“Cold, It was Cold as-." Said “Arawata Bill”

Lake County Mail, Issue 7, 9 July 1947, Page 1

“Cold, It was Cold as-." Said “Arawata Bill”

In an interview with a Mail representative “Arawata Bill” Mr W. O’Leary made it quite clear that his last expedition to Queenstown and Arrow had convinced him that his days of roaming the countryside were finished, and he admits that he is fortunate that his latest wanderings did not result in a serious illness.

Now well in his eighties “Arawata Bill ” finds his memory failing and the next trip he takes he hopes it will he to see his sister who resides in Wellington.

A native of Lawrence, Mr O’Leary spent most of his youthful days in that district eventually migrating to the West Coast where he took a job as ferryman on the ferry which plied the Arawata River which flows into Jackson’s Bay on the West Coast. This job lasted for about five years and it was there that Mr O’Leary earned the title of “Arawata Bill.” From there he took up a roaming existence prospecting in the vicinity of the Arawata and Red Mountains on the West Coast. While he never struck

bill” it rich he claims that he was nevei really broke. On one occasion he fell over a 70ft cliff without suffering

any serious permanent injury. His recent visit to Queenstown and Arrow was prompted by a desire to renew old friendships but from what he had to say the trip was far from being a holiday jaunt. When asked if he did not find it too cold sleeping out at this time of the year, he replied, “ Cold, it was cold as .” After wandering round for seven or eight days in this area Arawata Bill was taken back to his home with the Little Sisters at Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin, which

lie now admits is a pretty good sort of a place.