Some of the Pioneers Mr. G. Anderson, Centenarian.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1934, Page 16

Some of the Pioneers Mr. G. Anderson, Centenarian.

Among the earliest arrivals at Hokitika were Mr. William Smith and his sister, Mrs Fisher, who still reside in Hokitika. They came from Melbourne in the first passenger boat to come to Hokitika, arriving in 1864. The vessel lay in the roadstead for five days before the passengers were able to be brought ashore. So wild did the country appear that about one hundred of the passengers decided to return to Melbourne. On landing, Mr. Smith’s family erected a fern hut with calico roof and slab chimney. Their first residence was at the bottom of Revell Street, and nearby were an hotel, a pie house and a bond store. In a sudden flood several homes were washed out to sea, and the Smiths moved to Beach Street. Another flood occurred and the family then decided to go into the bush, and a place was erected there, the site being the present corner of Sale Street, where Mr. Smith still resides. Both he and his sister are now over eighty years of age. Another old identity is Mr. Walter M’Connon, of Hokitika, who is now in his ninety-second year. He arrived in Hokitika in 1865 by the sailing ship Oak, which was -wrecked on the beach at the back of Revell Street on the following trip. Mr. M’Connon was one of tUe carpenters who erected the present Presbyterian Church in Stafford Street. He was in business as a fur-niture-maker for several years, and later took up farming. Mr. McConnon was formerly an active and enthusiastic member of. the Westland Racing Club, and at one time was an owner. He is a well-known figure, and despite his advanced years, displays marked agility. Mrs Catherine Beaufill, who was born in England in 1837, came to Hokitika from Christchurch in 1866. She was married the following year by the Rev. Cannel, the first Wesleyan Minister. She resided in Hokitika for a time but later removed to Ross, Beaufill’s corner and Beaufill’s Creek in that district being named after her husband. She still remembers clearly the activities of the early mining days, and recalls the nuggets her husband used to bring home. Three of her family survive, while she has seven grandchildren and twenty greatgrandchildren all living in Hokitika. There are still a few well-known old identities in the Old Men’s Home, including Mr. Charles Hiley, who arrived as a lad in 1866 by the steamer Gothenburg from Melbourne; Mr. Harry Hawkins, who arrived by the sailing-boat Kura, also in 1866; and Edward Rochford, aged 75, who arrived in the ’sixties by the Alhambra. Another arrival in 1865 was Mr. William Hiskins, providore for the police camp, whose house was the first private dwelling with a brick chimney. Two sons were educated at All Saints’ Day School, at which the dux was Helen Connon, afterwards the principal of the Christchurch Girls’ High School, and later the wife of Professor Macmillan Brown.

I Mrs Duncroft, of Christchurch, was [the first child to be brought to Hoki'tika, arriving in 1865, when only a [few weeks old. Her father was Mr. R. Fane, who had the Havelock and, later, the* Dunedin Hotel. I Mrs Codyre, of Christchurch, lived I with her parents in Ross after leaving Hokitika, where they arrived in 1865. Other early arrivals included Mrs William Ross, of Hokitika (1865); Mr. William Wright, of Pukekura, and his sister, Mrs Urquhart, of Hokitika (1866); Mrs L. Devereaux, of Christchurch, a daughter of Mr. Haworth, an early sawmiller; Mr. John Keller, of Hokitika (1867); Mrs A. Lamacroft (1866); Mrs Lily Chapman, of Dunedin, formerly a Miss Allen (1866); Miss M’Kinnon, of Hokitika (1866); Mrs Bennett, of Hokitika (1865); Mrs Wylie, of Ross (1869); ahd Mrs Henderson (1866). Harry Swift, of Greymouth, possesses ribbons of Hokitika, Greymoutli

“Though varying wishes, hopes, and fears Fevered the progress of those bygone years, Yet now, days, weeks, months but seem The recollection of a dream.” IN his 104th year, Mr. George Anderson is the oldest of the * surviving pioneers. He landed in Greymouth in 1864, four months before Hokitika was established. He sailed with eighty others in a small craft from Melbourne, and the police in Greymouth thought they were some of the Ballarat rioters. On hearing of the police suspicions they became very friendly with the guardians of the law, got them the worse for liquor, and left them to sleep it off after placing them in hand-cuffs. Mr. Anderson is at present an inmate in the Old People’s Home in Hokitika.

and Kumara. Now in his ‘B4th year, he hopes to be present at the reunion. Mr Charles Downie, of Murchison, now in his 92nd year, with his son, Mr J. Downie, Chairman of the Murchison County Council* will be among the visitors io the Jubilee celebrations. Mr. Downie, senr., went to Hokitika in March, 1865, arriving from Melbourne. He worked at Blue Spur, Ross and Stafford. His son was born at the latter township. / Mr. James Thomson, now of Oxford, Canterbury, and formerly of Okarito, who has donated a silver-mounted whip to the Westland Racing Club for presentation to the rider of the winner of the Westland Cup at the Christmas meeting, is a son of the late Captain Thomson, who was harbourmaster at Okarito. Mr. Thomson is one of those living who remembers the race meeting nt Clapcott’s paddock on the south side of the river, and he hopes to be present at the forthcoming race meeting.

Mrs. S. R. Honey, at present of Hokitika, but who resided for many years at. Callaghan’s, is one of the early inhabitants, having reached Hokitika when very young with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Havill, in 18G4. At the outset the family lived in a small cottage on the beach in North Revell Street, for which the rent was £1 per week. The family had come from Auckland and found the experience on the West Coast in sharp contrast. Her father was for a time in business at Okarito, when the rush broke out, hut later returned to Hokitika, and set up business on Gibson’s Quay, then very busy with, shipping.

Among the pioneer band arc Mrs. Phelan, of Ruatapu, 90 years of age; Mrs. Dempsey, Ruatapu: Mrs. M. Henderson, of Hokitika; Mrs. Atkinson, of Hornby, daughter of an official, Robert Ferguson, in 1869. Mr. J. A. Cuttance, who for a number of years, was settled at Okuru, now resides at Hokitika, where he first arrived per s.s. Alhambra, in .December, 1865. His father came over in the beginning of the same year, travelling overland from Lyttelton by a mountain pass. The party had a rough and difficult trip, and was succoured by Maoris when their food was about exhausted. The natives also ferried them over the Teremakau River. The family rejoined at Kanieri, and soon after arrival Mr Cuttance lost his mother after a brief illness. When news of the Ballarat rush came through, Mr. Cuttance, with his father, returned to Australia by the s.s. Gothenburg, in 1868, but the following year his father returned to Hokitika by the s.s. Albion. Mr. Cuttance and his brother were living in Ballarat when the news came of the surrender of the French to the Prussians at Metz in 1870.

Early in the following year the two brothers returned to the Coast by the s.s. Rangitoto, the big steamer being tendered off Greymouth by the tug “Dispatch.” They joined their father at Little Paddock, where gold mining was in full swing. Haworth’s sawmill on the Quay was in full swing, the logs being brought from the bush behind Hokitika by horse tram. Smith and Head had a punt at Kanieri for traffic. This township then had four hotels and several places of business. From Little Paddock, the Cuttance family moved to Kanieri, and later shifted south to Jackson Bay, finally settling at Okuru, -where many years were passed, before returning to Hokitika. Mr. Cuttance ranks as one of the old pioneers, and many years -were passed in South Westland, where, along with his family, he rendered much community service. Another lady interested in the Jubilee festival, is Mrs A. J. Gibbs, nee Coles. When a child Mrs Gibbs arrived with her parents in 1865, residing at Revell Street north, adjoining Barting’s Montezuma Hotel.