Human History of Northland; A Part Everyone Can Play

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1938, Page 13

Human History of Northland; A Part Everyone Can Play

PART OF NEW ZEALAND HAS SUCH A COLOURFUL HISTORY AS

NORTHLAND. WITH THE ADVENT OF THE DOMINION’S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS IN 1940, THIS PORTION OF THE COUNTRY WILL BE CALLED UPON TO PROVIDE HISTORICAL PAGEANTRY.

NEW ZEALAND’S HISTORY COMMENCED IN NORTHLAND; IT IS NORTHLAND’S DUTY, THEREFORE, TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE RECORD OF THE EARLY SETTLERS IN THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS, UPON WHICH RECORD THE HISTORY OF ALL PROVINCES, AS OF THE DOMINION AS A WHOLE, MUST DEPEND.

Already Northland is preparing its Centennial organisation. At a meeting of the Northland executive recently, an historical committee was. established for the sole purpose of assemb ling historic data.

Only by the fullest co-operation of individual members of the North land Province will Northland's official history be written.

One man’s effort alone will not bring about the publication worthy of Northland’s history; only by full co-op eration can this be done.

Appeal to Northlanders, It is a great misfortune that much valuable history of Northland has been lost with the passing of the pioneers, and it is to be hoped that their descendants will do all in their power to make up this loss by supplying as many details as possible about them, more particularly those who were born prior to 1870. * The Questionnaire. The following questionnaire, if cor-rectly-answered, would be very helpful to the historic compilers. (1) Name of person In full. (2) Place and date olf birth. (3) Name of father and/or mother. (4) How he or she came to New Zealand. (5) How long did the journey lake? (6) Name of ship and captain. (7) Where he or she landed. (8) Age on arrival in New Zealand. (9) Where, he, or she settled. (10) How did he or she get there? (11) What was the condition of the country then? (12) What kind of a home did he or she live in at first? . (13) Where was the home? (14) Give the names of other people who had settled here before he or she ( arrived., (15) How did he or she make a living at first? (16) How and where were ’stores obtained? (17) Was there a regular coastal steamer service? If so, give some facts about it. (17a) What were the principal foods? (18) Were there any roads in the district then? If so, describe them. (19) What was the principal industry in the district? (20) Were there any domestic animals, such as cows, horses* sheep, pigs or poultry, there then? (21) Was there a school? If so, when was it established? (22) Was there a church? If so, describe it and the servi’ces that were held in it.

(23) What public service did the subject of this questionnaire perform? Give dates if possible: Road Board ; School Committee ; County Council ; Member of Parliament -—; Church . (24) What industries were established later on —timber mill, flax mill, dairy factory, boat building, gum digging, logging and rafting, whaling, fish canning, fruit canning, any other industry. Give dates if you can. v (25) When was the school, hall or church built?

Trace the person’s career as carefully as you can, and especially with regard to change of occupation from milling to farming, and so on. Give special attention to public service rendered. (26) Incidents of interest in the life of this subject. (27) Whom did he or she marry? (28) When? (29) Where did they live? (30) How many children? (31) What are their names? (32) How and where were they educated?

(33) What are they dping now? (34) Other incidents of interest in the life of this subject. (35) When and where did the subject of this questionnaire die and where was he or she buried? (36) Is there any other information, whether of personal or public interest, which you think might be of use to the historical committee in compiling its records? (37) Is there any person, organisation, books or records which you could suggest to the committee for reference in this matter? The Christmas festival season is now at hand. It is a time for the reunion of families. Such reunions will make valuable opportunities for families to discuss family history and arrive at authentic information. What one member of a family does not know, others no doubt will be able to supply. Old newspaper clippings, photographs and family Bible records will prove a valuable aid to this end. Each family, from among its members. could do worse than appoint a family historian to provide the information for the sub-zone historical sub-committees. It would be advisable to arrange these records in sequence of dates. ■ The first sequence should concern people who came to this counti’y prior to 1840. and after that in three or four periods of decades, viz.. 1840-1850: 1850-1860; 1860-1870; 1870-1880.