EARLY SETTLERS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1933, Page 5

EARLY SETTLERS

MR. GEO. JUDD HONOURED HIS NINETY-EIGHTH BIRTHDAY. GREETINGS OVER THE AIR. . An interesting gathering of the members of the Wellington Early Settlers and Historical Society was held in Wellington on Thursday. The primary reason for the gathering was to honour the 98th birthday, of Mr. George Judd, of Waiwetu Road, Lower Hutt, a fine old settler of the ’4o’s, and a foundation came to Wellington by the ship Martha Ridgeway, of 621 tons register, which arrived in Wellington on July 8, 1840. Although only a small vessel, she brought as passengers 80 married couples, 19 single men, 17 single women, 47 boys, 34 girls under 14 years of age, and two children (of whom. Mr. Judd was one). During the voyage there were six births and five deaths. Unfortunately, on account of his having contracted a cold, Mr. Judd was unable to be present yesterday. However the early settlers . went forward with the party and commandeered 2YA to allow Mr. Judd and anyone else interested to hear the proceedings. - After a preliminary address, Mr. Too- ■ math prevailed on several of the old people to speak a word of greeting and goodwill to their old friend, Mr. Judd. Those who did so were Mr. and Mrs. James Eagle, of Karori, Miss Allen, Mrs. Chisholm, Mrs. Morris, daughter of the late Mr. T. W. McKenzie, Mr. Thomas Ralph, Sergeant-Major E. Bezar, of the “Diehards” (in his 96th year), Mrs. Player and Mr. Charles .Tandy.

GREETINGS FROM LADY FERGUSON.

Mr. Toomath then read several letters, which had been forwarded to Mrs. Carter. One from Frances Ferguson, written at Kilkerran, Ayrshire, Scotland, on March 20, read as follows:— “My mother-in-law, Lady Alice Ferguson, has asked me to write to thank you for remembering her and for sending from the Early Settlers a piece of their 93rd birthday cake. She greatly ■ appreciated your kind thought, and she was very pleased to hear news of Mrs. Eagle, Mrs. Judd and Mr. Comford, and other friends. Lady Alice Ferguson is making a good recovery from her serious motor accident, but the doctor does not yet allow her to write herself, as she is easily tired. She is getting on so well that we hope that she will shortly be restored to her former health and strength. Will you please convey her thanks and good wishes to the Early Settlers’ Association.’,’ A letter of remembrance and goodwill was also received from Earl Jellicoe. Mrs. Brown, who lives at the Hutt, also wrote expressing her’regret at not being able to be present.

NONAGENARIAN’S RECOLLECTIONS.

Mr. Toomath said as it was impossible for Mr. Judd to come into the city, he had made it his business to go out and see him. Mr. Toomath was glad he did so, as Mr. Judd . had given him a brief account of his life, which Mr. Toomath was sure would be of great interest to all early settlers and others. Mr. Judd arrived in Wellington by the Martha Ridgeway in July, 1840, said Mr. Toomath. He landed at Pipitea Point, stopped at a depot there for about a week and then went on to Petone and after to the Hutt, and was there until '1846. He only visited Wellington once during that time, as it was no 1 easy to travel in those days as there were no roads. He did not go to any day school, but went to a night school for a time. Mr. Judd remembered coming to Wellington and getting work as a boy cutting manuka to make a site for a brick kiln at Vogeltown, but afterwards he went back to the Hutt. He was a good boy and always went to Sunday school In 1850 Mr. Judd’s father took up land in Stokes’ Valley, and George drove a horse and cart for him; then very much against his father’s wish he accepted work driving a team of horses for a Mr. Cotter between Peter’s Mill and Wellington with sawn timber. He was with Cotter for three years constantly without even half a day off per week. OFF TO THE GOLDFIELDS. George and two others determined to go to the races on Anniversary Day. They took two days off, and when they went back they got the sack. He next went off to Greytown to his brother, who had a lot of fencing to do; He afterwards returned to Wellington and in 1860 went to Otago, going straight to the Molyneaux, where he had a friend. He worked about Inchclutha until the Gabriel’s Gully rush broke out. He went with the crowd and worked on a claim there for three months without striking anything. After working about Southland for a while and then on the West Coast he returned to Wellington in 1868. In that year he was back working on a sawmill at the Upper Hutt for a time, then he came to town and was 26 years with Staples’ Brewery. Later he returned and lived at the Hutt. "But for the turn-out in 1846 the Maoris were good fellows,” said Mr. Judd. “No harm in any one of them. Being down south, I was not in the way when the trouble was on; when‘l came back I had to join the Militia, but no Maoris ever came near us. I remember the road to Wellington being constructed. There was very little driving on the road then as the Koro Koro and the Ngahauranga were bad’ streams to cross in those days. ..The Ngahauranga was an ugly stream before the earthquakes of '55, and one had to wait for the tide to go down before one could ford it in safety* w Sergeant-Major E. Bezar also entertained those present with some experiences of his during the Maori War in Taranaki.

M'-w Pauline Rogers contributed a pianoforte solo, Mr. R. Maunder a tenor solo, and Mrs. McLeod a soprano number. A pleasant afternoon tea was served to all present. One of the most graceful and charming incidents of the afternoon was the presentation to all the old ladies of bunches of chrysanthemums.