000 sheep, and a boiling-down plant which could process 1000 aged and worthless sheep a day. The partnership at an end, it was necessary to sell the assets to wind up Kermode’s estate. The sale of the properties was held in Christchurch at the rooms of Miles and Company. A champagne lunch for the 200-odd buyers preceded the sale, which was conducted by J. T. Matson. As rhe sale progressed it became clear that the saga of Moore, a vigorous 61-year-old, and “Glenmark” was only . beginning. He became the chief bidder for most of the land previously held in partnership. After the sale Moore continued to buy land in the Waipara area until, as recorded, he had more, than 150,000 acres under his control. (To be continued)