AN OLD-TIME HOTEL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4405, 16 October 1934, Page 4

AN OLD-TIME HOTEL.

STEWART ISLAND HOUSE

Incidents connected with an hotel that existel at Half-moon Bay, Stewart Island, about half a century ago, are narrated by, the local correspondent of the Southland Daily News. The hotel, which had an accommodation license, had a short but interesting career. The liquor sold at the hotel appearccl to be mainly Danville’s Irish whisky. It was in a small bottle, the peculiarity being the deep concave at its base, seemingly extending half-way up the bottle. The favourite beer was from the Black Eagle Brewery, Invercargill, and it is interesting to note that there is still one bottle at the old homestead, kept as a relic of bygone times. The licensee, Mr Lonneker, believed in steps for a path up the steep hill from the beach, and he used to employ sailors to carry the hogsheads up the numerous steps —no easy task. Incidentally, the steps were built in by “Bob” Tooley, a young man at that time who subsequently was a wellknown sailor in Invercargill. The hotel was built by Cullen and Clark, prospectors in Southland who subsequently died at Preservation Inlet. The story is that tho builders were extremely partial to liquor and when in due course Mr. Lonneker asked for their bill tliov countered by asking £or their liquor account first. This he refused until the building account was rendered and for some months the deadlock continued. Many of the bottles, in which presumably wine and other spirits were contained were of white stone, numbers of which are still lying about the old place. When a whaler arrived there was little drinking by the crew unless she was a full ship on the way home. Otherwise the crew would not be® allowed ashore, owing to the frequent desertions at any opportune occasion. Crews of whaling and sealing vessels received meagre pay and were mostly “shanghaied” men, that is, men forcibly abducted and usually not even seafaring men, being trained on board ship. Frequently they were even taught to row, in the boats on board ship, going through the motions of rowing at the dictation of their tutors. When they were allowed ashore they had little money to spend and tobacco seems to have been the form of currency in those times. Occasionally men would swim ashore from ships fully clad, trusting to being put aboard by island residents before daybreak. One of the vessels visiting the harbour was the Sapphire, in command of Captain Gafftn,' who, strangely enough, died at the wheel while tacking up the bay. Ilis vessel appeared to be likely to miss stays while near the rocks and the excitement gave him a stroke. He was a. very old man of tremendous build; and, it is said that the owners of the ship were not very keen on his last voyage owing to his age and health, but as the mate, Mr. Anderson, was a particularly capable man, he was given another voyage. Mr Anderson died a few .months ago at Longbush, Southland.

The task, of making the big coffin "for the remains of Captain Gaffiu was in the hands of the late Mr. Tlios. Leasb. While waiting impatiently for the crew to call for the completed! coffin, his eldest son launched the shell and started to paddle off to the ship—surely a most novel craft and evidence of good workmanship on Mr Leask’s part. However, the crew from the Sapphire arrived before he had gone far and took delivery. Captain Gaffin was buried at The Neck, next to Captain Shurburd, a well-known pioneer whaling master.