BIOGRAPHICAL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 536, 1 June 1920, Page 2

BIOGRAPHICAL.

LATE MR. TOM KENNtLLY.

Some few years ago the "Times" commenced collecting biographical notes of Franklin's pioneers. Unfortunately, after a certain -number had been published circumstances vented the continuance of this feature. For one thing, there occurred at that time a paper famine, due to shortage of shipping; also, affairs in the district grew so many and busy that all typesetting capacity of the staff was taken up in chronicling then current events. 'However, the "Times" has now replaced the slow method of setting type by hand with the more modern metthod of the lino, we are now able to cope with the above and other features that we were obliged to discontinue. For

a start, we propose to publish the notes aken of and during the life of the late Mr. Thomas Kennelly, one I who was among the early pioneers of Franklin. Here ara the notes, as,„t£}ken some years ago, before Mr. Kennelly was laid to rest:— "If you ever want to know anything about the early days of Pukekohe -go aftd have a chat to Tom Kennelly," was the advice offered the writer a few weeks aftar his arrival in Pukekohe. In due course it came about that he had a "chat" with Mr. Kennelly, for it is well that a little of the story of a man who next year will have lived 50 years in Pukekohe should be known. And let tt be here confessed that Mr ,Kennelly is not an easy man to interview. He is too modest and is far too apt to remark "it isn't worth telling you about." But you speedily find out when you have extracted the information that it is worth listening to, for Mr. Kennelly has been a keen observer, and in spite of his

75 years has an excellent memory. He was born in 1839 in County Clare, six miles from Limerick, where he attended school. When twenty years of age, in the company of a number of settlers, he sought South Africa to try his luck. He worked on the formation of the first railway from Capetown to Wellington, and was employed in the digging of canals and bridges at Darling bridge. But the love of the land was inherited, and ithe absence of farming caused him to become restless. News of the Maori wails in New Zealand drifted across to the Cape, and the possibilities of that land were discussed. Finally he decided to leave South Africa, and his first intentions (were to proceed to the United States of America, where the war between the North and South was coming tc

an end and settlers were welcomed. He went to secure a passage, but found there were no berths available for married men, for Mr. Kennelly had just become a married man. So he booked his passage on the Eveline bound for New Zealand, and on November 24, 1864, sailed from South Africa. It is more than possible that had he refrained for a few weeks from taking ship that he might never have come to Maoriland, as just as the vessel was to sail the rush for the diamond and gold fields set in. In those days in South Africa 5s a day was the ruling rate for wages, and board could be got for 35r a week. t

Landing in New Zealand Mr. Kennelly came to Drury by boat from Onehunga, and from Drury he made ibis way to Pukekohe. The settlement of Pukekohe then was along Comrie's Ridge, where Roose, Scott and Gadkin had houses. The memory of "the Paddock," a natural clearing stretching from the present State school to Cathcart's coiner, is still fresh with Mr. Kennelly. 'The prettiest place in New Zealand," he enthusiastically exclaimed, and his face lights up at the recollections of the primeval beauties of the bush, the tree ferns, and the cabbage trees, which have long since vanished under the axe of the pioneer settler. Mr. Kennelly took up five acres on Hickey's Road, where Mr. Hickey now lives and then commenced acquiring by purchase adjoining blocks of land. In his early days he worked as ganger on the roads were being made The first to be made was that to by Adam's Hill, and the second one from Mr. Roose's, crossing the Pukekohe East Road by Goldie's. From the roads he went to railway work, first on formation,, then joining the permanent gang, and for .25 years was ganger, retiring from the service some ten years ago. All the time Mr. Kennelly was in the employ of the Railway Department he devoted his spare time to the supervision of his farm. The Maori wars passed by Pukekohe, though on one occasion the militia were called out. There were too many members, so to decide who was to go lots weie drawn and Mr. Kennelly, to quote his own words, drew n blank and had to stay at home. It is difficult to imagine (that when Mr. Kennelly first came to Pukekohe that the land now laid down in succulent pasturage or devoted to cropping was dense bush, and Mr. Kennelly tells the story of the adventures of Paddy Page, who got bushed one Sunday and did not turn up until the following Tuesday, and one of the party who went out in search of him got lost and had to stay 'out all night. Provisions in those days were packed from Drury, and Kennelly many a time had to carry a cwt. of flour from Routley's Creek —a distance of four miles—over a rough bush track—"and you found it pretty heavy .when you got home. And many a woman," continued Mr. Kennelly, "has carried her cwt of flour v on her back over bush tracks.

We had a hard time of it," concluded Mr. Kennelly. Flour in those days cost 32s 6d a cwt, and butter was 2s 6d 3 pound. Flour was a factor in determining a man's work. "Whilst there was a good supply we fell cur own bush. When it was getting low we had to start working again for someone else." For bushfelling in those days £2 5s an acre was paid. The first house built by Mr. Kennelly was a nikau house, but one Sunday a fire razed this to the ground. Then followed a slab house. This in turn had to be replaced by the house he now lives in, and which was built some 35 years' ago. Mr. Kennelly [.ossesses an unique memento of the early days. In a paddock near the house is to be seen a Sydney dray the first one in which all the stores for Pukekohe were carted from

Auckland. It is still in a good state of preservation, and Mr. Kennelly would not sell it at any price. Despite the strenuous life he has led, Mr. Kennelly does not look his years. Rheumatism has affected his physical activity, and though the story is told 'that when on a honeyfathering expedition that fall, the bees devoid of revetance for age

made a savage onslaught on Mr. Kennelly's ankles, he dropped his sticks and made very rapid progress from the firing line. It is said that bees' stings are a cure for rheumatism. Mr. Kennelly entertains doubts on that d»int, and further is inclined to ws' opinicnv that the cure would be worse than the ailment. In all the affairs of the town and dis-

I trict Mr. Kennelly takes a keen in- | terest. Liked and respected by everyone, it is to be heped that Mr. Ken- | nelly, who next to Mr. Roose and his sister. Mrs. Routly, is the oldest settler alive in Pukekohe, will be spared for many years to watch the town in the making of which he assisted, grow and develop. I Since the above was written Mr. J Kennelly has passed the Vale—some] twoßßMP>' • i