GERALDINE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 7 (Supplement)

GERALDINE.

Tr§ rise and progress-.

PICTURESQUE INLAND TOWN,

Geraldine is a picturesque inland town situated about four and a half niilea front the Orarl railway station, on the right bank of.the Wa£* hi River. The name not only included the township reserve, but the greater part of what is now know as South Canterbury was formerly known as Geraldine, and returned a representative to the Canterbury Provincial Council, A small Maori settlement occupied a site opposite the present traffic bridge as late as J SB, and on the other side of the river a wooden palisading marked the' site of the Maoris' ancient burial ground. As late as 1861 the only residents in the area reserved from a very early date for a township, were the late Mr Samuel Hewlings, Government Surveyor, and his Maori wife and family, who lived in a house built of totara bark, and'thatched with toi grass, erected on the site subsequently occupied by Mr E. H. Logan, opposite the post office. In that year the late Mr C. Maslin went to live in Geraldine, and the following year his family arrived from Timaru, shortly afiter building the second house in what is now the Geraldine Borough, on a site occupied by Mr Jesse Davis.

At that time there were no roads, only an indistinct bullock track made by the teams of the Levels station in carting posts from the back of the Raukapuka bush to the Levels. The track on leaving what is now known as Temuka was of a serpentine character, keeping along the banks of, the Waihi river to avoid the swamps Winchester was then known as Waihi Crossing, because there the track turned to the, left, crossing the river a few chains above the present bridge. The track from Waihi Crossing ran through wet swampy country, the dray often sinking in the soft ground up to the axle. There was no human habitation after leaving Neal’s homestead, situated on the site occupied by the late Mr Andrew Grant, until Mr Hewlings’s was reached at Geraldine. At the beginning of 1863 the late Mr C. Maslin started a timber trade, keeping several pairs of handsawyers at work at the back of the Raukapuka bush. The price then paid for sawing was 16/- per hundred superficial fetet, 4/- was added as royalty for the timber, and 7/- per hundred for carting to Timaru.

At the end of 1863 the Church of England began to build the first church in the district. The late Mr B. Woollcombe was the architect, and the contractor was Mr George Tayler. The first clergyman was the late Rev. L. Brown, i was succeeded by the late Rev. James Presu... As demonstrating the lasing qualities of the timber cut in those days, the church then erected has since been moved to Orari, where it will stand a sound and stable building for many years. The Wesleyans followed, building a small church in 1868. The Presbyterians also built a church on the left bank of the Waihi -river. This was subsequently removed, and is the church of which the Rev. J. D. C. Madill is the minister. The Primitive Methodists built their first church in Geraldine in 1875, the Roman Catholics building their church at a later date. The first public school was built on a site opposite Craig’s butcher shop in 1872, and Mr John Hardcastle, was appointed first master.

About 1864 the late Messrs J; MendSlssn and I: Morris built a small store in Pleasant V§l= ley and Geraldine was supplied with stores from this plaee. , d'he Valley was at that date a bus/- plaeC; The bush there wae owned hi small and the owners engaged iff saV/ing timber for the market. It boasted a stbfe hnd a pubiie-house. In the middle thg late Mr W* Grimmer and Mr E, Morrison, senr,, Opened Small stores in Geraldine, Mr Morrison afterwards selling out to Messrs Brown and Plante, ef Temttka, who considerably enlarged the business. About the same time Mr Studlid!me, of Waimate, who owned a considerable portion of the Raukapuka bush, cut it up in sections for sale, Messrs McKiesock and McKenzie purchasing and starting a steam saw and flour mill, Other mills were started at a later date, This drew population and business to the town. The first hotel was erected and kept by Mr R, Taylor, senr., followed by Mr Reuben Johnston, who built the old Crown Hotel.

Geraldine was for many years part of the Geraldine Road District, but the growth of the town led to the formation of the Geraldine Town Board, the late Mr R, H. Pearpoint being the first chairman. On separating from the Road Board a claim was made for a share of the accumulated funds of the Board, which had been derived mainly from the 25 per cent, of the proceeds of land sales, granted to the Road Board for the purpose of roading and opening up the country. Over £I7OO was allotted to the new Town District, which enabled the new Board to lay down asphalt footpaths, and bring water into the town by an open race, the water from which provides the supply for the present high-pressure system. In 1905 Geraldine was constituted a Borough, Mr W. S. Maslin being the first mayor.

Geraldine has for many years been an important business centre, three leading Banks have substantial business premises and numerous staffs to attend to the requirements of their customers. All the leading mercantile firms have resident agents, and Geraldine is known as possessing one of the best stock markets in South Canterbury. Sports have not been overlooked in the progress of the town, as the splendid cricket oval, tennis courts, bowling green, croquet lawn, svimming bath, golf club and asphalt cycling track, amply demonstrate. The Geraldine Racing Club has an excellent course atOrari. Extensive improvements have made this one of the most up-to-date and popular country courses in the South Island. The town has a valuable and increasingly attractive asset in its beautiful Park of sixty acres of native bush. Here may be seen in all their pristine grandeur the lordly monarchs of the forest, which in .most places have been destroyed to provide for the progress of settlement. The progress of the town has already presupposed the opening up and development of die country. Most of the agricultural land in the Geraldine and Temuka districts was formerly included in the sheep run taken up by the late Mr Alfred Cox in 1854, which was bounded on the north by the Orari, and south by the Te Moana, and extended from the foot of the hills to the sea. This area comprised some of the richest agricultural land in Cantcrburv.

One of the pioneers of settlement in Pleasant Valley was the late Mr William Graco. His barn was used for a ballroom as well as for storing the produce of the farm. Threshing was done by the primitive bail, while a tin drh and

gentle breeze did the cleaning. In 1863 the late Mr C. Maslin grew 25 acres of wheat and oats in Geraldine, ' The ploughing was done with bullocks, the crop cut with a scythe, and prepared for market as above described. Old “Yankee Sam” in 1862, owned and occupied the site at Woodbury where Mr Maurice Harper lately resided, In 1863 the late Mr Thomas Hardcastle purchased land at the head of Pleasant Valley, known as Castlewood, also on the Te Moana flat, then known as Rhubarb Flat. Here he started dairying, getting together a fine herd of cows and engaged in but-ter-making for the growing market of Timaru. Land settlement continued to move steadily forward, The late Mr W, H. Slack purchased the land subsequently known as the Woodside Estate, and in 1866 a party of successful West Coasters purchased practically the whole of the land then known as Kakahu Flat, extending from the late Mr M. Guerin’s to the late Mr Austin Finn’s* This land required men with the heart of a lion to bring it into subjection, 1:

Deing for the most part wet and cold, and covered with flax and manuka, and full of crab holes from one end to the other, Logs and roots of trees showed that in the remote past ths land had been covered with heavy forest, The present condition of this land shows what perseverance and hard work will accomplish, Ths cutting up and sale of the Raukapuka llMato opened up for settlement some of the finest land for agricultural purposes, and the prosperous looking homesteads are an indication of the fruitfulness of the soil. Fruitgrowing is now carried on in the district, and the splendid orchard of over 20 acres of apple trees owned by Mr M Campbell, shows the suitability of that land for fruit culture, Geraldine also possesses a substantial cheese and butter factory, where the proprietor, produces the finest cheese for export, and butter that cannot be surpassed for texture and flavour. Geraldine has become a popular district, where men of independent means have gone to reside. Substantial and in some cases palatial residences have been erected, and the grounds tastefully laid out, all adding to the natural attractiveness of the country. Geraldine has in this direction a future all its own. Its salubrious climate, diversified scenery, good roads, well stocked trout streams, and abundance of ground game, not to mention genial companionship, point it out as the district to promote longevity and in which to renew the buoyancy of youth.

EARLY DAYS^RECALLED. The picturesque and fertile lands which comprise Geraldine County no doubt had a good deal to do with earning for South Canterbury its character as “the garden of New Zealand.” South Canterbury has been very fortunate in having capable public-spirited men to attend to its local government, and as a result it has been and still is, governed in a very satisfactory way. Geraldine County Council was constituted in 1876, and the first meeting of the Council was held in Timaru on January 4, 1877. There were present—Messrs Messrs Acton, Cooper, Macintosh, Mendelson, Postlethwaite, Russell and Wilson, Mr Russell being elected to the chair, pro tern.

The County, as constituted, included the present counties of Levels and Mackenzie, an area of 3,579 square miles. Mr Postlethwaite of Raukapuka, Geraldine, was the first chairman, and Mr Alex. Wilson, of Temuka, succeeded him and held office for a year. The next chairman elected was Mr Charles C. Tripp, of Orari Gorge, who held office from 1879 to 1883. It was in the latter year that Mount Cook riding of the county petitioned to become a separate county to be known as Mackenzie County. At that time the total rateable value of the county, including the present Levels and Mackenzie Counties, was £3,957,346, and the total valuation of the three counties at the present time is £8,723,423. Levels County was separated from Geraldine in December 4, 1894. Mr J. C. McKerrow succeeded Mr Tripp, as chairman, but held office only a few months. Mr John Talbot was elected in place of Mr McKerrow and he served for 15 years. Mr G. J. Dennistoun, of Peel Forest, was the next chairman, and resigned the position in April, 1914, v/hen he left New Zealand on a visit to England. Mr K. Mackenzie succeeded Mr Dennistoun and has conducted the affairs of the Council for ten years.

During Mr Mackenzie’s chairmanship several changes have been brought about, making for more economical and effective administration, by the abolition of the old Road Boards and the merging of the river districts under the Council which exercises its jurisdiction as the Geraldine iounty River District Board.

; j Before the abolition of the Geraldine, P uuka and Mount Peel Road Boards, these 1; districts were in charge of officials who comj: Dined the duties of overseer and clerk; any f engineering work required was done by Mr F. jI.W. Marchant. When the County Council took [over full control, Mr C. E. Bremner, M. Inst.,

GE., was appointed county engineer. The irst clerks to the Council were Mr H. D. McPherson, Mr W. Wills and Mr F. W. Stubbs. Vlr Stubbs was appointed county clerk and easurer in 1880, and retired in 1916, after 36 oars’ service. Mr E. H. Templci* was acting lerk for a few months after Mr Stubbs retired, . id the present clerk (Mr A. A. Readdie) was appointed in December, 1916.

| The area of Geraldine County in 1894 was [j ' if) square miles, and the capital value j. 1,027,933, The present valuation of ilia "county is £3,524,708,

GERALDINE BOROUGH

As settlers drifted into the district after the selection of the Mt. Peel and Orari Gorge sheep country, by Messrs Acland and Trip in 1856, and the purchase of the Raukapuka estate by Mr E. Cox, the problem of housing became as acute then as now 7 . The wooded slopes and gullies in the vicinity of Geraldine gave rise to the saw-milling industry of those days when pit-sawing w r as mostly in vogue. About the time of the first issue of the “Herald” in 1864 a few straggling huts, mostly of bark, marked the site of the future township. The first survey was made in 1868, but it was not until 1884 that the Geraldine Town District was proclaimeded by Sir Wm. J. F. Jervois, on a petition being forwarded by the residents, to be separated from’the Geraldine County Council. The first Board of Town Commissioners elected comprised Messrs R. H. Pearpoint (chairman), W. S. Maslin, Robt. Taylor, John Mundell, N. Dunlop, Thos. Farrell, and John Huffey. The following is a list of the successive chairmen of the Geraldine Town Board, with dates of office:—R. H. Pearpoint 1884-1887; John Mundell, 1887, 1888; Wm. S. Maslin, 1888-1890; Alfred White, 1890-1896; J. W. Pye, 18961900; J. J. McCaskey, 1900-1902; Wm. S. Maslin, 1902-1905. The following have been the Clerks appointed by the Board during its existence:—Caleb E. Sherratt, 1884-1889; H. N. Hiskens, 1889-1891; Caleb E. Sherratt, 18911898; Thos. Twigg, 1898, 1903; T. Herlihy, 1904 to end of Board’s term. In 1905 Geraldine became a Borough, Mr. W. S. Maslin being the first Mayor, the undermentioned being members of the first Council:—Messrs Robt. Taylor, Jas. Maling, J. Farrell, W. A. Dawson, E. H. Logan and Dr. P. -7. Hislop. The occupants

of the Mayoral chair have been—Wm. S. Maslin, 1905-1:07; Jas, Maling, 1907-1909; F. R. Flatman, 1909-1911; J. Kennedy, 1911-1915; Dr. P. W. His lop, 1915-1917; Dr. Wm. Fergus Paterson, 1917-1918; B. R. Macdonald, 19181921; Ed. liarclcastle, 1921-1928; John Kennedy (present Mayor). Mr T. Herlihy became the first Town Clerk, retaining the position until 1916, when he resigned and the present Town Clerk (Mr. B. Hayes) was appointed. The growth of the town has not been meteoric but of the slow and sure type. In 1884 when the Town District was formed the capital value was £38,445. The values in 1905 when the Borough was constituted were:—Unimproved value £14,689, capital value £59,618, while the present day values are:—Unimproved, £55,170 and capital value, £190,175.