Pleasant Point

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21529, 16 December 1939, Page 37 (Supplement)

Pleasant Point

One of the most delightful of the smaller townships of South Canterbury is Pleasant Point, centre of one of the richest wheat-growing, fatlamb raising and wool-producing districts in the Province. Situated twelve miles from Timaru and eight miles from Temuka, the town is snugly placed near protecting hills and can boast of an up-to-date shopping area, public buildings, educational institutions, beautiful churches, and, in short, all of the modern amenities which make for the healthy community life of the thriving, self-con-tained country township. Pleasant Point had an intimate association with the early history of the district, particularly in connection with the opening up of the Mackenzie Country. Its position is on the direct route to the South Canterbury hinterland and also to Mount Cook and the Southern Alps, and in consequence it attained some importance in the days of waggons and coaches. The town was formerly known as the Point, due. it is stated, to the fact that waggoners, in their journeys to and from the Mackenzie Country made the point of land now known as Cemetery Hill a landmark. It is also held that the town earned its enviable name by virtue of its pleasant surroundings, excellent facilities for feeding and watering horses and the possession of a welcome Hostelry at which cheerful hospitality was dispensed to weary travellers.

Origin of Name

There is another story of the origin of the name, which goes back to the days before the town had a hotel. One of the Government surveyors who were mapping out the country, a man named Sharland, set out in a bullock waggon for Temuka, taking his wife, who was shortly to become a mother, to secure medical attention. Sharland. however, was unable to pass the point where the Te Ngawai and Opihi rivers joined, and was forced to strike camp. It was there that the happy event took place. On their return to the camp one of the men remarked that it must have been very unpleasant having to camp at a point between the rivers. Mrs Sharland countered: “Look at my fine baby boy! It was a very pleasant point to me.’’ Mr Sharland turned to the men and said, “We shall call that place Pleasant Point,’’ and immediately wrote down that name on the rough survey plan. In 1868 the business area ol Pleasant Point consisted of an accommodation house owned by Mr William Warne and leased by Mr J. A. Mcllwrick. a blacksmith’s shop owned by Mr Jas. Gammie, a general store conducted by Mr Jas. Strachan on the Te Ngawai side of the Railway Hotel, and another store operated by Messrs Fraser and McLeod. There were also nine or ten residences, most of which are still in occupation to-day. A number of settlers also lived close to the boundaries which now mark the township. On a creek on the south side of the Opihi near Kerrytown, the Panbrothers had a water-mill, named the “Walton,’’ which they established in 1865. The railway had not reached Pleasant Point in those days, and the only means of transport for goods and passengers was by means of horse and bullock drays. The back country had not been sub-divided to any great extent, and carried a number of big sheep runs. The early settlers suffered many trials through fire, flood and pestilence. In 1871. a grass fire started at the blacksmith's shop, and fanned by a high wind, swept the country as far as the Walton Mill. Crops in the course of the fire, some of which were in stook, were practically destroyed, only little heaps of charred grain being left to mark where the stooks had been. At the Walton Mill, the Parr Brothers were given sufficient warning to enable the building of a fire belt, which effectively stemmed the flames and saved both the mill and their crops. In 1877 the Opihi broke its banks in heavy flood, causing great destruction to crops and partially washing away part of the house at the mill. Another year the crops were ravaged by a plague of caterpillars which came in their millions and left desolation in their wake. Again, as the result of extensive fires on the West Coast the district was visited by enormous flocks of paraquitoes which descended on the crops, then in stook, and wrought great havoc. Early Administration Pleasant Point was originally administered by the Geraldine County Council in conjunction with the Levels Road Board, both bodies levying for rates. The County Council looked after the bridges and the Road Board after the roads. Later the town was under the control of the Levels County Council. On March 26, 1908, Pleasant Point was gazetted a Town District, and Mr John Crawford was elected the first chairman of the Town Board, an office which he held until 1914. When the Town Board took over the control from the County Council what is now the fine main thoroughfare

was only a big gully, with a rough road on cither side. In wet weather the gully filled with water and the road and footpath became impassable. The gully was finally filled in by the Town Board and the Railway Department, thousands of tons of metal were carted from the pit at Sutherland and railed to Pleasant Point to be dumped alongside the railway and scooped into the gully. The town now possesses a splendid thoroughfare and approach which has been further beautified by the recent planting of an avenue of beeches and cherries. Beauty in trees is, indeed, a feature of the town which has one of the finest of the South Canterbury domains, planted with a profusion of stately English and native trees. The first postmaster at Pleasant Point was Mr James Gammie, the blacksmith, and the first postman Mr Dennis Heffernan, who travelled on horseback, carrying the mail between Timaru and Burke s Pass. When the railway was extended to the town in 1874, the stationmaster, Mr B. Pilkington was appointed postmaster. Telegraphic and telephonic communication were established on October 1, 1878. and a Post Office Savings Bank was opened on September 8, 1883. The present Post Office was built over 30 years ago. Pleasant Point is well catered for in the matter of churches. In the early days all denominations made use of temporary accommodation to conduct their services. After conducting services from 1865. the Presbyterians erected a wooden chlirch in 1875 on an eminence overlooking the town, this later being replaced by the more modern church of St. John. The Anglican Church of St. Alban was built as the result of a public meeting held on December 18, 1877, and was consecrated by Bishop Harper in 1879. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church was opened in 1888, when the Rev. Father Fauvel was Parish Priest.