WINTON.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 11, 10 June 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

WINTON.

Win ton lias a character o£ its own. There is nothing of the “ boom or bust ” order about it. Its inhabitants believe in moving along quietly and steadily. They don’t “ fuss,” but they “ got there ” all the same, and to-day the visitor will find many indications of solid progress and prosperity about the , inland town. It is the custom ot the “ oldest inhabitant ” to talk of the rush and bustle of tlie “good old, waggoning days,” but probably not even he regrets the advent of the iron horse. But, there! that story belongs to byegonc days, and our reporter set out with the intention of dealing with the Winton of this month of June, 1893. Yet in order to do this effectively, some reference must bo made to the past, and the patience of readers is therefore craved while a brief retrospective glance is taken. “ What started the place ?” is often asked regarding our towns. Well, Winton lying 19 miles to the north of Invercargill, seemingly owes its origin to that vast bubble, THE GREAT NORTHERN WOODEV EAILWAV,” which cost the country considerably oyer £IOO,OOO. (Some interesting and amusing incidents in connection with this will be given in a future issue). The first inhabitants were those engaged in falling timber, and cutting rails and sleepers for this railway (in saw pits), close to the present site of the township, then covered with dense bush The bushmen and those clearing and forming the Great North road were camped in tents, and all day long the bush re-echoed the sounds made by the axemen and sawyers. The first wooden building erected was the Railway Hotel and, store in ISG3, which is now standing as part of that comfortable hostclcry kept by Mr A. Mclnerney. During the same year Mr Thos. Me William opened a store and Mr Cutcliffc a bootmaking establishment, both under canvas at first, these being the two oldest settlers who arc still in business in Winton at the present time. Ihe following year a sale of town allottmcnts took place, and the upset price for quarter acre sections was £2l. Those who purchased sections must have felt rather “ sold ” when a couple of weeks later the railway works were stopped, and between two and throe hundred men thrown out of employment. 'I he little township was not prepared for sucli a blow; the idea of a deficit in the funds never entered into the minds of the community. “ It’s bound to go on, nothing can stop it,” they said, and the workmen waited and waited and cursed the Government .and everyone else. The news had been too true, the province had become insolvent, and there was no more money to spend. Nearly the whole of the men, the support of the place, then gradually dropped away as their means became exhausted. The stores, then seven in number, closed up one by one, till there were three only, business got very dull, and money a very scarce commodity. If it had not been for THE ADVENT Of THE WAGGONERS carrying goods to the lakes, Winton would probably have been utterly deserted. It was a camping place for the waggoners and bullock drivers, and they enlivened the villagers, especially in the evenings. Almost every day teams would arrive bringing goods from Invercargill or Riverton, and Winton became an important place on the Lakes road. There was, however, very little development in business until 1871, when the present railway line to Winton was laid. A steady growth, scarcely perceptible to an occasional visitor, then began and continued up to the

present, the population increasing gradually from, fifty or sixty in 1871 to over 300 at the present time. The first Town Council met on Ist November, 187(5. Present; —The Mayor (Mr Thos. McWilliam) and Councillors John Thomson (now of Thomson and Beattie), Donald McLeod, James 'McArthur, Robert Cameron, the town clerk (Dougall Cameron). Mr Archd. McArthur is the present mayor, and Mr W. Russell, town clerk. THE WINTON MEAT WORKS, costing for the building £I7OO, were commenced in 1872 by a company of squatters. Boiling down and canning was carried on for a short time only, and the place was subsequently purchased by the Woodlands Meat Preserving Co. and closed up. It is now worked by Mr Thompson, whogives employment to a large number of hands, and appears to be making a success of the meat preserving. THE SAWMIEUNG INDUSTRY lias been a great stay to Winton, the most prominent man in that line being perhaps Mr Francis Jack (at present working the Winton sawmill) who, with others, has developed the resources of the hush in and around Winton. FLOUR AND PEARL BARLEY HILLING has been carried on for a good many years in the township, and Messrs Fleming and Gilkison’s Winton mills ;.are kept going steadily, and are managed very successfully by Mr Jas. Watson. THE WINTON POTTERY, owned and worked by Mr Woodnorth, lias been brought into notice lately on several occasions. In addition to brick and tile making, the proprietor is devoting a good deal of time and attention to the manufacture of crockery and various kinds of delf, show ing skilled" workmanship and which will compare very favourably with the Milton Pottery ware. THE HOKONUI COAL HINE is about ten miles from Winton, and is connected by a railway line which stops a few miles short of a splendid farming district. The train is found to be a great convenience, even now, to the settlors, who trust to see a few miles of extension carried out before long. The coal taken from the mine has

proved to be a first-class household coal, and there seems to be no end to the supply. In Winton, situated almost in the bush, it is cheaper than wood and is largely consumed. Boring is now being carried on, so far successfully, on property adjoining the Company’s mine. THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT is without doubt its most valuable asset. Bonds lead out north, south, ease, and west across a broad expanse of pastoral and agricultural land, where bulky stacks testify to the richness of the soil, and the apnearaco of the sheep gives evidence of ease and plenty, and where the comfortable dwelling-houses and their happy inmates testify to the general well-doing. . TOWNSHIP IMPROVEMENTS during the past year or two have been noticeable, not only in public works but in private buildings, etc. From end to end of the town an asphalt footpath is laid down; and the line of trees on side of the main street are beginning to show their value. The three churches—Presbyterian, Anglican, and Homan Catholic-—are substantially built and have an imposing appearance, comparatively speaking. The latest institution is a Free Beading Boom, and strangers and others can there comfortably and profitably spend a few hours in quietness. The Courthouse and Oddfellows’ Hall are two good public buildings, and the Exchange Hall affords room and convenience for all classes of entertainments. Additions have been made to quite a number of the shops daring the l»st twelvemonths, while new business places that would do credit to much larger towns have been erected. The shops on the whole are well kept, and the stocks displayed to the best advantage (especially in the drapers’ shops). The main street, tor the greater part, is built upon one side only, and this is frequently remarked by visitors. One advantage it allows is that if there is a glimpse of sunshine the business people get it as regards light and warmth. Daily trains up and down now run between Invercargill and Winton, and business has been greatly facilitated by that improvement. The views of Winton shown above, taken before even the early riser were abroad,show the main street looking northwards

A photo, of the south cud of the main street (an important part of the town from a business point of view) was not procurable.