OLD-TIME KAWAU

Northern Advocate, 11 June 1926, Page 8

OLD-TIME KAWAU

AN ISLAND WITH A HISTORY. THE DAYS OF COPPER MINING. SIR GEORGE GREY’S HOME. HAPPY LITTLE COMMUNITY. REMINISCENCES OF MR; T. HARRIS. When Hawaii was the home of Sir George Grey it was one .of the show places of the colony. Governors invariably wept'there for a holiday and some shooting; men-o’-war had a habit of finding business at the snug Bon Accord Harbour; every celebrity that came tc New Zealand visited Sir George as a matter of course: and the Auckland people gladly availed themselves of those occasions when the owner threw open the island to the public. It is said that he spent something like £BO,OOO on this hobby ol making a sort of dream home to crown "a youth of labour with an age of ease.” Five miles long by two, and tucked away under the shelter of the top end of the Hauraki Gulf, the island of Kawau was a particularly ( charming spot half a century ago. Whoa Sir George Grey decided to settle in New Zealand it was characteristic of the. man that lie should pick on the sheltered shores of the grand Bon Accord Harbour as the spot for his home. There he built a mansion, full ot every comfort and many luxuries. Trees and plants from all over the world were to be found in the wonderful gardens; while within the house were pictures by old masters, rare books, and all those other valuables which were afterwards bequeathed to Auckland in the “Grey Collection.” Another hobby of Sir George’s was animals, and he had an amazing collection of marsupials, deer, birds, and other live things. And the great man gathered round him a devoted band of servants, whn-were more like the retainers of some old baron than of a retired colonial governor, in a democratic young country. For nearly twenty years this delightful island homo was “one of the happiest and most perfect spots on earth,” say the biographers of Sir George. About a year after Sir George retired to Kawau after relinquish- . ing the post of Governor of New Zealand, he was visited at Kawau by Prince Alfred, then on a voyage round _ the world, and that distinguished visitor was succeeded by a long series of celebrated elobe-trotters. ■BORN ON THE ISLAND.

One of The few people now living who remember 'Kawau in the very old days, and all through its "golden age.” is Mr. Thomas • Harris, of 17, Livingstone Street, Grey- Lynn, Auckland, who was horn on the island 72 years ago. Father I and’son were employed hy Sir George Grey, and the son to day sighs for the old days when Kawau was a happy little kingdom, and life was Arcadian in its simplicity compared with the haste of modern times and manners. The association of the Harris family with Kawau foes right back to 1545. to'the days of the copper mines, when there were as manv as 500 people on the island, all working for the company that was exploiting the lode. It is many vears since Kawau was a centre of Maori settlement, hut somewhere about 150 or 200 years ago there was a great battle fought on the northern end, the cannibal feast at the close being quite a Ilomerio affair. Mr. Harris says That ten feet below the present surface he has come across the traces of Maori ovens with heaps of human bones lying scattered round about. :

1 Hawaii’s pakeha history starts with the copper mines. There are still traces of the old workings, and some of the old buildings, including the engine house, a • stone structure with a tall chimney, but there has not been any mining for the last seventy years or so. The, Aberdeen Company in 1845 was the first to exploit the ground, the capital coming from across tjie Tasman, according to the best of Mr.- Harris’ recollection, but they lost the run of the main leader, and things were at a standstill for some time, until the Whittaker Company, formed in Auckland, came on the scene and spent a lot of money. Much land was reclaimed from Blackwoods Bay to Miners Bay, where large workshops were erected, and „ an extensive breastwork was built for the berthing of vessels to take away the ore. t The engine house which housed the machinery for pumping the water out of the workings stands picturesquely perched on the seashore, but the site is being gradually undermined by the action of the waves, and in time this relic of former days will disappear. “It would only take about £lO to make the seawall safe,” says Mr. Harris, “and it seems a pity to let this old relic vanish, as it recalls the days whenTvawau was a busy, bustling and happy centre.” At one time the ore used 'to be taken across to an adjacent island for smelting, but later the works were transferred to the more sheltered Bon Accord harbour. In that bay, on the northern side, there were four furnaces in a big building built of rock brought from Matakana Heads, and many other buildings were erected, the settlement being called “Swansea.” The many lovely bays of Bon Accord were in those days the scene of much activity,- and in time the workmcq made themselves extremely comfortable, many having orchards and gardens. After the Whittaker Company took over the island it was decided to drive sea wood on the lode, but the sea came in and swamped the whole workings. Soon after the men struck for more pay, winch was not forthcoming, and they drifted off, .some to the Ballarat diggings, and others to the Great Barrier, where copper was discovered.,, HAWAII'S GOLDEN AGB. The Harris family’s connection with Kawau dates from 1845, when Mr. A. T. Harris, father of Mr. Thomsvs Harris, went down to take charge of a store for-the Aberdeen Company. When the mining ceased, Mrr Harris, sehior, was put in charge of the island and the plant that was left. It was a lonely life in some ways, but in those days Kawau was' ii centre for the' surrounding dis trietsj had a post office, and much shipping called there for supplies.. Mr. Thomas Harris says he has soon as many as sixty craft at anchor at a time. There was on the island about 200 head of cattle, endless wild pigs, 300. geese, plenty of turkeys and ducks. Naturally there were baskets and baskets of eggs, and the ducks’ yard “would be white with them in the morning.” That was how eggs came to be

a popular and frequent dish aboard the craft that called at Kawau for stores. In those days the famous chief Patuone had a pa on the mainland at Takatu Point, just opposite Kawau. The district was then thickly populated, and there was a certain amount of trade with these Maoris, but it was not always profitable. When Mr. Thomas Harris was born, in 1854, the mining was just about over.

What happened before that time he had from his father, who was full of information about the early days. For eight ' years Mr. A. T. Harris was the sole caretaker of the island, and during that time ■ he continued to combine a little farming ■ with the storckecping. In addition to the cattle and pigs, there were plenty of wild birds, such as duck etc., plenty of honey, and plenty of milk and butter. “It was really liowing with milk and honey,” says Mr. Thomas Harris. MAORI PIRATES. It was during this time that the Maori war broke out. and the Harris family felt the influence of old Patuone, always a firm friend of the pakeha, like his great brother Tamati Waaka None. There were bands of Maori pirates prowling about the gulf, and on two occasions Kawau had a scare. One bright morning a large party, about 100 strong, arrived in big canoes. Mr. A. T. Harris was going down to investigate, but Ijis wife, knowing ho was hasty, persuaded (him to lot her go instead. Taking two of her children with her, this brave woman went down to the shore, and holding out her hand, greeted the leaders, inviting them all up to the store to get some “kai.” Pork, rice, potatoes, milk, and' honey gave the truculent-looking strangers a great “blow-out,” and then one of the leaders, looking rather shamefaced, began a harangue. “Kapai te pakeha; kapai te wahine” (“Very good the white man, very good the white woman”), he said, and then went on to confess that they had decided that if anyone came down and ordered them off the island they would “pakaru” (murder him), but the kind welcome of the wahine had changed their intention. “Te Maori no kill the white people now,” said the spokesman. After a while the party went away, but before they departed they said they would tell other parties of natives not to molest the white people on Kawau. There was no doubt from the hearing of the party that but for Mrs. Harris’ bravery and diplomatic reception they would have given trouble, and the incident was a favourite theme in the Harris family for many years after. Some months later another party of wandering I pirates, numbering about 50, visited the lonely island, but it was got rid of by different tactics, Mr. Harris, sen., always kept several large fierce d°o s protect the place. One of these he let loose and set it on a bull. The dog soon had the animal pinned to the ground by the nose. “Py korri, he eat the Maori, too,” said one of the pirates, and they moved off towards their canoes. Mr. Haris, sen., could not resist the temptation to send a couple of blank shots after them, and this hastened their departure. Old Patuone had arranged with the Harris family that if any hostile natives . showed up a white flag was to be hoisted, | gild that signal would bring over help I from the pa on the mainland. On one of the occasions mentioned above the flag was flown, but the pirates had decamped before Patuone could get over, and the brave old chap seemed quite disappointed at not having been able to give the marauders a bit of his mind. GRAND OLD PATUONE.

Mr. Harris has many kindly recollections of Patuone, who was a good friend to the family at Kawau. The old chap was bent nearly double, and had a long white beard, which gave him a most venerable appearance. He always preferred the Maori costume to the pakeha, and whenever the Harris family made him a present of some clothes it was generally\his better half who made use of them. Her ideas on the subject of dress were unconventional. For instance, if a good coat were given the old fellow, she would cut out the sleeves and wear it herself after the manner of a waistcoat. Mrs. Patuone was a plain woman, but an exceptionally good-hearted one. Like her husband, she was of high caste, and held a warm place in the regard of her white neighbours.

Patuone was well skilled in the use of simple Maori remedies, and twice cured members of the Harris family. One of the boys was slowly dying from dysentery, having been given up by two pakeha doctors. Patuone said he would cure the lad. Getting some koromiko leaves, he told the parents how to use them, and in a very short while the little fellow was well and strong .again. One’ of the girls was a martyr to asthma, which threatened to turn to something more serious. The pakeha doctors could do nothing for her, and again Patuone came to the rescue. Going out into the fields he collected a handful of black slugs. These were rendered down in a bowl, and the jelly-like mass was administered to the sick girl. It was awful stuff to take, but her parents persevered, and this strange medicine worked a complete cure. Patuone and his wife had also sovereign remedies for cuts, bruises, and other sores. All the natives at Patuone’s pa were kind to the Harris children, arid as a boy Tamati (“Tommy”) Harris used to like wandering about their village. Part of his time Patuone used to spend at Waiwharariki, Shoal Bay, near Lake Takapuna, and it was there that he died in 1872, his age then being over 100 years—loß, according to some estimates. He was,-given a military funeral, and lies buried next to Genera! Wynyard in the little cemetery at the foot of Mount Victoria, Devonport. “Dear old Patuone!” says Mr. Harris.

“He was a fine type of the old Maori aristocrat. He was a ( hristian-livian native, and was always a very good friend to us. Sir Oeorge ftrev bad a very high opinion of the old follow, and used to say ho was one of the best, of the native race. T w. 1! remember that the old chap was very bind of cdiildron, and often he would, in spite of his great age, his bent form, pikai. (carry on his back) my brother Johnny (‘Hone,’ as the Maoris ealed him). As a .youngster f used to like wandering round the village of Patuone’s people over at Takatu. There used to be a little church there, with very neatlv made seats, and more than once I attended service there. Patuone, another chief named Paul, and some of their followers were strongly religious, and the services at ‘Whnre Karakia’ were very devout. What used to interest mo greatly as a boy was the Maov : food. There used to he plenty of fresh' pork, rewai (or potatoes), kumaras, pumpkins, and sometimes those characteristic Maori dishes, the shark and the stingray. Kvery thing was ’-eantifnlly clean about the cooking pl-i—, The natives were very kind to eld! 'ren. and particularly so to us pakehn youngsters.”