Son Of Early Rawene S.M. Visits Whangarei

Northern Advocate, 14 March 1939, Page 3

Son Of Early Rawene S.M. Visits Whangarei

Son of one of the earliest magistrates resident at Rawene, Mr J. H. von Sturmer, a retired stati'onmaster, is visiting Whangarei. Born at Rawene, where he spent the first eight years of his life, Mr von Sturmer recalls the timber days when Hokianga was in the boom. In the absence of a resident doctor, his father was chief bonesetter and dentist for the settlement.

“A Maori with a cut artery or a broken leg would be brought down the river in a canoe,” he said, “and carried on a stretcher made of green saplings and dumped on our verandah. “Father, after a strenuous day in court, would then do a little amateur surgery.

“Teeth extracting instruments which he used were :n the primitive stage, requiring a lot of manpower.

Knew Judge Maning

When in Rawene, Mr von Sturmer senior was a confrere of Judge Mailing, author of “Old New Zealand.” “I recall him, as a big tall Irishman, always looking for a fight, as his book reveals,” Mr von Sturmer said to-day. While in Hokianga he kept a diary, which to-day would be invaluable'. Efforts have been made to secure It for publication in New Zealand, but the diary is tucked away in the archives of some printing house in Sydney, where the judge spent the last years of his life. Later Mr von Sturmer S.M. himself became a Judge of the Native Land Court. Carried on Bier One of the events which Mr von Sturmer recalls most vividly was the funeral of Father McDonald, Roman Catholic priest at Rawene. No- wheeled transport was available, and it was necessary for the remains to be carried on a bier five miles over the hills to the cemetery. Loading of the squared kauri logs into ships’ holds at Kohukohu is another Impression still fresh in his memory.

Mr von Sturmer, now living in retirement at Palmerston North, is staying at the Commercial Hotel until tomorrow.