OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 15.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 74, 23 February 1884, Page 2

OUR DISTRICT AND OUR SETTLERS.—No. 15.

A TRIP UP THE COAST. [UY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.] “THE BIG NOBE.” Mv dear reader, don't faugh. The above it what I intend writing about. Is it not better to have a massive proboscis than no nose at all ? Presently you will understand why I have taken these three words—" The Big Nose”-—for my text. Mr. Reeves, the gentleman of whom I am about to write, has a very big nose—not Iris own facial appendage, but in one of his possessions-—a point in the river very much resembling an enormous snout, which is called by the Natives thunufj the name by which Mr» Andrew Beeves’ estate at Tologa Bay is generally knowh; During my ride from An aura to Messrs. Kinross and Co.’s station, I passed through a stretch of country in which stock wafl grazing belonging to ft very old identity of Tologa Bay. This gentleman’s name I have already made mention of. His homestead is situated on a flat on the bank of the river; and distant from Messrs. Kinross and Co.'s station about four miles, leading to which is a passable road, although “ bad in the best.” The situation is both romantic and pleasant in the extreme, nestled as it is within a circle of hills, with the river bounding the land; and within a mile of the township of Tologa Bay, The estate comprises 8,000 acreSj the boundaries being the river line on the right, extending from Wharekaka gate to Tologa township ; thence along the sea-coast for a distance of something like six miles. It is a narrow atrip of territory compared with some of the stations I have visited. The land is not only advantageously located, Hut it bears traces of the expenditure of labour upon it, and yields " fruit” accordingly. There are now 170 head of cattle on the run, 3,700 sheep, 80 horses, and a number of ptal ind houses. The worthy proprietor of l;mt noperty has been a resident of this district ince April, IRo7— about 18 years, and during hat long period has witnessed many vidssu udes in the rise and progress of this part of ur district. The history of the Poverty Bay nd the country along the East Coast is sumently well-known to at once indicate that [r. Reeves’ lines have not always been cast pleasant places, however goodly the heritage he now enjoys. No. At times during this period the country has been disturbed with wars and rumors of wars. Tologa Bay was quite in as unsettled a state as Poverty Bay, and those who resided there were equally as solicitous for the safety of their loved ones and their hearths as the settlers around Gisborne, whose alarm at the arrival of the Hauhaus was not unwarranted. Ths first war had just been brought to a termination when Mr. Reeves first selected Tologa Bay as his future camping-ground, which was destined to become the birthplace of his children—a very significant number. For some time subsequent to the early war, there appeared to be everv indication that the country would enjoy an immunity of freedom from the inroads of rebels and invaders and the pnrsnits of agriculture permitted to be followed by the few peace-abiding people who have no other. ambition than to cause the earth io yield abundantly! 15ut this dream was not to be realised, Ths Settlers thought there was peace when there was no peace, for Te Kooti shortly afterwards appeared in Poverty Bay and sent consternation into every heart along the Coast, and also disturbed the plans drawn out by indi: vidua! settlers for laying,out and founding their future homes. Mr. Reeves was one of this number, although Te Kooti himself did not make his appearance at Tologa just at the time expected. Nevertheless, the effects of his teachings had spread, and disaffection disturbed the previous friendly relationships between Maori tribes and European settlersi The sound of the discharge of ft guti—pltf; haps only aimed at an innocent bird as it stretched its wings and wafted through the air—sent poor; helpless women frantic with fear, and drove them forth to seek ambush in the mountains, or in some other secluded spot, and who, in their flight, felt that, should they escape the ravages of the rebel leader and his savage horde, they would return td find the homes they had quitted in their fright reduced to ashes, and their possessions plundered. Mrs. Reeves fully understands what it is to undergo such a terrible ordeal; Happily the days of trqublous times hays passed, and now ths "tug of war” Is to turn the land to profitable account! improve our hoHies, Rnd procure estates for ourselves, our heirs, and successors. Mr. Reeves had these matters in view when he first obtained possession of " The Big Nose.” There were not many Europeans in Tologa district at that period, Prior to the subject |of this chapter arriving in Tologa, an old ■man named Glover held possession of much l of the land now in Mr. Reeve’s occupancy! I whom he bought out» There was also I another old identity here known generally by I the familiar name of " Waddy,” related, it ii I said, to an old English military officer of that name. He was the ferryman, and appeared to have a monopoly of the right to all the traffic across the river, but by what authority it is not stated, At that period, the only ferry regulations were the conditions imposed by the old waterman. He levied what charges he thought proper, and in the absence of coin of the realm, accepted anything in kind he could obtain as compensation for his services. He supplemented the income thus obtained by boat-building, but the vagaries of one of the boats of his own construction ultimately cost him his life; Attached to these boats were handles, or shafts, something similar to those attached to a wheelbarrow, and, when manipulating one of these, the boat became unmanageable! and to the bottom of the river went the poor old ferryman, He never came up alive, The owner of " The Big Nose" was the only European survivor in the district, A year subsequent to Mr. Reeves’ arrival in Tologa, Messrs. S. Locke and J, Rhodes came upon the scene, and obtained a lease, of the now well-known Paramata Block, which lies on the opposite side of the river. They held this land for about six years and then parted with their interests and good-will to Mr. Murphy, who hept possession of the run for nearly ten years. Mr. Reeves is a Scotchman, He resided at Wairoa previous to settling in this diserict. He is a Justice ol the ?eace for the Colony of New Zealand. His first residence at Tologa Bay was in the old house erected by Mr. Glover, which was situated two miles from the present township. While residing there the massacre took place in Poverty Bay, and in his anxiety for their safety he removed his wife and only child to Auckland, where he knew they would be secure. Subsequently to this, Mr. Reeves erected a house in the township of Tologa, adjacent to the Redoubt, where the settlers and friendly Natives kept guard for a period of two years, doing sentry-go, two hours on and two hours off by night, and attending to their land, stock, and cultivations in the daytime. At length Te Kooti, with a band of about fifty followers, appeared on the scene and fired on the outpickets, a band of Natives, wounding three, one of whom died from the injuries he had received. The old rebel, however, did not deem it prudent to charge the redoubt, although, to a great extent, he held the whole district at his mercy. He plundered a European wharc, and made free with a number of sheep belonging to Messrs. Locke and Rhodes, and also slaughtered a number of pigs, the property of Natives friendly to Europeans and the Government. This state of affairs was kept alive until the arrival of armed forces from Poverty Bay and Waiapu, under command of Captain Porter, Major

Bopata, and others. These soon touted the jebels, taking one woman prisoner. Iheae t«mitu£oene*!! anflloiantly prove how aora were the trials of th? early days of settlement even in Tologa district, which extended oyer * period of four years. Nothwithstanding these drawbacks, Mr. Reeves was all this lime making every exertion to bring his lands tinder cultivation; The country was then in a very rough and wild state. These were not the only troubles settlers had to combat. Titles to land, as is now the case in some instances, were most intricate. A band of Natives would dispose of a block of land, obtain the money for it, and then another lot would put in an appearance and lay claim to it, backed up by that Pakeha-Maori horde Whose machinations have led to so many Unpleasantnesses and fostered litigation. This has been one of Mr. Reeves’ grievances, and as a result he has twice paid for some portions of the land he lays claim to. It will M a red-letter day for our district and our Settlers when the owneiship of the lands han been settled by the Lands Courts, and individual interests properly defined. Until than we cannot hope for the country to prosper as it should and as it is capable of The Natives, nevertheless, are not devoid of ra<ny good qualities. Taken as a whole, they have been friendly disposed and of great service to station-holders, frequently more to be relied on during grass seed and shearing seasons than European laborers. On Mr. Reeves’ estate there have been about seven miles of boundary and sub-division fences erected, principally ditch and bank, post and wire. There is not a better fenced piece of territory along the coast. There is a very pretty gorse bush fence, a quickthorn well grown, and also a fine hedge-row of elderberries adjacent to the buildings now the residence of the proprietor and his family. The wool-shed is a very commodious one, and is surrounded by spacious and Well-constructed stockyards and dip. In the ihed I noticed a very complete boiling-down plant, erected at a time when scab made its appearance among the sheep, and when removal of sheep from one district to another was consequently prohibited. Fortunately Mr. OrbeU’s—the late Sheep Inspectororders were so cheerfully respected by the sheep-owners that, in due course, the disease disappeared, and Mr. Beeves had no necessity for putting the boiling-down plant into use. At one time the proprietor of this station held considerably more land in the district than at the present time, and had as many as 6,000 sheep on his run, the number being reduced as the area of the estate became more limited. The land now held by him is composed, of rich flats of upwards of 1,000 acres, the remainder being a series of low hills bordering the sea-coast. One of the extjuisite conveniences of this station is {hat of the river navigation, which has saved Mr. Reeves the trouble and expense inland settlers have to contend with in importing and exporting. Within a few yards of the wool-shed, a steamer can lay alongside, and, by placing planks on the vessel and on the river-bank, wool is shipped and supplies brought ashore. This season 62 bales of wool were placed there on board the s.b. Rosina for shipment to London by the Lochnagar. The road from this station to the township is passable, and runs along a flat, a portion of which has been pitched, but there is in this district ample testimony of the negligence of the County Council in the work of road-making. After spending a very pleasant afternoon and evening with the worthy proprietor of “ The Big Nose ” and his family, I wended my way into the township of Tologa. (To be continued.)