WOMAN’S PART.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 24 (Supplement)

WOMAN’S PART.

IN PIONEERING WORK AND ADVENTURE.

PERILOUS JOURNEYS WITHOUT ROADS OR BRIDGES.

FROM CHRISTCHURCH-TO WAIMATE. A lady (now deceased) who was one of the pioneers of South Canterbury, has left a diary from which the following interesting extracts are made. . They concern her first visit, with her husband, to the Waimate district, and indicate that the spartan spirit was as strongly in evidence among the women of those days as among the men:— A few days later (in May I 860) —-having packed all our belongings to go to Timaru by sea, and sending on our married couple with general goods, we started on our long ride from Christchurch to Waimate. The weather had cleared and was lovely, but cold mornings and evenings. M—had some clothes, etc., in his saddle bags, and I had in my swag that was fastened on to the off-side of my saddle by “Tess,” a dress, skirt, and change, etc., and a “house-wife,” with scissors. Well it was that I had them, as will be seen later. We left at mid-day on or about May 8, and got as far as Gigg’s accommodation house at the Selwyn that night. A very poor place to stay at—bad food, salt beef, and soda scones only, and no firing but “wild Irishman,” which biased lip and scorched one for five minutes and the& died down in ashes. The next day we rode on to Hororata, where we arrived at noon, very hungry. The manager showed us round rrext day, and the day after we rode up to Rdckwood. Here lived old Mr and Mrs. Phillips—and numerous sons. We spent two delightful days there, and then went on to the Rakaia. The accommodation house there was kept by a notable woman—Mrs Dunsford, a “rough diamond,” used to cope with the roughest of bullock drivers. Here we stayed one night, then on to Orari. The Rakaia happened to be low, so I was able to cross its many streams without getting wet, and the bottom being sandy made it easy, CROSSING THE RANGITATAV The ride over the plains was monotonous, and seemed endless, between the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers. The day was bright and the view of the mountains charming. We reached the Rangitata early in the afternoon. When I saw the river and its rough bed and large boulders, over which the water roared, I was filled with alarm and declared I could not cross it. M— pointed out to me that to go round to the upper ferry would make it impossible to reach Orari Station that night, and the house at the ferry was almost impossible for me, bullock drivers being the usual occupants. But he said if I really felt incapable of crossing we must go up. It was about nine miles further round. However, as ne assured me Cadmus was a good river horse, I braced myself to cross where we were. The boulders were sometimes so large that the horse appeared to clamber up and then plunge down. All I could do was to sit tight. At the deepest stream I was terribly afraid. The noise of the water, its swift current, and the plunging of the horse made it truly fearful. With, it seemed to me, a wild plunge fx*om the horse I suddenly found myself out of the noise and recovering my senses, for I was quite dazed. At that time the Rangitata ran in one bed, and all the volume of water made a deep and wide stream and many smaller ones. By holding my leg up I was just able to keep my foot out of the -water. We got off our horses and rested a little while, while I recovered my equanimity, then on over the tussock plains to Mr. J. K, Macdonald’s, at Orari, where we received the kindest of welcomes. We started early next day for Timaru, getting lunch at Arowhenua, where at that time there was some bush and a rather large Maori pa. This was often visited by the Waimate Maoris, and as we passed M—. was hailed by one -with “Alio—, you got a wahine?” upon which we pulled up, and “te wahine”—myself was duly introduced to a laughing trio of men, who invited us to go to their whare, but we declined on the score of no time to stay. AT TIMARU. So on to Timaru. There were some bad creeks to cross, notably that at the Washdyke. The crossing was a terror to me as the bottom was soft, and our horses would plunge in and out. It must be remembered that there was no made road—only the bullock track. “The Levels,’ 7 where lived Mr and Mrs. .George Rhodes, w r as away to our right, and as far as I can remember there was no other house between Arowhenua and Timaru. It was nearly dark when we came to Mr Woolleombe’s at Waimataitai, where we were to stay the night. Tnis was the 24th May, the Queen’s birthday. Mr Woollcombe and his cousin, Mr Belfield, received us very warmly, and we spent a pleasant evening. Next morning was dull and •loudy —rain ne r. We walked round the garden and admired the growth of the gum trees, then thought much of, and which were the only trees, except native, in South Canterbury. It was a year or two later before the Cai'fo man seeds were obtainable in Christchurch; there were of course English trees airoc dy growing, but as yet no park. Mr Woollcombe gave me some cuttings from his jessamine that was already growing luxuriantly on his house.

We .started about 10 a.m. on May 25 for our last day’s journey. I had no overcoat, so Mr

Woollcombe lent me one of his in case the rain came on. Very big and heavy it was; there were no light overcoats in those days. Timaru was at that time very sparsely populated. Mr. LeCren's house, “Beverley,” -was a small one-storeyed building with a few trees about it, and below it along the gully, was a lagoon into which the sea broke at high tide and left quite a large pool of stagnant water.

The downs were clothed with tussock and flax and cabbage trees. The track was well defined, as the drays fronj the Levels brought wool and took all stores along it from the beach, where stood a large woolshed belonging to the Rhodes Brothers—W.B. R.H. and G. As we rode along from Waimataitai we passed Mr LeCren’s house on the hill, and beyond it a few smaller ones, and then on to the Royal Hotel, opposite which stood Messrs LeCren and Co’s store and some other small buildings. We inquired at the hotel for letters and news

and found that our baggage had not yet arrived but that the schooner was expected from Lyttelton any time. We made arrangements for our servants, our couple and housemaid, to be lodged until the bullock dray came for them. Then on we rode by a less well developed track southward, passing a smithy and scattered small houses for a short way, also a lagoon. This was almost the only water supply that Timaru had at the time, except rain water and a well at the Royal, from which all near drew their supply, and the water was not good. A short way out from Timaru the track turned off to the cliff, all the gullies being too soft and in a natural state. A cutting had been

made for the drays on to the beach. "The Pig Hunting Creek” was rather difficult, as we had to watch the wave and seize the moment when it receded to cross. There was a considerable volume of water in this creek, which remained for several years a formidable obstacle in driving. To our right the downs ran up to the hills, Mount Horrible and Mount Misery, so called by the surveyor, or someone having to spend a wretched night when lost on them, hiding on we came to the Pareora river, owned by Messrs Hands and Innes, and on the south side of it to Butterworth’s refreshment house, a small sod whare that had formerly been their homestead, It was now raining rather heavily, and we stayed for a short time and had some tea and scones; then, donning Mr Yvoollcombe’s overcoat, I mounted, and we started on our way.

RAIN IN SHEETS. It proved a most uncomfortable ride. The rain came down in sheets, no view could be had, all was misty, and only the muddy track visible. Coming to the Otaio we crossed it, and M—pointed out the track up a valley to the right, leading to the homestead of Thompson Brothers. These three young men lived with their aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Collier, an old lady the owner, who had corne over from Australia and settled here with her nephews, Leslie, James and Andrew Thompson. There was, also, nearer the Hunters Hills, a Mr Francis, whom the Thompson brothers afterwards bought out. Bluecliffs was at this time owned by Messrs Poingdestre and Groon. ,So we rode on and came to Makikihi, where stood a little accommodation whare kept by a man named O’Keefe, an old soldier. It was closed, no one being there, so we did not drav rein. Shortly after we came to the boundary

of the Waimate run, owned by the Studholme Brothers. There was, of course, nothing to mark it but a creek bed. The day was a very rough one—wind and rain, with sleet showers as a change. But M—’s spirits did not fail. His was a cheerful soul and his memory was so good that he could recite many of Scott’s poems. The quantity of cabbage trees all over the country was wonderful. Downs particularly were covered with them. Rounding the downs near Deep Creek was slippery work. W e then came to David Smith’s accommodation house, near Deep Creek bridge. Here we dismounted. Mrs. Smith, a rough but kindly woman, received us with many welcomes, and insisted on our

taking what she called, "a cup of welcome”— something hot—and horrible. I was not sorry when re remounted and rode off, as some men were now coming in, and the room seemed hot and disagreeable. ARRIVAL AT WAIMATB. By this time all the dray tracks were filled with water, with here and there a hole where a wheel had been dug out. Into these we slipped and squashed, and got bespattered with mud up to our eyes, I began to feel life weeping, so wretchedly wet and cold was I, and so dissappointing it was to have no view of our home. Indeed, until wc reached it all was a blank of mist and rain. We rode past a sod hut, which M—- told we was '.he: of a Indlookdriver named Grcgson, and h.V wife and family of two daughters. This was tine only house

in view, and was on the site of the future town of Waimate. There were, he told me, another white man—Sam Shriwes—and his wife nearer the bush.

We passed close to a point of the bush where was an empty bark hut belonging to Harris and Innes, and used by their drivers when they came for timber, the Waimate bush being the only one nearer than Arowhenua. So we came to the Waimate river, not yet risen, most fortunately for us, as the next day it was in flood. By this time I was almost exhausted, and had a bad headache. M—rallied me and held out hope of a good fire and a change of clothes, and just as I felt we could go no further, he exclaimed, “Here we are,” and, looking up, there were some trees and the shadow of a house through the mist. We put on a spurt, and our horses gladly responded at the thought of a stable so near. We stopped. Dogs barked, a man rushed out of the old hut with many exclama-

tions. We turned back to the unfinished house. M—took mo off my horse, and so we arrived home, and I got warm before a fire of fcotara that sparkled and snapped out its heat. It seemed that M—’s letter had not reached j—l, so we were not expected. Had it been fine weather the dray was to have gone to Timaru the day of our arrival. In the morning when I awoke I heard the roaring of water and sounds of pouring rain. The roaring was of the Gorge Creek, which at that time flowed close to the house, and the little garden creek was also a torrent. This break in the weather was the beginning of three months of bad weather, with almost con-

tinuous rain and storms of wind. It was the break after a particularly fine spring and summer. The outlook from the verandah of our unfinished house was not cheering. Water evei-ywherc, pouring through the flax and tussock that grew right up to the house. The Gorge Creek dominated everything, helped by the little garden creek. The long line of the Waimatc bush was just visible through the rain, but no hills beyond could be seen. M—cheered me by assuring me the “southerly buster” would clear off on or after the third day. This really happened, for on that day the rain cleared for a while, and we went for a walk along the hill that is now the Park road to a small lagoon, where, said M—, “we will get a pair of clucks; there are always some there.” At that time there was plenty of manuka growing about that part of the place; clumps were cut

down for various purposes. The flax and cabbage trees were thick and “wild Irishman” very close together. And tussocks large, and snow grass larger, also Spaniards, all so wild and tangled except on the bullock track. There the bullocks had tramped it flat. Well it was that we both had a strong sense of the ludicrous, so many queer situations and events happened in those days. Life was indeed most monotonous—nothing to mark the days, no church nearer than Timaru. Still Sunday was carefully observed, and “plum duff” on that day was the rule. Owing to the bad weather two weeks passed before I was able to ride out over the run with M—, no one coming during that time. The postman, Baines, was the first visitor, and a very welcome one. He rode, and led a horse, whereon the mail was carried in large leather bags. Our house was the post office of the district, and remained so until the year 1864, when the mail was, I think, left at Manchester's store.

THE FIRST POSTMAN. Baines was a fund of gossip. He took up his quarters at the “cuddy” in which he was quite at home, having lived there with M— in the capacity of cook, etc. He was a man of some education, and good company, and as he at this time brought a fortnightly mail we were kept well up in Canterbury news. His stops were:—Christchurch to Rakaia, staying at Mr Chapman’s station; thence to Orari, Mr Macdonald's; next to Timaru, staying at the Royal; next day to Waitaki, where was a ferry kept by one Dan Brown. Usually he returned to us the same day, if the Waitaki river was passable easily. Thus he brought news and letters from both norjfch and south. Returning, he stayed one night, and got back to Christchurch in the same order as in coming south. He took great pride in “getting through,” and often had narrow escapes in crossing swollen rivers and creeks. June came to an end, and it was my first month at home. This being the dead of winter, and that a wet one, few travellers were on the road, and no stock could be driven. Towards the end of June we heard that our servants were in Timaru. At last our servants came by Gregson’s dray. All were new arrivals from Home and absolutely inexperienced. Fortunately, I had been taught how to make bread, and butter, and to cook, and manage a house. All were willing to learn, and we got on well. Still our luggage did not arrive. Miles and Co. wrote telling M— that “through some mischance it was still in their store at Lyttelton, but would be sent on the first opportunity—which was not until August. My dress was shabby in the extreme. M— decided to go to Timaru, and buy me some stuff for another, at the stores of Messrs LeCren and Co., who were general agents. He rode out, and after three days brought me back a rather nice one of some brown stuff, with pieces for a waist, and flounces with a magenta border—not so bad as it sounds. I had given him a list of other necessaries. So at last I had some work to do. A NICE LITTLE TOWNSHIP. By 1866, the record states:—We had now quite a nice little township. Manchester and Goldsmith had a store built at the corner of the road, and we had a few other stores about a blacksmith’s shop, etc. / This made it look like the beginning of a town. In 1871 there is nothing to write about, except that the township of Waimate was beginning to show. Mr. Manchester had built and furnished a store in High street, and a blacksmith’s shop, Mr Willis’s, was built in John street. A BRIDE FROM CHRISTCHURCH. In 1861 the late Captain Woollcombe brought his bride from Christchurch and the journey occupied a fortnight. They set forth from Christchurch with a bullock dray, two bullock drivers, a dog cart towed behind the dray and a dog. They had great trouble with the rivers, and the dog cart breaking its axle, had to be brought most of the way on the dray. The Geraldine Creex was too high for them to cross, and a stay of several days had to be made with Mr Alfred Cox, of Raukapuka. When at last they reached their home at Waimataitai it was impossible to use the dog cart because the road from there to Timaru would not allow it to be used. Journeys to the settlement or to distant neighbours were not made then by the road so often as in a direct line “across country.” When Mr and Mrs Woollcombe’s home was being built, Bishop Harper had occasion to hold a meeting at Mr Herbert Belfield’s house on the adjoining hill, and the the foundations of the Woollcombes’ dwelling were taken to serve as chairs for the assemblage. Mr Belfield, who was afterwards proprietor of the “Herald,” was the first milkman of Timaru, carrying the milk himself, so simple were the times, in two large vessels.