“I REMEMBER—"

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1928, Page 5

“I REMEMBER— "

Ex-Pupils’ Reminiscences

- TTR JOHN TAYLOR, a well-knowi 3 ex-pupil of the school, con 3 tributes some interesting remini } scences of his boyhood days. Mi 1 Taylor is now a resident of Auckland " and is the guest of his brother, Mi Joseph Taylor (also a well-known ex r pupil), having visited the township foi ' the Jubilee. Mr John Taylor was foi ’ many years attached to the Railway 5 Department at Greymouth, in the time ‘ of the late Mr Thomas Ronayne. Mr ' Taylor married a daughter of the late 5 Mr Thomas North, who conducted a ' business in Boundary Street, Greymouth, and resided on the site in i Guinness Street, now occupied by the surgery of Dr J. W. Mcßrearty. ' “My schooldays in New Zealand,” ' says Mr Taylor, “began at the State School, Cobden, which, with the ’ teacher’s residence, was situated on the .section now vacant, adjoining Mrs 1 Trott’s drapery establishment at the corner of Bright and Palmerston Streets. In the early days of Provincialism the Grey River was the boundary between the Nelson and Westland Provinces, each district having its own representative and controlling office, and officers, consequently’’ all schools situated on the North or Cobden side of the Grey River were under the control of the Nelson Education Board. ■s.“ The first State School erected in this district was the Cobden School, dating approximately from the year 1867-68, or about eight or nine years prior to the opening of the first school in. Greymouth. The latter school celebrated its jubilee, 1876-1926, just two years ago. There were various private schools conducted in Greymouth prior to the opening of the Grey State School in 1876, some of which were the schools of Mr Jolly, Mr Ahern, Mr T. Thomas, Miss Jennings, Miss Fricker, Miss Hunter, and others. “Mr Robert Ray was the first master appointed to the Cobden School, and under his capable control, although having to teach the whole of the scholars single-handed (no assistants in those days), he did very good work and turned out many pupils who were a credit to the school, notably Mr Joseph Firth, the well-known and popular Headmaster of Wellington Boys’ College, now retired, who received his early’ education under Mr Ray’s direction, and was successful in obtaining a Nelson Education Board’s scholarship, tenable tor three years at Nelson College. While (here he gained a further scholarship tenable for two years at Nelson College, eventually becoming an assistant master in that institution, thus leadings on to his still later success in the scholastic line. The name of our School Inspector was Mr W. C. Hodgson, who visited the school periodically. He was a very nice gentleman, and I well remember how we used to look forward to his visit with pleasure, as it meant an extra three days’ holiday on the conclusion of his inspection. During my school day’s at Cobden, we had many’ happy’ times, and the usual boys’ and girls’ experiences, what with the various games and sports and occasional boys’ scraps, and little differences which were always settled satisfactorily, we remained the best of friends. My last year spent at the Cobden School was 1871. The following year it was arranged for me to serve a term at Nelson College. About two years later (1868) Mr Ray, when the Education Board’s districts were altered to the present, boundarresigned charge of Cobden School and was appointed to the Karamea State School, as he would not leave his old Board for the Canterbury Education Board. He was succeeded by’ Mr Bruford. To show the popularity of the Cobden School in those early days, a limited number of pupils attended this school from districts as far off as the Big Grey. Totara Flat, Twelve Mile, (now

Kamaka), Nelson and Greymouth. “There are not many of the old brigade now left in this district. 1 might mention the names of any 1 can remember, and their present ad dresses: —Mr John Grams, now of Greymouth; Mrs W. Walton, now of Greymouth; Mrs J. Scarlett, now of Reefton (sister of the late Mrs M. Hannan, who was a pupil also); Mr G. Stone, now of Wellington; Mr H. Slone, now of Wellington; Miss Stone, Cobden; Mr W. Boase, now of Tauranga; Mrs Dart, now of Nelson; Mrs J. Steer, now of Christchurch; Poster, now of Dunedin; Mrs .1. Foster, now of Karamea; Mr George Millar, now of Runanga; Mrs Sharp, of Cobden, Mrs Hawkins, now of Collingwood, sisters: Mr W. Rose; Mr Charles Rose, Auckland; Mr Joseph Rose, now of West port; Mrs Hornshy, of Cobden; Mrs McLeod, Cobden;'Mr John Dinan, Northern Wairoa; Mrs Ross (sister of Joseph Firth/ Esq.); Mrs McNabb, of Greymouth (is a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Rae, Karamea); Mr Win. R.;e, (son of the hove); and. last, but not least, Mr J. Firth, now of Wellington.” In connection with the old-time ferry before the bridge was built, several of the ferry boats had fantastic names, some being the ‘' Vision, “The Pride of Cobden," ‘‘The Pride of Grey," the "Psyche" (nicknamed the "Fishy"), and many of the ferrymen were wellknown characters. Malcolm Miller was the originator and builder of the first punt, which crossed the river from near the 'present signal station, landing by the present bathing sheds. Other well-known ferrymen were the three Jacksons, It. Collins, G. Davison, John Giblin. Harry Bowie, and J a rues Thompson. from the coal liiml ; of the district. At another, that the administrator would make it a harbour coaling station. Another proposal by Hie Government of the day was to make it by prison labour, but the latter proposal did not. receive Hie approval of Greymouth or its Member, am! so it got no further. Had this latter proposal been accepted, and- once got. the schema started, we might have had a deep-sea harbour at our door years ago, and th.o prisoner/ away making:. harbour somewhere elsm l< would certainly have saved the Harbour Board having to adopt tlm Stewart plan to deepen the Grey b;.r.

u A/FR. GEORGE MILLAR, another welli- known ex-pupil, is now Engineer i- at the State Mines, Runanga. “I arr rived at Cobden by the S.S. Unic in ( 1864,” he says. “I believe it was the r skipper’s intention to land at Grey- ■. mouth, or Blaketown, which was really r the principal part of Greymouth in i- those days; but, after beating along r the coast for some days, awaiting a 3 favourable opportunity to negotiate r the entrance, the skipper, in desper--3 ation, made the attempt, and lauded o» j the North Beach, where for two days . the only covering the passengers had r was the upturned life-boat and a tar--3 paulin. The skipper was compelled to take the risk, as the ship had run , out of coal, and for the last day the , fires had been kept going by burning ' cabin fittings, hams and bacon intend- ' ed for the diggers, and anything com- , bustible aboard. At that period the ’ Grey River had a more northerly ' course than it has to-day, runningclose to where the Cobden cemetery ’is situated. A ferry service was the only means of crossing to Greymouth. ; The landing place at the Cobden side ' was known as the North Spit, and a constant stream of diggers were either travelling from the northern diggings to the southern field, or vice ! versa. The ferry service was in the capable hands of H. Boyle, D. Collins, J. Giblin, and other notable characters of their day, not forgetting Ginger Billy, who was always willing to brave any danger, but had a decided aversion to giving any digger a joy-ride, and invariably made careful soundings of

the pockets of any digger before casting off. Cobden and Blaketown were little more than canvas towns at that time, and* the Maori Pah was situated where the Grey Quarry is to-day. “[ started at the Cobden School in 1868, an unpretentious structure of one room, under the guidance of Mr. Ray, a very severe but capable teacher. One remarkable feature of the scholars who attended Cobden School in those days was the stature attained by them in manhood. The writer is well over six feet in height, but would be a mere pigmy compared with members of the Firth family, the Fosters, the Jacksons and other scholars of the Cobden school at that period. It is very pleasing to know that practically all of them made good in the respective professions chosen after leaving school. •Mr. Firth became headmaster of Nelson College and later took charge of Wellington’s principal College; a. man of soldierly bearing, and about 6ft. Sin. in height. The Fosters became successful engineers. The Jacksons followed the trades of blacksmiths and carpenters. It speaks volumes for their abilities, when at the present time, notwithstanding his age, one is foreman blacksmith for Westport Harbour Board. Jackson and Foster were very fine scullers, and won many notable races >at the regattas of those days. Jackson became champion sculler of the West Coast. Many of Greymouth’s best and most successful citizens were pupils of Cobden school at that time, including Mrs. R. Kettle, Mrs. J. Steer, Mrs. Scarlett (Reefton), late Mrs. M. Hannan, Mr. W. Hornby and Mr. W. Rose, Mr. J. Evans and others. The school sports Were confined to marbles and cricket, the playing area being somewhat limited. Our master usually joined in any game of cricket. He had a great liking for bowling, and really expected a, wicket with every ball, and did not appreciate boundaries being knocked off his bowling. In those days it wars the custom to settle all disputes amongst scholars in the good old-fashioned way, a system that had the hearty approval of the master, Mr. Ray, a strict but most efficient teacher.”