‘Dude’ Couling, man of portfolios in Little Akaloa

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 17

‘Dude’ Couling, man of portfolios in Little Akaloa

By

EDNA HOUGH

Harmoniums from 1900 s

Black with bbtli feet left

Casei for recognition

Little Akaloa Post Office was built 'in 1855' as a farmer’s dwelling, and operated as a store before . the [ owner, George Boleyn, took over the mail service in 1864. [• j 3 | ? H Alan Couling has owned the property for years,)jand been postmaster for the last six. Until 1981, his hats were those of draftsman, , yachtie, musician, reserve All Black and fisherman. Some of [them are still Ibeirig worn, as well as a material one — a woolly beanie — his idea of rural post office uniform. | The headgear plus ancient bush shirt are appropriate (for rushing out to use his lathe,! paint a boat, or fish for his dinner. They contrast | with the garb: of his youthful days when “he was exceptionally 'tidy, pressed! [his pants, under the mattress! ■ and wore a monocle,” according to his sister, Doreen Riseley. j ■ r l His nickname, i “Dude,” still sticks, and puzzles new acquaintances faced; by [the bearded, rugged-looking; enthusiastic and slightly irreverent character shadowed by his large and gentle black dog Topsy.. | I 'i-i Alan Couling dealt with all Post Office business except bar registration until the Postbank section closed recently; [He stamps around the roomy [store, exclaiming about ! his remote community’s loss of service; — "Half an hour’s work witp‘ [themailbags, plus the stamp sales, is all I’ve got left!”

His shelves indicate othbr, interests, a bottle collection) competing for room with isilver trophies above the stock display. Oak-framed pictures, crowding together on the restricted walk space, illustrate life in the Settlement last century. III!

Through an alcove, five harmoniums rest in a [circle centenarians with varying capabilities — revealing [ intricate carving in return for energetic attentions. A French model glows after rescue from a Sumner .fisherman’s den[ where it was disguised as a workbench. Organ strains drift from the window on evenings' when television reception is poor. I [[ | j '. [| Alan Couling also performs in the church, up the hill above the sea, on[alternatelSundays,land as trombonist in the Akaroa Silver Band. "We’re a geriatric lot,” he chuckles. “It’s your wind and your teeth that [are not so b-p good over 50.” ; ! [ I Li In 1961 and 1962 he won thifjd and second places in the national brass band championships. Hie plans to [enter the veteran section this year. ) . | . 0 [ He remembers how music got entangled with yacht racing on Sundays lin his youth. There was practice I with the Lyttelton Marine Band in the mornings, and sailing in the afternoon with Banks Peninsula[ Cruising Club. He points to tankards on the shelf, won around the peninsula in his 30 ft keeler Calypso, and a Cup from the first Wellington-to-Akaroa race. [ [ ' . ?

Les Bachop, a| sailing contemporary, remembers [ “Dude’s” typical of preparation prior to the . latter event. When the Calypso was underway from Lyttelton, sailing north for the race, “the skipper discovered he’d forgotten to victual the boats.” After living on a case of tomatoes won by a crewman in the pub[ before sailing there wasjanother race on — up the Wellington wharf for some food. . j !|' p j Couling’s superb seamanship and improvisation, however! appear to have cancelled out effects of his spontaneous methods: “sometimes walking straight -.••'! L ■ ■ I 'I ; I ;I l

n ; .1 J -■ F fpm work: in his fishing.poat on to a 'rac ng keeler” as mentioned by Neville England, a member of a; younger! generation of sailors. I England [recounts a tale he has heard of the| legendry “Dude” sailing lis 30{footer in another Wellinjgton-Akaroa race. “He was neck-anb-rieckl with a 50ft vessel in [the closest finish ever, the Calypso being 20 seconds behind, cinly Couling’s detailed! knowledge of [Peninsular sailing, plus a southerly wind: char ge in Akaroa Harbour, allowed him to keep up With the big bloat. A rare feat!” Always there afterwards in the middle of the commotion and music [would be Alan Couling. | In fact, there wepe times when Akaroa was pleased to see him gbj home, ; Neville England recalls. | [ ' I In 11956, he crewed as cook on the 28ft [ketch the ADma, the only Canterbury entrant in the Auck-14nd-to-Suva race, an occasion memorable for the weather, not a trophy. They spent a shocking five days of south-easterly gales in! 1 Wormous seas, were dismasted [2OO miles north of New ' Zealand; and eventually arrived in Whangarqa, Northland, ; under jury-rig, without navigational aids and stripped of all r mnir gjgear. [ Les Bachop was sailing master cri[| that trip! The boat kept rolling bver, smashing up bunks arid shelves, [ washing papers, crockery and clothing into bilges tp|[i block the pumps. Two crewmen were very ill! “Dude” was hurled from his bunk and gashed his head. Bachop was at the tiller while [ Cpuling baled, using the case off) their wet radio. | “He was a good footballer,” says Bachop, "so he had a bit of muscle. [There he [was with his hbad' split open, a .tower of strength j heaving five gallon lots in the hpavy metal case, fix feet uj) for me to ! emp y each time

the bddt steadied. He was virtually swi nming round the cabin, in [water mixed with battery acid !an'd petpl, [at table top level. If he[ hadhj’t been so powerful we’d never have survived. But he’s not a j man? to say much about discomfort.” . How ipid [he get interested in boats? Well, the Couling family lived bn Eastern terrace, adjacent to the Waltham Road bridge.. | Alan and his brother constructed! their first vessel from ha[lf a; 40-gallon drum plus outrigger, a[nd sent their small sister; off [in it, to test, for rivjerworthiness "around that loop of the! Heathcote between bub bric ge and the old mill on Coiombd Street. We just pushed Dojrny of 'down some rapids formed by the dredge!”

Ind did she ever get to the mill? ; Doreen “can’t remember, having fallen out of so many boats iso many times. Being the youngest I was a bit defenceless.” His! first international sporting contact had [ been as All Black reserve' in [1950,; for the test against the British Lions in Auckland. Typically bustling and spontaneous, Couling arrived for the match vph two left-footed boots! "Easy to do when your’re excited,” he.laughs. The Lions won, but! not because of a sidewayslurching New Zealand player. The reserve:was not required.) To ‘finance his hobbies, Alan worked as a [draftsman for seven dull years, “then bought a fishing boat to make my fortune.” He worked out of Motanau for 23 years|jUp there, it is remoured that an incident showed “Dude” following his usual determined path to see [ things through. In-

terference with nets and craypots' was discovered. The warning gunshots may, or may not, have been from Couling. Delicensing of fishing boats came toI sweep away his riches dream. He actually | needed the small postmaster’s salary when he! [took; up residency in his present [abode, and began to research' Little Akaloa Post Office history. j Nowadays, Alan Couling’s morning [is geared to the arrival of the Eastern Bays bus, as the mailbag must be ready when the vehicle roars up the Post Office slope at 11.30 a.m. [ : Tourists sometimes alight to be regaled with fascinating facts about the past. They might be directed to an ancient bluegum stump beside the carriageway, to lopk for an embedded metal ring i i’ i •! d ■

— a horse tethering gadget of 'long ago. It’s surprising to learn [ that this stump marks Post- [ master Boleyn’s grave so close to the building he erected 123 years ago; and intriguing to hear that ' Boleyn’s ancestors had called themselves “Bullions” to dissoFcate the family from their ill- ? fated [relative, Anne. George had felt free to assume his true name ! bn arrival in New Zealand.. | Before the bus service'began, ‘ mail was transported by steam- ■ boat to Lyttelton. One of the first [ [was [Queen of the South, an unusual paddle-steamer stoked With I wood. It was closely I followed by the John Anderson Which' continued the run until the Second World War. In pioneer days, [mail travelled by irregular whaleboat, and later on horseback [to Duvauchelles.

Alan Couling hopes the building ! will be registered with the His-) [ toric Places trust. By June, 1983, the] Coulings will! have achieved a record term in! charge of Little Akaloa Post Ciffice i store, Mrs Carlene Couling having I run the business prior to her! husand. ! ‘

■ - :I [ I It would seem | fitting for official recognition |of [ the old dwelling to be made during its: present management. Thle present: service recordholder'is Mr Albert McLelland, (corrinionly known as Mac), !postmas;er for 116 years [ i r i ; H ri ? i '

and! nine months from 1946 to 1962. Majc’s era marked a change from a manual telephone switchboard, which he had operated for 13 years) to automatic. He has a cocktail cabinet [presented by the 40 j subscribers on the great day when ; 1 Norman ilKirkl M.P. for Lyttelton, visited to; make the change' official. ?i ' [ [j; ' . J Another hope for the future is [ the continuance of postal services i in j[the| qiiiet bay! The giant Post! Office ciobberirig machine casts a i threatening! shadow over the pro-; tective hills of [the Peninsula. [ But whatever [happens,[|we can probably rely on Alan[Couling to think .up another survival, plan. Hugh [England, [fonnerl vice-presi-dent of [the Yachting federation, confirms that “Dude could unfailingly! seis a bright light when[ all was gloom and doom!” 1 i : !i I RH'lMl!! [Il !I IL ilil H'