NORTHERN PIONEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20521, 24 March 1930, Page 10

NORTHERN PIONEER.

MR. W. MOUNTAIN'S DEATH.

BOYHOOD DAYS RECALLED.

FINE TYPE OF EARLY SETTLER.

[BY TELEGHArn. —OWN" CORRESPONDENT.]

KAIKOHE, Saturday.

In the old historic churchyard of Waimate North, where rest the bodies of British soldiers killed in the Maori War, was buried on Friday, Walter C. Mountain, in his day one of the best-known identities of the Bay of Islands.

Born 65 years ago at Purema, on the northern inlet of the Bay of Islands, and a grandson of the first white woman born in New Zealand, he spent his whole life in the bay district save for a short residence in Australia as a young man. In youth and early life he was a magnificent specimen of manhood, standing 6ft. in height and built in proportion. His feats of strength and endurance then are almost legendary in the Bay of Islands. In his boyhood the Bay of Islands was far from being the quiet holiday resort it is to-day. Down to the early nineties, it was no uncommon sight to see up to 25 whaling ships in the harbour at once. The whalers themselves were men of all nationalities, often of the roughest character and when on shore they frequently ran riot. Mr. Mountain, who was an allround athlete, and during his residence in Australia had won the heavy-weight boxing championship of Queensland, was on these occasions worth a whole police force in maintaining order by the law of tho strong arm His skill as a boxer was so well known that his mere presence was often sufficient to quell an incipient disturbance. Among the Maoris, 100, he could, and often did, keep the peace effectively. Smuggling of Rum. Afc that time a good deal of rum found its way ashore from the ships without troubling the customs, and there was often a deplorable amount ot drinking among the natives. Then .Mr. Mountain's personal popularity, as well as his known midiness to use strong and striking arguments of a very personal kind, often enabled him to keep within bounds a whole mob of drink-crazed Maoris.

In all branches of work or sport that involved physical strength and skill, Mr. Mountain shone. Born on the waterfront, he was as much at home on the water as on land. As an oarsman and in handling a whaleboat he had few equals. He was popularly believed to be able to ride anything on four legs, and his wild-steer riding is still talked of. Boxing was his favourite sport.

As a youth he took his share in the family occupation' of supplying the visiting whalers with provisions. His opportunities for acquiring a school education had been of the scantiest, but his natural ability made him a successful trader. It was an adventurous form of commerce, in. which the risks were often larger than thf profits, but naturally he enjoyed it a!) the more. He turned his attention to developing the natural resources of the bay, and started a small mullet-canning factory. This proved successful, and the canning of moat followed. Extensive Pastoral Interests. „ A good judge of sheep and cattle, he commenced stock-raising ou the peninsula, on which Purerua is situated, and gradually acquired the largest portion of this peninsula, which was at his deatli the largest pastoral property in the bay. There he ran Devon cattle with his sheep, and sent largo supplies to the Auckland meat market To top off his stock, he purchased a property on the rich volcanic lands of Waimate North, famous for fattening stock. For many years Mr. Mountain was a valued member of the Bay of Islands County Council, and displayed his characteristic energy in his public work. He remained a member until failing health forced his retirement. For the past few yoars he was practically an invalid. The council was sitting when he died on Thursday, and when his passing was announced, the members stood in silence for a short time as a tribute to the memory of an old colleague. Mr. Mountain belonged to a. type of men almost peculiar to the Far "North when it was a place of small isolated white communities, largely dominated by the Maori. Few of them were so successful as Mr. Mountain financially, but they thought neither the better nor the worse of him for that. Every year their numbers grow fewer, and soon the North will know them no more.