TIKORANGI'S JUBILEE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1915, Page 7

TIKORANGI'S JUBILEE.

(■By Fifty-oii)', f in IJawora •Star). Tliu cdchration 0 f Uw jul,i\ CK 0 f TiJ , O . lanjji xetllemcirt. which took place on , b ' ' I 1;' was '"W'y attended hv i !i"-cnt settlers ami -friends IYi.ni) a disrevnes til,, (loinsrs in Taranaki rin',." ( 'l'-n ly a , 'I 0 eiln ' ic(l il ' In-order to secure tlie settlement of the land north 0 f \\- ;v it ar ,.-, (inland), tflio- Government of the day made the Tikoi'angi block a military settlement, holdings .being allotted according to rank. Those who were sent ' roV 01 '''?? I TiUorn,l « l "i" on J„„„. W> a.ll belonged to the Taranaki Vol imteers 0 r Militia, and tliev had to put jn at least two additional yours' service before claims could be made to tl>» holdings. H the usual course hoircsteads were built, and wives and families arrived on the scene; schools and churches were provided, a butter factory was established, and for many '' alß Tikorangi has been enjovinf peace an<l prosperity, " Among those who were granted land ! .on the b oc-k wer» Colonel (then ,Major) I Stapp, about 7;io acres; Captain Arm-

strong and Lieutenant W. Black, several .hundredeach. >I) T . O'Carroll was at the blockhouse on the hill, to my knowledge, but I am not aware that he received a grant of land. There are five of tHie original settlers still on the mock namely, Mr. fieorge Jupp (,% ■years of age). .Mr. Samuel AVhite'house (.fl) Mr.. J. W. .Foreman, Mr. .Tames kartell (whose parents landed from the ship William i?>ryan in 1S41) Mr John UicTjards and Mr. Edward ' Lye' (33) The. oldest .settler on the block is Mr. Richard Hicks, who will he !)8 years of age'in September. Although 'not one 01 the original settlers, lie has been on the block for a long time. ] The tragic affair at :Pui;eamhe in

February. caused a groat scare among the womenfolk at Tikorangi, and they and their families loft for New Plymouth. It was some time ere they returned, and even after they did, It was fully two years before tliey regained confidence. There were' no bridges across the Manganmka, Waio. Tifrona and aitnra rivers in those days; no railways; no telegraphs. When the men were stationed :on the hill prior to settlement, the Waitara river \m forded near the present township, or at the Karaka; and there was also a ford under the Tikorangi hill, reached by way of Huirangi, J think. This latter vfrls only used when any of the men rode. The horses were kept in a primitive paddock (tie-up) on the bank of the ftver, and a boat was used for fcrrv purposes.

I can relate a little, personal story about this latter crossing. One Saturday afternoon towards the end of the year ,18(53 a lad named Fred Windso? , find myself rode to this spot and put our horses in the paddock. One 'horn was to he ridden ba.ck. to New Plymouth next day (double-banked) and the other left for my father. ' We went ,np to the bbc,.Tiousfe and stayed the p'jfht, but next day on going, for our mount we found the pair of them had , flwappeared. Result: had to go to town in Oiddy's -bullock dray' on tie 'Monday, and it. rained, heaven's hard; the journey took the whole day. About

j those horses, . The one that was to be I left behind was born away out on the Frankloy road, and it was well-known : fact that no matter where' she. might be, if she could escape "she would make for her birthplace. I have known her esMpe'from Optmn-ke and reach her destination. However', 'a time came' when' a rather humiliating stop was put to this i prtietice. ftfr. W, M, Burton imported I a' number of donkeys into Taraniaki, and I' kept them on his farm on the Franldey ' road. One day the marc was making for her usual haunts, when she caught sight, of a X'edilv in the act of he-hawing at J fhe top of his voice. There was no • hesitation in ttio matter; 'she' simply J wheeled round and made, a beedinc for Xew Plymouth,' which she reached in little less than no time. She was eventually discovered in the stable looking the picture of misery. That was her last attempt t» willingly go that road.