STRATFORD-ON-PATEA

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1921, Page 6 (Supplement)

STRATFORD-ON-PATEA

ITS PAST HISTORY. THEN AND NOW. (By “Ju ven is.”) i Forty-four years ago there was no Stratford. It was not even on the map. To-day it is a busy,' important centre of an extensive and prosperous dairy district. The town has a population of over 3.000. and when the East line connects up with the Main Trunk it is destined to become a second Palmerston North. It was on June 11, 1877, that the Land Board instructed the Chief Commissioner to write to the Government and request the Minister for Crown Lands to direct the Survey Department to lay out a township on the banks of the Patea River, a distance of about 13 miles from Inglewood, which town had then been in existence about two years. This was done, and a block of land of some three hundred acres was cleared on the north side of the river, and later in the year it was burned, and then surveyed and planned off in sections for sale. Previous to the railway being formed there only a horse track along thq Mountain Road, and the rivers were some time before they were bridged. It was. therefore, a somewhat difficult road to travel along; in fact, it was very seldom used, for the chief traffic to the south of the Taranaki provincial district was by the way of Opunake round the coast. The only dwelling near Stratford was a small house kept by Mr. Fitzpatrick, where visitors could have their hunger appeased, and, if required, sleeping accommodation of a primitive kind provided for a limited number of persons. NAMING THE TOWNSHIP. The land having been surveyed and the sections planned off, the next important matter was the naming of the township. This was a very serious business in those days, for the public were mighty particular —far more capricious in fact than Shakespeare credits Romeo with being. The Government .were also careful not to allow a place to have the same name that a town in some other part of the colony bore. When the name of Inglewood was chosen a newspaper controversy took place, each correspondent proving to his own satisfaction the exact meaning of the word The first name chosen was Milton, but there being a town already called after that English poet, it had to be abandoned. After the preliminary survey of the block now known as Inglewood, a party of immigrants per the ship Waikato were started to fell the bush. They were camped at the north end of the town, and of an evening, seated round a big fire, they would yarn over the dangers and difficulties they had gone through. One of them exclaimed: “Yes, we've corn’d all the way from England to live in this yer great forest and among the wold hogs. Who’d a’ thou t it!” And all the rest of them chimed in as if it were a chorus, “Ay, who’d a’ thou’t it!” By the name of “who’d a thought it” that part of Inglewood was known for months. The. next name suggested was ‘’New-found-out. Then the “oldest inhabitants” talked the matter over, and it was thought that as the new district was called the Moa block, that the town should be called after it, “Moatown.” However, finally the name of Inglewood was decided on when sev eral prophesied that its name would be significant of the fate of the town a “fire in the wood.”

The fixing of the name of the town under notice did not cause much trouble. Failing in getting the first’town named after an English poet, the late Mr. Crompton suggested that the second should be called “Stratford-on-Patea.” “England.” said Mr. Crompton, “had a poet 1 born at Stratford-on-Avon, apd might not New Zealand produce one likewise at Stratford-on-Patea?’ Therefore the town was named “Stratford-on-Patea.” THE COUNTRY IN A STATE OF NATURE. To give some idea of the work that had to be done* in clearing the bush, I cannot do better than quote from a description of General Chute’s march through the bush/in January, 1860, with a force of 424, and a transport of 67 pack and 24 riding horses. The journey from Ketemarae to New’ Plymouth occupied eleven days, and towards the end of the journey they got so short of piovisions that the horses were killed-and eaten. As a general rule the native contingent, with the guards, cleared the way by cutting down underwood, and so clearing a track as they marched along, and the advance guards followed well supplied with tomahawks, billhooks, axes, spades, etc. Ketemarae, whence the troops started, is about a mile north of Normanbv, and it took the party nearly font days to reach the spot where Stratford now stands. General Chute, in his despatches, says: “For a short distance our advance was unchecked, as we were traversing a good dray road leading to a village (Ketemarae) and cultivation. From that point our progress was slow and laborious in the extreme and the difficulties against which we had to contend will be better understood when 1 say that to accomplish a distance ot fifty-four miles the force was eight days actually on the move, and never less than ten hours in any one day. There w’ere no less than twenty-one rivers’and ninety gullies, the precipitous bank of many of which presented formidable obstructions to our advance, and required great labor to make them passab Another writer says:—"Few sce "‘' 3 could more faithfully pourtray the mherent pluck and indomitable courage and perseverance of the British officers and soldiers than their labors on the fourth day, and the manner m whw. they were performed. <,allies «<ic rapidly filled by the downpouring ram and as rapidly bridged over n working party. It appeared hopeless to

make roads under such difficulties, but the example set by the officers, who each worked with might and main, stimulated the mon to extraordinary exertion till all difficulties gave way to them. Fifteen gullies and four .rivers were crossed and many of them bridged

over that day. Such was the density of the forest and difficulty of the work that by 3.30 in the afternoon, when they halted, the men had not made quite four miles in a direct line, and the General, who had exerted himself all day to bring up the rear, only arrived with the last horse at 9 p.m.” This was the state of the country up' till about 1875, when a horse track was made and some of the rivers bridged. STRATFORD IN 1877. Writing in October, 1877, the late Mr. James Hirst said:—“At the Patea river, which, by the way, is crossed by a very good truss bridge, I saw a few men at work, and enquired -from them where the bad road was, and was told that I had passed the worst of it. -I Went about a mile further, and anchored for the night at Mr. Fitzpatrick’s accommodation house. This was about 6 p.m., making, say, 3% hours ftoffi Normanby. 1 had been told that the accommodation there was something dread* ful. but found it quite the reverse. I met with every attention, kindness, and civility. After my horse had been well fed and groomed, I sat down to a very excellent tea, to which I did ample justice; and about 8 p.m. was shown into a very comfortable bedroom, with all the fixings clean and dry. After a good night’s rest, I turned out at 4 a.m., and enquired the charge, which was the very moderate one of ss—tea, bed, and as good a feed of oats as I ever placed before a horse.”

Another writer describes the place aS follows:—“Stratford-on-Patea has many advantages which cannot fail to attract purchasers. It stands —or at least let us hope will eventually stand, it mostly reclines at present—on the Patea river —a rapid mountain stream here, but with a refreshing, healthy look about it. At this part of the Mountain Road the soil again becomes thoroughly promising in appearance. The clearing of 300 acres now (December, 1'878), down seems as level as possible, is apparently without any swampy parts, and but slightly intersected with creeks. Abundance of building material lies on every hand, but the bush is not so massed with heavy trees as around Inglewood and in patches along the Mountain Road.” It was about this time that a. good \sized tent might have been seen somewhere near »where Messrs. Curtis’ store afterwards was erected,, and the cheery and friendly brothers were there, always ready to welcome a friend and give him a shake-down for the night if he required it. SALE OF THE TOWNSHIP. After the surveys had been completed, the Waste Lands Board, on Monday, May 20, 1878,-authorised the Chief Commissioner to advertise the sale of the township. The Survey Office having completed a plan of the town of Stratford-on-Patea. it next divolved on the members of the Waste Lands Board to price the sections. A special meeting of the Board was called for that purpose on Friday, June 14, 1876, when there were present: Messrs. Whitcombe (Chief Commissioner), Crompton, Standish, and Syme. Mr. T. Kelly, it appears, was unavoidably abselit. There were 455 Sections on the plan, and the prices fixed for them ranged from £7 10s to £7O per quarter acre allotment. On the meeting, Mr. Kelly took exception to the high prices fixed, and said it would discourage people from buying. If the sect'fbns were put up at a moderate rate, he said there would be plenty of competition, which would prevent them being sold beneath their value. Mr. Standish differed with Mr., Kelly, as he thought that putting up the at a lower price would encourage speculation instead of developing bona fide settlement, Mr. Kelly then moved that the upset'- prices be reduced, so that cornel’ allotments should not exceed £45 in a central position, and £35 in other streets, and no intermediate allotment should be more than £25. Mr. Crompton supported the reductions, but Messrs. Whitcombe, Standish, and Syme being for the high prices, the resolution was thrown out. The matter having been thus settled, a Schedule of upset prices was prepared and puolished on July 12, 1878.

Commenting op the sale, a correspondent, at the time satirically wrote as follows: —“Some time ago the Chairman of the Board stated that enquiries had been made about Stratford from all parts of the colony, which was the natural result of the expensive advertising of the intended sale. These enquiries show the wisdom of the action taken by the Board, which completely prevented these enquirers from appearing in the field. They got their answers and price lists, and* felt that they werj not wanted here. Our buyers Were all of our own blood, as it were, and there were nineteen of us. Five hundred and odd sections were offered, and forty-two were bought by the nineteen, all of our own exclusive lot. About one-half of the forty sections sold realised upset prices, one fourth a trifle over and others fifty per cent, in advance, whilst two sections realised large sums.” The correspondent winds up: “I do think,- that had the upset been just a trifle higher, a good many more sections might have been saved.” The first section sold was No. 43, being the corner of Cordelia-street and the Cloton Road, and was purchased by Mr. T. King at the upset price of £lO. When the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who acted as auctioneer, reached the sections on the east side of the site of the railway station, they began to move off, but then only at the upset prices. No. 234 was purchased by Mr. R. C. Hughes, 237 and 238 <by Mr. C. W. Hursthouse, 239 by Mr. Bauchope, 240 and 241 by Mr. H. Weston, all going at the upset price of £4O each, the latter gentleman also taking the next (242) at £45. The upset price of the corner allotment (243 Fenton and Julia-street) was £5O, and was knocked down to Mr. O. Murphy for £5l. There was then a cessation of bidding, and lot after lot was passed by, till '26x5 was reached. This is on the south-east corner of Juliet and Regan•streets, and was knocked down to Mr. R. C. Hughes at the upset price, £4O. No 267 was passed, but for the next, which was at the corner of Juliet and Fenton-streets, and facing the site of the railway station, a little spurt en-

sued, and the price was run up from £5O to £64, Mr. Bauchope being the purchaser. The next section (269) went to Mr. Hughes for £45, the upset. There was another lull, and several sections were without a bid, but on reaching 288, the north-east corner of the Mountain Road and Regan-streets, on being put up was run up to £5O, Mr. W. Skinner eventually becoming the purchaser, Mr. Standish bought the next (the opposite corner), for £45, the upset; but the next section was more actively competed for and was run up ten pounds, Mr. J. C. Davies securing it for £55. The Commissioner had again to pass over a number of sections till the one opposite that purchased by Mr. W. Skinner was reached (No. 314). The upset of this was £45, and was run up to £4B, Mr. Weyergang securing it Mr. Richmond bought the next (315), the corner, for £55, or £5 over the upset. The corner at the opposite sids of Fenton-street (316) Mr. W. Webster purchased at the upset price, £6O; and for No. 317 Mr. Hursthouse gave £52 the odd money being over the schedule figure. The most important sections were now reached being the sites on which the chief business premises of the town are now built. No. 38 was sold to Mr. W. Webster at the upset price, £5O: No. 319 to Mr. H. Shuttleworth, £52 (or £2 over upset); 320 to Mr. J. C. Davies, £Ol (or £ll over upset); 321 to Mr. R. J. Smith, £6l (or £ll over upset); 322 to Mr. Watkins, £56 (or £6 over upset); 323 to Mr. Bauchope, £55 cor £5 over upset); 324 to Mr. W. Webster, £5B (or £8 over upset); 325 to Mr. Handy, £7O (or £2O over upset); 327 to Bank of New Zealand, £B4 (or £29 over upset) ; 328, where Messrs. Curtis Brothers’ store afterwards was built, to Mr. G. Curtis, for £9l (or £3l over upset); 329 to Mr. Standish, £93 (or £2B over upset). The next sections put up, the Stratford Hotel site and the corner on the opposite side of Fenton-street, were considered the best in the block. The first named (330) was put up at £7O, and there was considerable competition, the bids rising occasionally by £5 and £lO till at last £l6l was reached, when there a lull, and finally it was declared tht Mr. Tisch was the purchaser. For section 331, which had a frontag? to the Patea River, the same anxiety to become the possessor of it was evinced, and the bidding was very keen ■ for a time. This section, which was put up at £7O, fetched £lBO, Mr. W. Webster securing it. Then ensued another lull, and some thirty sections were allowed to be passed without a bid. On coming to No. 362 (which is at the back of 323, purchased by Mr. Bauchope), it was secured by the same gentleman at the upset price of £4O. Mr. Colville took No. 365 at the same figure; Mr. G. Curtis secured No. 367 (backing the one he had previously bought) for £45, or £lO over the upset; and Mr. Standish 369 (at back of the hotel) at the upset of £55. The next section (370), backing that of Mr. W. Webster’s, on the river bank, caused a little flutter. It,Was put up at £55, and finally knocked down to Mr. Webster for ’ £7O. Mr. Bauchope bought at the upset prices section 405, Mirandastreet, for £3O, and the one at its back, in Portia-street, for £2O. Mr. T. King purchased 519, a section on the river bank, and facing 43 in Cloton Road (which he had previously secured) for £ll, or £3 10s over the upset; and Mr. Holden took the adjoining lots, ;>2O at £l5, and 521 at £l7 10s, or £7 10s over the upset. The total amount realised by this sale was £2215 'los.