Broadwood’s Oldest Living Resideut.

Northland Age, Volume 6, Issue 27, 25 March 1937, Page 7

Broadwood’s Oldest Living Resideut.

Experiences of Mr. G. Harris He Earned 26/6 Week and Saved Money A lover of horses and a collector of curios are the hobbies of Mr. George Harris, the oldest living resident in Broadwood. Possessing a happy disposition, he has a sp’endid memory and related many interesting instances during a -conversation with an “Age” reporter last week. Well-known by all residents, Mr. Harris is now 76 years of age and first settled in Broadwood in 1891, forty-six years ago, there then being only about three settlers in the district. The first settler was Mr. George Foster who took up farming in 1888 but he had since left the district. Broadwood in those days consisted of dense standing bush and access to Kohukohu was by means of a pig track. “When I arrived in the North, I travelled by boat to Kohukohu and then, carrying a box of poultry on my shoulder, walked the twenty miles to Broadwood,” he said. “That’s a good step,” was the pressman’s comment. “Not a bit of it,” came the reply, “I have walked i’. dozens of times.” 118 Acres for £46 Outlay When asked what made him co ae North, Mr. Harris said it was to get -a change of life and also with the determination of making a fortune. He first purchased 118 acres for ■ 1 total outlay of £46, and later bought out three other settlers giving- him a total acreage today of 487 acres. The house he now lives in is the oldest in the district and he built it himself when he first settled. Mr. Harris split the totara timber, dressed it by hand and built this four-roomed dwelling which is still in a good state of preservation. “Those are the curse of the country,” said Mr. Harris as a motor grader went by. “There’s nothing to beat a good farm horse, but the trouble is young fellows nowadays cannot handle a team of horses. I would not trust any of them driving my team to Kokukohu as I would not be able to sleep for fear they would go over the bank.” Apart from the cream he has sent to the factory, Mr. Harris said he had made 100 tons of butter by hand and had sold it all locally, the lowest price being Bd. lb. He also claims to have ploughed the third longest furrow in the world, a furrow measuring 134 miles long in the Canterbury Plains. Settled in Broadwood in 1891 Born in Perranforth, Corn,'all, England, Mr. Harris sailed for New Zealand with his parents in the Wai-

NORTHLAND TIDE TABLE High Water at Awanui and Bay of Islands MARCH

iviaivon a.m. p.m. Friday, 26th .. 7.35 . 8.5 Saturday, 27th .. 8.12 . 8.50 Sunday, 28th .. 9.5 . 9.33 Monday, 29th .. 9.45 . 10.12 Tuesday, 30th .. 10.25 . 10.50 Wednesday, 31st .. 11.2 . 11.28

For Ahipara add 20 minutes to above times, and for Whangaroa add 15 minutes, and for Hokianga add 2 hours 20 minutes.

tangi and arrived in December, 1875, after a three-months’ voyage. They settled in Canterbury and carried on farming in that part for seventeen years. In 1885 Mr. Harris married Miss Mary Jane in Canterbury and then in 1891 settled in Broadwood. Mrs. Hands died some eleven years ago, but there are two sons, Messrs. G. and C. Harris, farmers, of Broadwood, and one daughter, Mrs. M. Jones, of Whangarei. Mr. Harris has two brothers and two sisters, their ages ranging from 68 years to 74 years.

Referring to bis early life in Canterbury, Mr. Harris said he and his wife lived on 26/6 a week with a free house. . “And that is what you would call the good old days,” interjected the pressman. “Yes, they were,” said Mr. Harris, “and out of that I saved £195 in seven years. I have never smoked, drank nor gambled : n my life.”

APRIL Thursday, 1st 11.38 12.6 Friday, 2nd — 12.16 Saturday, 3rd 0.45 12.56 Sunday, 4th 1.28 1.40 Monday, 5th 2.11 2.26 Tuesday. 6th 3.0 3.20 Wednesday, 7th 3.55 4.20 Thursday, 8th 4.55 5.25 Friday, 9th 5.57 6.29 Saturday, lOt’n 6.57 7.26 Sunday, 11th 7.52 8.21 Monday, 12th 8.43 9.12 Tuesday, 13th 9.33 10.0 Wednesday, 14th . . 10.22 10.50 Thursday, !5th 11.11 11.40 Friday, 16th 12.1 — Saturday, 17th 12.30 12.53 Sunday, 18th 1.22 1.48 Monday, 19th 2.17 2.45 Tuesday. 20th 3.13 3.45 Wednesday, 21st . . 4.10 4.48 Thursday, 22nd 5.10 5.48 Friday, 23rd 6.10 6.46 Saturday, 24th 7.3 7.39 Sunday, 25th 7.22 7.55 Monday, 26th 7.22 7.55 Tuesday, 27th 8.46 9.25 Wednesday, 28th .. 9.25 9.53 Thursday, 29th 10.2 10.28 Friday, 30th 10.38 11.7