EARLY KARAMEA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 5 January 1927, Page 9

EARLY KARAMEA

INTERESTING REMINISCENCES

Mr John Cooper ;mil daughter landed in Weslporl in February, 1875, arriving l>y the Michiiel Aiigeln, which readied Nelson on lOt/f January, 1875, Mr Oooper .went U* Karamea on lha CiUi April, thai district Wc'ihf beaded JSt solllemonl in November/ 1374; Sljt? i'ld Wostpnrt News. Willi other settlers. Mr Cooper went to Karamen by the old Anclior line Charles fidwaitf. Eugene O'Conor was then Provincial Secretary. A Government store was opened in Karsiniea. On reaching the' port, the .settlers were allotted land. Mr Cooper went, with Captain Black to explore the lleapy track to Collingwood. The land m Karamen, staled Mr Cooper,, recalling old tinu-s, was allotted in 50 acre blocks, for which settlers paid £5 a year as rent, for 14 years, trie section then becoming the property of the settlers. There were :it that time over 400 settlers on the land. Finding the terrace no good to thern. as Ihey could grow nothing on it, they got instead 5 acre blocks on the river Hats to pacify them on the Promised [.and. Many went and looked at tile- land, but a' great flood came and Ihey did not like its appearance, so did not move down on to the flats. Quite a num'oer left Hie land and went to work for the Government on road contracts. The people generally were, not happy, and an enquiry was held into complaints. Ah- Cooper himself had none. The Government closed the store, and Mr O'Conor took it over, and put a. man recently out from Ireland, named Dolphin, a nephew of his, in charge. Conditions were far from happy. Then Stilt Bros, came to the rescue with loads of "tucker" in the Result, the late Captain Riley being in command, and people dealt with 'them and got on much better. ■ Developments in the. timber trade and orders for sleepers helped matters, but the timber trade, received several sets back through loading boats sinking trouble in the river and on the bar. One of the best lifts Karamea got was through the establishing of a butler factory, of which .Mr Cooper was first. Chairman of Directors, with Mr Mm Ray as Secretary. Karamea. _ bridges were twice washed away in big floods hut were rebuilt by Atkinson brothers and officially opened by the Hon. G. J. Anderson early last year.