A RETROSPECT.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13168, 26 July 1911, Page 5 (Supplement)

A RETROSPECT.

(From Our Riwaka Correspondent.)

(From: "The Colonist," July 13.)

"Men of the early days,, your praise Shall ring through all the later days."

■■■;.■! A, few weeks ago your correspondent, knowing that the golden wedding of Mr afid Mrs A. Drummond, senr., Riwaka,. was, approaching, called at •their residence, "The Pines," for the purpose of having a chat and securing a few "notes" for the Press. He found Mr and Mrs Drummond hearty and well, and Mr Drummond related his story in a racy and humorous mannor, recalling with remarkable vividness the events of long ago. The story proved a most interesting one, embracing some of the chief incidents in the' history of the province. Mrs Drummond arrived in Nelsorn with her father and mother and: the other members of her family in the ship Indus in February, 1843, twelve months after the arrival of the first immigrant ship, the Perthshire. She went to Riwaka about three months afterwards, and has resided there ever since. She is the daughter of the late Mr John. Fowler, grandfather of Mr. "J. D. Fowler, the present popular chairman of the Riwaka School Committee. Mrs Drummond was born at Ramsbury, in Wiltshire, and was four years of age when she landed in New Zealand. , Her elder sister married Mr. Pratt, who' in his interesting book "Colonial Experiences" gives a good deal of the early history of Riwaka. Mrs. Pratt died at Christchurch only a few''weeks ago, beii>£ pre-deceased by lier husband about six yoars.

; Mr Drummond landed at Nelson in tho Sir Alan McNab 5o year§ ago. The voyage only took 120 days, and only twice was land sighted. On arrival at Nelson the ship was towed from anchorage to the old Albion wharf by eight or ten large Maori canoes. Mr Drummond is a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and was sixteen years of age on arrival in. New Zealand. He made the trip from Nelson to Motueka. in a ten ton cutter commanded by Mr Washbourne ('father of Dr. Washbourno, now of Nelson Hospital1), landing at what was then called the "Manuka Bush." near where Mr. .Rumbold now resides. A short stay was made by the family at the Swan Hotel.. In those days there wns*thiek bush on either side of the road or track, the limits c-f which was marked by huge tree stumps.. There wns only two stores, those of Messrs Wilkte and Giblin, respectively. The family came on to Riwaka, and Mr Drunrmond's father undertook the management of the farm of Sir. Leexarido Campbell, one of tho early pioneers. Riwaka was then one huge. nwamp from the present local school site to Brooklyn.

"Roll back the years! • Waste lay the land untamed and rudo; O'er swampy plains a reedy brook Seaward its course, slow winding, took, Unmurmuring in slumbrous mood. Save when the North.wind's fevered breath Rustled tho raupo, stOl as death The sad fens.brooded and the land Awaited yet the Pilgrim Band— A bounty wasted solitude." "Now behold the change! Where flax and feathered toi waved. Droop the willows water-laved; Where moaned the wind through sedges rank,. Daffodils begem tho bank."

• Yes, it would, indeed, be difficult to find to-day in- our fair Dominion a more favoured spot than Riwaka". In spring, with its verdant lawns and meadows, its budding, graceful willows, and its blossoming orchards; in summer, with its galaxy of beautiful flowers, its fields of corn "yellowing to harvest," and its twining hop-fields; and in autumn, with "apple and poach tree fruited deep, and its subtle harmonies of beautiful colours o'er the landscape. It is truly as "fair as a garden of the Lord."

Even in those days Riwaka could boast of a school, which was under the management of Mr. Jaeka. One'of the first jobs Mr. Drummond had was assisting tho bricklayer to build tho chimney of the old school in 185-5. At the back of whore Mr. Newman's stables now stand was a mill cm by the late Mr Wm. Sleikle. This was the only mill in tho district. Mr. Meikle constructed tho mill himself, the cogs being made of wood. The mill was driven by water power, and during the hot summer months much difficulty was experienced in getting a sufficient supply of water for it. Tho Maoris brought their corn in canoes from Motueka to this mill, and an amusing story is told by Mr Pratt about one of them. Tho clothing of the Maoris in those days was very scanty, a rudo blanket being their only garment. An old Maori was one day seated near the mill waiting for his corn, when the corner of his blanket became entangled in the machinery, and he was in danger of being "put through the mill." The other Maoris, attracted by his cries, rushed forward to help him, and so energetic were they in extricating tho blanket that they broko the cogs of tho mill to pieces—a very serious matter for Mr. Meikle.

In the middle of the present school playground stood a house occupied by the lato Mr. David Drummond. The paddock on the opposite side of the road was covered with hush. One evening Mr. D. Drummond, Mr. Pratt, and a carpenter named Edwards espied the bush on fire, and rushed across to save their potato patch, which they had in a small clearing. In some mysterious way Edwards fell over a log and broke his neck. At the time he was building a large boat, which was only half finished. This boat remained at the foot of the playground for many years in an uncomeompleted- state, and will bo remembered by the early settlers.

But I am digressing. Mr. Drummond visited the Collingwood digging.l? in '57, but was not successful in appropriating much of the dross called gold. For eight months he worked in a -store, and saw much of the rough and ready life of the digger in those early times.

In- company with some mates Mr. Drummond also paid a visit to the Whakamarina gold fields, passing on the way the scene of the Maungatapu murders. They took with them, to transport the luggage, a bullock, and when they arrived at the goldfields the animal was immediately killed, and the beef sold at Is per pound. Mr Drummond had the pleasure of meeting his brother Dan there. Dan (now of Lower Moutere) had gone Otagowards, and had not been heard of for several years.

Mr. and Mrs. Drummond were married by the Rev. Mr. Bagshaw in the Motueka old Anglican Church, which has just been razed. For nine months after their marriage they lived in a little cottage at the Moutero. The cottage was built of timber cut by Mr Drummond with a pit-saw. The modus operandi was:—One man stood in tho pit and the other above, and with a large saw they cut board after board from the rude tree. This seems a most laborious method, but much timber was cut in this way in those days, and even shipped to Nelson.

The Maori war in.Taranaki in 1860 was another event recalled by Mr. Drummond. A number of refugees Maoris crossed Cook Strait and settled about Motueka and Riwaka. This created a scare, as it was feared they would be .pursued, and in consequence a volunteer riflo corps was formed consisting of 100 young men and commanded by Cantain Hornernqjn.' . Regular drill was held in Motuekatqiv Saturday afternoons, and much entiinusiasn) was evinced. Mr. Drnmraohd was appointed to" lay off a range V^ff, wh«re'■ the. Riwaka Butter FaetoiV now stands. ■

Mr.TVirmrrinml has by no means n{»e)wfcetl bis duties to the State. He wn's for forty years a member of the "RiiwhVn. Prfwol OoTTiTnittpo. occuoving tbfl chair for 30 yenrs. Tb» mothers of ' that body presented him. tvrMi i haridsoffis watch, Ruitably " inscribed,

-and^ Mrs. Drummond. with a goldj 'brooch; Mr. Drummond has also been .a member of the Road Board, on and ■off, for. 40 years, and a member of the CRrrtraka, Library since its inauguration .in -64. He has also shown a lively ■.interest in the Riwaka Presbyterian 'Church, of which body he is at pre-,-sent hon. treasurer. In this capacity Mr.' and Mrs. Drummond aro noted .for; the unbounded hospitality they hav6 always shown to the several sue- • cessive ministers of the district. In .addition,. Mr. Drummond has been a .J.P. for the past six or seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Drummond have both reached the "age of 72. They have a ifamily of eleven children—four boys and-seven girls, all living. There are ■37-grand children and one great grand- ■ child. Strange to say, all the members'of Mr. Drummond's family, his 3>rothefs < and sisters, are still living.