EARLY OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18801, 2 March 1923, Page 6

EARLY OTAGO

HISTORY OF ANDERSON’S BAY AND TOMAHAWK.

Written for tho Otago Dally Times

By Ji. Duckworth.

The first Road Board in Anderson's Bay was fanned in 1856 and was called the District Hoard 61 Road Trustees. The inaugural meeting was held in Mr Jolui Somerville’s house ou June 19 of that year and was attended by Messrs Adams, Smith, Begg, Somerville, and Murdoch. Messrs Cl)as. Smith and Adam Begg were appointed to represent their district on the General Board of Road Trustee.-. And Mr Wm. Somerville was appointed to the office of dork, which was an honorary position at fird, but, at a meeting in September, 1867, ho was appointed secretary and treasurer, with a salary of £5 per annum. The principal business of tho board was the construction of the road between tho Bay and Dunedin. Many deviations hud to be made through people’s property in making the local roads. Tho first roads were surveyed by Mr Kettle straight over hill and dale when only a. modern tank would liavo been able to travel il they Inad been formed. -There bad, in consequence, to bo a number of new surveys. Tor instance, tho road to Tomahawk ran from the harbour (near tho quarry) straight to tho lagoon, and deviations had to be made through the propartie-s of Messrs Bowers, livery, Peterson Robertson, Murdoch, and Duckworth. This caused a great deal of extra work in surveying; arranging new roads, and closing up the old ones. To show the kind of work the trustees had to perform, I give an extract from the minutes of September 24, 1857, about this road • It was also resolved that Messrs Somerville and Sanderson fie appointed to meet with Messrs Every, Murdoch, amt Duckworth, I or the purpose of staking off deviations from the proposed line of road to the Tomahawk Valley, at sections Kos. 15 anil 16, Mock I, Anderson's Hay. It was further resolved that the following resolutions be submitted to his Honor the Superintendent : Resolution, on considering the proposed line of road to Tomahawk Valley, “That the line of road should cross Mr Every’s paddock along the east side of the crop fence, entering from Ain; old road Gvds west of said fence, and crossing to the east side of said fence, then continuing by the fence to within 40yds of the south end of said fence, then curving towards flic east ou to the sandhills; the fencing to he done at the expense of the district (special) and the old road to tie given up us part comp'iisation thereof. And as sections 15 and 16, Block I, thus require a separate road, it was further agreed that it should lie given hy a road (public) again crossing Mr Every’s property a few yards below section 14. and proceeding through section 15 into section 16, Mr Every agreeing to give Mr Murdoch as ipuny yards of ground from the Nrttern of section 14 as 'ho loses by a portion cut oft section 15, thus giving a road 12ft broad to H. E. Duckworth.

It was further proposed that in consideration of Mr Evory’s property living thus twice crossed ho should, in addition to the; old road, receive portion of sandhill and bush as marked red on the map.

There was a dispute between Mr Every and Mrs Macadam as who should have this old road, but at the board's meeting ou March 8, 1859, Mr Thos. Grainger reported that the General Board had resolved that the rood should bo divided right up the ooiitro and that half should bo given to each, and this was dono. It in interesting to relate that, after almost 63 years, tho same road has just now been widened, partly on the side that was Mr Every’s—now Anzac Township—and partly on Mrs Macadam’s (now Mr W. Kvery’s) property. Tho board had many difficulties to contend with and we find that at a meeting hold ou Juno 25, 1863. it passed the following resolution: —“That the cemetery reserve be altered without interfering in any way with the graves already placed there, and this committee would take tins opportunity of pressing on the notice of the General Road Board tho absolute necessity of advising the Government to taka the whole matter of opening of now roads and closing of old and useless ones into its own management, as it is quite imposible for District Boards to carry out it resolutions in the matter.” The most important work undertaken by the board was connected with the Swamp road from Goat Hill to Dunedin. Messrs Adam and Begg were appointed to canvass Dunedin for subscriptions, and they reported having raised the sum of £309. This enabled the board to co-operate with the Ocean Beach Drive Committee in the town and claim a vole cf £SOO from tho Provincial Council. Contracts were then called for, and on December 14, 1859, the tender of Mr A. Henderson and others to make the road on the swamp and rnotal, 6in thick, 100 chains, at. £llO7 10s, or £ll Is 6d per chain, was accepted. At the next meeting, on December 28, roo9, another contract was let to the same party of six more chains at £7 per chain. The contract for the road to Ocean Beach was let to Mr Alex. M'Kenzio at £2 per chain. In March, 1859, (he first rates were collected in the Anderson’s Bay and Tomahawk subdivisions. The amount yielded by them was £64 18s. The number of landowners were 46. and the area was 2742 acres. After tho first board was dissolved the district was managed' for many years by the Peninsula Road Board, but on July 5, 1905, an election of commissioners was held to form a board for Bay Town, when tho following seven were elected Messrs John Wither. Thos. Pryor, Thos. Somerville. Daniel M‘Curdy, Richard James Barrett, John MacGregor, and J. George L. Hewitt. Mr John MacGregor was the first chairman. The election was a biennial one, and there were a few changes cadi time. The principal events that happened during the board’s existence were the provision of the tramway, the water, and electric light services. The board ceased to exist when amalgamation with the city was carried by a poll of the ratepayers on September 7, 1915, Mr Thos. Somerville was the last chairman, and tho district is greatly indebted to him for the time and energy he spent in looking after its welfare.

One need that is greatly felt in Anderson’s Bay is that of a recreation ground. There is no place to play football or cricket. The residents are living in hones that a part of the harbour will be filled in to form a ground, but this may be a long wav off yet. In 1886 Mr T. Bcgg had a cricket ground and bowling green made, and litis was used for some years by the local clubs, but it was sold to the Lawn Tennis Association, which now holds its matches there. A niee bowling green was opened in October. 1918. The site was on old brickfield in Bayfield. It was overgrown with gorsc and weeds when it, was acquired for its present purpose, but now there is a fine green, planted round with shrubs. A good pavilion, which is used for holding meetings, has been erected on the ground. It is quite a change from the old order of things to see a large number of people on a fine afternoon enjoying themselves on the green. The membership is now 65, and a Ladies' Club was formed this season with a membership of 30. The first Arbour Day in Otago was on August 4. 1892, and the Bay residents observed it and planted trees in various places, such ns Sunday school and day school grounds. Some of the settlors went ever to Tomahawk and planted pines and cypresses on the sandhills, aaid these have now grown into good-sized trees. In the next season both sides_ of Silverton street wore planted with deciduous trees, and a, guard was put round each, but the trees were destroyed by some evil-disposed persons, and on .Tunc 3, 1893, the Peninsula Road Board passed a motion to notify Mr J. White to have the guards removed. Thus ended our attempt at making an avenue of our main street. In 1920. at the rerruest of a. deputation of the residents, the Citv Corporation purchased the' three acres above the T"'bon Tea Rooms from Mr C. Peterson. There are some ngaio. r’hbonwood, and other native trees on it. Nothing has been done as vet to improve this property, lot it is hoped that Mr Tan nock will he instructed soon to pay some attention to h.

Tbo T'wnahak'’. or Tomahawk. as it is now railed, le the eastward of 'nrier'orM Tkiv. wa.« settled voiv v.-e'l n litfl" Inter tlmn Anderson’s T»av. ' T r - T -« PnfnVk. ■who was a paf’smurer bv the Pl-ilm Labi", an] bad been livin'! at Little Paisley, near the Sir’tliorr Cometeit. ws the first per 1 -..’! to make bone i- ('■<• >-n»t- beyond < larrrxjns. Tie toot- i>is .family i n i 0 .,-". He was followed late” bv rattle”’ anonS"”' wbom we” rt Hess”-: rai nR Spi-db ' Inv T-Tr»*i(lorcr>»» t AVjlll.Ttn '^r-T.ll. .7 01 Tr:„v T% rt . ‘ W -a-*. T P. Prvnn n h' (\, 1 -d-". T). ,A ■> t oMajo 'Mi. cep. .Toli’i T* \T T'Vi(;i>i\ T~)_ AnM, *P T> . P TTpi*»-v.f t j Pnndl'i”d«. T,no nrifl a fV»W TJipop T.-w 7 *l t o In-5 In f-ipp "WTipn Ml* P vont f o 1» 0 1-kk] tn fpTv •ill ]tis f> n p'-wl ; T[, HT.fl fV.:^ ivy* pn n»vt.T* *»»€;]{ r> f ■) I'po wboM thpvp v»pi*o v»n m'lfln »*nnnc > >\ffnv -i tl-in l)o f»n| ft Hnl. t~n|r nn (7 « T nr]»ro l'*nf- I'nTlnplf fn «?|n(]y-p_ pnd ravn too rntjp-i goods on the bullock’s

back was then iripe), and tliis was more successful. Mr Patrick brought his flour, etc., over from town to the liay by boat, and packed goods from there homo. A sawpit was started by Messrs Fraser Forrester on his section, on which tnere were sonic fine lolaia laws. Air 'V Henderson and his son also sawed timber for a house, up on the ridge where there wore some good pines, 'ihoro was a great quantity of line kowhai trees in the district, and those made splendid post and rail fences. They were a pretty speotablj* in the spring when they were covered wit.i blossom and when hundreds of tuis and bell-birds gathered the honey from them. 'lhoro wore also a great number of ngaio trees, loaded with their red berries, upon which the, birds feasted. In the sixties there was a report that gold had 'been found on Mr Fee s properly at the Tomahawk Hill. Mr Harry Barnes and another man went prospecting there At first they were slaking to find water, and showed Mr line that they had found the colour only, but the story goes that a long lime afterwards a jeweller m Dunedin told Mr Lee that he had bought some gold from prospectors. The first church cervices at Tomahawk were held by the Rev. J. H. M'Naughton. of Anderson’s Bay, in the residence of Mr Jas. Patrick, who was n member of the session. The Rev. Alex. Gregg, afterwards minister at Sandyniount, preached his first sermon in the colony there. After Mr D. Laing’s brick house was built, the meetings wore held there. Sunday school was taught first bv Mr Weaver, then by iUr R. B. Harriot, Mr J. 11. Patrick, Miss ■u. Brown, and Miss C. Patrick. On December 2, 1870, Mr J. H. Patrick reported having raised £2O towards a fund for the erection of a building for religious services. and a committee consisting of Messrs •T. Patrick J. King, W. Sanderson, and a site and report Later on a building W. Henderson, was appointed to procure which was to be used for general purposes, such as church, school, public meetings, etc., was erected on a reserve. Here the Rev. J. H. M'Naughton, and after him the Rev. Chas. Stuart Ross and the Rev. A. Cameron, held services. Some of the elders and managers also took a share of the work, and divinity students sometimes came from Dunedin to help. The first, precenler was Mr Jas. King, sen., and ho was succeeded by Mr u. H. Patrick and Mr Thos. Robertson, jun. secuiidus. In 1888 the building was sold to the Education Board and removed to a section procured from Mr F. G. Lang opposite *ur W. Henderson’s and fitted up as a school, other meetings being held in it as usual. Mr R. Fender and Miss Ings taught the Sunday school there. For some reason the church services wore discontinued a few years ago, but they were resumed last year by the Rev. G. H. uupp, the present, minister of Anderson’s Bay, who has an evening service once a fortnight, which is well attended. The church is much indebted to Miss Ings for her long and faithful services as organist, and also to Mr Thos. Henderson for acting an church officer.

For 10 years the Tomahawk children had to go to Anderson’s Bay School, but in H 63 Mr T. E. Weaver was appointed teacher. Mr K. Brown succeeded him in 1869. Mr Thomas MHTuddin came in 1871 and left m 1874. Mr D. Laing’s house was used as a school until the Public Hull was put up, when the scholars were transferred there. Since 1874 Misses Darrell, Eiavey, Fitzgerald, Mr Niven, and Miss Smith have been the teachers. Then a time came when there were few scholars and the school was closed, but it has been opened again lately, Miss Thompson being the teacher. The first members of a Road Board at Tomahawk were Messrs James Patrick and Thomas White, who were appointed a subcommittee by the District Board in Anderson’s Bay on March 17, 1G63. to take charge of tlie Tomahawk subdivisions, with power to add to their number. A separate board was formed later on, and still continues. The present members are Messrs J. Mathieson (chairman), J. Smaill, Thomas Henderson, W. Pryde, and D. Robertson. In the ’seventies there wore sports held for several years on Christmas Day at Taring’s Flat, and afterwards at Sanderson's Flat. They wore similar to tho Caledonian games, and a good few people came over from Dunedin to see them. Mr Alex. Smaill formed and conducted first, a flute band and then a brass band to play at those sports, lie was very enthusiastic about music, and the Smaill Orchestra is well known on tho Peninsula, having played at many functions. Mr Smaill is also well known as an enterprising man. Ey his efforts the roads were greatly improved, a much easier grade from the Lagoon Flat over the ridge being formed. He also projected what was known as SmaiU’s canal scheme, which was to cut a canal from the Tomahawk side of Lawyer’s Head into tiro harbour. A plan was prepared by Messrs Gakden and Begg. showiim the proposed route down through Bayfield into the Bay near the quarry. It caused some talk at the time, out nothing has eventuated as yet. Mr Smaill also brought the water in pipes from whiV'C the creek rises in Highcliff into a, dam on the hill above his residence, and uses the water-power for electric light, milking machines, etc. Assisted by his sons, he has a large dairy farm, and sends a largo quantity of milk to town every moiming. Mr James Malhtoson has one of the finest steadings in the country. His lather, the late Mr Alex. Mathicson, had built it of blue stone. There is a big herd of dairy cows, and the milk is sent to town. 1 question if there is any place of the size of Tomahawk that sends as much milk to the city. Owing to the quality of the land and the richness of the grass the district is admirably adapted for dairy farming. Like every other place, Tomahawk has from time to" time had its tragic occurrences. One of the early settlers, a fine young man named Bryce, was killed while felling a tree. A man named Wood, or “Yorky,” as ho was called, was lost on one occasion. His hat was found beside a creek, but ho was never seen again. Another man, Air Gibson, was found dead on the beach one Sunday morning. Ho went in to bathe, and was drowned. On July 20, 1870, a boy, seven years of ago, a son of Mr W. Sanderson, of Lochond Farm, was killed by a bull, and many will remember the sensation that was caused by two High School boys who went out to Bird Island and, through tho tide coining in rapidly, wore not able to get off, with tho result that they had to remain there all night without their clothes, which had been left on the beach. A number of tho sottlcirs went down to the beach and kept up a good fire all night to lot the hoys see that it was known they were there and would be helped. In tho early morning when the tide had gone back some distance several men went on to the first island, and two or three swam across to the larger one and brought tho boys off. They had crept into a sheltered corner and drawn some dry seaweed over them during the night. After a good nibbing and some warm food r.hov were able to go hack to the Rectory with their friends The steam tug Plucky had come round from Port Chalmers to try and rescue the boys, but was just too late. As it would not have been easy to land on the’island with a boat, it was just as well (hose on board tho Plucky did not have io make the attempt. Those who went, to get the boys off were Mr Dick Phelan, a champion swimmer, who was caretaker of the Moray Place Baths. Mr Frank Gakden (architect), Mr Charles Miller (farmer), and a Mr Ainsley. Twenty years ago. I remember, a very sad thing happened at the same ■place, Two young lads about 15 years old. went oul to Bird Island at low tide after birds' cogs, and coming back were both drowned. Much sympathy was felt for their parents, and the sad occurrence cast a gloom over tho district, One of the bodies, that of the son of Mr William Henderson, was recovered, but the other, that of a son of Mr Thomas Henderson, was not found. The neighbours procured boats and dragged between the beach and the island, but without success.

Several iconic have teen drowned while bathing at tiro Tomahawk Beach. There is a strong under-current in some places and it is very risky to go into the surf unless one knows th<’ safe places. A good deal of fishing used to bo done from tho rocks at Smaiil’s Beach, crayfish, cod, and butterfish being taken, and in the creek some large eels end a speckled native trout were caught. Some years ago the Acclimatisation Society put a number of perch and trout into the Tomahawk Lagoon. and there was good fishing, but n tidal ware which swept into the lagoon killed all the nerch, which lay dying on the top ol life water, where hundreds of seagulls fed on them. The trout have ‘Tu-ived wall ami have been increased from time to time anil a good many are now caught there.

The Drainage Board's engineer, Mr Noble Anderson, had an idea that Bird Island was the place at which to discharge the city sewage into tho sea. After a largo expenditure. however, the site was abandoned, and Lawyer’s Head chosen as the place to dump tho sewage. Strong objections to bo I a places were raised by the settlers. We wero told that, the selection of Lawyer's Head was only temporary, but that may mean a hundred years.

The Lagoons were always a favourite spot for pienics. At Duckworth’s Flat there was generally* a crowd on holidays, as there was plenty of nice spring water, and wood to “boil ' the billy.’’ Strawberries and cream wore a]so to be had in the season. At Tiling’s Flat, also, whore tho Into Mr (J. A. Dooley lived and kept boat* for hire,

many people went in the summer time. Tlie.re used to bo a lot of geese and ducks on the Lagoon, and on holidays they were a great temptation to the sportsmen who came out. Mr Percy Martin, when n voung lad, was staying at Lane's, and be had a pot at the ducks when my father asked him what ho meant by shooting his ducks, "Oh!” he replied, ‘‘l thought they were wild ones,"

The Hunt Club nieces at Mr R. Brunton’s (the deputy marshall), and rims front (hero to the Big Stone, at Mr D. Robertson's. The members have .some very enjoyable runs over that part of the country. At the north end of the Tomahawk subdivision overlooking iho harbour there is a largo boulder, or “the big stone,” as it always has Ixx-n called. It is a very’ prominent landmark and can be scon many-,miles away. It has been visited by numbers of people, during the past 50 years, and many are the mimes that have been carved on its surface. The stone is about 25ft high, 30ft long, and 26ft wide. In early times there used to be a totara and a brcadJeaf tree growing upon it, their roots going down into the deep moss and soil alongside, but when the surrounding hush was cut clown they died, and gradually crumbled away. The soldiers’ memorial is now being erected on this boulder. The memorial itself is built of squared bluostone 6ft square at the base, and 4ft at the head, and stands about 20ft high. It is surmounted by the statue of a soldier on guard, Bft high. A granite slab is inserted in {lie shaft with the names of those who have mode the supremo sacrifice engraved thereon. Mr C. H. Walden has given his services as architect, and the work is being (lone by Mr H. S. Bingham. Messrs John A. Johnston {chairman), Alexander Smaill, sen., David Robertson, Jus. M. Dickson, M.P., Andrew Aitken, William Stewart, Thomas Lambeth, R. Brunton (treasurer), and Dr Gordon Macdonald form the Memorial Committee. Mr John Bishop (since deceased) was also an. ctriginal member of the committee. Miss Robertson, who owns the land, has given a piece round the stone, and also the land necessary to make an approach from the District road to the memorial. There is no mistake that the Peninsula people deserve credit for erecting such a fine monument to their boys who fell in the G-Veat War. , This concludes rny history of Anderson s Bay and Tomahawk. No one but those who have tried know how difficult it is to gather the materials of past history. Many people will tell you that such and such a thing happened at such a time, but when one goes to verify it it is often found that the facts are very different. I have endeavoured to give as cortrect information as possible, and have spent a large amount of time for several months past in hunting np and verifying dates, eto. The work has, howbeen a- profit oleasure to me, and X have to thank all those who willingly assisted me.