PIONEER PASSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 95, 3 August 1943, Page 7

PIONEER PASSES

LINK WITH EARLY DAYS

MR WILLIAM: THOMAS BLACK

The Te Puke Times in recording the death on July 11th of William Thomas Black, of Paengaroa and late of Opotiki, states:— Mr William Thomas Black, who has been of inestimable value to local farming movements, particularly the Pig Marketnig Association, the x Calf Pool and the Young Farmers, Club, was the eldest son of Mr William Black, and was born in Opotiiki in 1879. His mother was a daughter of Mr Thomas Wyatt, the first schoolmaster of Opotiki. I:n her 79th year she figured prominently at the Jubilee of the school as its oldest surviving teacher. Mr Black's grandfather came to New Zealand from the North of Ireland in 1837 and while trading in the Bay of Islands met jvith many adventures, including the loss of his trading station and goods at the hands of Hone Heka with a raiding party. Mr Black had some interesting re- ' collections of his native town. At the age of seven he saw Te Kooti arrested by a squad of soldiers and placed in the barracks near the school. At that time the willow tree on which the Rev. Volkner was hanged by Kereopa, the Maori prophet, was still flourishing although the actual branch had been removed. In Mr Black's youth Opotiki was very isolated. It could only be reached by sea and xmail arrived once a week. Later an overland mail was instituted by pack horse from Tauranga. The journey was not without incident, it being necessary to swim across Ohiwa Harbour as well as several rivers. Mr Bob Croxton, until recently an interesting figure about Te Pulke, was one of the first of these early pack mail carriers. He was followed by Mr George Kelly, who later drove a buggy and continued until the R.M. service took its place. Mr Black had spent, the whole of his life in the Bay of Plenty and except for his military service during the Great War had never left the Bay for more than a brief holiday. He went into camp in 1918 and remained with the Army of Occupation until 1921, when he returned to New Zealand. In that year, in partnership with his 'brother, Mr « James Sanderson Black, he purchased the property at Paengaroa that had belonged to Mr Jonathan Brown. In the same year Mr Black* married Miss Jessie Smith, of Girvan, Scotland. The. partners then set about the arduous task of draining and developing their holding, working in admirable unity to that end. Mr Black's energies were solely devoted to the land; agriculture and. horticulture held a fascination for him. — Grafting, budding, pruning and the general care of citrus and other fruit trees were, to him, recreations, and, his, own vinery and orchard, with its unusual variety of fruit trees, bear witness to his knowledge of the subject. He Avas indefatigable in his efforts to spread knowledge of the woilk that, interested him and to that end. arranged demonstrations by agricultural and stock specialists. He held strong views on the necessity for the. development of the miles of unused country between Paengaroa and Rotorua,, demonstrating that the afforestation of this land would bring about an even rainfall and supply the district with fencing and building timber. He kept a watchful eye. on matters af- j fecting farming during the present ; war and deplored the conditions £ that were leading to the present * shortage of pork and bacon. He was always ready with precept and example to further farming, horticulture and forestry. We have dost, a very valuable member of our community.