Ashhurst

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 9, 11 January 1936, Page 3

Ashhurst

From Our Own Correspondent, Women’s Institute Picnic.

The Women’s Institute annual picnic was held at tho Ashhui-st Domain last Wednesday, there being a good attendance. Weather conditions were fins though at times showers threatened to spoil tho day. An energetic committee had the arrangements and programme foi the day in hand ancl everything was most satisfactory. Lunch and afternoon tea were served in the shelter shed, the children being especially cared for. Games and novelty competitions were held, and sporting events were keenly contested. Prize winners were as follow:—Races: Children under 5 years.—Billy Hewett 1, Norma Baldwin 2; girls, 6 tol2 years.— Sylvia Fox 1, Audrey Fox 2; boys 6 tt 9 years.—Derrick Jones 1, Trevor Hewitt 2; boys, 9 to 14 years.—Walter Hill 1, Billy Easthropo 2; girls, 9 to 14 years.— Dulcie Hackett 1, Maureen Kerrigan 2; young ladies’ race.—Septar Bishop 1, Marion Dunstall 2; young men’s race.— Leslio Hackett 1: young married ladies' race.—Mrs. Galsford 1, Mrs. Coles 2; married women's race.—Mrs. Ferguson 1, Mrs. Hackett 2

Ladder croquet.—Mrs. D. Wood; potato race.—Mrs. Gaisford; chain stepping.— Mrs. Hackett and Leslie Hackett.

General,

Work was rumcu by the Oroua Coumy scan. this w eek, me last lap Oi me tuunuation worii being prepareu m readiness ior tar-sealing' operations. On. slumps are sun being encountered anu removed 110111 me roauway. Welcome rain commenceu to fall locally on Weunesuay evening alia continued until alter e.uO on Tnursuuy ■ morning mere was a grauual easing off nut ran; again eominenceu to inn in tne lau a.ieriioon, some neavy laus being experienoeu up tm aooui 9 o ciock. 'me couniry geuerany around hero was oeginning to loon very pareneu and tne rarmers were looking lor ram, as were Uiose whose tanks were getting low m supply. rui oid and nigniy respected resident 01 Asnnurst in tne person of ivir G. xievoiipori, who was tenuered a sui'iirise party on a recent evening, entertained the company wun reminiscences ot ins early history. Horn in the year at Southam, \Y arwicKsinrc, nr Oaveiipoyt there spem ms eariy days, r'icaing up potatoes iron, u.o a.m. to u.u p.m. at miv-eyenOe ficr uuj was one ol tne urst joos lie had unueitaken as a lau, anu there was no morning tea, ms aiiouior task, ml" Davenport hue to walk live limes, to keep mrus oil neius, working for is nours a day. at tne tuns ne leu England ms wages amounted t* ss per ween aim vnen no ,anuea m v/eiiingion tne wage ne received at ms ill's, position was xi per ween, aie nad managed to save ail prior to coming to i>e\. aieaiand in J.S7‘± on tne sailing vessel YvaiaaLO, a voyage wmen toon juD uays. mi Davenport ie,t Wellington tor master urn in iSiu. masterton at mat time was m its lmancy, with no footpaths, just a roauway xor heavy carting, .a. grocer, uoo, maker ana a baiter were me omy men m ousmess mere at the time. Couches ran to Wellington every day, passenger tares oeing nil. Uoous were orougne to and iro uy nve-norse-waggon teams, leaving on mondays and returning on l'riaays, the ireignt being carted at tile rate w £l tut per ton. 'mree blacksmiths had their stands in yue.en street, outer businesses oeing saddlers' shops and stables, xliostwere the uays when horse-power was ai Us height, mr Davenport said mere were three hotels, no bank, a post oliiee and a boarding nouse, one medical practitionei (tne late J->r. tiosmns;, a smaii school, a branch of tne f oresters' Image winch i\li Davenport joined in 187 6 and of which ii! is still a member. There was no tow,, nail, all meetings being held in a smai. bunding in Chapel street. There were also three churches and two butchers shops. Mr Davenport received a position with the late Mr D. Donald and among his duties carted the timber for Mr Donald s homestead, which has since been added to. Solway College was another place to which timber was carted. After three years he was transierred up to Ml Donald’s other station, Waikarapa, near Homewood. There was no road • lornieu after leaving Tarua, and the distance was 45 miles from Masterton. The trip called for a ride over the hills, and was considered a good day's work. My duties at W'aikarapa (he said) were at the boiling down works. As there was no exjioi’t trade worthy ot note in those days, boiling down was tlio only method to dispose of the sheep. Tile lat and skins being obtained by this method, and sheep came front long distances to be disposed of at the works. The steamer called three times a year at that time, but It was not always possible to land goods owing to the rough weather sometimes experienced. There were a few settlers living a fair distance apart but who were always a happy and jolly community of people. We had concerts on Saturday nights, ai various homesteads, the woolsheds being utilised ior the occasion, and some verj pleasant times resulted. One ot the worst features of the life was that, when a doctor was needed, it meant a trip ou horseback, leading a mount tor the doctor, as a horse used to hill country was essential. In places it was not possible to ride down the hills as the horses would slide down. The doctor’s charge of £ls for the up and down trip was cpnsidered very reasonable. There is now a good car road up there but 1 have never made the journey since I left in ISSO, and went hack to Masterton, where my parents liv- : ed. Mr Davenport’s position was with 1 Mr D. Guild, who was manager of a station of To Ore Ore. He stayed there eight years as ploughman and then went to Bltetahuna having secured a section of land at Kongohahara, under the Ballanco Government’s system of deferred payment. 100 acres, pay in 10 years or Improvements. Mr Davenport was the first there, but other single men came later. Back four miles from Eketahuna with no roads, a hard time was spent for many years. Dike others, Mr Davenport managed to pull through and secured a good wife. Things went on happily and well, and finally the holding was paid for, though the struggle was hard. Ho sold out in 1901 and came to Ashhurst and has resided here ever since, and hones t‘ finish liis days here. Mrs Davenport died three years ago. Mr Davenport has travelled little, never having been across to the South Island and having seen only a little of this Island. When in England he knew the meaning of poverty and has never seen its equal in New Zealand. Air Davenport has enjoyed the best of health and finds that the Ashhurst climate agrees with him and its inhabitants are most congenial. “This surprise party is the first I have had in my life,’’ said Air Davenport, “hut.l.hope not the last. Though I am 78 years of age, 62 of these years being spent in New Zealand and 35 in Ashhurst, I am still in the best of spirits.” At the conclusion of Air Devonport’s interesting talk on old times all joined in thanking him for the splendid evening and wishing him many more years of happy memories.