OUR INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 10163, 19 November 1894, Page 2

OUR INDUSTRIES AND TRADES.

TABAiSrArci AND ITS RE3PRESENTATIVE MEN. RICHARD COCK. Esq., J.P. [hi oi'i: srii'i.u..] Any industry that iissinuM a proportion in any town or district to mark it a feature in such place, necessarily lias itb enthusiasts, and if any individual could be said to be an enthusiast in regard to dairying matters, Mr Cock- must certainly be .set down as holding the priuu of place. It has consistently been advocated by ma that the farming or yeomanry element it> the principal factor in the prosperity of a young community, and this theory holds exceptionally well so fa 1 :is the Tar.ui.iki district is concerned and more especially in regard to dairying, di the face of the very edifying repoi ts tJrio reach ub from day to day in connection with the ever increasing demand for Colonial butter in the Home and Continental markets, it is I only fair and justifiable to assert and maintain that New Zealand has made a rapid progress in the direction of establishing a reputation for its butter manufacture, and probably nowhere in the colony is there a district which can vie favorably with Taianaki in that respect. 1 1 has almost passed into an axiom that it is impossible to separate the name of Mr Cock from the butter industry, and apart from the interest attaching to that industry, the fact of that gentleman being a native of New Plymouth and a thorough worker in all matters having for their object the progress of his native town and district, renders it impossible to dissociate him from a history of iho growth ani development of Taranaki, winch is practically effected by a series of biographical sketches of those who have had some part in writing the history of colonisation by the work undertaken and brought to an issue by them. Mr Richard Cock, the father of our well-known townsman, though coming to New Plymouth in a humble capacity — that of a sailor m the schooner Regina, which brought out the balance of the stores for the first settlers, by his geniality, probity, and good nature very soon established himself a favorite in the district, and on the Regina being wrecked, shortly after her arrival here, received the appointment >. of signal master, a station being established on Mount Eliot. In addition to such duties as -pertained to that position, lie acted as assistant and coxswain to the late Mr "Watson, who was then Harbourmaster. Wlie* the breakwater was constructed at Moturoa, the signal station was shifted to that place, and it was here that Mr Cock, sen , met his death, through a fall from the derrick, which crippled him for two or three years, and eventually earned him to his grave. Shortly after his settlement in New Plymouth ho married a Miss Julian, and it is authentically stated, that of children, grandchildren, and relations in New Zealand, upwards of 500 can be named and located. Mr Richard Cock, the subject of our sketch, was born in 1851 in New Plymouth, in a whare on the beach, and, like most of the Taranaki boys, received his early education at Crompton's private school. Arriving at the age of 11, it was found incumbent to make Master Richard contribute his quota towards household expenses, and he was accordingly hauded over to the Commi&sariat Department at Tataraimaka as an assistant issuer, and was, as a consequence, present at the attack made by the Maoris on Johnny's Flat at Stony River, -when the cliief Minarapa, together with several of his followers and wife, were taken prisoners by a detach-, tnent of the 43rd Regiment, which acted in concert with the local volunteer*. Shortly after, Mr Cock was transferred to town as an assistant to Mr Long, the butcher, who, in those days, was tlve contractor for the troops. Tiring of such a humdrum life, a new departure was effected, and we next hear of Mr Cock joining issue 1 with Dr Humphries, who owned a chemist's shop at first, but who, subsequently in conjunction with a son, established and succebsfully carried on for years, a wine and spirit store. For fifteen years Mr Cock faithfully served Messrs Humphries, and then struck out for himself, leasing a small shop in Brougham-street, with the experience gained with Messrs Humphries, success was achieved and the business gradually increased, until the present premises had to be leased from Mr "Webster. The feature of this business place is its cellar, used by Mr Cock for the storage and blending of butter. The floor of the cellar in question is laid down in concrete, and iinds room for a compact water power engine which drives what may be characterised a blending table. This table, a circular one, is fitted up with two rollers which act in the manner of mangles and traversing the length of the cellav are covered in troughs receptacles for the large quantities of butter purchased and operated on by Mr Cock. It goes without saying that the export of butter is the main factor in Mr Cock's business, but in addition a general traffic m a retail line, more especially in connection with produce, is also carried on. Eighteen years ago Mr Cock married Miss Taylor, a daughtci of the present Mrs Noonan and of this alliance the fruits have been two sons aud a daughter, the eldest* of the former being at present a resident of the Collegiate School at Wanganui. That Mr Cock is one who has made his mark in Taranaki is indubitable. When we consider that ho fills the onerous position of Chairman of the Harbor Board and that of a member of tho Sinking Fund Commissioners, having for his confreres Major Parris and Mr 11. Westou ; when we know that he is a trustee of the New Plymouth Savings Bank ; a director of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory ; a diroctor of tho Taranaki Building Society ; a trustee of the Recreation Grounds Board ; and for ten years until recently a member of the Borough Council ; when wo consider that he was one of tho founders of the Chamber of Commerce hero, aud its first VicePresident and subsequently its President; when we have it on reliable authority that as a clerk of tho scales and a steward of the Taranaki Jockey Club he lias given uniform satisfaction, it cannot but be admitted that Ms popularity has been the outcome or rather tho sequeiifo to a life which has been in some measure devoted to the interests of his birthplace. It need not be expatiated upon, tha L < being possessed of more than an avcra^o ability, and laving tho quality of prudence, Mr Cock has garnered up a little of the dross which pessimists term tha " root of all evil," and owns properti'ds in and around New Plymouth, which enable him to lay the flattering unction to himself that he did not misuse any of the talonts allowed him by Providence, and as a proof of his judgmont in regard to landed property, any of my readers should pay '■ Overdale " a visit. Driving along the Victoria Road nnd seeing Mr King's propeHy laying to the left with .sir George's :nirl Mr Shaw's in contiguity, Overdalo biciksupon one's sight remarkably pleasantly. Entering the gate the visitor pulses through a literal pnrtorro and then conies to as pretty a la.vn as was ever soon. Facing tin" 1 lawn a stiuctmo in tho Neapolit in Villa stylo, with suphimt houses and ferneries as outposts, »h-im one an idea oi ufupia, and thi» idea is fm Un r impress*. il, when leaving tho li»ivm on the left (he visitor nogoii ides a succession of terraces and liually lands in what tuny bu tunned the hollow of a basin. Sumo hobbies, or surroundings of a man in many inslaneos form an hide* to his iroiiciul character, and looking merely at, tli ■ in<»pnviHy with which this original hi II \t • i lhiiiinCure. valley lms been tiansfoi.t' i! i to a lovely orchard with huii'lrods <>i' fruit trees, all bonding beiu'isth their weight of blossoms' and buds, with terrace upon ti'iiaeo in imitation of the Roman I'ormn ; looking at this picturesque amphitheatre, tho thought is borne upon one, that tho limn with such an eye to tho beauty of naturo must liavo Home innate good in him which upon the offer of an opportunity would place him in a laudable, position. To the

left of the stretch forming the valley at this amphitkeatrical hill is an artificial pond for the use and feohoof of innumerable ducks and bantams which Mr Cock prides himself on possessing. Hardly an extant variety of plums, peaches, apiicots, apple s*,5 *, gnavas citrons, lemons, cherries, or.uigos, and other fruit capable of being gi own in a sub-tropical oi even tropical climate is wanting, and altogether, •with rov. s of pinus insignis and laurel hedges forming a capital background, a finer sight than this transmogrified hill could not well be seen. There must be a touch of the Sybarite in Mr Cock, for it must be written that he goes in (after his day's work) for the duke far vinilc in stjl». The villa, which certainly is one of Vhe best furnished I have seen, is surrounded, as stated before, by a pretty garden, where fehe digitalis, or foxglove, is verj muck in evidence, and surumev-houses, ■with a prospective of refreshing coolness and laziness in the coming summer evenings ars conspicuous. Of the 82 acres forming this property, 72 are freehold, and tke remaining 10 acres are a portion of an educational reserve. Farming to a small extent is undertaken, and kitchen garsleniag is wot neglected. Tho dairy is a feature, and stands at the back of the villa, having again for a backgrouud exceptionally well-built stables, which instead of being relegated to the Use of horses, roof in the milch cows in winter aud inclement weather. The Huatoki bounds one side of the property, as Mr Cock's place being outside the limits ef the borough or town water supply, this river is made to furnish I the orchard, dairy, and house with a supply by means of a ram, which pumps the water from a distance of some 300 yards. Tke pride of Mr Cock, however, is not his kouse, nor even his land, but a flagstaff, which to him is historical owing to associations in connection with his father. When a signalling station was started on the beach, the lnte Mr Cock, as mentioned previously, was placed in charge, and the flagstaff in question was his sole care for a matter of 40 years. When the station was abolished, this pole was put up to auction, and Mr Cock secured it against all bidders, and erected it on a conspicuous spot in Overdale. It may be mentioned en pa^ant that a requisition was got up irecently to induce Mr Cock to become a candidate for the mayoralty, but his duties in connection with tie Harbor Board being too-arduous, after Muck deliberation he decided to ref us» the proposed honor. Ai a future time, doubtless, Mr Cock will devote a little of his energy and experience to municipal matters, and decidedly I should say Now Plymouth could have no better civia representative than the gentleman whose name heads this article.