Peninsula fire

Press, 11 August 1980, Page 16

Peninsula fire

Sir, —- I was surprised to read in the article ‘ on Canterbury’s fires by Gordon. Ogilvie, -, (“The Press,” August 2) that ’ John Pavitt’s house was burnt down at Akaroa. It is strange that I /have always understood that the Pavitts’ new house was built on the site of, or near to, the first ' house, next to their timber mill in Robinson’s Bay. It is probably true that last century the name Akaroa ’ was ’ often used broadly to cover most of Banks Peninsula, but not so today. To the average reader it may not be important, but I grew up in the shadow of Pavitt’s mill wheel and some day, someone is going to argue- that John Pavitt’s house was in Akaroa. — Yours, etc., JESSIE MOULD, Akaroa. ■ ”... : : August 2, 1980. - ._ [Gordon Ogilvie comments: “John Pavitt did live . at Robinsons Bay, as Miss Mould points out. The fire

destroyed his home and other effects, on October -25, 1856, arid the terrri ‘Akaroa’ was still being used a. little loosely in writings of that period.”] . • .jV;