PLEASANT POINT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17945, 2 May 1928, Page 14

PLEASANT POINT.

j (From Our Own Correspondent.) j

| SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The first meeting of the newly elected ' committee was attended by Aiesdames , Arnott and Batchelor, and Messrs j üboin (chairman), King, Halkett, i (-hristie, and Wakefield (lion. sec.), i Messi's Halkett and King were appointed visitors for May. i Liv order to comply with the Department’s conditions, it was decided to install two more electric points in the . dental clinic, so that the application for £4O subsidy would be‘approved. ; Accounts amounting to £8 17s 3d were passed for payment, i The headmaster, Mr de Montalk, reported that the roll numbers were 142 primary and 26 secondary. Owing largely to a severe epidemic of mumps, the average attendance had fallen very low. He appealed to parents to make the attendance of their children as regular, as possible in order to keep the grade of the school up. i ' " “• : TOWN BOARD. | : I • The monthly meeting was r (tended j [ by the following—Commissioners M. j Maze (chairman), W. Oborn, 11. Blis- j sett, 11. Christie, A. Chisholm and Cl. j \V. Wakefield. _ i A- S. Paterson and Co. applied for ] permission t.o erect two bowsers in the township.—The application was refused. | Tho South Canterbury Hospital I.'i erd I notified that their levy for the year j would amount to £lO3. | Tho Point branch of the Plunket Soc- j ietv applied for the usual grant of one ! . guinea.—Approved. j Accounts amounting to £l3B 14s ]od, including Power Board’s quarterly r.c- j count of £27 os, were passed for pay- j ment. . j Lengthy correspondence relative to i the new hall was held over until an- I thority to proceed with the matter has been received, when a. special meeting will be held.

W.E.A.

" Continued interest is being displayed by the class in this year’s studies. Last week’s lecture was on Russian Music.

SOME OF THE PIONEERS.

ALGERNON RAYNER. Algernon Rayner, now in the eightythird 3 r ear of his age, has resided m the Arowlieiuia and Pleasant Point districts for the past sixty-seven vears. He is the son of the late Dr. Thomas Otterv Rayner who reached New Zealand in 1862 and was gazetted on the 7th. October of that year and commenced the practice of his profession at Temuka. Dr. Rayner was closely identified with the early development (if the country and represented the I Geraldine district on the Provincial Council in 1872, besides being a member of the Geraldine Road Board. The ; doctor’s family, consisting of his wile ' and ten children, journeyed from the old land in the ship "Olontarf,” .one! reached Temuka in ie6s, the subject of this sketch being then fifteen years of age. He bad received liis education from a governess, and shortly after reaching New Zealand he commenced his working career. In the capacity of first station-master at Temuka he despatched the first trains to Timaru and Christchurch. Dislikinsr the. _ circcmi- , scribed life of a railwayman in tjfosd ! days, lie yearned for a wider field in ■ which to function. Accordingly lie reI linquished his position in the railway service in order to go on to the land. At that time there was neither post or fence of any description from Te- , muka to Raincliff, and there were more wild pigs in the country than sheep, mg-hunting was a profitable occupation, those engaged in hunting them being paid at the rate of sixpence a tail. Algernon Rayner, during the long ' course of his working life, engaged in I pig-hunting, ploughing, shearing, harj vesting, and all the arduous manual . tasks inseparable from the development ! and settlement of the country.. He is ; now enjoying the twilight, of life amid j the scenes where lie gave of liis best j in the rough-and-tumbie pioneer days, | and he lias no desire to dissociate him- ■ self from his happy environment at Pleasant Point. THIS AND ANOTHER GENERATION BACK. George Acton, of “Fordlands,” Pleasant Point, was born on 2nd. December, | 1876, and is the son of the late Edward j Acton who came to the Colony in ]832. Having lived in the district practice 1- [ !,v all his life, he has witnessed the sett'ement and development of South j Canterbury. After leaving .school, lie j assisted in the general working of the ■ properties lield by bis father, and lie . later became manager of the estate, i 'Ms father, Edward Acton, on reaching New Zealand, became associated with Messrs. Kcnnaway and Lee, and subsequently these three functioned under ihe title of Kcnnaway. Lee and Acton, • in the ownership of Alford forest, near ' i Ashburton, and the Opawa and Clayton Runs. This firm later purchased from the Imperial Government fifteen hundred acres of land near Pleasant : Point. The partnership lasted for i thirty-two years, and on its dissolution : when the firm disposed of their pro- (

perties, Edward Acton became the owner of the block of fifteen hundred acres known as “Fordlands.” Air and Airs Edward Acton readied Pleasant Point in the early days in a bullockdray, and they had to make shift as best they could until a house was built on the property. The black-pine, white-pine, and totara was pit-sawn by Edward and James Pilbrow at Temuka. The homestead is now in possession of Air F. IT. King, who purchaseij a portion of the property some years ago. On that portion of the estate which Mr George Acton retained he built a bungalow residence which is his present home.

j • 'JOHN JONES. ! John .Tones was born in Aberystwith, And.-Wales on Bth March, 1844, and is now in his eighty-fourth year. The hon'of a._ carpenter, 'he spent his early ufe in Wales and, when nineteen years | or .age, left London on 17th February, : 1864, by the three-masted full-rigged ship “Ivanhoe” commanded by (JapI tain Dunn. | Previous to leaving, Jones bad seen Mr Sanford Tripp, who had an estate at Machynlleth, Wales, who introduced him to his brother Charles George • Tripp, the owner of Orari Gorge Station, who was then on a visit to the | old country. Mr C. G. Tripp had booki ed a. cabin passage for New Zealand by I the “Ivauboe” and promised to get i ' r J, oll f >: work when tho ship reached New | Zealand. Although a strict di.sclipinar- | lan. the captain of the Ivanhoe had a | kindly nature by which he endeared ; nunsell to all on board, j The voyage proved tragic in the exj treme. Typhoid fever broke out ana ; during/the course of the voyage twen- . ty-,seven bodies of passengers, who suc- ' cumbed to the dread malady were comj mitted to the deep. Very fine weather ! was experienced to. the, Doldrums where j the ship lay becalmed for three weeks, | during which time fishing was indulged | in, and some of the more venturesome | spirits bathed from the ship and dived > from the taffrail. After resuming the voyage into the southern seas, the good j ship encountered very stormy weather, | which occasioned much discomfort to I all on board. "When the coast of the j South Island of New Zealand was even- | tunlly sighted, shouts of joy went up from three hundred throats. The weather was then fair and the ship hugged the coastline until she reached the Tiinaru roadstead, where the first batch of passengers intended to disembark. On anchoring off Timaru, the Ivanhoe was boarded by Strongwork Morrison (tlio beach master) and his boat’s crew. The Master of the Ivanhoe failed to fly

i the yellow quarantine .flag on approaching port as an indication that he had not a clean Bill of Health; and, had he done so, Strongwork Morrison and his men would not have boarded the ship. Captain AVoollcombe came out in a small boat and hailing the skipper of the Ivanhoe inquired for his Bill of Health. On ascertaining that there had been a typhoid epidemic during the voyage, he ordered Captain Dunn to proceed to the quarantine station at Lyttleton harbour and to await a clearance there. Strongwork Morrison and his men had to remain on board and make the journey to Lyttelton. Shortly after arrival there the passengers and crew were medically examined; and, nothing of a suspicious nature having been revealed; “pratiaue” was granted and tho passengers landed. Before leaving New Zealand for England, Mr C. G. Tripp had leased Orari Gorgei Station to Air Smith: and, when he returned, the lease had about twelve months to run before lie was able to lake possession of the Station again. During this period he resided in Christchurch. Mr Tripp secured John Jones a position with Captain Hall. Alarcliweil, and Jones arrived at Timaru in August, 1864, and worked on the land for Captain Hall, -in whose service he .remained for a'period of fifteen months: He was afterwards employed bv Air P. B. Luxmore for a period of eight months on general farm work. Having,felt the pulse of the country, Jones realised that! he could function on his own and at twenty-two years of age he set up a general carrier between Timaru and Temuka., Sometime after commencing carrying operations he leased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres situated on the Point Road near tho race-course. Oh 16th May, 1870, John Jones took unto himself, a wife in the .person of Ellen Stevens. a Welsh girl from. Pembrokeshire', who had been a fellow passenger by the Ivanhoe to New Zealand; the gordian knot being tied by the Rev. Orr at St John’s Church. Christchurch. After tho honeymoon. Air and Airs Jones took np residence on the Washdyke farm where thev remained for twelve months, after which Air Jones purchased a two hundred aero farm close to Pleasant Pouit and called tho nlace Bofv Downs, after the river yvliich has its estuary at Aberdovey. Males. Air Jones had' not relinquished his business as a general carrier which had increased sufficiently to justify his engaging waggoners to assist.him. Erom 1868 to 1579, he carted the wool clip from Orari Gorge Station to Timaru or to the Hinds, and with the aid of the waggoners be performed tlic same service for every station in the Alackenzie County. At this time ho was colloquially known ns “Horsev” Jones in order to distinguish him from Jack Jones of Kakahu. who was colloquially referred to as “Bullocks’” Jones, owing to his handling bullock teams. Tn 1378; Air Jones sold Dofy Downs and purchased three hundred acres of land from AL’ John Grigg, at LongbeacTi. From the time he took possession misfortune dogged his Path and the first, two seasons were so disastrous to his crops that he had to rclinouish the farm and step out to make a. fresh start. He came hack to Pleasant/ Point and resumed waggoning on the. ATacken- J y/’e road. Airs Jones 's still in the land of the living and, like her husband,

blessed with a generous measure of health. Hand in band they are enjoying the eventide of life, their Celtic grit and fidelity no duty haying enabled them to overcome difficulties that appeared almost unsurmountab—. The rich endowment of eleven children was their good fortune—three hoys and l ight girls—all of whom were successful Iv reared and given a satisfactory start in life’s serious pursuits. Hating a strong strain of Celtic blood flowing in his own veins the writer wishes them, in their own sweet, vernacular—“Yieehud da a 1 buyer dyddaeau liyfried,” which, being interpreted, means “Good’health and many happy, days.’’.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. [ MINIATURE RIFLE CLUB. [ On loth April, 1926, a meeting . was convened by Alessrs P. J. Bow- | man and' T. Forrest for the purpose of i forming a Miniature Rifle Club in Pleas ,sant Point. At is was attended by six- | teen enthusiastic riflemen, the question of forming a club for the encouragc- . ment of rifle shooting as a pastime was , not longer in doubt. The officials elected Were :—President, P. J. Bowman ; j Vice-preSident, F. Nelligan, Captain, T. , Forrest; Hon. sec. H. H. Howell: Treasurer, T. Forrest and a committee of . twelve. AVith a view to. raising money , > to give the club an auspicious start, a dance was held in order to provide the necessary funds to enable the executive to purchase a rifle and all the necessary equipment. In the Pleasant Point Ha 1 .!, which was secured for a range, the opening shoot took place on 21st Alay, 1926, with an attendance of nineteen shooters. This ' contest, disclosed the/ existence of several good marksmen, it being necessary to shoot off three times in order to obtain a. final decision. Tho club continued to hold shoots throughout tile winter months, during which time the standard of shooting steadily improved. Under the auspices of the Timaru Afiniature Rifle Club, a competition was held to decide who should hold tho Herald Shield for the ensuing twelve months. Out of four teams that competed, the Pleasant Point B Team came out winners in this, their first year of existence. A Chib Championship was competed’for at the close of the season and was won bv T. Forrest. During, the.next season when shooting opened in real earnest, the average weekly attendance rose to twenty-six. At the final shoot of the season in which thirty-four ' competitors took part a club match was fired, Alarricd v. Single, the' married men securing the advantage bv two points. The scores were as follows: —

During the past; season .the club’s membership increased to the gratifying aggregate of fifty-two, and with the. steady growth of a..sportsmanlike spirit aniong the''njehtbets,(;t}ie;.social • condi-. tions were greatly improved: Gratitude i 9 due to a number of loyal supporters, who, by generously donating j prizes and trophies for club competition, gave a groat stimulus to the club which resulted in a very high standard of efficiency being reached. After a keenly contested competition the Club Championship was secured by AV. T. Taylor, with T. Forrest a close runnerup.' To-dav the Pleasant Point Aliniaturq Rifle Club is in a sound financial position, and the unabated interest of it,embers ensures a bright, and prosperous future. The present officials are:— Patron, Air T. D. Burnett, ALP. ; President, Air P. J. Bowman; Vicepresidents, Alessrs F. Nelligan. AV. Arnott. C. T. Borell, A. H. Roberts, H. AAY.offindin, AL Alaze, T. Peach. R. Moll wrick. H. C. L. Dossctt and F. Friel; Hon. Sec. and Treasurer, AV. T. Tayior: Captain., B. Felton; AMce-captain, A. L. Thoreau. GOLF. The Pleasant Point Golf Club was formed on 28th February. 1921, when the following officers were elected : Patron. Air Simon McKenzie: President, Air J. H. Aten-is; Vice-Presi-dents Alessrs T. D. Burnett. ALP.,' AA r Arnott, O. Blackler. C; T. Bovrell, F,.’ Crawford. J. L. Jopp, J. Maze, J Arurphv. F. Nelligan, E. O’Sullivan, J Wricrht and J. Stewart: Committee : —Alessrs Carton, Alay, Cuison, H. C.

Dossett, Lambert, Batchelor and Dr. Alilne; Captain, Mr R. Alay; Treasurer, Air Garton; Secretary, Dr Alilne. .A nine-hole course, which was very sporting and full of perils, was secured from. Messrs J. Brosnahan, G. B. Cartwright and H. J. Southey, lire official opening took place on 19th Alay, 1921,’ when the'distinguished amateur, Aliss N. AVright, opened the course by driving the first ball. Throughout the season the members, showed a keenness and skill that augured well for the future success of the club. As the club unfortunately had no fixity of tenure regarding the links, for the season of 1922 it. became necessary to- change the venue of play to Air James Orr’s property, AVait'ohi, where a nine-hole course was made. The club organisation, was good, andfthe enthusiastic interest displayed by the members indicated clearly that the game had taken at strong held, assnring it a permanent place in the recreational interests of the residents of Pleasant Point town and district.

As it was felt that, in order to secure more stable conditions security of tenure regarding the links was indispensable to the club’s advancement, in ]923 it was decided to abandon the! •Waitohi links for the more permanent situation of the Pleasant Point Domain. It is here amid picturesque natural surroundings that the club has since enjoyed the fascinations of tho ancienti game. The officers for 1927 were: —Patron, Mr T. D, Burnett. M.P.; President, Mr A. Sutherland; Vice-Presidents, Messrs Owen Bladder, ,T. Stewart and M. Maze; Captain, Air A. H. Roberts; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr B. Feltton; and Messrs G. AY. Scott, R. Roberts, 0. Evans, AV. H. Cox and G. Agnew; Ladies’ Secretary, Airs Dick; Ladies’ Committee, Mesdames Dick, Sutherland, Arnott. Roberts, Scott, Miss Maze and Miss Rouble. During the

season matches were played against Highfield (Tiinaru), Gleniti (Timaru), Fairlie. Geraldine and Temuka. The Club Championship went to Mr AV. H. Cox. with Air A. Cox a good second, while the Ladies’ Championship was won bv Miss Norton, the runner-up being Aliss Roberts. The members of the club appreciate the interest taken in them by Air Basil Smith who gave his services as coach on two occasions. The addition of new bunkers have made the course a very interesting one, and the good condition of the Links ensures for tho fortv members of the club a very enjoyable scalon during 1928.

MARRIED. W. Taylor ... 67 T. Forrest ... 67 R. Ale 1 hr rick ... 69 B. Felton ... ... 63 H. Elms ... 68 F. Birse ; ... 60 F. E. Rendall ... 69 Dr. Bonham ... 68 . C. Borrell ... 62 A. H Roberts ... i... ... 61 A. S. Watson ... 60 A. L. Thoreau ... ' ... ... 66 C. Henrikson ... ... ... 62 P. McLeod. ... ... ... 68 Total ... 915 SINGLE. H. Roberts ... 68 S. Wilson ... 66 G. Batchelor ... 68 H. Ferguson ... ... — 64 .. A. Tlioreau ... ... .;. f>7- ■. r I'. Wdson ... ... ... 61 V. - S. Gray; —. : ... ....- 70 R. Barker ... ... ' ... ... v 60. ‘ J. Stevenson ... ... ... 65 H. Thoreau ... 66 : ,T. Elder ... ... 63 : . R. Gliddon ... ... 65 M. Smith ... 67 H. Wooffindin ... 68 Total .......7... ... ...'913 :