EKETAHUNA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 December 1939, Page 7

EKETAHUNA

MOTOR CAR ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BROKEN AXLE. (“Times-Age” Special.) A Masterton owned motor car which was travelling southward came to grief when it left the road in the vicinity of Konini yesterday. The cause of the accident was a broken front axle. Considerable damage was done to the right hand mudguards of the car. The vehicle was towed into Eketahuna. Personal Items. Misses Pat Martin and Jean Marlin spent the holidays with their parents at Hastings. Mr and Mrs C. Rack, and Miss K. Wedderspoon were the guests of Mr and Mrs R. Dickson for Christmas. The following are guests at Liverpool House: Mrs Buchanan Senr., Mr and Mrs Buchanan and Peter Buchanan, Mr and Mrs Molloy and son, Miss Quinton, Mr and Mrs Spurdie, Mrs Young and Gay Young, Mrs Kelly. Miss Kelly, Mrs Blackie and Miss Blackie, Mrs Over, Miss Sutherland, Miss Brown, Mr and Mrs Parkinson and family, all of Wellington. Mr and Mrs Ken Hardwicke, Wellington, are the guests of Mr and Mrs E. D. Toohill. Mr Joe Bassett, Petone, is visiting his mother, Mrs J. Bassett. Mr R. Simmers, Christchurch, is visiting his parents. Mr and Mrs W. C. Rout, Nireaha. spent the Christmas vacation at Foxton Beach. Mr and Mrs T. Jago spent Christmas at Hastings. Messrs Noel, Jack and Ron Payne, Wellington, and Mr Rue Payne, Waitara, spent Christmas with their parents. Miss Marjorie Fauvel, Lower Hutt, and Miss Vivian Fauvel, Napier, visited their parents at Christmas. Mr Angus McKay, Wellington, is a visitor to Eketahuna. Mr Henry Schultz is a Waihi visitor to Eketahuna. Motor Camp. The Eketahuna motor camp at the Alfredton Road Domain was freely patronised during the holidays and the visitors appeared well satisfied with the facilities provided. Other motorists pitched their tents at the Swing Bridge Reserve. OBITUARY EX-RESIDENT OF EKETAHUNA The death occurred at the residence of her sister, Mr Kerr, Feilding, yesteday, of Mrs Margaret Jane Fletcher, widow of the late Mr James Fletcher, formerly of Eketahuna. at the age of G 3 years. The funeral will take place at Feilding tomorrow morning. “EKETAHUNA EXPRESS” ESTABLISHED IN AUGUST. 1894. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l read with much interest the account in ..the “Times-Age" of early days in lhe Eketahuna district. I notice there is some doubt as to when the “Eketahuna Express” first started publication. I have an old record by me. which states that the "Express” was established in August, 1894. being published twice weekly. The paper consisted of 4 pages, seven columns, being about two feet in length. The proprietor and editor was Mr T. W. Sparkes.—l am, etc.. “FORTY MILE BUSH.” THEN AND NOW DIFFERENCE IN CONDITIONS. WORK OF THE PIONEERS. There is a vast difference in the appearance and the conditions in Eketahuna in the !)o's and today. Then lighting was by means of candles and kerosene, and iii the backblocks we made our own candles in moulds with thick wicks in the centre and “snuffers" (old pairs of scissors) to cut the wick occasionally as it partly burned. And oh! the smell from those smoky candles! No borough water supply, tanks and wells supplying the water. Roads rough. muddy in winter and dustry in summer. Today Eketahuna is lit by electricity, has good tar sealed roads as well as properly formed macadam thoroughfares and boasts of a water supply. While there was once one bank open twice a week, there are today two banks open daily and flourishing cheese and butter factories throughout an extensive surrounding district, with Eketahuna butter classed among the best in New Zealand. The word “Eketahuna" is said to mean "to get aground on a shoal." Why such a name (which does not in any way. as far as the , writer can see. lit the town) was selected passes comprehension. First Road Board. The roads in the early days were controlled by the Eketahuna Road Board, which was formed in 1886. mainly as the result of the energy and foresight of Mr Alexander Anderson, who was for many years its chairman, and relatives of whom I believe still reside in the district. Mr Anderson was one of the first J.P's. in the district and was a member of the Road Board from its inception. Born in Dumbarton in 1833. his father being a farmer. he came to Eketahuna in 1880 taking up land there. The property which comprised some 800 acres, was

all dense bush, but Mr Carter soon turned it into an excellent sheep farm situated about two miles from Eketahuna itself. First English Settler. The first chairman of the Eketahuna Land Board was Mr Thomas Bayliss. On landing in the Wairarapa. Mr Bayliss was the first Englishman to settle in Eketahuna, following on the Scandinavian settlers. Af that time there was a solid block of bush from Eketahuna to Alfredton. The name of Bayliss is still a familiar one throughout the Wairarapa and the Bush. A brother, Mr William Bayliss also resided for many years in Eketahuna. The brothers were prominent members of the Methodist Church. Churches and Schools. The Methodist Church was erected on a site midway between the main business centre of the town and the railway station and was built in 1888. though the movement to establish the church was started some years before. The size of the building was 40 feet by 20 feet and there was seating accommodation for about 120 or 130 people. In 1895 there were 60 scholars attending the Sunday School with a superintendent (Mr Jones, a well known storekeeper) and four teachers. Keeping in regular touch with the members of their respective churches was not an easy matter in those days for the ministers of the Methodist, Roman Catholic or Anglican churches. Visits to outlying settlers had to be made by means of buggy or on horseback over long distances and often with the danger of floods to contend with, but those carriers of the Gospel word never shirked their duty and were attentive to the spiritual needs of the members of their flock. There were no motor cars and tar-sealed roads like there are today, but the earnestness of the ministers of Ekketahuna today is just as noticeable as was that of the pioneer carriers of the Gospel word. Hardships of Settlers. The early settlers had much to put up with and had none of the advantages of modern civilisation, but the sturdy spirit of those Eketahuna pioneers is strongly in evidence today among their descendants. The many beautiful homes in Eketahuna today demonstrates the artistic habits of the occupants, while there is a progressiveness very noticeable among the business community, whose shops are as up-to-date as any in much bigger centres.