OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1934, Page 11

OBITUARY

MR. ALFRED SPACKMAN

The -death" occurred yesterday morning, at^the ago of 84 years, of .Mr. Alfred Spackman, one of Otaki/s- oldest identities. He was vborn at Stokes Valley, and resided there,for some years, when he went to Bulls, and later to Otaki, where he lived for over fifty years. Ho was a hard worker and was widely respected. He leaves a son, Mr. George Spackman, and a daughter, Sirs. Mount, of Mt. Bruce, Masterton., There are nine grandchildren and three greatgrandcbildron.' J "I can remember "Wellington when it ihad only one street, and that was where Manners Street and Courtienay Place, now arc. The buildings .were all on one !"sido and there was water on the other." This was one of the many interesting reminiscences toMbyMr. Alfred. Spackjman, of Mill Boad, Otaki, when interviewed recently. .

His father, Mr. George , Spaekman, came to Now Zealand from England in tho early forties, and was. engaged in the timber business at Silverstieam for many years. Mr. Spaekman, with five brothers, worked at carting the timber from his father's mill into Wellington. Mr. Spackman spoke of the days when they used to float the logs in the water on the site of tho present Lambton station. Tha timber for the first two tees of the Queen's Wharf was supplied by Mr. Spackman,: as also were the poles for the telegraph line from Lyall Bay to Castlepoint. Timber for the railway from Pipitea Point to Petone was also carted by Mr. Spackman, about 12,500 sleepers being obtained from Otaki. ' ,

Speaking of the roads in the early days,'"Mr. Spackman said: "I have known the time when wo could not get from Ngahauraaiga to Potoue. The sea used to come right up to the cliff and sweep over the road in rough weather. I have- soon as many as twenty-seven wagons held up at Petono for three days. That was in the days when there was only one house, belonging to a Maori chief, at Petone, and tho site of tha Petono railway station was a swamp. "

Before ho was 16 Mr. Spaceman was driving a fivo-horsc team* Ho has vivid memories of carting tho largest spar ever taken through tho Hutt gorges. It was a 00-£aot mainmast for a sailing ship, and had been cut at what was known as the "Maori Bank." It was heart Of red pine,' which had been trimmed-'-for' cartage by two- ship's carpenters. Before ho came to New Zealand Mr. Spackman ?s father, bought his land from the New Zealand Company in London, being allotted 25 acres on, the present site of the Basin Keserve, which was then a swamp. He sold it at the price which, he paid for it, and later an earthquake lifted it and it was drained by a, Chinese It was then that Mr. SpaojUman, sen., moved out to Silverstream.

Tho reclamation of tho land on which tho Post Office now stands was well remembered by Mr. Spademan, also tho timo when Adelaide Hoad was a .swamp. '.'I cftn remember when there- was no money in Wellington and you were given' scrip to go to the merchants for goods until a ship arrived with money from England," ho said, ,