TRONDHEIM SIDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 130, 2 May 1940, Page 10

TRONDHEIM SIDING.

LINK WITH PAST DAYS. FORMERLY AT TAONUI. In the early days of Palmerston North and district the well-known firm of Richter and Nannestad was engaged in extensive sawmilling operations, both pioneers having' come to this country from Scandinavia, and it is interesting to record that the 6iding used for their milling operations at Taonui was named by them Trondheim after the Norwegian" port, and a place now prominent in the news of the day because of its important bearing on the military operations in Norway. Mr A. Campbell, chairman of the Oroua County Council, who has resided in the Taonui district for more than 50 years, his father (Mr J. Campbell) having acquired a property there in 1887, recalls the siding of Trondheim. Messrs Richter and Nannestad were engaged in milling the heavy timber on the property. The siding stood directly opposite the gate of Mr Campbell’s home and the old line ran into the property close to the present homestead. There was very little settlement on the actual siding, but at the mill there were a number of Norwegians and Danes living in small huts adjacent to the tall totara hush. Messrs Richter and Nannestad had a contract to cut matai railway sleepers, states Mr Campbell, and later handled a large quantity of totara hush on the 640-acre block which Mr J. Campbell acquired. The siding disappeared in 1888 and Messrs Richter and Nannestad then shifted to Palmerston North, where they built the first flourmill in Broad Street towards Terrace End. The same firm also carried on sawmilling operations and old residents of Palmerston North will recall when Heretaunga Street was called Tram Street, this having been the route taken by the sawmill tramway in transporting timber from Boundary Road and beyond to the town mills.