Early Days in Okaihau

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 3, 23 October 1931, Page 1

Early Days in Okaihau

The following are some of the recollections of Mr. Charles Michie, who came with his parents, who were part of the first band of settlers, to Okaihau in 1868. The Roadless North

Okaihau was then in a very wild state, the land being nearly all under dense forest. Where there were patches of open ground these were covered with tutu and fern, the fern high above the heads of us boys. Before our arrival the road through Okaihau had been surveyed by Mr. Richard Fairburn through the bush, and the felling of the timber for the chain-wide road was let to the Natives, but they only cleared a rough space for horse traffic. The settlers had to cut down second growth, grub out stumps and roots, and made a corduroy road over a very boggy portion. This was just opposite Mr. F. Dixon’s property, the timber used being taraire logs, which lasted for a number of years. Maori and Pakeha

The Maoris on the eastern side of our settlement were at first somewhat unfriendly, as they claimed the land had been sold without their permission. But as we got better acquainted this feeling gradually wore off, and we got on very well together as neighbours. Hunting Rights There was a little friction at times, however, asi to the hunting of wild pigs and cattle, and the Maoris called a general meeting of both races to come to an understanding. The pigquestion was soon settled, it being aranged that when a pakeha went hunting he should be accompanied by a Maori, and a Maori hunter had to have a pakeha partner. But the devising of a method of wild cattle hunting that would be fair to both parties was more difficult, and the Maoris had a long korero among themselves over the question. Their interpreter was a half-caste with a rather limited knowledge of English, and at the end of the talk he stood up and put this poser to the assembled pakehas : “We, the Maori, want to know this : ’Pose my cow got calf, an’ dat one have anodder one, an’ dat one have anodder one. Now, who dat foal?”