A VETERAN TARANAKIAN

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1932, Page 12

A VETERAN TARANAKIAN

LINK WITH CANTERBURY ONE OF ORIGINAL PILGRIMS. DAYS IN EARLY CHRISTCHURCH. Two people with what is now a unique association with Canterbury live in North Taranaki. They are Air. Thomas Wheeler, of Durham Road, Inglewood, and Mrs. Aaron Marsh, New Plymouth, who are thought to be the only two survivors of the Canterbury Pilgrims, the founders of Christchurch. In spite of his 82 years Mr. Wheeler is still hale and active, and his upright bearing and retentive memory would be worthy of a much younger man. Six ships brought out the Canterbury Pilgrims, he stated in a recent interview. The first of these was the Charlotte Jane, which arrived with the true founders of Christchurch on November 16, 1850. She was followed by the Randolph, the Sir' George Seymour, and the Cressey in December, the Castle Eden on February 7, and the Marcus in March. Thomas Wheeler arrived on the Castle Eden, but as a baby in arms, as he was born only about a fortnight before the ship arrived. Airs. Marsh was also born on the same voyage, her maiden name being Emma Coad. The former was the first° white child christened at Christchurch, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Thos. Kyngdon, one of a family-well known in New Plymouth. Travellers nowadays think nothing of the short railway journey from Lytteltoii to Christchurch, but the early pioneers found it a heartbreaking job, for the only way to transport their belongings was to carry them on their backs over a seven mile track over the Divide and into the Heathcote Valley to Christchurch. What with frequent and necessary rests, it was a good day’s tramp. LONG JOURNEY OUT. Four and a half months were taken on the voyage out, and for some time the ship was becalmed in the tropics where the heat was terrific and the pitch from the joints ran down her side, The delay which most of the ships had to ■ endure in the Doldrums was a blessing in disguise for one immigrant, however. This was a surveyor named Davit, who missed that boat on which he had intended to travel, and which set sail with his wife and family aboard. He promptly took his passage in the following vessel and the second one overtook the first one becalmed. Davis transferred to the other vessel to rejoin his family, and in later years used to delight in perplexing people bv saying that he had come out to New Zealand in two ships. One of the passengers on the Castle Eden was Lord Montague, a son of the Duke of Northumberland. His aunt, Lady Sparrow, was assisting to set him up farming in a large way and bought a square mile of land (640 acres) where part of Christchurch city now stands. Lord Montague had with him in the little craft six head of cattle, seven sheep and a ram to stock the farm, ’besides four men to work the place. The cattle were a Godsend to the travellers, foi fresh milk was available all the voyage. On arrival at his holding fihe owner put a ditch and bank fence all around it. He must have been one of the first people to discover that tutu was poisonous to stock, for one of his cows was spon dead as the result of eating this plant. FIRST WEATHER-BOARD HOMES. Mr. Wheeler’s father, with a mate named Trevellen, built the first weatherboarded houses in Christchurch. They had formerly been sawyers at the Plymouth dockyard, and they brought their tools with them. Soon after their arrival they went to the virgin white pine bush at Riccarton, sawed up the timber, and built houses for themselves. Mr. Wheeler senr. gave a Maori 6s, a bell-topper, and a small travelling box with a lock and key, as payment for thatching the roof. By far the most popular item of payment was the box, and every now and then Hori would descend from the roof, turn the key, and open the lid, an operation which appeared to afford him tremendous joy. This house was built on what is now the Papanui Road, and about 15 years ago Mr. Wheeler was informed that it was still in good repair, with the timber splendidly sound. A thoughtful act bn the part of the Duchess of Devonshire, wife of the chairman of the Canterbury Colonisation Society, was mentioned by Mr. Wheeler. On the day that the Castle Eden sailed she came to see the pilgrims set out and brought with her many flowers and cuttings from her garden. “You are going to carve out homes for yourselves in a savage, far-away land,” she said, and gave them' the flowers with which to start their gardens. Most of them, too, grew well in New Zealand, and there is still on the Durham Road farm a fuchsia plant that was on© of the gifts of the Duchess. Many are the memories it recalls to its owner. ADVENT TO TARANAKI. Tn 1854 Mr. Wheeler’s parents moved to Taranaki with their children. At first they took up a section at Westown, nearLake Rotokare, and they lived there until 1860. Then the Maori War broke out and the family had to flee into New Plymouth. No sooner had they gone than the Maoris burnt the house to the ground. Mr. "Wheeler and his people were put in New Plymouth during the war, and he remembers sudden alarms on two or three occasions when the inhabitants fled quickly to Marsland Hill. Once some of the women took refuge in St. Marv’s Church. When he was old enough Mr. Wheelerjoined the Armed Constabulary, .with which he remained for 14 years, seeing.a good deal of service and taking part in a number of exciting episodes. He gained a knowledge of the native language and, at the time of the Te Whiti troubles, went away as interpreter for the large batch of Maori prisoners, firstly to Wellington, and then, when the numbers were thought to be too large for one -place, he went to Hokitika with the Ngatiruanui tribe. Other parties were sent to Lyttelton and Dunedin. With these prisoners Mr. Wheeler was away 17 months. There were originally five children, but Mr. T. Wheeler and his brother, Mr. J. Wheeler, of Vogeltown, are the only living ones, the three sisters being now dead. It is worthy of note that at one time Mr. J. Wheeler had an ostrich farm on the Durham Road, until the fall in the price of feathers forced him to give up that venture. Mr, Wheeler has been living on the Durham Road for many years. Although the farm is now carried on by his son, he takes a keen interest in its working, and enjoys doing light tasks. He is especially proud of his patch of native bush, which has been augmented by the planting of exotics. He is very definite on the value of shelter on a farm.