DISTRICT NEWS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 157, 21 March 1916, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS

FATUMAHOE THE NEW POST OFFK E. OPENED BY THE PREMIER. Y- storday was a gala day at PatuinahoG, the occasion being the openiug liv tho Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon.'W. F. Massey, MP.) ot the new Post Office, the ercctionof which has only just hoeu completed. Hitherto post office business has been conducted at tho local store but now tho township has attained the diguity of being ablo to claim a building entirely devoted to the transactions of tho Postal Department. Flags were gaily Hying throughout tho district and outside the post office a raised platform, artistically decoratod with bunting and evergreens, had been erected for the afternoon's ceremony. Fortunately this was carried out amid sunshine but soon after its close a heavy thunderstorm broke and rain poured down in torrents. Tho arrangements for tho Prime MinUtor to be taken round the district by motor betwoen the afternoon and evening functions wero consequently abandoned but except for this the change in the atmospheric conditions j caused no inconvenience.

Ihe Prirao Minister, who was accompanied by the Hon. Dr Pomaro (Maori representative in the Cabinet), arrived at Pukekohe by the Main Trunk Express from Wellington shortly before 2 p.m., and was met on the platform by the following members of the Reception Committee, viz.: Messrs J. Henry man!, E. C. Cuff (secretary), R. Johns, J. Goldsworthy, R. Fulton, F. Kavanagh, A. Moore, A. Robinson, J. Morrison, M. Crispc, S. Pilgrim, H. Taylor, W. Pleydell and S. Hill. The wholo party were then conveyed in various motor cars to Patumahoe. THE OPENING CEREMONY Punctually at 3 p.m. Mr Massey appeared on the platform outside the post oliico and was received with loud cheering from the large gathering of settlers who were in uttencU ance. The children of tho Patumahoe and Mauku schools acted as a guard of honour and proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem.

Mr J. Henry, on behalf of the people of the district, welcomed Mr Massey to their midst. Tuoy appreciated, he said, Mr Massey's piesence all the more tince his time was so busily occupied in attending to matters of grave and national iinpoitauce connected with the war. They, however, trusted that at no distant date ho would be with them again to perioral the ceremony of opening the Waiuku railway (app'ause). That lino was a long promised work and without Mr Massey's active assistance it would not have been ueariug completion, (cheers). Mr J Flanagan (Chairmau of the Frauklin Co'uuty Council) expressed appreciation of the opportunity given him of taking part in a ceremony that testilied to tbe progress of the district. His first acquaintance with Patumahoe was some 31 years ago and then tbe Waiuku railway was spoken of as a political joke but now it would soon be an accomplished fact (liners). Tlio electorate, he considered, should oongralulate itself on having Mr Massey as its member. The position of Primo Minister that Mr Massey occupied had only been gained after an up-hill light that did honour both to himself and tq big constituents (cheers;. Mr Stanley Hill (Vice-President of tbe Mauku branch of the Farmer's Union) was next called upon by Mr Honry, whe made mention of the fact that Mr Hill would shortly be leaving to join one of the Reinforcement Drafts. Mr Hill addod his testimony to the progress of tho district and prophesied even more rapid development when the railway was in operation. The lino, ho said, would open up some of the richest land in tbe Dominion.

lii the course of a humorous speech the Hon. Dr Pomare touched on military matters. Fifty years ago, ho said, his people the Maoris) were chasing the white settlers over the hills but now they combined together and were chasing tho Germans (cheers). Even with tho tremendous odds opposed to them New Zealand's representatives at the war had never baulked; they went barcj at it and get there (cheers'. was just about to start out on a rocruitmg campaign amongst his own people. Over a thousand natives had already left for tho war aud he hoped they would be sending another thousand. The young men of that district should remember that thoy also had a duty to perforin. MR MASSE 1' S Sl-ELUU. Mr Massey, who was loudly cheered on rising to speak, stated that, as mentioned bv Mr Henry, it was quite true that he was living in strenuous times aud he recognised his responsibilities, lu fact he was working louger hours every day than he had ever previously worked. Mr Massey then weut on to refqr tq , oaily days ju patuinahoo and t\\o growth of postal business (us ro- , ' ported elsewhere). He eougratu- / lated Patumaboe in having us their J new post mistress such a capably ! official Mru Garland, who hatj acted in a similar capacity at Awhitu * to the satisfaction of all concerned,

As regards the Waiuku railway, Mr Ma?sey mentioned that except for the war the line wculd have been

nearer completion than it was, the Government having been compelled i to cut down railway expenditure. • Since the first sod was turned, how- •" ever, the sum of £39,000 had been expended on the work and that showed the bona-fides of the Government. By the end of the financial year the sum expended would amount to a little over £40,000 or somewhat more than the amount voted. He did not think there would be any difficulty in getting another vote when Parliament met. The full cost of the liue was estimated to be £120,000. It was improbable that the Government would allow the £40,000 already spent to remain unproductive and as there was no great amount of work to do to complete the lino as far as Patumahoe it would be the Government's business to bring that portion of the line into use as toon as possible either through the Public Works Department or the Railway Department (cheers). That the line wculd pay he had rot the slightest duubt, and it would alsu encourage prodoctirn and intense farming runt through from Paerata to Waiuku. K ferriog to the war, Mr Masscy said it was difficult to tell how long th-i war was going to last. He knew tbat the ou.luok was vpry much better now than it was three months ago. The Umpire bad to go on. There would be no wavering and no slackening, and it was the duty of every physically tit man to eUist. Our first duty was to win the war. We were going to win whatever the c st. Ihe British Armv, had been maintained for a hundred years by tbe voluntary system. Whether the country wculd continue that system he could not say. All depended on tbe length of the war. they were under a guuantee to tbe English Government to keep up their reinforcements and it numbers got short they would have to tall back on compulsion. De felt that many men would be induced to come forward by the fear of compulsion. New Zsalard had maintained her obligations, and had sent ax ay its reinforcements not a single man short. A fortnight ago the last reinforcements, consisting of 2400 men, had 1 ft. On Sunday he visited the trbicirg camp, and it was wonderful bow well the quality of tbe men hed been maintained. He was surprised with tbe physique of the soldiers he saw. Mr Maesey, on tr.e conclusion of bis remarks, proceeded to tbe post office building and unlocking tin main door declared the post office open, and handed in to he sent to Wellington the first t?lsgratn to te transmitted from the new premises

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies tor non-attendance were received from the Hon F W Lang, M.P., and Messrs R F Bollard and J A Young, M.P.'s. THE NEW BUILDING The new post office is built on a sction measuring 6611 by 100 ft, given to the Department by Mr J Henry, and is a central sits in the Pntumahoe township. Tin outside dimensions are 53ft (Jin by 25ft 6in, with an Bft by Btt telephone exchange. 'lha design is of the Qieen Anne type and is certainly an attractive addition to tbe dietric'. The structure is of wood, for tha most part heart of totara, nmu and matai rusticated weatherboarding and roofed with asbestoi tiles and tiled ridging. Tbe contract pirce was about £IOOO, and tbe contrac'.o', Mr L McKinstry, can cettainly be complimented on ihe excellence of tbe woik, all departments being finished in a thorough and neat manner. AH joinery, architrives, nioullings, etc., were made by the contractor in his own facory, and the clerk ot wrrks, Mr W J Witheridge, expressed the opinion to a "Times'' representative that the doors were as good as could be made in ths Dominion, and oibe: work was in accordance. Attached to the post office and undei the same roof is ample accommodation for ths resident official, viz., sitting room, two bedrooms and kitchen. On entering the office one first passei through the entrance porch Vft by 4ft, where twenty-eight private letter boxes are fitted up, and then info tbe public space. ]h,is Utter room is conveniently constructed with desk, delivery counter, etc. Access to the public bu'eau is provided from here, and a neat little room with a sound proof door \a provide! The mail room measures 14ft by 22ft, and is fitted up with tablet l , delivery case, stationery cupboards, etc. An open fire-place with rei brickarch and colonial grate will add to the comfort ot tha postmistress during the winter months. The telephone exchange opens from here and is all well fitted up. The ceilings in these threementioned rooms are flatted white, the walls painted sea-green, whilst all are fitted with a handsome figured rimu dado, also figured iimu arcbitrive', doors and skirtings. Some of the timber in the dadoing is particularly rich, and shows evidence of careful selection and skilful workmanship. The outbuildings, 32ft by 9ft, contiin wa9hhouse, coalhouse and lavatories, all detached from the main building.

The whole of the buildings are painted fight buff colour, with dark facings and leid coloured base. Messrs Lornje and onß ' °' Auckland, have had charge of the paint work and have completed their work in the same first-class style as has been the rule with all the workmen. EVENING PROCEEDINGS In the evening Mr Massey was entertained at a public banquet held in the Public Hall. A report oi the proceedings will appear in our next issue THE OKGANISEKS The committee rtsponsible for the arrangements lor the day are to be congratulated 0.1 the successful result of their effort', and Mr 4 Henry as chairman and Mr E C Cuff a- hQn secretary especially demonstrated their organising abili* v* Lieb , n tin. thoroughness with whioh , as! details were workud out 'EABLY DAYS IN PaTUMAHOE fl )? /oihwing particulars of early t ttiy;/and tne growth of postal busi'jjs m Patumaboa wore briefly referred to by Mr Massey in his speech, the earne Having been pre-

pared by ths Postal Depaitruert with assistance kindly retideied by Mr H E RL Wily and Mr M Crisp?, viz :

The name "Pacumahoa" is derived from "patu," to strike or fight, and "mahoe," a tree known to tbe ssttlers as "whitewDOd." The name was first applied to the fertile volcanic hill behind the township, which was at one time covered with mahoe trees, but was cleared by the natives to make room fo: their cultivations

The Mauku district, of which the new Patumah e pust effice is tbe centre, whs one of the earliest s ttled countr? districts south of Auckland. In the year 1851 a strip of country running light through the district from the Manukau hatboir to the Waikalo river was sold by the Crown and settled on by a band of pioneers. Among3t these were:— Joseph May, William Aitken, John Mellsor, H W Bill, Samuel Browning, Joseph Crispe, Samuel Vickers, Dr Giles, Major Speedy, Major Disk, J Wheeler, James Finlay, Mr Morley, Mr K Parson?, and Mr PJymton. Of these the only survivors are Dr Giles-, Msjor Lusk and Mr James Finlay, Mr Fmlav being the onlv one Btill reeidrnt in the district. Descendants of some of the other pioneers are still residing on the original holdings. At the commencement of settlement in tbe district, all the Europeans were at tbe West Mauku end, and Patumahoe was occupied by a numerous and prosperous Maori hapu, which tilled the volcanic slopes of Patumahoe Hill, and whose p c ach and clrrry groves long sufvived the expulsion of their owners

The Waikato war of 1863 pave tha di'srict a great set-back. The raids of the rebfl natives made it neccsjarv for the Eettlers to leave their farms and take shelter in tbe church, and nil tbe able-bodied men we-e formed into a volunteer corp?, which rendered excellent service durirg the campaign and succeeded in repulsing a determined attemnt on the part of Kevu Maniapoto's warriors to make a raid on Auckland by way of the Manuksu, to aid which they had a fleet of cacoes hidden on the banks of rne of the salt water estuaries. The Patumahou native?, hitherto frit nr'ly e-ou:h, could net resist the call of the blool and joined the rebels, a step which led to the conffrcifirn of their lands The lands taken were either allotted or sold in small sections to recnt arrivals from the Old Country and the Cape of Gond Hope. The first settlers at I'atumahoe, therefore, in a great measure escip?d the risks and hardships entailed by the Waikato war, to which the earlier settlers of the West Mauku and of the district we r e expose:). Gradually the phneer settlement began to take on an air of civilisation. Roads we-e made and bridge* built, weath j r-board houses began to take tbe plac3 ot the primitive hut* which were the original domiciles, stores were opened and a public hall was built. The forest retreated before tha onslaught of billhook and axe and began to give place to cleared fields. Of the original settlers at Patumahoe but few remain. One of them, Mr Philip Henry, upon whose original section (he post office has h?en buil', no doubt still remembers the d3y when its site was covered by dense purin bush

The earliest means of communication between Patumahce and Auckland was by cutter and fcow from Onenunga via the Tibaki river, otherwise known as the Mauku creek; tbe landing being two miles from the p'esent township. During the Maori troubles this landing presented a lively scene; troops and supplies sent from Auckland 'via Onehurga were landed here, and accommodated at the stockade just opposite, in clnse proximity to the old Mauku Hotel, since transferred to Patumaboe. This soldiers' stork ade, after being quitted by the troops, was occupied temporally by the Patumaboe early sattlera in the process or settling on their sections in the dsnse bush where the town of Patumahoe now stance. So thick and regular was tbis forest growth that on many sections sufficient clear space whereon to erect the settler's wnare could not be found until the sxe was requisitioned and the timber cut down. Patumahoe Hill, allotted to the settlers, was tin only clear spaci in this primeval wilderces, being the site of the old native cultivations. Mrs Kerr, whose husband secured « portion at the hill, has resid d there ever 8i p e\ For many years the Mauku creek served as the traffic route via Ocehucga to the Auckland marker, to which was shipped the settlers' produce in the shape of pouts, firewcoi, sleep?rs, house blocks, dressed flax, and subsequently gram, potato-s, grass seed and kauri gum. By this route also many of the Pukekohe settleis first obtained acc?Bs to their holdings, Pukekohe being reckoned by the Patuamhoe Eettlers of those early days as being in tbe "outer wilderness." In the early seventies the openirg of the Waikato railway gave the Mauku district greatly improved outlet. With the openirjg of the Waiuku railway, now in prospect, Patumahoe gives every promise of growing into an inland town of considerable proportions, being the natural centre of a large extent of country, comprising many thousands of acres running from the shores of the Manukau Harbour to the boundaries of the Waiuku, Fukekoha and Karaka districts. The even contour and fertility of the land, with its numerous springs, rene'er it peculiarly fitted for close settlement and intense cuPivatim. The shores of the Manukau Harbour and the various inlets which arc linked up with Patumahoe arc fast becoming j'avuunte summer seaside resorts for tbe more inhiid dwellers and as time goes on will be more and more patronised by the residents of the Lower Waikato country

In the early days the district was Eerved postally by an office at West Maufcu. It is stated (fiat the post office was tirtt kept by the late Major Speedy on Uie iarm now owned by Mr Morrison. At that time, of course, ah communication wilb tho district was from Ouebunga or Drury. About the year 1858 a track was opened up across the Karuka to Drury. Cobb's coaches brought the mails to Drury, and the portion for Mauku was brought on by horseback, Mr Middlemas, of Drury, being the first contractor. After delivering the Mauku bag tit went on to Waiuku

witn the mail for that place. This tervice was established about the year 1859. At first it was performed on Saturdays onlv, but after about a year it was increased in frequency to twice weekly. It may be of interest to ststa that the mails for Kaglao, Kawhia and even Tatauaki at thin time traveled by the Bame route, being tiken on to Port Waikato, ferried acrops the river, and handed to Maoris who carried them through the dense West Coast forest to their destinations.

Ihe po-itnn ff postmaster at Mauku was sutsequen-ly h?ld bv Mr John Mellsup, Dr Giles acd Mr William Morley in succession. With the outhre k of hostilities, in 1363, the Lower MauKu Camp, still situated on Mr Morrison's farm, became the mail depot, Mr J T Mtlisop acting as postmaster.

Atfer the wae, when the camp broke up, it was found that many of the settlers from Lower Mauku did not return, but took up land and settled down towardi this end and it was decided to shift the nost office to "Stanlake," where tbe late Mr Joseph Crispe held the position of postmaster till his death in 1877. The ssttlers from all over the Karaks, even as tar down as Urquhart's and Glasson's, us'd to come here regularly for the mails. Mr Crispe was succeeded in the position of postmaster by Mr Charles who had opened a store nlmcst opposite Mr Crispe's pi C 3. For many years Kavanagh's stare and post office was a well known landmark

Until the putting through of the Waikato railway, postal cemmunica* tian was kept up through Diury. At the beginning of 1876. after the railway was constructed and Pukekobe had come into being, a ma;l suvic - , Pukekobe to Waiuku, via Mauku, was inaugurated. The frequency tf tbe service wes at firtt twice-weekly; about tour years later it was increased to thriceweekly and in J9OH to daily The growing popularity of the Patumahoe land, and the increase in settlement at this end of the district, led to the establishing ot a separate post office, opened on the 16th June, 1887. Tbe first postmaster was Mr John Moore. Mr Moore was succeeded by Mr Albert Fulijames on the Ist December, 1891. He was rr-appointed to the position on the Ist January, 1895. Oo his decease he was succeeded by Mrs Moore on tie Ist October, 1904. Mrs Moore w%i eucceedfd by Mr Joseph Benry on the sth, July, 1905. Tha new office is opened in charge of Mrs E M Garland

A telephone offic, was opened on the 11th July, 1887. A money-order office aid savlng?bank were opened on tbe 24th October, 1909. The growth of the Department's business at Patumahoe is shown by the following figures:-In 1905 the number of articles posted was 16,180, and in 1915 23,660; the pcstßge revenue £B6 and £l3l respectively. In 1910, the year after the opening of the monev-o der office and ravings-bank, 60 moneyorders to the valua ot £223 were issued, and in 1915 307 of £llOB. In those years 25 money-orderß were p<»id to the value of £136 and 87 of £454. In 1910, 72 savings-bank deposi's amounting to £485 were made, and in 1915 203 amounting to £lßis. The savirg?-bank withdrawals were 21 amounting to £542 and 79 amounting to £949. In 1905, 431 telegrams were sent of the value of £l3 and in 1915 1754 of £53 Tbe receivfd telegrams were 463 and 1075 Owing to tbe increase of business the time has arrived for the removal of the post office from tbe store at which it has been conducted hitherto to the charge ot a permanent officer ot tbe Department. The present building has therefore teen erected

PAPAKURA.

8. L. Bygrave notifies bis patrons that E. Eeid is no longer connected with the stables at the Papakura Hotel and tbat as from Wednesday, March Ist, the management passed into his (Mr Bygrave's) hands.— Advt.