The Conquerors

Southland Times, Issue 21853, 2 November 1932, Page 11

The Conquerors

Saga of the Stations (By the Wanderer.)

ANNANDALE, NOW WREYS BUSH. 1857—1881. THE JOHNSTON FAMILY. They came to us in the early days Leaving their dear old native land. They kindled here a living blaze That nothing shall withstand. Alas! That Might can vanquish Right— They fell and passed away; But true men, like you, men, Are plenty here to-day. —from John Kells Myram. The first heard of Wrey’s Bush was about 1857 when it was described as a cattle run owned by Captain Jacob Howell. At that time the Howell Clan were scattered among the many Southland stations. Captain Stevens, Captain Howell’s half-brother, owning Beaumont, Mr Cameron, who owned Mount Linton, was married to Captain Howell’s eldest daughter and Captain Raymond, who owned the Avondale Estate, was married to his niece. Southland knows him no more and so many members of his large family have passed on, but we have Howell’s Point out of Riverton and the Jacob’s River to remind us of a great and fearless pioneer. He is first heard of at the Port of Riverton and, being evidently tired of the life at sea, he and many of the members of his crew decided to settle on the land. One of the first actions of Captain Howell as soon as he settled down, was to send for his mother and sisters to come out to New Zealand. He had left his mother, a widow, and had promised to look after her as soon as he could make a home for her. Meanwhile Mrs Howell had re-married and become Mrs Stevens. It took awhile for mails to get to the Motherland in those days, but at length Mrs Stevens embarked on the long journey of adventure with her daughters—the Misses Howell and her young second family. They reached Melbourne and stayed there for quite a while before risking the very rough journey to New Zealand. We hear that Captain Stevens was then a lad of eight when they came to Riverton and that his step-brother, Captain Howell was fond and kind. The brothers were quite alike in appearance except that whilst Captain Howell was of short stature, his step-brother was fairly tall. They both had crinkled heads of hair which they wore quite long, after the fashion of sailormen and others of that day. Captain Howell married a Maori Princess and they had a large family whom he gave every advantage in education, and in the early days they were known all over Southland and beyond for their great talents. In music, singing, and art of all kinds they were quite unsurpassed and they were all most generous in lending their help for any good cause. If any township wanted to raise money, any school desired a concert and the people heard that any member of the Howell family was going to perform—that entertainment would be packed to the doors. Captain Howell spent his money and himself very freely and many men who worked for him were helped to start for themselves. The people he employed, and the people he dealt with in the early days all speak most highly of him, and he is described as being an honest, simple and sincere sort of man. He suffered from very bad health in his latter years, but was very brave and uncomplaining for, like our other pioneers he believed that" Thoroughbreds never whine.” Captain Howell did not amass a fortune, but he did much for Southland, opening up the country and inducing a good stamp of people to take up the land. The Wrey’s Bush estate at that time embraced the land from Wairio Stream on to the west of the Aparima, and from the East Wairio and Wairaki. On the Wrey’s Bush estate Mr Richard James had erected a licensed accommodation house with a cottage at the back of it for his wife and young family—both slab huts with wooden chimneys. In one room of the accommodation house the walls were lined with bunks and there was a bar-room and kitchen. Here many weary pilgrims stayed the night or longer, and Mrs James made them all most comfortable. In about 1864 Captain Howell decided to sell Wrey’s Bush and found a purchaser in Mr Johnston, a worthy Scotchman who hailed from Annandale, Dumfries. Captain Howell had followed the yearning which compels retired sea captains and covers of all degree, to buy land in their old days, and seek surcease and Acadian repose in country life. However, runholding was a most strenuous and tiring life in those days when, as well as Wrey’s Bush, Captain Howell owned Fairlight Station. In the days of no roads, and bullock-carts as a means of transport, it must have been a long journey, not devoid of peril between the Wrey’s Bush and the Fairlight estate. According to the reports of men who worked for him, and from others who had dealings with Captain Howell, he was regarded as manly, honest, unassuming and perfectly gentle and retiring. We are proud of such a man. To return to the Johnston family. Mr and Mrs Johnston arrived in Dunedin early in the year of 1858. He was a farmer and came from people who held land near Annandale, Dumfries, which was well-known as Andrew Carnegie’s home-town. After he arrived his first billet was to take charge of a run owned by the late Hon. Mr Macandrew, who was at that time one of the leading political lights in Otago. In 1859 Mr Johnston, like many another pioneer, was much attracted by the tempting tales and glowing advertisements regarding the newly opened up lands of Southland. Land in Otago had been settled for a while and already commanded quite a good price, and according to reports put before the pioneers, it seemed as if any fool could make a fortune by buying up the rich, fertile soil down south at such a low price, and wonderfully easy terms. It was a great journey from Dunedin in those days—it used to take from a fortnight to a month to get south by boat and was a most uncomfortable journey. Mr and Mrs Johnston decided to come overland; they rode themselves and their children, and luggage was packed in a bullock-dray. In those days a dray and a pair of working bullocks cost from fifty to one hundred pounds. Mrs Johnston was proud of the fact that she was the first white woman to ford the Mataura River. Their first home in Southland was the One Tree Point estate. There they lived for many years, and many of their children were bom there. The settlers at One Tree Point subscribed and paid a tutor between them and at Mr Johnston’s home many children congregated to be educated. At times Mr Stobo or Mr Bethune would visit One Tree Point and then would all the neighbours assemble to the simple services at Mr Johnston’s home. It was about 1865 that Mr Johnston bought Wrey’s Bush from Captain Howell as a going concern with 7000 sheep and 300 cattle, and again Mr and Mrs Johnston started out to take possession of an estate which was situated in those times at the back of beyond. Mr and Mrs Johnston rode and their children and belongings journeyed in a canvas-covered waggon drawn by bullocks. Mr Johnston was wisely advised to take with him in the waggon a good load of hay and straw to put |

down on the ground when they came to swamps so as to prevent the bullocks from sinking into the deep morasses which seemed to abound in those days. In fact, to have to dig out drays and bullocks seemed part and parcel of the day’s work when travelling. They crossed the ferry over the New River, and made Riverton their first stopping place, for this small town was a shipping port of some importance in those old times. Then, from there, they went on to Mr Lyons of Lyon’s Bush and stayed the night there. Lyon’s Bush is now known as Flint’s Bush and has been re-named after a Mr Flintz, a Russian sailorman, who took the estate over from Mr Lyons. From Lyon’s Bush the pilgrims seem to have followed the old cattle-track which led along the top ridges, arriving at Mr Matthew Scott’s at the Gap—the estate now known as Redfern, about three miles above Otautau, as the lower road was so liable to floods, it was considered a safer and surer route. Mr Matthew Scott is mentioned in nearly every case by travellers in the old days—his house is described as a slab hut of one room, a wooden chimney and an earthen floor, but nevertheless, he always seemed to welcome all the would-be settlers pilgriming to their new abodes. Records tell of quite large parties being stormbound, of the valley below being a huge sea of flood-waters and poor Mr Scott being eaten out of house and home, and he, and his visitors, being reduced to a diet of potatoes and tea. Mr Matthew Scott is described as a Scottish gentleman, a great reader who had seen and suffered much before he came to New Zealand—*a man who long contact with the struggling country people, had acquired a great tenderness and breadth of kindly philosophy, a man who never asked the creed, belief, morals or worldly standing of his many guests. The example of his liberal creed teaches the lesson to-day we need. At length the Johnston family arrived at their new home. At that time there were Willie, Maggie, John and Adam, but many more children first saw the light in the new home. Mr Johnston re-named the estate Annandale after his old home in Scotland. At first they were very prosperous. Their first house was the accommodation house and cottage behind—Mr and Mrs James had left for Aparima where they started another accommodation house. Mr Johnston built a new house —it was strange, but bricklayers used to make their own bricks at that time. Mr Johnston’s house was considered a Very fine building at that period, and it’s the same house that in many years onward was transformed into the Wrey’s Bush Convent which can be seen by all the passers-by on the modern roads in their up-to-date motorcars. Mr Johnston went in for cropping, and grew wheat, oats, linseed and barley, which products all sold for good prices then. On Annandale were mostly Merino and Crossbred Lincoln sheep and wool was 1/6 a pound. Gold had been discovered in many parts of Otago and Southland. The great gold rush was on, the railways were being constructed, long lines of horse and cattle waggons were going to and fro from and to the goldfields. Contractors were breaking up and draining large areas of swamp. Waggons and drays were being built in Invercargill and Riverton and were sold at from £5O to £lOO and carthorses were in great demand from £5O upwards. The waggoners would stop at the stations and buy up their oats, chaff and hay and potatoes, and also pay a good price for beef or mutton. Mr Johnston became a member of the Wallace County Council for fifteen years and was twice elected chairman. He was also for many years a member of the Provincial Council, alongside with his two friends, Speaker Wilson and Andrew Kinross. Mr Johnston was always an Elder of the Presbyterian Faith, and wherever he lived, his religion was never neglected. At first Mr Ross, from Riverton, came up for monthly services which were conducted at the Annandale homestead, and afterwards Mr Ewan, of Limestone Plains, ministered to the little flock. Mr Johnston battled for a school and when it was built, the monthly church was held there. For a while the Johnston children were taught by a governess—a Miss Macdonald, whose mother had one of the first schools in Riverton, but afterwards Mrs Johnston went into Invercargill, where they rented a house and the children went to the Middle School. Mrs Johnston, like most Scotchwomen of her time, was a great housekeeper and a wonderful cook and baker of bread. Annandale was a great stopping place for weary pilgrims, and many stormbound travellers partook of the Johnston’s great hospitality. When the late Mr Richie, of Blyth, Nightcaps, first came south, he was far from well, and Mrs Johnston looked after him like a mother. The Misses Johnston were noted all arotlnd the district for their skill as horsewomen, and many a tour they made of the old stations and the family still possess an album containing pictures of the old homesteads of 1870. They used to visit at old Waicola—now the modem Waikoura settlement. Mrs Clapp and Miss Johnston tell tales of the old home there when Mr and Mrs Martin used to come over from Victoria in the Summertime and of how Mrs Martin one year brought her sister and that sister became ill and died before medical aid could be obtained; how nearly all the old stations have their lonely graves, and how the settlers coming afterwards have always respected these sacred spots. An oak tree guards the lonely spot where Mrs Martin’s sister was laid to rest. In 1878 came the record, tragic winter when, in spite of all that could be done, the sheep died off like flies. Snowstorm followed snowstorm and shepherds had to return and leave many of their flock to their fate. All the squatters lost sheep, cattle and horses, and then came very heavy rain and a warm wind, and the flood came on them all so quickly that they saved very little; stock, fences and roads were swept away and many men who were both brave and recklpss, lost their lives. In 1880 on to 1887 when prices began to rise, Southland.passed indeed through the greatest slump in her history. Wool was only twopence a pound, no market whatever for sheep, cattle or horses, and oats were as low as tenpence a bushel. Meanwhile a settler, looking for stray sheep, had discovered coal lying exposed in a creek and a company was formed and Mr Johnston was one of the original shareholders, but it was many a weary day before the old Nightcaps Coal Company began to make any profits. The dozen gray Scotch rabbits, which had been liberated on the Bluff Hills about twenty years before, had increased at such a rate that great droves of these marauders infested the crops and the pastures. Mr Johnston had tried phosphorized oats, and Captain Raymond phosphorized pollard, but still the pest remained. At length, the slump overwhelmed Mr Johnston and many other worthy men as well, and the Annandale Estate passed into the hands of Murray and Dalgleish. Annandale was surveyed by the late Mr Millar and cut up for closer settlement. Much was sold to the Nightcaps Coal Company, the Misses Johnstons bought one of the blocks, and other families settled there and Annandale once more regained her old name of Wrey’s Bush. Mr Johnston retired from the fray and settled near Opio and passed away in 1891 and Mrs Johnston followed her husband in 1893. Their daughters, with their children and grand-children, reside in the Nightcaps district and are highly esteemed by people of all creeds and classes and keep up the Johnston reputation for hospitality and good housekeepers.

Only one thing holds Its crumbling walls above the meaner dust, Listen to the simple story of the Old Folks’ faith and trust. (From Bret Harte). (To be Continued.)