THE EARLY DAYS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 6, 5 December 1932, Page 4

THE EARLY DAYS

PIONEER’S RECOLLECTIONS. “Hard work doesn’t kill anybody, but one lias to look after one's health.’” In those words Air George Hiteliman, jof Ferguso’n .Street, Palmerston North, and one of the pioneers of Feilding, .who celebrated his 93rd birthday last week, explained his long life. In the course of a talk with a representative of the “Standard,” he recounted some of his experiences in the early days |when Feilding was little more than a (village and the principal occupation of the residents was bush-felling. » Air Hiteliman, despite his great age, is still in the best of health and takes an active interest in the affairs of the world. Every morning he has a fairly long walk and until last vear lie worked regularly in his garden in which he took considerable pride. He still manages his farm on the Kimbolton Hoad, near Feilding, although the actual work is now carried on by his soil.

Air Hiteliman was horn in England and as a lad lie worked on a farm for 3s per week, and hard work it was too. Then he joined one of the railways and as “boss” of a relaying gang he earned 5s per day. As a married man with a wife and seven children, he could not see any prospects of improving his position in the Old Country and so in 1874 lie decided to come to New Zealand under the Feilding co-operation scheme. Mr Hiteliman and family made the journey in the sailing vessel Salisbury, landing at Wellington. Tliev travelled to Foxton in the old ship Maiinwatu, and came on to Palmerston North by the wooden tram. One of his earv recollections is of the Maoris meeting I lie party at the Oroua Bridge with a plentiful supply of peaches. When they arrived at Palmerston North Messrs Bartholomew and Alanson were trucking timber from Terrace End. The party reached Palmerston North on a Saturday and on the following Monday ]3 of - them walked to Feilding along Rangitikei Line. From Awahuri to Feilding there was nothing but a bullock track. On arrival at the site of the township the first job was to build some places in which to reside and these consisted of whares made of totara bark. The dwelling erected bv Air Hiteliman was on the present site of the Courthouse.

PLENTY OF HARD WORK. The next thing was to start work and this consisted of bush-felling, working in a gravel pit and the formation of roads. There was plenty ■'( hard work and the wages in the gravel pit were 8s per day. They were Mir prised that the hours of work wore only from eight o’clock to five o’clock. Til the Old Country they had worked from six to six and the pay was considerably less. After lie had been in Feilding two years the railway started, running once a day from FoxI ton to Halcombe and hack and from Wanganui to Halcombe and back. Feilding was a wet place in the winter, said Air Hiteliman, and it was necessary to use a flat-bottomed boat to get about the lower end of Alanchester Street. There were many Alnoris there in those days and he found them to he very fine people when treated properly. Artificial light was obtained hv means of candles in those days, ho added. The mosquitoes were very troublesome and Air Hiteliman recalled a dance at which the musician played j a violin and smoked continually to ! keep them away. Tn the morning there were so many dead mosquitoes that they could he taken up in a shovel! In 1878 Air Hiteliman took up land three miles from Feilding on the Kimbolton Road and still owns it, although his son now resides there. It is known as “Hitelunnn’s Corner.” SETTLERS’ AAIUSEAIENTS. “They were bettor days then,” said t Air Hiteliman; “everybody was so-, viable.” The principal amusement of the early settlers was dancing, but it ' was not long before Feilding started I an athletic sports meeting which was known for many years as the principal , one in the North Island. But when i the horse races started the sports fell ] away. The first races were held along the low hills on Air Lethbridge’s property; there was no stand, no totalisator —just bookmakers and not too

many of them. There were no “racehorses,” just butchers’ horses or any other animals that could ho obtained. About 27 years ago Air and Airs Hiteliman went for a trip to the Old Country; Ho found that since lie left London had grown considerably, lint that farming was conducted on much the same lines as when he was a hoy.

Airs Hi tell mail died 10 years ago tit the age of 93 and Air Hiteliman then came to reside in Palmerston North. For liis ago he enjoys wonderful health and does not look any older than most men of 70. His eldest son is 71 years of age and he has 17 grandchildren. Air George Hitchman’s family consists of Messrs AY. Hitchman (Te Relmnga), C. Hiteliman (Dannevirke). G. Hiteliman (Feilding), Airs Adsett (Dannevirke), Airs Bowler (Feilding) and A 1 rs Lissington (Featherston). There are over 100 descendants. “I have seen had times in New Zealand before,” said Air Hiteliman. “I have sold wool for 3d a pound, and in the early days lambs realised from 2s to 3s 6d each. Butter, also, was at one time sold at 4d per pound,” he added in expressing the opinion that the depression would pass away as other depressions have done.