EARLY OTAGO HISTORY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 6

EARLY OTAGO HISTORY

RUNHOLDING AND RABBITS

Written for the Otago Daily Times,

By Old Identity

The Taieri Lake Run was taken up by Alessrs Phillips and Seal, and .worked by them until about 1868, when it was sold to Mr D. F. Alain, who held it until it was cut up for settlement. It was situated between the Taieri River and Taieri Lake in the east and north, and Hamiltons on the west and north-west. It occupied a prettily-situated site overlooking Taieri Lake between Kokongu and Waipiata. The lake was then’ a beautiful sheet of water, well stocked with wild fowl all the year round, but a few years after the diggings started a process of silting up began, which has taken over 60 years to bring it to its present condition. The sluicing that was carried on over that period in the outskirts of the Alaniototo basin—at Naseby, Kyeburn, Hamiltons, Serpentine. Garibaldi, etc.— had its good points, but it has left many eyesores, and Taieri Lake is one of them, being now a succession of swamps which can y a few sheep in midsummer, and have to be more or less carefully watched for fear of the river rising. Air Seal, when part owner of the run, was drowned crossing the river at what used to be known as the old Lazarino crossing, near the present Hamiltons bridge. He 'was on his way home after paying a visit to Puketoi Station. Shortly after Air Alain’s acquisition of this run he moved the home station from the original site to that of the present time, near the Rock and Pillar railway station, but this, of curse, was long before the railway was thought of. In the early seventies this run, or part of it, was cut up for settlement, and many fine families settled there, much to the benefit of the district. Some years later the balance of the run all went in the same way, with the exception of that portion that, is included in the present holding known -as the Rock and Pilliar Station, which was held by Air Alain until the early nineties, after which it was hmight by Air James Buckland, and worked for some years by him. At this time all the old Deep Dell Run had been taken for settlement, as had also been a considerable portion of the Kyeburn, Hamiltons, Alaniototo, and Eweburn runs. Longlands is still in the hands of the original owners, except some of the Kakanui country, which was taken for small run settlement. Alessrs Rowley and Hamilton’s run, called after the latter proprietor, was held by them, minus .the low-lying country,'until the early nineties, after which it was subdivided into four or five blocks, one of which, with the house block, with the 'station buildings, is now known as The Beeches.- This place was managed by Air A. G. Alathias from the mid-sixties until the subdivision of it, when the house block came into his possession. ,It had always been noted as a home of peace and plenty, and many persons will have kindly memories of the hospitality for which it was famous, and which was always extended to passing friends by Air and Airs Alathias. The older Alaniototo residents can never forget them. This well-known old landmark is still held by one of the family name, who lives up to the reputation established bv those who have gone before. Captain Hamilton lived on the. place for some years. He was noted for his charitable deeds, and was much respected, but took no part in either local politics or public gatherings of any kind. Hamiltons iii the early days was probably the best run in the district, acre for acre, and, it is very doubtful if better grown sheep were to be seen anywhere in New Zealand. It had a large quantity of first-class land on it, which has since been converted into fine farms. A large portion of the front hill faces were, and are, of a limestone nature. Air Alathias planted all the trees there, and was an enthusiastic gardener. He was a happy-go-lucky devil-may-care kind of chap in his younger days, often doipg reckless things just for the fun of them. Foxinstance, one day, when the writer was there,’ a horse breaker named J. H. Carter was handing over two or three young horses he had just broken in. Carter was very deaf, and when asked if they were quiet, said in his usual way: Quiet-ras lambs;-.; a child could handle them!” I may say here that it.. took about 12 months’ steady work to quieten the youjng horses of that time, ..and longer to get them to a state of. Jamb-like docility, as everybody knew, seeing they were running out until throe years old or more • before they were, taken in hand. Literally they were as wild as March Hares. Well, Carter had broken these horses in so that the average man of that time-could handle them, “but with care.” , pimply to have some fun with the old horse-breaker and create a little merriment, Mr Alathias called aloud: “Quiet are they? I don’t believe it.” Catching one by the bridle, he vaulted on to its back with no saddle on before old Carter could ; stop him, with the result that he knew what must take place. The colt went mad with fright, of course, and the rider was deposited on the grass plot nearby with considerable force. On getting up he asked the old horse breaker if he called that being quiet. The latter was utterly amazed at what he had done, and could not say a word, but was thankful nothing worse had happened. Air A. G. Alathias at that time Was quite a slim youth, and as active . as can be made. J. H. Carter got his cheque, but • was more careful in future when settling up at Hamiltons to keep young horses out of the way, although such a thing was not likely to happen a second time. But such was A. G. Alathias, who at that time was quite a slim youth and as active as can be made. He was a really good man; in fact there were few like him. Langlands Station was held as far back as the early ’sixties by Air Preston, sen. It is likely that it originaly was one of Air John Jones’s holdings, like many other places nearer the coast. Alany years ago, when there were no trees in the interior, nothing of that kind being visible to the naked eye beyond those of a few feet high, that had been planted not long before, a few clumps of cabbage trees used . to grow near the homestead of this run, on the northeast side of a hill facing the main road. These were always refreshing to the eye of the more inland inhabitants, used as they were to nothing more than the big scrub of the interior, and were always looked at from the coaches with pleasure, mingled with wonder at their growing at all in such an exposed situation. Possibly they are still there —Langlands, or at any rate the station block, with some of the Kakanuis, is still in possesion of the same faimly. The Kyeburn run was taken up by Alessrs Borton and ATAlaster, and was worked by them until the late ’sixties, yhen they sold to Alessrs Saunders Bros. Previous to disposing of the run. they worked the place from the Waitaki side. One of the Saunders brothers was an old banker, and after the purchase of the ran he found out, or it was pointed out to him. that some of the very best winter country, a block of country that was never used by his predecessors, lay on the Waitaki side. By bringing this into use at that time of the year the new owners were enabled to increase their carrying capacity by something like 15,000 sheep. Although the block ran up to 6000 ft, it faced beautifully to the sun, with fine warm faces at a much lower level. 11ns made it a very profitable investment indeed lor the Saunders Bros., who carried at tuat time about 40.000 sheep. After they had held the run for 10 or 12 years they sold to Alessrs Stuart and Alaekcnzie, the' latter no other than the well-known and much liked “ Scobie,” who lived there and managed the place for some years, until his parliamentary duties took him 100 much' from home, after which he appointed Air Bellet to relieve him of his country duties, and devoted himself entirely to politics, with occasional trips to his old haunts for the purpose of interviewing his constituents. Bellet, or little Bellet, as he used to be called, was about 4ft lOin in height, but, as a well-known Dunodinite of that period hf about the same height used to say, “Yes. short, hut beautifully made.” Our friend, was little io nothing but statute. While on the subject of stature it may he remembered by some that a good while ago his friends used regularly to go to Dunedin on important occasions. One was very tall —6ft 9in or over —and heavy iu proportion; the other nearly 18iti shorter. They w'ere known as the “ twins away from home. They were inseparable and always keenly-. interested in everything,- hut the small man did all the talking never appeared to stop talking, and looking up to the bigger one-with a perpetuafstrain on his neck, and ahvhye took the part of the dominating factor in that friend’s life. Only a faint smile passed

over the face of the big one Dow an d again, and it was certain that, no feeling of inferiority owing to stature ever crossed the little one’s mind, strengthening the claim that mind is what counts, not talk. Kyebiirn at the time to which I refer was a big place, extending from the tbp of Dansey’s Pass down the Kyeburn Kiver to Taieri Lake and Waipiata, thence to Mount Ida and towards the Waitaki, striking across again to the top of the pass. The homestead block, called the K -churn run. is still in the hands of the Mackenzie family, but the remainder is subdivided into many runs and farms, while “.Scobie ” is a pleasing memory to the older inhabitants of the plain. Ewebnrn was taken up and worked by Air David M'Master for some years, after which he sold out to Mr David Maitland, who also lived there for some years prior to the place being purchased by a company formed by Mr Walter Inder, of Kaseby, and others, called the Mount Ida Pastoral Association. This was also a good run. with much fine land upon it, between the Taieri River and the Dunstan road. Air Inder was the moving spirit in that venture. He was a man of indomitable pluck, a true old “ British bulldog,” and when he tackled a thing, the cause or object did not fail for lack of enthusiasm on his part. The shares in the association went oil like wildfire, both in town and country, principally in the country, but in smallish lots, so that there w'ere very many shareholders—a fact which later on gave ‘‘ old Walter ” much trouble. After the purchase of Eweburn, Rugged Ridges was also bought, and this meant tljat fresh capital had to be provided. but this was * procurable from the fact that the company had paid good omdends from the beginning. For some years things appeared to go quite satislaclonly; dividends were paid regularly, un '* i°r a time shares were buoyant. After the. Rugged Ridges purchase shares continued at a premium. It was just at that time that rabbits began to get really troub.esonio, and, as feed got scarcer, a bold policy of growing winter feed was adopted, costing much money, but without much success. The land was patchy, probably was not worked enough likoly, and there wa§ no fertiliser, or not enough was used, and dry seasons soon brought about g different state of affairs. Still the association paid 1 dividends for a few years, but the rosy times had _ gone and shareholder began to look about for the cause. The manager wa 9 a very entertaining,. « s well as a hardworking man, and had some very interesting experiences owing to disappointed shareholders calling in and advising what should be done in many directions. In fact, if it had not been that good “ Mr Walter." who fortunately loved him like a brother, was at his back, his position would have been impossible. The time came whet* no dividends, were being declared. Wool had slumped, as it had a habit of doing, and finance became difficult. Too many rabbit, were over-running the whole country, and stock had to be reduced. One share holder, a wagoner, called for . a load oi wool. The shed had been cleared and no wool would be available for at least two days—possibly more. Ho was advised not to wait. His reply was, ‘T am going to wait, I have shares in the company, but have got nothing out of it yet, so I am going to get a load of wool before I gv away.” And wait ho did, getting a padclock from a friend a bit up the road for his horses and a lodd of wool a s wel,., Another worthy shareholder, quite a good chap, but not very conversant with- the amenities of the table, was asked to stay for dinner along with his wife. Near the 1 end of the meal the latter was asked to have some more mutton. She declined, hut the good man blurted out, “Tuck it, in Marion, tuck it in ; it’s our own mutton.” Such incidents and others of a like nature must often make those who were concerned in them to laugh to this day as it does to those to whom they were imparted. Times remained depressed for some years and the Mount Ida Pastoral Association became a thing of the past shortly aftoi this. It was found that the dividends were not justified by the profits, and through this cause and through losses and depreciation of s tock, a cons’clerable balance was loft on the wrong side in the final ad justment. Those were, nevertheless, good old days on the Maniototo. There were no motor cars, nor were there until a much later period. The safety bicycle, as it was called, was the best thing that was known for annihilating space, and how people flocked to it—-even women—and it may be recorded how the latter were criticised for doing what was called an outrageous thing in riding a bicycle. Notwithstanding much opposition, however, they persevered,' and in a, short time they, as well as men, could reel off their 50 miles or over in a day quite comfortably never dreaming that a few years later it would be' possible to do these trips in an hour to two. Naseby and the vicinity were inhabited by fine people, large families of tfiem in some cases, and so numerous that it is impossible to particularise, except in a few more or less public men ; such as Messrs Walter Inder, Guthrie. Mitchell and Brown, not forgetting old “ Ned ” Horswell with his quaint ways. Then there were Mr Grummitt, of the Bspk of New South Wales, Mr Wilson, of. the Bank of Now Zealand, and the Hore family of noted wrestlers, always representatives at the Otago Caledonian sports which were an important, annual feature of New "Years festivity in Dunedin at that time, and at which it was always a -d fficult matter to get standing room. . There wore also the Law, family, the members of which principally wore farmers, Air Hutchison and Mr 'Hugh Watson. Those in local politics differed a good deal among themselves, but, when they were attacked from without, it would have taken a very solid combination to get the better of them. They always got their share of public moneys as the buildings there to-day will show Had the Otago Central railway been started a few years earlier no doubt thc=c buildings would have been erected at Ranfurly. The writer remembers a constantly recurring cause of wore or less discord among councillors. It was in connection with o’d Walter Inder’s pigs, which used to be troublesome to the citizens at times Many attempts were made to get rid of them, and high words were used at Borough Council meetings, but the opposition only sprang no now and ogam and. notwithstanding general disapproval, Walter, by their tact, always stalled off the evi' day with benefit to himself as pigs at that time were a. good paying proposition. Ihe writer feels that an anology is due f to the many Inders in Otago tor using their father s name so freely in reminiscing about the clays mentioned, but the fact is that he was an outstanding man in the district, and was much in the limelight in matters concertiing Maniototo in which he was ably assisted by his good wi [ c - wh ° artcd ’ as !* were, ns a power behind the throne, but, it was said at the time she was always against the Alount Ida pastoral scheme. Cricket matches between the townsluo and country teams used to be held re gularly and these wore looked forward <° with considerable interest, ihe country team'was assembled from as far away a* 50 miles, but that was nothing out ol the way even if the distance had to bo covered or. horseback. Tne country teams were too scattered to be able to practise, but that did not matter .much for tne pitches were very rough—simply the clay smoothed and got as level as possible. Even a Ponsford or a Macartney migul have failed, as after a Utile play um ground got very ousty, and the balls used to shoot in the most amazing manner. Still, it was always a day s outing, and these gatherings were largely patron ised and the spectators enjoyed themselves thoroughly, more especially as the township team usually won. Mr Hutchinson and Mr Rudolph Mathias were usuaby responsible for taking the wickets. Since those days Ranfurly has come into existence, and is n more central and oe«ei situated site for the principal township of the district, and bids fair to be a beautiful place some day when a future Improvement Committee gets authority to do what it is necessary in that direction X is honed that the remarks contained n the latter part of this article will brm a back pleasant memories of the days spoken of, while the younger generation will realise that those who went before had quite a good tune, notwithstanding the absence of many things of to-day incidental to the march of science.

The previous articles published in our issues 9, October 1, November of this series -reus of July 7, August 12, and December