PIONEER DAYS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 104, 26 January 1933, Page 4

PIONEER DAYS

Hutt and Wairarapa

SETTLER’S REMINISCENCES Dominion Special Service.

(By

W.H.T.)

Air. and Mrs. Thomas AVycth, who last week celebrated tbeir golden w.edding. are very old and well-known residents of the AVairarapa. Mr. AVyctli, at the age of 84, is an interesting personality, with a keen mind and active body. Practically the whole of his life has been spent in the Wellington province, and caught hi reminiscent mood, he is an interesting talker. Air. Wyeth was born in AVillis Street, Wellington, in Alarcli, 1849. his parents being among the first to emigrate to the colony. His father arrived by the New Zealand Company’s survey ship Cuba on January 3, 1840, and bis mother (as Aliss Jane Reynolds) arrived by the Duke .of Roxburgh, the third of the emigrant ships, on February S. IS4O. Mr. Wyeth senior was engaged in the survey of the Hutt A'allcy, and later, when it was decided to abandon the settlement at Petonc. he went into business in AA’ellington. Subsequently he took up property at Silverstreani, building several houses and establishing a little community in the shadow of the dense bush. This venture came to an ill-timed end on January’ 18. IS4S. when the worst flood on record swept dowu the Hutt Valley, destroying farms and stock, and snatching 13 lives from the little community at Silvcrstream. Mr. Thomas Wyeth, although but a child at the time, preserves vivid recollections of the shocking tragedy. It was summer—but torrential rain in the back country rapidly produced an alarming increase in the volume of water in the Hutt River. The river burst its banks, and the clearing at Silverstrenin was invaded until the water reached the eaves of the houses, threatening the occupants seeking a refuge on the roofs. Still the water rose, until the Wyetlis saw the home of the Stanway family lifted bodily off its piles and float away in the swirling current, later to be dashed against a rock and overturn, throwing husband, wife, and five children into the muddy waters. The other cottages were unable to withstand the undermining influence of the water, and Sellers, the blacksmith, and his wife and family perished, also Airs. Hagen, her child, and n nurse. One man. Charles Hartley, was able to fight bis way through the flood waters to safety. A Harrowing Experience. Built on high piles, and protected to some extent by a huge tree which was washed down in the flood and lodged just above the Jiause, acting as a groyne, the two-story homestead of the AVyeths withstood the onslaught ot the water, but the Wye.th.family went through a harrowing experience. The scene of this tragedy, just above the Haywards bridge, is still very susceptible to flooding, although there has. not since been a visitation so serious. On the occasion of this flood, states Air; AVyeth, the road was covered to a depth of eleven feet. The bodies of the victims lie in the little cemetery at Taita. and although greatly worn by weather, the inscription on the wooden headstone over the grave of (he Stanway family is still readable. The AVyeth family removed to Stokes A’alley after this flood, and about 58 years ago removed to Alasterton.

Recalling his years of residence in the Hutt A’alley, Air. AVyeth. in a conversation with the writer, said thpt the Hutt Valley in, the 'forties was very thickly wooded —in fact, lie doubted if there was a better totura forest .in New Zealand. It was from this bush chiefly that was drawn the timber with which the infant city of AA'ellington was built. Every day the forest rang with the blow of axes, and the crash of falling timber.. Then came fire, and -then the yellow wheat, which, ground in a hand, mill and winnowed in the wind, lound its way into the camp ovens of sturdy colonists, or as damper, was, baked in the ashes of a camp fire. Indicating the extent of the timber industry in the Hutt A’alley at this time. Mr. AVyeth recalled the names of various wagoners operating in the district, who between them had nt least 27 teams. As the four-horse wagons each carried 2000 feet, of pit-sawn timber, and made three or four trips into AVcllington each week, that busy settlement must have at this time been absorbing, over 80,000 feet of timber each week. The wagoners recalled by Mr. AA'yth were: Cotter (4 teams), Smith (2), Spackmau (2), AVyeth (2), Robertson (1). Dews (ll), Harris (3), Burnett (3), Alaybey (3), Bruce (I). Cotter’s teams were carting for Cruickshank’s mill, at lipper Hutt. It was after this mill that Cruickshauk Street, Upper Hutt., is named. Robertson was milling at Stokes A’alley. This valley, like the larger one into which it opens, was once heavily wooded, and it was here that Mr. Tlnrl Ldy (who arrived by Ihe .Duke of Roxburgh) was at one time operating what must have been one of the very earliest mills in the province. IRrst Telegraph Line. Air, AVyeth was skilful with the reins, and, with bis brother, the late Mr. Charles AA’yetli, carried the materials for the first, telegraph line from AVcllington to Alasterton in about 1867. 'This was at a time when the roads were not remarkable for the quality of their .surfaces, and when the only bridge between Masterton and the Hutt was the “black bridge” over the AVaiohine River, and driving a heavy wagon loaded with copper wire and insulators was a man’s task. This first telegraph line consisted of two wires, and took a more direct: route than does, the present line. 'The task of laying it—through bush and from spur to spur across the Riinutakas—was a difficult one. Many of the posts were cut on the spot. It: was later found necessary, however, to revert to the present route owing to the difficulty of maintaining a line that did not follow the road.

Mr. Wyeth and Mr. George Sykes (uncle of Mr. (I. 11. Sykes, the present member of I’arliament for Masterton) assisted to clear a way across the Riniutakas for Die Upper Hutt-Featherston section of Die ’Wellinglmi-'Waicartipit railway. They introduced lhe American system of squaring timber into the Wellington province, importing special axes with twelve-inch Iffiides for the work. Prior Io Illis ordinary ship's carpenters’ axes had been used for this tricky work, ami the difference between work done with this axe and with the American axe was. according to Mr. Wyeth, “about the difference between sawn and dressed limber." Mr. Wyeth squared over half a million feet of timber for the construction of lhe Wellingfon-Wiiirarapa railway, ami he and Hie late Mr. Sykes were responsible for the squaring of all timber used in the present bridge spanning the Hutt River nt Haywards. Maori Scares in Hull. Mr. Wyeth has many stories to (ell of the Maori scares in the Hutt Valley in his early days. He recalls the erection of the bioekhouse nt Upper Hutt ( which is standing to-day 1,-also the blockhouse al Dower Hutt, which was destroyed by Hie encroachment of the river. On occasions fiis family, in common with others settled in the district, took to the bush on account of rumours that I lie bloodthirsty Rangilineata was coming down upon them. The settlers received litlle consolation from the presence in the district in large numbers of “friendly’’ natives. For instance, at the pa of the Ileretaunga chief, "Taringa Knri” or ‘‘Dog's Ear.” who was so called on account of his sharpness of hearing, lhe “friendlies” could be seen making bullets for lhe rebel Maoris. "How they obtained the lead and powder is a question,” states Mr. Wyeth. “There was a penalty of seven years’ imprisonment for selling ammunition to natives —and I know one man in Wellington who served such n sentence. Still, the Maoris managed to make ball ami obtain powder. Numbers of them would disappear north occasionally and (significantly) some of them would not come back.” Mililia was formed iu lhe Valley and all settlers from 16 to 45 years of age

were required to drill once a week for two hours. The drill was not irksome, but the hardship lay in having to travel any distance up to 25 miles to attend parades. In these days natives were present in Wellington and the Hutt districts in large numbers, the chief pas, so far as Mr. 'Wyeth's memory serves him, being To Aro, Pipitea. Ngiihaurnnga, Kuiwarra. Pi-tone. Waiwhetu. N’ai-N'ai, Taitai, Whirnki (Silvcrstream), lieretaunga and what is now known as Maori Bank. A N.Z. Champion Athlete. | In his younger days Mr. Wyeth was a line athlete, and held the New Zealand championship over two miles from 1866 Io 1871. Ilis athletic career was unfortunately cut short by a bush-felling accident in which his leg was broken. He held tlie Dominion title at lhe time. Compelition at these early meetings was keen, Al Dm IS(‘>6 meeting at Wellington, for instance. Mr. AVyeth states that runners came from as far as Tasmania. He and his brother Charles, who was also a fine athlete, used to train on what was known as Clapham’s paddock, on Thorndon Flat, opposite lhe old Princess Hotel. To-day. he still takes it keen interest and. as an official of the Masterton club, an active interest in amateur athletics, and he and Mrs. Wyeth were both interested spectators at Die Anniversary Day meeting nt Masterton this week.