FEUDING AND DISTRICT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 138, 13 May 1937, Page 5

FEUDING AND DISTRICT

EARLY FEEDING. INTERESTING "RECOLLECTIONS. ; ' MR G. BARTHOLOMEW LOOKS BACK. I Although over 80 years of age, time ' has not dimmed, the eyeslight or dulled the alertness of mind of Mr George Bartholomew, of Kiinbolton Road, *Feilding, who cau still read without the use of spectacles, and with remarkable ease. In an interview with the “Standard,” Mr Bartholomew re- ; lated part of his interesting life’s history, and reiuiniiuscenccs of early ■, Tedding. | Born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1557, Mr Bartholomew was educated in Glasgow at the Free Church school, and i later in Maryborough, Queensland. In 18(3(i he went with his parents to : Maryborough, a town on the coast j north of Brisbane. Tlio voyage 00. , cupied three months and it proved a , rough trip. Recounting the experiI ence, Mr Bartholomew said that in the , Bay of Biscay particularly rough wea- , tlier was encountered, and some spurn masts and spars which had been lashed to the side of the ship broke loose and were swept away by the mountainous seas. The passengers were kept I below deck, and the crait rolled omin- ; ously at the height of the storm. The ! anxiety of the passengers was relieved ! next morning, however, when they : heard the sailors singing their chan--5 ties—a sign that the worst had pass- | eel. On the voyage (he education of tlie younger folk was not neglected, and .a day school was established which Mr Bartholomew attended. Mr Bar- , tliolomew. recalled a visit by a school «>f whales. The ship, called .the Alaryborough, lay becalmed and these monsters of the deep moved slowly up and down at the sides of the vessel, some of them appearing to be almost as long as the ship itself. Upon arrival at Brisbane Air Bartholomew boarded the ship Lady Young for a two days’ voyage to Alaryborough, 150 miles or more distant, and where lie saw lor the first time the Australian blacks At that time* the aborigines were half savage; they were naked, and carried spears and nulla nullas. They were camped in virgin bush close to the small houso which was ‘/home” to Air Bartholomew. Frequently the blacks would call at the house and ask for flour, tea, tobacco and bulong (meat). The males were lazy and left all the rough and heavy work to the “gins” (as the black women were termed). They lived in shelters consisting of three sheets of bark. As stated, Air Bartholomew furthered ' liis education in Maryborough for four or five years, when lie became restless, and went to work with bullock teams in the bush, transporting timber to a timber camp. Air Bartholomew’s father was engaged in the sawmilling industry, the firm being known as the Wilson, Bartholomew Co., and the mill was situated on the Alaryborough River. At the age of "To, Air Bartholomew -started work in his uncle’s sawmill, and the branch lie was first to learn was the planing. He worked 10 hours a day for a weekly wage of 7s ; “No 40-hour week in those days,” he said. “Still, we found time to play cricket and other games.” The .close proximity and the natural attraction of the river were responsible for the skill acquired by Air Bartholomew in handling boats, niid, with his brothers, a rowing crew was formed , and races were held annually.' For three years from 1877 the Bartholomew' crew was unbeaten.

TO NEW ZEALAND. At the end of 1879, the Bartholomew family came to Now Zealand in the steamship Wakatipu, with Captain Wheeler. Again a rough trip was experienced, a storm being encountered after they lett Sydney. Tlie heavy seas which were running swept over the decks and entered the cabins. where the water was a foot deep. When the storm had passed and land was in sight the captain got the passengers together on deck and led the singing of old favourite hymns, such as “Abide AVtih Ale” and “For Those in Peril on tlie Sea.” Later tho passengers indulged in dancing on tlie poop-deck, to the music of concertinas. At the end of the voyage fhe captain was presented with a purse of sovereigns, in gratitude for his seamanship in handling his ship during the storm, which smashed the lifeboats and ventilators and did other serious damage. The AVakatipu was berthed at the AAUTlington wharf (the only one existing at tlie capital at the time). .The first brick building in AArellington was in tlie course of erection when the Bartholomews arrived. • After staying two days in AVellingfon .at Alessrs Orr and Landers’s private hotel, later known as the City Bullet, tlie trip to Eoxton was made by the Bartholomew family iti the Jane Douglas. “It was drizzling with rain as we steamed up the river at Foxton,” continued Air Bartholomew “and the country looked desolate; the muddy banks of the river were different from the grass banks of the Australianrivers. The richest soil in Queens-, land,” tlie narrator reverted, “is that close fo the river banks, and most.-pf' the sugar cane in Australia was, at that time, grown on the banks of the river around Alaryborough; in fact, sugar cane growing constituted the main industry.” ARRIVAL IN FEILDING.

“We landed in Feilding by train about 7 o’clock one evening .in •June,' and were met at the station by Mr, Peter Bartholomew and taken to Poe’s Hotel (now the Denbigh), where we stayed until we shifted into a small four-roomed cottage on North Hoad,” continued Mr Bartholomew. “At that time there was not an empty house in Feilding, and the cottage we secured stood on the site where the Feilding Agricultural High -School now stands. Although surveyed, ihere were no cleared roads, and our furniture, which was transported hy Mr Sam Daw, got a rough handling. Tin wagon capsized several times amongst the stumps and logs/ and .-very cl air was broken, and things landed in a damaged condition. Provisions were obtained from Messrs Louden and Haybittle’s store, and their stocks were sadly depleted when the Bartholomew requirements were-satisfied,” the narrator humorously, added. “It js hardly necessary to mention that firewood was plentiful, but i- it was greatly appreciated, and the home fires were kept burning merrily. Good appetites were satisfied with muttoyrr- and butter, which were very cheap.i'Tlierp wore no dairy factories operating ; then. “When we arrived 'in JL'eildmß the Burrell family had just shifted on to their hush section, on Jh.inibol.tqn -Hoad. They had cleared a quarter of. an aero of dense -biifili and tage. Part 6f/their • cottagestands J to this day on the beautiful farm'pvh-cfi has been developed. CojnUisn-from Queensland, a hot country, where. ,we wore light boots Aft took me,Vqfn-te : .-a while to get used to walking over, soft muddy sections. Trips to. Palmerston North, Bulls, Sanson and 'Marton-were made on horseback, and every young

man’s ambition was to own a good horse, saddle and bridle. The ‘big man of Feilding was the manager of the Alanchester Corporation, and the elite were all connected with his staff. Practically everything—such as cricket, football, concerts, the Choral select dances, etc,—was conducted by the Corporation, which required to be satisfied of the standing of anv one before he was allowed to take part.” Air Bartholomew commenced work with the firm of P. and J. Bartholomew in the sawmill, which was situ-"’ ated just in from the Kiwitea bridge. A wooden tramline fan from the mill down the Kiinbolton Road right into the railway yard. Kiinbolton Road was then in its rough state; there were no footpaths, and Bartholomew’s tramline was the best place on which to walk. “If, however, you slipped off the rails, you were up to your knees in mud, as the tramline was not ballasted. Messrs Bob, Francis and Jim Norton were popular men, as they were the horse drivers on the tram, and many a lift the residents had on this two and ahalf miles of tramline, in and out of Feilding. “Folding contained some of the finest mixed bush in New Zealand. T'otara, matai, rimu and pine were the principal timbers. The timber was easily accessible, over level country. Sawmillers did not- .have to pay a high royalty to the settlers lor their standing bush, as in most cases they were glad to get the land cleared; at the same time they bought timber for their houses at a very low rate. There were four sawmills operating in Feilding .in 1879. All the good milling timber lay ■bn the eastern side of the Government’s railway line through the township. No doubt the surveyors and engineers who laid the line avoided the heavy hush as far as possible.” The social life was different from that of a larger town ; residents had to make their own amusements. Mr Bartholomew recalled a dance wh.cn was held in Bartholomew’s feed shed, in celebration of a wedding. To get to the shed it was necessary to walk on the tra.mline through dense bush before getting on to Kiinbolton Road, with only a candle stuck in a bottle to light the way. The dance continued all night. The first Sunday Air Bartholomew spent in Feilding he accompanied his father in his grey be” topper” to cliurcli. There was no 1 resbyterian Church in Feilding then, and they went to the Primitive Alethodist house of worship, which was the largest church in the town and was situated beside te Makino Stream, near the Alanchester Street bridge. The minister was Rev. Peter Jones, and the onlv other resident minister was Rev. -IJones (Anglican). The Anglicans worshipped in the immigration barracks. EARLY CHURCH WORKERS. Touching on the Presbyterian Church work, in which he has always been deeply interested, Mr BartholoT mew said there/was an excellent Sunday school and' choir in existence at one period when he was choir leader; Mr J. Stevens (postmaster) was secretary, and Air AVebster, manager of the Bank of Australasia, was superintendent of the Sunday school. Another .worker was Air Andrew Thompson, who to-day is an honoured servant in the church as financial adviser, and in charge of the Century I und. Mr Bartholomew’s father had a block of 400 acres of bush on the Oroua River flat, Kiwitea, which he purchased from another sawmiller, Mr C. Bull, of Aorangi and Bulls. The totara on this block turned out to be of the very best quality; previously sawmillers had turned it domi because of the steep grade (one in 15) There were two to three miles of uphill pull to get out to Kiinbolton Road at Kiwitea, where the Timber yard was erected, and the sawn timber carted by a tramline ballasted well with metal. In those days the millers were getting 10s per hundred feet for the best grade heart totara free on rail. There was not much of a market lor white pine then (in 1893), unlike to-day, for it is now used extensively for butter boxes. Several shipments of pine to Australia turned out to be failures. A NARROAV ESCAPE.

Mr Bartholomew recalled an incident in which he almost lost his life. He was crossing the Kangitikei River at the Vinegar Hill bridge site. He had crossed irom the north side about midday, and when he commenced to make the return crossing it was getting dark, and he did not notice that in the meantime the river had risen two or three feet. When his horse stepped into the river it was immediately washed off its feet,-and both the rider and the horse were swept-down-stream. Fortunately, however, they were washed against a bank, and, except tor the horse getting into a puioh of quicksand and having to be assisted out, the incident --passed without serious conseeuences. KOWHAI PARK. In December,s3o3, the committee of the Industrial. Association, Mr Bartholomew proceeded, decided to buy 9f-acres-(tiie area now known as Kowhai Park), and-Mr Bartholomew was one of the- guarantors for the purchase -of the block?-' His object in' purchasing the land was to provide a cricket ground for Feilding. A club was formed and Mr Bartholomew was elected president and club captain. The club was known as the Feilding Cricket Club. Later, there was a split ill the club, a section of the players wanting to shift the racecourse as the result of an offer by the committee of the Racing Club to lay out a pitch for them and to keep it in order free of charge. Mr Bartholomew opposed the suggestion, pointing out that already £2OO had been spent on the park. Mr F. G. Lethbridge dijl more than anyone else to make Kowhai Park fit for cricket. He had his men and horse teams, with drays and scoops cutting down the south-east side and filling in the western swamp side. He worked there for some weeks free of cost to the club, and toiled personally to make a good pitch in the centre. The employees of Messrs Bartholomew Bros, erected a shed on the ground, with timber given by the firm. Prior to the club using Kowhai Park, ci'ieket was played in Mr Lethbridge’s paddock, opposite ■ West. Street, and n'ben, visiting .teams were present special tea was laid out in the garden in front of Mr Lethbridge’s home on the slope of the hill, free of charge to the club, the only condition being that no intoxicating liquor was allowed on . the ground. On being put to a meeting of - the-club,-the question of continuing to play on Kowhai. Park or to gq ’tq : the racecourse was finally settled/.;the majority (favouring -the racecourse. They -were of- the opinion that they could never make a cricket ground of the park —it was too swampy. Those players against the proposal formed I another-club,'called t>3 Park Club, and Mr Bartholomew was made president. ! Kowhai Park is still the rendezvous of I cricketers. The Park Club continued 'to grow in strength from year to year and became very popular. The mem-

bers went on improving' the ground, and got the Borough Council to dump what spare soil it had on tlie ground, commencing at tlie entrance gate, where the level was low. “People who see the park to-day, as well as the young cricketers, have little idea of its state in 1903-1. They owe a debt of gratitude to the old Park Club, for the fine ground they have at Kowhai Park,” said Mr Bartholomew. The old Feilding Club only lasted a few seasons on the rale ouri-e, when the Jockey Club refused to find a pitch free of charge. The Groat Vav affected the Park Club an! took heavy toll of its players. In 1904 the Feilding Choral Society was formed, tlie prime movers in its .foundation being the late Mr A. Richmond and Mr Bartholomew. The conductor was Mr Temple White, who at that time was a music teacher in Feilding. The first practice was held in the Presbyterian Sunday school hall, and it was decided to practise Handel’s “Alossiah.” Three months later it was successfully produced, the soloists being Aliss Rimmcr, of Auckland (soprano), Airs Basham, of New Plymouth (alto), Air Ryan, of Auckland (bass), and Mr Searle, of Wellington (tenor). END OF THE GREAT AVAR. AVheu the news' came through in November, 1918, that Germany had signed the conditions of an armistice there was great jubilation in Feilding, Air Bartholomew recalled about more recent times. All work stopped, there were processions and demonstrations, day and night, and any citizen tho crowd fancied, passing or go into the Post Office, was collared and lifted up into a carrier’s express and ordered to make a speech. “I was one of the victims, and said amongst other things that the British soldier had no superior. The retreat from Alons showed, that and Gallipoli showed that; and the best of all were as usual, my countrymen the kilties.” Tlie people had. been expecting the news of the signing of the armistice for some ten days, and the late Air AVaymouth (banker), Air N. •Gifford and Mr Bartholomew got together and decided to get a choir together to sing the “Hallelujah Chorus.” On Sunday afternoon, November 10, a practice had been held in the Parish Hall, Airs Gorden Elliot being the pianist and Air Bartholomew the Conductor. while the services of Air Richard Haybittie’s orchestra were also requisitioned. On November 12 the united choirs sang the chorus from a raised platform in the middle of Kimbolton Road. On AVednesday, November 13, still no work was done, and a united thanksgiving service was held in the park at 3 p.m:, followed by a procession and conceit, and fireworks in the park.

STORY OF A TRAP. Reverting to earlier times, Air Bartholomew said that in 1912 he nearly fell into a trap. “One, E. B. Bartholomew, wrote to me from Spain, claiming relationship and asking me to take charge of his motherless . daughter, stating that he would make me heir to all his estate in Spain. It looked very promising the way he put the proposiiton, but one thing put me on my guard. The writer asked that some English money be advanced to pay his daughter’s passage t< New Zealand.” Continuing, Air Bartholomew said that in his travels up' and down the line he had mentioned the letters to one or Iwo friends on tlie train, and later lie had rece'ved letters from Rev. P. B. Fraser, Hon. Mr AlcNab, Hon. Air Guthrie, and Mr Corkill (manager of the Bank of New Zealand) warning him of this letter' writer, who was trying to deceive many others beside him. The. scheme was exposed in Australia. EARLY BUSINESSES. The first sawmills in Feilding were those of Alessrs P. and J. Bartholomew, C. Bull and Bailey Bros., the narrator added. General storekeepers first to transact business in Feilding were Alessrs London and Hajv bittle and Araysmoor and Lewers; there were two hotels (Roe’s and Hastie’s), the Post Office and railway station (the late Air G. Kirton was stationmaster); carrier, cab-driver, bandmaster and jack of all trades. Air Sam Daw; and the medical practitioner was Dr. Johnston. Dr. Johnston, a hardy Scot, always dressed in riding breeches and velvet coat, rode all round the district and kept two sturdy roan hacks; he fed them well and rode hard. He was a thorough gentleman and insisted upon his instructions being carried out to the letter—woe betide those who did not do so.

“Dr Johnston is tlie gentleman whom Feilding people have to thank for what is known as Johnston Park. It was he who planted the trees which make the park so beautiful and such an asset to Feilding. The late Air George Harford, who was Alayor of Feilding for a period, must get credit for his foresight in securing this properity for the borough. I.et succeeding generations honour the name of .Tonhnston— Feilding’s pioneer doctor,Air Bartholomew said.

Devastating bush fires, the',destruction - of sawmills by fire, floods, the hardships of pioneering clays are all vivid recollections of Mr Bartholomew, who has had wide experience in the timber milling industry and operated successfully mills throughout the North Island. In 1895 Bartholomew Bros, secured the timber cutting rights of Mr Hugh Fraser’s land in the Poliangina Valley, some 17 miles north of Ashhurst, where they had a mill at a spot now known as Komako. There were no roads and the timber, principally totara, was carted down the river bed in horse, waggons to. Ashhnrst, where the bulk of the. timber was transported to Feilding (a three days’ journey). Tile Pohirngina river was frequently in flood and often loads of timber were loft in the bed of the river... The drivers sometimes' sat On the waggons until the water was running level with the saddles of the shatters. At the Komako mill, Mr (“Ted”) Worsfold, now head gardener for the Feilding Borough Council, was the camp cook, while the waggon drivers were Messrs James Simpson and Geo. Davis. Mr Albert Adsett handled timber for Messrs Bartholomew bv contract. Mr Bartholomew’s diary contains the following persona] information: 1879. member of Feilding Choral Society, and Feilding Cricket Club ; 1881. Manawatu cricket representative: 1893. superintendent of. St. Paul’s Presbyterian Sunday School and leader of the v ehcnr; ISOR. captain. Feilding Cricket Club; 1898. Bartholomew Bros, founded, now "known as the Feilding Sash and. Door Co; 1900. opened mill at Matamau, Hawke’s Bay; 1901. memhc of.. the executive of the Hawke’s Bay Sawmillers’ Association; 1904. vice-presi-dent, Feilding Chamber of Cmnmerce ;■ 1907, .chairman., Hawke’s Bay Sawmillers’ 'Associationl9lo. Feilding cricket team won the Manawatu Cricket • Association’s ; premiership apd the Bavvaud Cup: 1914., president:,of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce ■ 191.5 appointed member of the National F.ffioienov Board - 1918 and 1926, president- Feilding Bowling Club; - 1919. president. Prohibition League;-, 1921. one of the guarantors for securing of land for the Feilding . Agrieultnrial Higli School : 1923, through good offices of Mr J. A. Nash, successful in gettingthe touring Queensland bowlers (7 rinks) to visit Weildinc and spend an afternoon (Feilding Club won on the

aggregate).-; 1924, Park Cricket Club won the Feilding. Cricket Association s championship and Guthrie Shield. For 16 yeafs'.Mr Bartholomew was a member* of the executive -of the Rangitikei Sawmiilei-sV Association and trustee of the Association’s insurance company up to 1926, Id; 1931-32-33-34 he was president of; .Feildin'g Pipe Band. Throughout his long and liom.urabie career, both in commercial dealings and public service, Mr Bartholomew lias made a host of Hends and he k held in the-highest esteem by all. '