DEATH OF AN EARLY SETTLER

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 8

DEATH OF AN EARLY SETTLER

There died on Saturday, another of those who saw something of the development of .New Zealand from the wild, Mr George Weavers., Born in Essex in the year 1844, ho left England in May 1858, on board th© s.s. Lord Wellesley, and arrived at Port Chalmers after a. voyage of one hundred and f twenty-four days. From Dunedin, with two brothers and three friends, he walked to Invorcargill, enduring tho usual hardships of those days of travel ; over unformed roads and unbridged rivers. Shortly afterwards, he was engaged by Mr. William Cameron, at Riverton, and was sent to his station at Waikola; near Otatu. While there he acted aa guide to Mr. Donald Hayes to Lake Wakatipu, and they were the second group of white people to visit that locality, the first party boing a Mr. Bates and Mr. 'Snunders. Mr. Weavers claimed that he, Mr. Ciimeron, and Mr. Hayes were the first white people to be afloat on Lake Wakatipu, on which they mado a journey of about five miles, landing about where Kingston is situated, to camp for the night. Tho next day he travelled to the Boy River at tho foot of the ■ Devil's Staircase,., Twhere they camped for four days. Tho country was too rough, to proceed further with horses and packs, and Messrs. Hayes and Camoron proceeded with provisions and blarkots on their backs to the Kaiwarawara River, but had to return. Thence they went to Glencoe Station. In 1860, his employer disposed of the Waikola Station, and they removed to Mount Beaumont Station, whioh ■ was reached after trying experiences in driving the cattle through, bad country and swollen riyers. Mr. Weavers lived for ' some years in these surroundings. Eventually he arrived in the Wellington district^ some-' thirty-four yeaj>s ago, and was a resident of this city for a considerable period. Mr. Weavers, who was a membor of the Early Settles' Association, had. an interesting fund of reminiscences, and was always ready to exchange experiences with pioneers of other districts. He vias held in the highest esteem by all, who knew him, and was a member of the St. Andrew's Masonio Lodge for the past twenty : six years. He is survived by a widow, one son (Mr. R. Weavors, of Wellington), and six daughters, Mesdames Winter (of Okehu), Goodman (Nai- Nai), and Dempster, Vass, Creightcn,' and Radford (of Wellington), together with sixteen grandchildren, and on© great-grandchild.