Reminiscences of Rangiora

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 7, Issue 59, 26 November 1937, Page 6

Reminiscences of Rangiora

(By C.1.J.)

XXV.

CRICKET IN PIONEER TIMES

JHE national game of cricket was the chief recreation in the early days, the game being played from the time there was a patch of ground clear on which to erect the wickets. Mr Leech noted in his diary of 1854 that his brother and his farm hand went into ltangiora and found the settlement keeping holiday on account of Mr C. 0. Torlesse’s wedding, and they stayed and played cricket. Amongst the early settlers there were several county and university players from the Home Land, and a very good team could be put in the field in the early ’sixties. I recollect that one of the playing grounds was on what is now the East Belt, the land now being in the possession of Mr Thomson and others. The bowling at first was all underarm, round arm eventually being introduced by a newcomer from England. Matches were played against Christchurch teams, and usually attracted a considerable number of spectators, who took keen interest in the games.' Although the “Lyttelton Times” was a small paper in those days, a good deal of space was devoted to reports of the matches. In addition to the senior club, in the ’seventies there was a flourishing junior club which also occasionally tried conclusions with youthful teams from Christchurch. At one time, I believe, there was a third club in existence, known as “The Apprentices Club.” Football was only a schools game, both Rugby and Association being played until early in the ’eighties the North Canterbury Club was formed and for some years had a flourishing career, most of the first fifteen being brilliant players, from amongst whom, several were usually selected to represent Canterbury in provincial matches'. It was also the most largely represented Club in the first All Black team to visit Great Britain. Hockey is supposed by many people to be a comparatively modern game, but such is not the case. We played

it at Merton’s School but used a small squ'are block of wood instead of a ball. Our sticks were mostly of gorge with a crook at the end. A good, stick of the right shape was looked upon as a treasure. Our 1 playground was the Drain Road opposite the school.

THE INITIAL SPORTS GATHERING

For many years Rangiora was famed in the sports world for its New Year’s Day sports meeting. This annual gathering, organised on New' Year’s Day, 1860, when Mr C. O. Torlesse invited all the inhabitants of the settlement to his place for a sports party. As can be supposed, they turned up in full force, and thoroughly enjoyed a programme which included many Old Country events, one of the most amusing being grinning through a horsecollar, the prize going to the competitor who succeeded in making the ugliest grimaces. Amongst the refreshments provided was a hogshead of beer, and the menfolk continued the gathering w'ell into the night in a very convivial manner. One of those present told me that he and a few others woke up next morning to find themselves lying around the beer barrel. It was at the evening party that Mr John Lilley for the first time in the new land sang his famous folk song, entitled “Jack Rag.” Ever after that he was called upon to sing this, his only song, at every convivial gathering he attended. Mr Torlesse’s party was so much enjoyed that it was decided to make it an annual event, and for over fifty years with one or two breaks the sports were held. At first they were managed by a committee, and afterwards by the “Athletic Association,” until the war put an end to its activities. The programmes of later days attracted champions in cycling and other events from parts as far distant as Australia. A DRASTIC REMEDY

Ivory Street was known as Ivory’s Road before the Borough was established, and in the ’sixties and even later it was much in its native state. There was a good deal of flax growing on it, through which there was but a dray track. Towards the town end there were three large and deep spring holes, rendering it dangerous to traverse it at night without a lantern. The water discharged from the springs found its way down the west side of the road, forming a creek carrying a considerable flow. In an early sketch I stated that my father’s first land purchase was what is now the Bank of New Zealand corner, but in 1861 he sold the section to Mr C. Bourke. His next selection was near the lower end of Ivory’s Road, on which there was a one-roomed cob whare. This stood close to the road, and the creek ran past the foot of the chimney. Here we dwelt for over a year before my father built a house. It was during our occupation of the whare that my mother had an unenviable experience. An Irish family lived in a V-shaped hut a short distance below our place, and the man at times over-indulged in liquor. One day my mother was engaged ironing her weekly wash, and unknown to her, the chimney caught fire. The chimney was a low one and there happened to be a ladder leaning against it. The Irishman was passing and, noticing the fire, he seized a bucket handy, filled it with water from the creek, and although “under the influence” he managed to mount the ladder and pour the bucket of water down the chimney, without giving my mother warning. In front of the fire there was a quantity of linen airing, and its condition after the water struck the fire can bo better imagined than described. Of course my mother suffered a severe shock, but afterwards regarded it as but another pioneering experience.

THE FIRST TROUT

On our section there- was a very large spring, being the head of the creek which flows in an easterly direction past Burton Brewery, and discharges into the Northbrook Stream. My father constructed a swimming bath, and although the water was intensely cold it was pretty largely patronised by Merton’s schoolboys and others. ' He also used the strong flow from the spring to run a gristing mill as a side lino to his carpentry business. But it is of the trout wo had in our' pond I wish to write. In tlio year 1868 the Acclimatisation Society at Christchurch managed after ono or two failures to introduce trout into the colony. Out of th© first young fish they reared they gave my father ten, then little larger than whitebait, to liberate in bis pond. The fish thrived, and when they they were about five or six inches in length he netted one, which my mother carefully cooked. It was then divided into four pieces, one for each member of the family, to enable us to claim that we had eaten the first trout reared in New Zealand. Several months afterwards ,the committee, of the Acclimatisation Society dined together at one of the

Christchurch hotels for the purpose of enjoying what they declared to be the first trout eaten in the colony. My father sent a few lines to the “Lyttelton Times” to undeceive them. Our trout grew to a large size and were a constant source of interest to visitors. We fed them until they became quite tame, hut although my father prepared spawning beds for them they never increased. It was thought that the spring water was too cold to hatch the eggs. One of the trout grew to a large size, but it domineered the smaller fish so much that my father had to catch it. Mr J. Sinclair of the Junction Hotel had it mounted in a glass case, and it is still preserved in the Sinclair family. Eventually my father disposed of the property, but I don’t know what became of the trout.

WRECKING A NEWSPAPER OFFICE

Some time in the late ’seventies Rangiora gained notoriety throughout the colony through the action of some of its well-known citizens. At the time there w’as a weekly rag of a paper published in Christchurch named “The Liberty.” The paper was devoted principally to the publication of personal items, many of which were of a most objectionable character. The people running the paper found no difficulty in obtaining correspondents in different county centres, who raked the muck-heaps for news, and also caused a good deal of trouble to young people. For example, a girl might learn that her best boy had been seen out walking with some other maiden, when perhaps he had been only a few minutes in her company . At last the publication became intolerable to right thinking people as far as Rangiora was concerned, and when some specially objectionable remarks were made concerning some young women, four from the ranks of our leading business men made a solemn vow to wreak vengeance on the editor of the paper and all his staff. Proceeding to the city, they gained admission to the place where the paper was produced. ■ It didn’t take the editor long to scent a horse-whipping, and ho fled, with all his staff, down a back stairs. The instruments of vengeance then set to work with right good will, and in a few minutes the type was scattered, in what is called a printer’s pie, all over tho floor, cases were broken up, and in fact the place was pretty badly wrecked. The four escaped before the police arrived on the scene, but they subsequently appeared before the Magistrate, who, however, treated them leniently, being of opinion, no doubt, that they had performed a good public service. It is almost needless to say that the paper never appeared again.

AN HISTORIC PIG

After my narrative of the great flood of 1868 appeared, Mrs H. I. Mehrtens of Coldstream told mo an interesting little story in connexion with tho visitation. Mrs Mehrtens’s father was Mr Jonathan Brown, who in the early days had a farm on tho Woodend ltoad a short distance west of tho Cam. At the height of the flood a heavy overflow from the Ashley covered tho farm and amongst the debris the water brought down was a stack of grain. As the flood receded this settled near Mr Brown’s house, and in it he discovered a large Berkshire sow. Three days afterwards the sow produced a family of ten. Inquiries as to the ownership of tho pig instituted by Mr Brown and the police proved fruitless. The mother and her progeny with a male Mr Brown purchased formed the foundation of a strain of Berkshires that brought fame to him as a breeder. As prize-winners at various shows during many years, and as bacon producers, Mr Brown’s pigs were widely known. Year after year he was a first prize winner at shows for his home-made bacon and hams; and on one occasion he sent an exhibit to a show in Cumberland, his native county, for which he was awarded a first prize and a special of a silver cup which Mrs Mehrtens still has in her possession.

A Controversial Topic

SHOULD A WIFE HOLD A JOB? One still finds a number of people strongly against the idea of the married woman holding down a job even for a year or so (writes Georgia Rivers in the women’s section of the November “Australian Journal’’), yet I know various strong “antis” who have changed their views considerably in the last few years. To quote an acquaintance of mine who five years ago strongly denounced the idea:

“What sort of home-life is that for a man?” he exclaimed. “How can a maid, or even a housekeeper, create that air of comfort which a wife should achieve? Also, it’s bad for the girl herself. Even the overseeing of an establishment is tiring when laid on tor of a day’s work in the city. Her health must suffer, and consequently her temper. Besides, what man likes to have it said of him that he cannot support his wife? And, most importand of all, she is holding down a job which should go to a single girl or a man.”

The other day I happened to broach the subject, and found that he had not only modified his views, but taken a right-about-turn attitude. VFine idea!” he smiled, when told of a young couple who were starting off on this basis. “It will be a great help to her husband until he is on his feet a bit more firmly. Much better than a dragged-out engagement, and really no more tiring for tho girl, since, if she were home, or baching, she would probably have a good deal of housework to do. If she engages a good girl, she should be able to manage quite easily, and, after all, if she is holding down a job she does not absolutely need, she is also providing another for a domestic. She re-adjusts herself more naturally to her new life if she has good solid work to do during the day, and the majority of young brides will tell you that with everything as bright as a new pin they hardly know how to fill in their time during the first year of their marriage. And what young husband need feel it a disgrace to have a working wife when so many are at it?”