TARANAKI'S FIRST HORSES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 246, 26 March 1915, Page 5

TARANAKI'S FIRST HORSES.

The first horse landed at New Plymouth was brought in a sailing vessel from Kawhia for the use of Mr. Cre»d. The horse wag a large awkward ereaturo which had been spoilt bv the Maoris in ■ their unskilful efforts" to break him 'n. ; The animal being off colour, probablypoisoned by eating tutu, was taken by Mr, Creed to one of the pioneers who had a knowledge of the veterinary art, for the purpose of getting it bled. In handling the horse a settler was fatally injured by a kick from the brute. From Moturoa, the animal was sent down to the Waimate Mission Station, where it succeeded in killing another victim, this time a Maori. ■ Ho then seems to have been pensioneil off, eventually dying of old age. The next horse to arrive in the dish'/>t was one purchased by the New Zealand Company in Sydney for the use of their chief surveyor. The purchase was made by Captain King, who, it is presumed, was not much of a judge of horseflesh, and was shipped on the barque Jupit'-r, bound for New Plymouth. After a <ery ' stormy passage of a month's duration, the barquo came to anchor in the roadstead. The horse was duly landed, stabled, fed and groomed, and when sufficiently recovered was saddled and bridled for use. No longer would chief surveyor run the riak of cramps, rheumatism, or drowning by wading through the snow-fed rivers of the settlement. Mendacious hope! The brute was full of wickedness, and, after throe attempts to ride him, Mr. Carrington had to give him up in despair. Some months after, the resident agent addressed Colonel Wakefield concerning the animal as follows: —"The horse purchased by Captain King in Sydney for the chief surveyor I have sold to Mr. Creed, the Wcaleyan missionary, for £39, and • his saddle and bridle for ,C 5. The animal, with his saddle and bridle nost £7!), and I was sorry to lose £44 by him, but he was aged, had bad trieita, ' and was constantly in danger of breaking his legs in the woods. He 'lever was fairly worth £4O, and Captain King was cheated when he purchased him. If I had kept him he would have cost the Company £4O per annum." The last we hear of the mission horse is the following announcement:—'Tor Sale: That ' redoubtable pony Pompey, possessing oil the admirable and characteristic quaJi ties of horse, ass, and mule. For particulars apply at the Mission House." This notice was affixed to the board on Huatoki Bridge, as being the most central.

For this information we are indebted to Mr. W. H. Skinner.