PLEASANT POINT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17945, 2 May 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

PLEASANT POINT

Patrick Hamilton was born at Carndonagh, County Donegal, Ireland. In 1830, and is now. in his ninety-eighth year. His father was a struggling farmer; fx-om whom Patrick acquired » knowledge of genei^u'farming add Stockraising. He w>nt tlu-Qiigh all the hardships associated with the great famine in IreljUid and was doing a man’s--work in 1817. .He left the land of his birth .'.•rhen in his thirty-ninth- year, ho and his brother Alexander Hamilton , (who recently died at Fail-lie) journeying out together, by the .-Bailing ship, “Selina,” which, left-East India Dock, London,

on 29th September, 1869. After an uneventful voyage, the good ship reached Lyttleton on 17th January, 1870, and Patrick Hamilton then stepped ashore to battle for himself. He secured a Job harvesting at Southbraige, ‘hud with a portion of the money earned he paid for 'os out-nurd passage. He then obtained employment on a thi-eshing mill, the wages being a shilling an hour and a. shilling a shift and each man tucker himself. Every man tarried his own billy and food. As there was no sleeping accommodation, the men slept under the elevator or under a straw stack. If a man wanted toi fry a chop, he laid a litter of straw about thirty yards in length and, placing his chops in the frying pan, he then applied a light to one ond of the litter and holding the frying pan over it, he followed the flame up until the litter was burned out, when the chops wei-e found to be cooked and ready foxeating. Later lie joined his bi-other John, xvho had arrived from Ireland five years before him and had acquired fifty acres of land at Waitohi on which he had built a sod house. On_ reaching Temuka, Pat. was greatly interested in the sight of two bullock-teams lying on the road in the yoke opposite Mendelsohn’s stoi-e. He stayed with his brother, John, atl Waitohi, and engaged in all classes of labouring work, ploughing, drain-laying, fencing, road-making, etc. In 1873, Margai-et Mclntyre came from Ireland with a sister of Patrick Hamilton and arrived at Lyttleton by the sailing ship, “Maiy Shepperd.” John Mclntyre, a brother of Margaret, and Dan journeyed to Lyttleton to welcome the girls to the country. The party travelled from Lyttleton to Timaru by the coasting steamer, “Beautiful Stax-,-” and landed at Timaru by surf boar. From time immemorial, the sea has been redolent of romance; and it- proved to be no exception with regard to Margaret Mclntyre and Patrick Hamilton. During the voyage down the coast they spent a good deal of time silting together in the afterpart of the vessel where a mutual attachment quickly developed that was destined to deepen and gather strength with the passing of. lime. Before reaching Timaru, Pat. made a proposition that was acceptable to. Margaret, and ten months latei - , on 29th July, 1874, they ratified ail indissoluble contract before the Rev. Father Chataigner in the Sacred Heart Church, rlimaru. The good ship, “Beautiful Star,” was also their lucky star.; On luiiding at Timaru, Patrick Hamilton took.the necessary steps to pui-chase a farm near Pleasant Point, and iti-was to this property, he took his bride after the gordion knot had been tied. Their sojourn together covered’ a period of for-ty-two years, at the end of which Mrs Hamilton passed to her rest! on 4th October, 1916, leaving her husband and eleven grown-up children to mourn their loss. -As Patrick Hamilton was one of a numerous family, he was early enured to hardship in the land of his -birth. It is easy to conjecture what a . noble specimen he must have been in the heyday of life, for even to-day lie is as straight as a lath and as hard as nails, and is still'able'to cope'with a volume of work that would put to shame many a younger man; his rugged frame and calloused hands give eloquent testimony that he was never work-sliy. JEANNJE ORTON. ,

Mi's Jeannie Orton, eldest, daughter of Samuel and Jean Manson, was born at Riccarton on 7th January, 1844, and was the first white child bom on the Canterbury Plains. A party consisting of Messrs Manson, Deans, Hay and Gebbie had crossed from the North Island in a small whaling boat and sailed up the river Avon. Mr Deans located his farm at Riccarton Bush where, the first house on the Canterbury Plains was built. As nails were then unprocurable, the house was put together with dowels. It was in this house that Mrs Orton was born. Later Samuel Manson located his farm ati Toddington Head of the Bay and shortly afterwards loaded all his possessions on a boat and sailed down the river Avon with his wife and child on the first stage of the journey towards their now home; the nighti was spent in the Caves at Sumner, and the journey completed the following day. Arriving at Teddington Head of the Bay, the Malison family took up residence in the house Samuel Manson had provided, and it was here that the subject! of this sketch grew into womanhood _ and acquired from her mother a skill in housewifery that eminently fitted her for the successful carrying out of the duties involved in the life-partnership she was shortly to contract. Reginald Orton oairin to the Colony from "Sunderland, England, in 1860, and some time afterwards took up land at Horse Shoe Lake. He became acquainted with the Manson’s and perceiving in Jeannie attributes of mind and heart in association with a. physical comeliness find grace usually evident in a daughter of the soil, ho laid siege to her heart and the reciprocation of his affection culminated in the solemnization of their marriage in the church at Governor's Rnv, on 21st December, 1865. Their early wedded life was spent on the farm at Horse Shoe Lake, hut in 1868. Reginald Orton purchased a farm at Pleasant Point, near the site of the Domain, and took possession that year. Tlie long journev from Horse Shoe Lake to Pleasant Point was/ made with hovse teams over the then roadless and bridgeless plains Tn crossing the Rakniai river one of the drays, containing some furniture and oeir.onal effects, capsized; and, although the party ex-

NOTABLE PIONEERS

tricatprl themselves from this sorry : plight whhciut physical hUl'fc or mater- , ml loss, the Cloth.ixg and boxes sus- ■ tained damage from ImilH-Tsiotl ill the I river. Mrs Orton still has in her pos- • .session ai-ticles bearing marks that aro ■ a silent x-eminder of that liilzilraOUs i. .journey, 'Wllim tile party readied Te- : lliuka, the desilntctioil Caused by the , big Hood of tile 2nd February, 1868, ; Wits still plainly visible. .Dead sheep i hero and there and heaps of rubbish > in the main street bore witness to the . .devastation caused by the. uncontrolled rivers, On. the Pleasant Point, side of Arowhemta a ploughed paddock had most of the soil washed away, and the marks of the plough could be seen 0:1 the hard surface which -' as left. On arrival at the farm Mr Orton settled down to the steady cultivation and improvement of the land, and a. season of prosperity ensued. In 1871, a grass fire started in the vicinity of the blacksmith’s shop, and, fanned by ft high Wind, the. flames quickly spread and swept the Country as- fur as Parr Brothers’ mill. _ Reginald Orton’s crops which were in stock were quickly demolished hv the relentless flames, there being nothing left but a little charred grain whore, the stooks had stood. Oye year* a plague of caterpillars laid waste the crops, and another year thousands of paraquitoes. which, had i migrated from the West Coast, did irreparable damage to his crops. He earned on ' with varying success through the pioneering years and passed to his eternal rest on Pth Julv, 1895. His passing was tragic, for he was drowned in the Opihi river, being washed from his horsewhilst crossing the river during high flood. Left with eleven children, four boys and seven girls. Mrs Orton faced the stern battle of life with lieroh- fortitude and in due time had the felicitv of satisfactorily completing the task of launching her children oil the sea of life. All ai-e prospering : the eldest son, Reginald, is a Veterinary Surgeon at Geraldine, and another of her sons is statio-nmaster at Strntfo r d, North Island; and all the daughtei-s are happily married. Mrs Orton has thirtv grandchildren an 4 ter. great-grandchild-x-eu and the condition of her health justifies the hone of her one day becoming a great-n-rent-gvnndmothpr. We wish her length of da.vs and the achievement of this unusual distinction.

SARAH MAZE. It was in the parish of Clatt, about six miles from Iluntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, that Sarah Maze was porn in September,. 1848. .She is now in bei, eightieth year. Her father, Francis Biown, was a “gr.evc” (farm manager) in Scotland, and he looked towards New Zealand as towards a Land of Promise in tlie hope that he would one clay set sail to try his fortune in tins new land. His desire materialised m T 869 when lie. set sail with wife,, twodaughters, and three sons in the sailing ship “Zealandia,” a new vessel commanded by Captain White. V ery rough weather was experienced m tlie Bay of Biscay, but the remainder m the voyage was pleasant, though otherwise uneventful. Lyttleton was reached early iu December, 1869, where Mr and Mrs Brown and their five children transhipped to-a coastal vessel and were in due time landed at Timaru in a surf boat. A son and two daughters of Mi- and Mrs Brown, who had preceded the party to New Zealand welcomed the newcomers; the re-union was a memorable one. The boys secured work on the land and the girls went to domestic service. The subject of this sketch secured a position with Mrs James Austin, Winchester, in whose service she remained for two and n-half years. A man named Michael blaze, who, in

pai’tnership with his brother Jack, had a farm near Milford school, came to Austin’s farm to help with the work, and it was here that the friendship between Sarah Brown and Michael Maze blossomed into that deeper regard which resulted in a matrimonial alliance on 24tli. May, 1873, the Rev. George Bnrc’ay being the officiating minister. After the honeymoon.they resided at the Milford farm for five years, and Michael Maze then disposed of his share of the property to liis l brother Jack. Michael purchased “Clit- I ton,” Totara Valley, a farm of twelve | hundred, acres which had a sod-and-eob house of four rooms that was'just big enough to accommodate Mr and r Mrs Maze and their two childs-n, a | boy and a gii-1. The road from Milford i was good as far as Fraser’s Corner, , where the pai-ty got on to the New , Zealand and Australian Land Com-j pany’s Levels Run and journeyed from paddock to paddock, opening and shutting gates until they reached'the Trig Pole paddock, close to which, the c°bhoxise was situated. The fax-ni was in rough tussock and had only a boundary fence. Michael Maze held the property for seven years, during which time he iiuproved it and added farm pi-emisos.

When church .service was held in the district fortnightly seven miles. fro«. Clifton,” at the house of George Lyall, one of ,the sub-managers of the Levels estate, Mi' and Mrs Maze, with their;Jt-wo children, travelled; by horse and dray in order to attend Divine Service. The house occupied by George Lyall still stands oil the property now in the ownership of Mr T.'B. Garrick. A difficulty arose regarding the education of the children, and in order to get them near a school, the parents disposed of “Clifton,” and purchased a thirty-acre farm close to Pleasant Point. Michael Maze played a man’s part in the development of the district and added to his thirty acres until he owned an area approximating to eight hundred acres. He passed to his eternal rest on 12th. July, 1917, leaving his wifp and eleven grown-up children to mourn his loss. Mrs Maze still resides in the old homestead with 'three daughters, and, the eldest sons, John and Michael, reside in separate homes on the estate and cari'y on the farm in association with their mother. Mrs Maze erijoj'S good health and is ; very active for her years. She rises : early -arid, after rousing the vest of, ; her' 1 household, steps out to do her ; share of the milking; she usually : handles four cows. She is an enthusi iastic Presbyterian and has witnessed the induction of. seven ministers in Pleasant Point Presbyterian Church.

Hale and hearty, Mrs Maze is looking forward to many happy days and our sincere wish is that she will long be spared to represent that fine band of early pioneers who played a conspicuous part in the openihg-up and settlement of the country. GEORGE CROZIER. George Crozier was born at Drumahaire, County Leitrim, Ireland, in October, ISSB. On leaving school, he worked on his father’s farm until he reached the age of nineteen years; Yearning for a wider sphere for his activities, he decided to try his luck in far off New Zealand. Leaving Plymouth on the 7th July, 1878, by the sailing ship “Waitangi,” he made a pleasant though uneventful voyage to New Zealand and reached Lyttle-' ton on 3rd October, 1878, after a passage of pjghty-three days eleven hours. He srrived at Timaru the following day and proceeded to the home of Mr and Mrs John Cartwright (the parents of G. B. Cartwright, exMayor of Temuka), who had a farm at Pleasant Point. A few days later he secured a job road-making from William IVlcCully (now.of Seadown), who was then contracting at Coal Creek (now Ma Waro). He walked, with others, a distance of fifteen miles to take up his work. At each week-end it was the custom of the men on this job to walk the fifteen miles to the Point, go to church on' Sunday (all good bojs then), and the same day walk back to Coal Creek in order to be in readiness to commence', work on Monday morning. Ofie day when it was discovered that'the larder was empty, it fell to George Crozier’s lot to go to Albury—a distance of seveu miles—to secure half a carcase of mutton and a few loaves of bread. He mounted a big barebacked draught horse and, grasping the reins, steered a course for Albury. On reaching the main road, he was accosted by three roughs who demanded tobacco -from him. When, finding that lie was unable to meet the demand, . they gave him a shower of stones, he 'dug his heels into the flanks of the horse and liiado along the road as fast as the lforfee could carry him, soliloquising:- “Well, if this is New Zealand, it is pretty tough.”- Crozier continued in this- class of' work for. three years and then went contracting on his own account. He formed Avenue Road, Timaru, Marchwpil Street, Timaru, Brassel’s Road. Beaconsfield, and other thorough'fares in different parts of the Levels County. In 18S4 he began to tire of “ploughing a lonely furrow,” and in order to fill the aching void he entered into a life partnership with Edith Smith, the fourth daughter of Albert Smith, one of the pioneer farmers. The marriage was solemnised at Albury, the officiating minister being the Rev! D, McLennan, the Presbyterian clergyman then in charge at Pleasant Point. After the honeymoon George Crozier took his bride to reside on a fifty acre farm at the Opihi which he had previously purchased. They stayed , - here - for., .three years’and then-disposed of’the property. In 1887 George 'Crozier was appointed Water Race Ranger for t*he Seadown Water Race District by the Gera ; dine County Council, and he was later taken over by the Levels County Council on the formation of that body. For over thirty-nine years George Crozier has filled the position of Water Race Rgnger, and he is now on the eve of retirement and will in future confine his efforts to sixty odd acres at Pleasant Point which he purchased some years ago. During their long -residence in the.. Pleasant Point 'district Mr aqd Mrs Crozier have endeared themselves to a wide circle of friends who are glad that these well-known residents' intend to remain at the Point. JOHN CRAWFORD. John Crawford, of Pleasant Point, first saw the light on the 14th May, 1858, at Londonderry, Ireland. At twelve vears of age he became apprenticed to his father, William Crawford, a bootmaker, and under him’ he acquired the art of the trade that helped him to win through and rear a family of twelve children. (When equipped with a knowledge of his trade ensuring confidence in himself, he decided to seek fresh scenes and pastures new; and in his mind’s eye he looked towards far distant New Zealand that was looming up strongly, although little knpwn by the home folk at that time. Leading the home-nest, he crossed from Londonderry to Glasgow and sailed from Princes Pier on 7th September, 1877, in the New Zealand Shipping

Company’s three-masted full-rigged ship “Rakaia,” commanded by Captain Treston. There were six hundred souls on board, comprising five hundred and sixty-five passengers and. thirty-five in the crew. Soon after leaving a gale of hurricane force was encountered which made things very unpleasant for all on board. During the storm she lost her flying jib-boom and a portion of the bulwarks and a cook’s galley became displaced.' The- ship was fortunate rounding Cape Horn, for although the seas were rough the favourable winds rapidly carried-the sturdy “Rakaia” onward and ever onward towards far distant New Zealand, which she reached on the 11th December, 1577.' John Crawford’s sister, Mary Ann, made the voyage with him; and, on landing at Lyttelton, they at once proceeded to Timaru, where they stayed one night. Miss Crawford secured employment at Banlcfield, St. Andrews, and John Crawford commenced work road making with the late John Cartwright, and was afterwards with George Murdoch doing general farm work. Later he joined Alexander . Sutherland, of Sutherlands, as plbiighman, and continued with him for a period of three years. Having taken the “lie of the land,” and added considerably to the money brought with him, he cast about for ah opening that would enable him, to set up on his own account. As his hand had not lost its cunning in the varied operations associated with the excellent trade he had acquired from his father, . he decided to carry on the family tradition, and to this end he purchased a section at Pleasant Point and built thereon a house and shop that enabled him to commence. business as a tbootmaker and repairer. From 1882 to 1884 John Crawford Vpaddled his own.canoe,” but the life . became lonesome, and John could hint stifle the innate longing for a congenial spirit of companionship that had commenced to influence his life. Cupid was knocking loudly and persistently at John Crawford’s front doori John had' been reconnoitring for some time, but his quest came to an end when he met Isabella Agnew. He put a plain, straightforward,, manly question and the fair Isabella, with the consent of her parents, became betrothed to John Crawford, the marriage being consummated in 1884.. He;was fortunate in the selection of his life* partner: Mrs\ Crawford" was the daughter of the late Isabella and’ James Agnew, and the early training she had received at home rendered her eminently suited to share the joys and sorrows of a struggling young colonist. She became the mother of twelve, lavished a fostering care on her children and found time to extend practical sympathy and help to her neighbours. Mr Crawford has always taken an active interest in local affairs. When Pleasant Point was gazetted a Town District in 1908, he became the first chairman of the Town Board and in the office until 1914. Appointed a Justice Of ’ the Peace thirty years ago, he has carried out the duties associated with that distinguished office with dignity and fidelity.; He has been so well treated by the people of the district that he has no desire to dissociate himself from the town of which he is, in point of time* the third longest resident. He has nOw relinquished active work and is taking his wellmerited ease, the old . established business being successfully carried on by his. son, W. J. Crawford. John Crawford has always been a loyal resident of the township, for he patronised the local shopkeepers as far as; possible for all articles of food an.d clothing required by his family. This is an object lesson that should afford many in and about the Point serious food for profitable thought. JOHN MURPHY. Unlike most of the early pioneerd of the district, John Murphy did not • come direct from the homeland, but hails from Beechwood, Victoria, Australia, where he was born in 1858. His father, Joseph Murphy, was a gold digger who left Australia in 1866 and joined in the gold rush to Dunstan, Otago. Twelve months later Mrs Josephus Murphy, with her two sons, Rupert and John, journeyed to Melbourne en route to join her husband in New Zealand. She unfortunately took ill there and passed away, and the two boys remained in Melbourne for twelve months under the charge of the police. As the police were unsuccessful in getting into touch with Josephus Murphy, a station owner named Bilby undertook to adopt the boys and look after them until the father was found, if ter they had been with Mr Bilby for twelve months, the authorities made touch with Josephus Murphy and the boys were then sent over to New Zealand' by the sailing vessel “Geelong,” and they were landed at Timaru by surf boat in November. 1864. Rupert was then five year-s of age; John was his elder by a year.

The father was at that time engaged pit-sawing at Fairfield Bush (now Pleasant Valley), whence he took the boys to live with him in his cob hut for three years. They then moved to Geraldine, where the father did contract ploughing for Alfred Cox, Raukapuka station. To this day there is a paddock there known as “Murphyts paddock,” so called because Josephus Murphy ploughed it out of tussock with a swing plough. The boys commenced their schooling there and 1 attended' Mrs ' Grimmer’s private school in the old bark hut. which whs bhilt by Samuel Hewlings, the pioneer Government surveyor. Josephus Murphy later moved to Temuka and commenced business on his own account with a six-horse team and waggon; he carted the first telegraph poles, that were used between Orari an-d the Selwyn River. The boys attended the Temuka Government school and received instruction from Mr Macfarlane. In December, 1867, Rupert and John Murphy and John Fraser (now residing in Timaru) went bathing in the Temuka River at that place where the‘footbridge now links up Temuka with the Waitohi district. Rupert Murphy got into difficulties and was drowned in a deep-water hole, his mortal remains being interred at Geraldine on New Year’s Day, 1868. Shortly afterwards Josephus Murphy sold his carting business and became the proprietor of the -old Cave Accommodation House,> which he disposed of at the end of two years. In 1871 he purchased'.th'e goodwill and the freehold of the Pleasant Point Hotel from the lessee and the original owner, Messrs J. A. Mcllwrick and Wm. Warne respectively. At Pleasant Point Josephus Murphy apprenticed his surviving son John to Thomas Jones, the village blacksmith. John stayed at this work for three years and then, when' eighteen years of,age, purchased the Livery and Bait Stables from Alfred Rayner (a son of Dr. Rayner, Temuka) and carried on the business for twenty-five years. On the decease of his parents John became the owner of the Pleasant Point Hotel, which he held for thirteen years, and sold out to Con. Burns in 1907. Mr Murphy then purchased a farm at Pleasant Point on which he has re-

sided for over twenty years. He has two boys and two girls. T - eldest son has a farm of his own and the eldest daughter is happily married; the younger son and daughter reside at home with their father and mother. - . ' During his long residence m Pleasant Point Mr John Murphy has taken a practical interest in local affairs. He was chairman of the Domain Board for twenty years;, served as a commissioner on the Town Board 101 six years; for twenty years has been a member of the Cemetery Board and is the present chairman of the Pleasant Point Sale Yards Company. JAMES CARTWRIGHT. James Cartwright is another wearer of the green; he was born at Vance s Turn, County Fermanagh, Ireland, on 2nd. February, 1857. After receiving his schooling, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, a. farmer, and received some, training atEome before his father passed away. The-Small farm was disposed of and the widow, Mary Ann Cartwright, and her sons, Edward • and James, left East India Dock, London, on the. 6th. February, 1874, by the steamship “Atrato, commanded by Captain Hunband.. After an eventful voyage, during which engine trouble-' developed thatnecessitated putting‘in* at Plymouth for repairs, the ship arrived at Lyttelton on "2nd., June, 1874. They transferred •to the coastal vessel, “Beautiful Star, and were duly landed- ,at Timaru by surr boat on 24th. June, 1874. The eldest son, John, who had arrived m New Zealand a few years previously, met the party at Timaru and took them to his farm at Pleasant Point, which is now in the ownership of Mr G. B. Cartwright ex-Mayor of Temuka. The roads were very rough and the farm cart in which the party travelled was several times axle-deep- in mud-, and it was with difficulty they reached their destination. In 1275, Mrs Cartwright and her two sons, Edward and James, went into residence, on a thirty-acre farm they purchased at "VVaitawa. Edward Cartwright, who entered business on his own account as a contractor, engaged in shingle carting and road construction. Having purchased one hundred acres at Opihi, he carried on the dual business of farmer and , conHe added considerably to his acreage and eventually., disposed of the whole of his interest and is now living in retirement at Gleniti. James Cartwright secured work on the farm‘of Albert Smith a few days after his arrival at thS Point, and later went to help John Jones, Dovy Downs, with the harvest. He continued to gather experience in all kinds of farm work over, a period of fifteen years, at the end of which time he had accumulated a nice little nest-egg. In 1890 he went road contracting on his own account, with horses, dray, plough, and scoops; and successfully engaged in this work for a period of twentyfour years. He personally formed and shingled, many miles of road, and played a big part in'the development of the district. He carried out the contract for the protective works of the Waitohi water race, and constructed the race along the Waitohi terrace. On 27th. December,: 1887. James Cartwright took unto himself a wife in the person of Elizabeth Blair. They went to live with Mrs Cartwright, senior, at the Waitaiva farm of thirty acres, where they lavished on her the fostering care of a.'dutiful son and' daughter until she- passed to her rest in June, 1899, at the ripe age of eighty-five years. Besides acquiring an additional fifty acres of land in 1902 and purchasing another one hundred and fifteen acres in 1905, in 1918 he further increased his acreage by another substantial purchase. Mr and Mrs James Cartwright have reared a family of nine children and given them a good start on the journey of life. Having resided in the distinct for fifty-three years, they have witnessed the steady transformation of the land from its native state to its present well-developed condition. On their homestead farm stands a relic of earlier days, the old mill and .water-wheel formerly in the ownership of Parr Bros., and'known as the Walton Mill. HENRY CHARLES DOSSETT.

,Henry Charles Dossett was born in Dunedin on (3th. February, 1861. His father, Rowland Thomas Dossett, was a master builder in Dunedin at .that time, but, owing to a depression in trade, he moved to Wanganui where he engaged successfully in building operations for a period of two years. Next moving to Lyttelton, he entered business’ as an auctioneer, in partnership with Mr Mole, the firm functioning un-, der the title of Dossett and Mo'e. After the expiration of two years this partnership was dissolved, and Rowland Thomas Dossett moved to Timaru to commence business on; his own account as an auctioneer in the. stone building in Church Street, opposite the ■site on which the Public Trust' office now stands. TJe continued in business there until 1874. Tn that year he came to the Pleasant Point district as lessee at the Accommodation House, then situated at Hanging Rock, Onihi. Having so ! d put to William Warne, he came to live in the township of Pleasant Point. Shortly afterwards, when L 'm Accommodation House at Flanging Rock was closed, William Warne transferred his licence to the Point in order that he might open the pew Pleasant Point hotel.

On reaching Pleasant Point, Henry Charles Dossett, then thirteen years of age, became apprenticed to Henry Edward Rogers, a master builder, in or-der-to learn his trade as a carpenter. After serving his apprenticeship,, he commenced business on his own account, and for the past fifty years has successfully canned on as a builder and undertaker. He has always taken a keen interest in local affairs, serving for some years on the school committee. Mr and Mrs Dossett have reared a family of eight children, six boys and two girls. On returning to Point, two of the sons who served in the Great War became associated in the grocery and general store business carried on by FT. C. L. Dossett. Mr Henry Dossett and his sons are closely identified with sports organisations at Pleasant Point, and, judging from the strong representation they now have in the township, one would say that there is every likelihood that the Dossett’s will he taking an aetivo interest in the affairs of the township for many years to come.

SAINT ALBAN’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND. The Anglican Parish, of which Pl.easint Point is the centre, is officially nown as Te Ngawai; it begins near Washdyke and extends up the lengawai River beyond Albury. The parish ivas originally part of Geraldine, then, later, part of Temuka parish. The church of;St. Alban at Pleasant Point was built in 1879, when the Rev. _F. Fynes-Clinton was vicar of Temuka, it being consecrated by Bishop Harper in October of 1879. Services had been held in the Point for some time before that, Messrs. Howell and Meek helping the vicar as lay-readers. The Rev. J. Chaffers-Welsh, who succeeded, the Rev. Fynes-Clinton in 1881, worked my ergetically over a very large area. He held regular services in the schoolhouse at Mount Cray, and later at Hazleburn. Thus it came about that the pretty little church of St. David at Raincliff was built. During the time of the Rev. Chaf-fefis-Welsh. Pleasant Point was separated, from. Temuka, and in 1883 was constituted a parish by Synod. Its boundaries were still very wide, and it went over to the Pareora River and 'beyond Fairlie into the Mackenzie Country. The Rev. Jasper Smyth took charge of the new parish of Te Ngawai in January of 1884. He was a very well ’known clergyman, riding over a big ex:tent of country. During his term of officie, the vicarage at Pleasant Point was built and Mr Smyth did much of the planting of the beautiful trees that now surround the vicarage.

In July of 1892, the Rev. T. Hamilton, now Canon T. Hamilton, of Christchurch, became vicar. He had been in charge a very short time when he was transferred to Temuka. In January, 1893, the Rev. Stanley Hinson became vicar. His name is most closely connected with the parish, as he remained thirty-one years, until 1924. After the Fairlie portion was cut off in 1906, the Rev. C. Addenbroke beenme its vicar a year later. In 1907 a church'was built at Raincliff on land given by Mr Hope. It has been beautifully furnished by gifts _ presented by former owners of Raincliff estate. In the same year the church of Sr. Martin was opened at Albury, mainly by the generosity of the late Mr John Rutherford.

! In 1924 .when the Rev. Stanley Hinson resigned and left for England,' the Rev. D. K. Macpherson took over the parish and did good work till he too ■ft for the,Homeland in, 1927. He was succeeded' by the present vicar, the Rev. C. C. Oldham, who came from Halswell to take charge of the parish. ST. JOHN’S PRESBYTERIAN . CHURCH. When the Rev. George Barclay waß settled as the first Presbyterian minister of Timaru in March, 1865, he proved that he possessed the true pioneering! spirit, and from Timaru as a centre he visited all the surrounding districts holding services wherever and whenever practicable., He used to say that his pastorate was bounded by the Hangitata River" on the north, by the.