OUR INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 10157, 12 November 1894, Page 2

OUR INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

rXRANAKI AND TVS REPRESENTATIVE'MEN. ] ' NEWTON KENfc Esq. \n\ or it ovjjcial]. Ov late years, since oil biographical sketches has joen introduced into colonial jouriuiliHii. the word " representative " has leen a bone of contention and has given rise to much argument is to whether iliat term should not be reserved to distinguish politicians and such others of a clique born in the - purple " and exco'ptiinally endowed with the goods and chattels ot the world. No matter whether my rendition of the term be attributed to perversity or a broader and move liberal view, [ have for years maintained that whoever in a greater or lesser degree, according to means and circumstances, has in any way contributed to the bringing into projiinence a town or district, is the man without tho possibility of a doubt who should he dubbed " representative " and accordingly done honor to. Following up this acceptation of the meaning of the word in question, it will be acknowledged that perhaps no singlo individual in this town i 3 more deserving than my subject, of being crowned with the wreath which has for its motto "representative" r.ud which will deck gracefully the brows of a chosen t'cv . In every small community a diiturence in matters not Only political but social obtains, and New Plymouth, I Like it, is no exception to :i widespread rule. J c goes without saying then, that my articles, as they appear from time to time, may cause umbrage to some and become comparatively objectionable, but tho fact must not be lost sight of, that these articles are not to be written for tho delectation and vain glory of individuals, but for the bringing iuto prominence the industries of the district and its potentialities as a dairying counti'y. It must not bo lost sight of that whatever tends to bring a town or district into prominence must perforce benefit the community at large, and it thus becomes incumbent on those in a position to do so, to further the objects with which this series of articles is undertaken. About the year 1840, a movement was set a-foot in the west of England, having for its aim tho colonisation of New Zealand, and this was the initiation of the Plymouth Company which caused many who afterwards turned out worthy settlers, to emigrate. Among those who, taking their lives in their hands, elected to essay the difficulties and inconveniences of pioneering, the late Mr Thomas King, father of our subject, embarked in the barque William Bryan on the 19th November, 1 840, haviug for his companion Mr Richard Chilman (whose sister he espoused later on) and reached New Plymouth on the 31st March, 1841. Prior to leaving England the late Mr King had secured two fifty acre sections, and as a venture brought out with him a small consignment of goods which was avidiously purchased by those already in tho place. Having thus easily disposed of his wares he was constrained to seek employment and filled various positions as opportunity offered, until 1843 when he commenced to import goods from the Old Country. Meeting the late Mr Dorsett in 1844, Mr King by his representations, induced that gentleman to join him in a coasting trade and a small schooner, Carbon, of 12 tons, being chartered, the pair opened up a trade between here and Manukau, and Nelson and Wellington ; taking tho products of the district to these places and bringing back fcuch goods in exchange as were deemed necessary and marketable. Being imbued with the qualities of discernment and applicability and seeing that farming was being re&orted to in the neighbourhood, Mr King now conceived the idea of reversing matters in connection with the importation of flour, and Mr Samuel Oliver having erected a mill on the Huatoki river, in 1845 Messrs King and Dorsett secured a hundred tons of flour from the mill and commenced exporting it in parcels of ten tons. In 1848, having by dint of unremitting energy and forethought, acquired a sufficient capital, Mr King took up some land in the Mangorei district and blossomed into an extensive farmer. It was here that Lord Robert Cecil (now the Marquis of Salisbury and late Premier of England) during his tour of tho colonies in 18.32. found Mr King, and on more thun on« occasion, seated on n log outside tl'C homestead, discussed the aihiir., of thu colonies iv general, and ot Nuw Zealand in particular. On the bringing into eilcot the Constitution Act, in 1802, Mr King was elected a member of ilio House ot Representatives, and in that capacity attended the first session ot the G~ner.il Assembly, at Auckland in 1854, and alrfo that held 'in lHou. During the years 18515 and 181)0 Mr King identified himself with locul polities, and represented New Plymouth iv the)ProVincial Council, receiving | the appointment of Provincial Treasurer. In 18(50 he was again returned a member of tho House of Representatives, and it was ho who exposed in a letter to tho Nfhon Examiner what was known as the ' Royal Hotel Conspiracy.' In it, he described a meeting that was held in the Royal Hotel, Auckland, by the ' Peace at Any Price Party,' to concoct a scheme to go down to Waikato unknown to the Government, and negotiate terms of peaco with Wiremu Tamihana upon any terms whatever. The letter caused a great sensation at the time, and no doubt affected the rosult of thu election, which was on the eve of coming off. On the Bank of New Zealand being started in 1801, Mr King was appointed manager of the Now Plymouth branch, which position ho held for sixteen years with considerable ability and great advantage to that institution ; and on his retirement he was presented with a handsomo silver service of plate by the customer*. Since 1880, Mr Kin i devoted his timo to local matters ; being a member of sovernl* local boards. Ho always took a great interest in the Harbour works at Moturoa, and for twelve jears prior to death was Chairman of tho Now Plymouth Harbour Board. By his careful financing he succeeded in staving for a considerable timo the Board's default in not meeting the coupons on its loan ; notwithstanding the endowment fund was being gradually confiscated by tho central General Govcrnmont. And when the Government refused to enquire into Uio merits of the case, into tho relations of the Harbour Bo.ird with the bondholders and the ratepayers, hostrovo to prevent. tho Taianaki district from being unjustly treated." On his death which occurred on tho 28th April, lHWii, every mark of respect that could be shown to the memory of a well loved and esteemed pioneer was evinced, and a practical demolish ation of tho estimation he was held in was given by the immense concourse that assembled to follow his remains to their resting place. With such an examplo of pure devotion to tho interests of a community that ho had «ttled amongst, it is not to be wondered at that his son, Mr Newton King, who seems to have inherited much of tho astuteness, dogged pcrsoveranco and withal much of tho ambition of being recognised as a benefactor rather than a successful business man of hi« father should possess the confidence and esteem of all who know him and are in any way brought into contact with I'ini. Mr King was born in New Plymouth in IH.Vj, and, therefore, has an accessor j claim, being a native, to the consideration of thu redden Uof the district. Inclining nioro to the raising of his native town to a curtain pinnacle of coinmcruiiil prosperity . than to the iwjgraridisinjj; ol'wuilth *i.wl powei, ho eschews tho toil and moil of the political arena, and devotes such energies and t.ilcnt as ho possosos to tho nourishing oi' industrial projects. With a su.no manner, a kuonuess of. perception, and a thorough ability to gi.isp all business situations;, ho is a man who, onco interviewed, gives oho tho impression of. his being a determined stickler for buyinebs engagements where such engagements aro at all possible, nevertheless, 1 doubt if a staunehor friond could bo found whoro circumstances would justify forbearance or help. With an easy manner and a raro bonhomie, to moeb Mr King at lub homo

surrounded by his family, is to meet one oL' nature's gentlemen. After a few years pas-^d in Crompton's private school in his youth, Mr King commenced to developo a t iste for business, and by choice entered the warehouse of Webster Bros., whore be passed 9 yeais of his life. Conceiving that a raro opportunity offered for the c^lablishment of an auctioneer's business, iii conjunction with Mr Bauehopo, ho started the well-known auction malt which has since then become onoof tho institutions jf the district. Six months after his commencing, when only 25 years of airo, bo took the whole business over, severing his connection with Mr Bauchope. The pale loom and offices stand on a site having a frontage of 70 feet to Oovon-streoi.. and a depth of 150 foot to JJrougham-streot. In addition to this, i!"> extension and quick growth of burl'iovs necessitated the leas.i :g of a vacant 100 .it Kawau Pah, from flic Harbor Br-ml, and on this allotment, after the > instructing '»f a bridge over the Huatoli river, Mr King had some warehouses erected for the storage of wool, butter, and other perishable goods. The butter collars are admirably laid down with concrete floors, and a thorough supply of water, and in all other respects the} are so fitted, up that the interests of clients, as well as those of Mr King, are more than studiously considered. Al though under bis immediate supervision Mr Kiug has relegated the geuural n .na<>emcnt of this portion of his business >MrS. W. Shaw who, together with ast ,V of (3 permanent hands, conducts evorytl ng in connection with tho wool, butler a i'l oilier traffic. In the niaiii'oifice no fvi\ or than 10 clerks aro to bo seen in a p-i/pcliv.l state of bustle, and some of tin i.uuifications of Mr King's business ma be gauged from the fact that ho hinisol ." i->, perhaps, tho hardest worked ot 10 h;i d- working clerks, and that generally he Mas to devote his evenings to reducing tin day s transactions to order. Pursuing tho course mapped out for himself from tho outse. — 'that of encouraging to his utmost abiiiry, tho industrial potentialities of the place, lie, when it commenced to bo consnlered that there was a future for Tar.- ,'aki in regard to butter, started a tinning factory, where large parcels are crucially dealt with, classified, tinned, and on opportunities shipped to the Homo markets. So interested has bo always boen on tho butter question, that some time ago, when intormation was sought by Parliament on the practicability of grading butter, Mr King was deputed to give evidence before the Commission, and his opinions on the matter have since been verified by Home buyers and exports. Dairy matters were generally dealt with at this sitting, and Mr King's information and opinion were considered of practical value. Apart from this particular industry, there has scarcely been a movement on foot, calculated to benefit Taranaki in any measure, which has uot had his aid and support. To read of the following functions thai, he has at some time or other filled, is to bo convinced of the indomitable energy and pluck of this illustration or example of native business aptitude : Chairman of the Now Plymouth Sash and Door Factory Co. ; Chairman of tho Crown Dairy Factory ; Director (till 9 month- .igo) of tho New Plymouth Loan and Investment Society ; President Taranaki J ockey Club ; President Stratford Racing Club ; President Bell Block Racing Club; President (until last year) Waitara Jockey Club, and in fact a member or director of almost every club and institution. It may unhesitatingly be averred that no auctioneer or salesman on the West Coast has a more far i caching business than Mr Newton Kins; and this statement is borne out by the fact that in addition, to his Auction Mart in Devonstreet and the Haymaikofc Yards which stand on a -j acre section where weekly sales of horses And pigs are conducted, Mr King holds sales at his yards at Waiwakaiho, Stratford, Stony River, Rahotu. Toko, Inglewood and Waitara. Within his recollection, the largest sale effected by him was at Stratford when he disposed of over 2000 head of cattle during the day. When he first commenced business as a cattle sale iman, demand was very brisk, but gradually diminished until 4 years ago whe,i an upward tendency took placo and a,, the present dairy cattle are in great reqi' :< "iiion. Virtually, Mr King monopolises the produce trade, and is >. very large exporter and importer, ''(1 to that iict owes tho position of cl' v.f agent tor such remarkable manufactir . i mul firms as : the Alexandra Sopar.it ■■ Manufacturing Co., which annexed thi Xc prize of C3O at tho Doncaster Shov ; l.he Peninsular and Oriental Steam N "icration Co.; the Ashburton Roller Fiom .\lills; Fison and Sons of Ipswich; the N mvich Union Firo Insurance Co.; Hirst (<a seed fame) and other similar businesses. Ton years ago Mr King became a benedict, and now has a family of four children, of whom thre- are girls. His residence, known as Brooklands, is undoubtedly one of thi nicest properties that any moderately ambitious man could desiro. Situated on iho right of tho racecourse, and adjoining the Recreation Grounds, it contains ] <b acres of a very rich and loamy soil, with a gradual ascent culminating in a plaioau, on which is placed the homestead, which forcibly reminds one of an old English i'arm house. This property once' belonged to Captain King, R.N., from whom it passed to others, and eveiitualh fame into the possession of Mr Newt.on King a little while back. With a couple of crooks, one having its source in a spring on tho grounds, it is admirably watered, and being but a shori. distance from town, forms an exceedingly pleasant suburban retreat, which may certainly be cliivacteri ed as Rm in Urbe. Sufficiently fiat in places, it yet is broken up in parts into hills and dales, and tho whole pictnrcsqueness is intensified by the scrupulous maintenance of a natural bush of 20 acres in extent. Thia stretch, teeming with the kings of the native forest and containing raro specimens -of ferns, is an ideal spot, and tothepn.jj, or the visionary would certainly prove a vu'i table paradise. Facing tho homestead i- ,i tastefully laid out garden, planted with valuable and rare shrubs and flower-, and smiling m a variegated garb plea-wit to the eye. Flanking this again is an ovolnrJ richly stocked with fruit tree-- of pwrv dosi ription, chief among which is a row of pears of goodly growth, anil literally bonding beneath a weight of blooms and fruit. Walnuts of a grand girl h arc not- wanting, but Iho "beauty " ot tin placo is a magnificent giant in tlio shijfO of a chestnut, which, with a bole men-uiing about four foot in diameter, risos ( , a goodly height, and then sweeping downwards expands into an umbrella, touching tho ground in a circle having for its diameter something more than 70 foot. Tho appearance of this gigantic shade is similar to that of a tent, with its side wall, and one has actually to pull apart tho branches to enter into the ground covered by this chosnut. It is assumed that the original proprietor of the plai o, Captain King, sowed the seed whic'i has givon this beautiful specimen to •irooklauds. The grounds aro well wort), visiting. Iv tho meadows some 200 sin v, 10 cattle, and 18 to 20 horses and ponies roam at largo, proving by their dapper condition tho nutritious property oi tho feed clothing tho fields. Taking into consider, n m the time and norsisteney di-votod to ■ a ,inea>, ifc cannot bo marvelled at thp Mr King has gradually added to this orM's -foods, and at present owns nnul property in and itboul Now Plymouth. Howjver, unlike those who accumulate n erely for thohako of accumulating, no d< crying appeal is made to him m vain, and many have reason to pay a tribute to his kindness and sympathy.