EARLY MASTERTON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 March 1939, Page 8

EARLY MASTERTON

FORMING AND BRIDGING QUEEN STREET many creeks across road. MAORI NAMES AND MEANINGS. (Specially written for the “Times-Age by Charles Bannister.) In 1863 Bridge Street (now Queen Street) was formed with a deep ditch on each side from where the Convent now stands to Renall’s Creek, as this was a wet place. From the creek up to where the Bank of New Zealand is now was stumped and formed. The last stump, a large totara one, remained on the side of the road for many years. We kiddies used to play “King of My Castle” on it. Past the stump the road was formed only to the Waipoua River. A road was formed down Church Street as far as Dixon Street. The bridges across the numerous creeks (hence the name Bridge Street), were erected at the same time by the Provincial Council under the supervision of Mr A. W. Renall. A bridge over the town creek by Mr Ninnes’s shop was the first going south from the Waipoua River. The Maori name for the creek is Mangakuta, meaning a place where sedge or water grass grows. This creek used to be full of it. The second bridge was a two-span one, over a dry gully which was formed when the Waingawa broke its banks before the advent of the pakeha. When the Waipoua overflowed its banks this gully used to fill up with water. The third bridge was over Renall’s Creek, or the Old Mill Stream, so named on account of the mill wheel being driven by it. The Maori name for this creek is Makoura, meaning white crayfish. This name is now spelt Makora. The fourth bridge was over a creek rising from the springs that come out of the old fish ponds, where there used to be growing a number of trees called waiwaka (eugenia maire). This creek crossed the road just below the terrace, and was called Waiwaka. The next stream was the Kuripuni, the meaning of which is kuri, dog, puni, crowded, a costive dog. Thereby hangs a tale which has its sequel in Hawke’s Bay. The Church Street bridge at the taxi stand was erected at the same time, also one in Dixon Street a little way from Bannister Street.

The Makoura has many tributaries .to the west of the town. Going along the Ngaumutawa Road from Akura, the first is Ngaumutawa, meaning ovens made of tawa wood. The next is Makakaweka, wood hens that were made tapu by the tohunga, and were not to be eaten. If anyone did eat one a dreadful calamity would befall them, and most likely they would die. Makakaweka is the main creek, and has its sources in the southern gullies of the Matahiwi and Kaituna hills. One branch goes up to Mr George Pain’s property. It used to be called the Serpentine by the pioneers. This provides the main drainage of the Upper Plain in times of heavy rain. The one at Mr Robinson’s garden was known to the Maoris as something wrong with the stomach. As the story goes, an old time Maori was chasing a pig, which he eventually speared. He got very hot and thirsty. He had a big drink of the icy cold spring water. He took ill with pains in his stomach. They brought the tohunga to him. He said it was “Ma nga hao te puku,” acute peritonitis. The tohunga told them to give the patient a bath in the spring, as it was the spring that caused the pain. The Maori died. The creek had a tapu put upon it. The creek that crosses the road by Mr R. Buick’s property is the Waipokaka, , named after trees that used to grow in that locality—eleaocarpus, hookerianus, and white hinau. Then comes the Waimateatea, which meant clear water. When all these creeks join with the Makakaweka they take the name of Makoura. MAIN ROAD BRIDGES. The first of the main road bridges to be- built was the Waingawa. I have been told by my old Maori friends that the proper name of the river is Wai-o-nga-awa, meaning water from the gullies. This bridge was built in 1870 by Mr Francis. Mr Gibson was his foreman. Mr J. Robieson, of Cavelands, was clerk of works for the Provincial Council. The timber was sawn and delivered by the McGregor Brothers, whose sawmill was near the Solway School, at 8s 6d per 100 feet for the best sound totara heart. The Waingawa was the worst of the four Wairarapa rivers to cross in lime of flood, on account of its swiftly' flowing water, which rolls large boulders along. One can hear them from a distance. These have caused many a horse to stumble when crossing. One accident that happened in the early days occurred when two men were double banking across the river. Mr Theobald was in the saddle and Mr W. Day was behind him. The river was very high. On account of the shifting boulders the horse stumbled. Mr Theobald went head first into the raging torrent. Mr Day clung to the horse and got out. The Waingawa bridge was a two-span one. Some time after it was built, one span was wished away and was stranded on the bank of the Ruamahanga, near Gladstone. Now it is doing duty over a small creek not far from the Gladstone Hotel. The next bridge constructed was across that dirty, detestable river, the Taueru, which when in flood was more or less a trap for horsemen or footmen. There was a ferry house on the other side, which was kept by Mr Watson (father of Mr W. Watson, of Masterton), who was drowned when crossing the river to reach the ferry house. WAIPOUA RIVER. Waipoua means water from a dark rain storm. The Waipoua bridge was built in 1874-75 by Mr Francis. He had for foreman Mr William Chamberlain. Mr Ewington, father of the Ewington brothers, worked on that job, besides Mr Hill and Mr Evernden. It was the first work they did in New Zealand. The wages were 6s per day. As Mr Ewington was a competent tradesman he got 2s a day more than the others. The others did not like this, but the employer pointed out the value of Mr Ewington’s work. When the stringers were laid Mr Harry Clarke, now of Masterton, was padding his way to Castlepoint, from Wellington. He walked across on the stringers and led a young dog. When the bridge was finished Miss Stone, afterwards Mrs Girdlestone, got her hack, and rode across, taking with her a bottle of wine. The workmen drew the cork, then she sprinkled the bridge with a small quantity of the wine, and gave the rest to the men. When the officials came to open the bridge in the afternoon they had a sour look on their faces when they heard what had been done.

RUAMAHANGA BRIDGE. Mr Francis followed with the Ruamahanga Bridge. Mr W. Chamberlain and Mr Ewington worked bn it. When the bridge was finished it was opened by Mrs Gilligan of Abbotsford Station, who broke a bottle of champagne on the iron monkey, pronouncing the bridge open and then driving across with a pretty pair of white ponies. Our buggy came next with a well-matched pair of greys. There were five pairs of greys and dozens of bays, also a lot of horsemen and pedestrians, quite a few with tall hats. The crowd assembled at the Club Hotel where a dinner was held. Ruamahanga means twins’ cave. There was supposed to be somewhere on the bank of the river a cave containing the remains of twin Maoris. In 1864 the bush on Renall Street was felled by Jack Lane, who died a short time ago. He had a mate who was quite equal to him in the way of drinking. They used to work for a couple of weeks, then come to the store and get half a gallon of 60 cverproof rum. go back to their camp and have a good go till it was finished. About the same time Mr A. W. Renall had about forty acres felled. The Kibblewhite Bros had this contract. When this block was burnt the soil was grubbed and wheat sown. When it was ripe the wheat was cut with reap hooks and threshed with flails. Wairarapa College occupies this site now.