WAIRARAPA PIONEERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 January 1940, Page 7

WAIRARAPA PIONEERS

MASTERTON AND DISTRICT ARRIVALS BEFORE MIDDLE SIXTIES. FORTHCOMING CENTENNIAL GATHERING. (Specially written for the "Times-Age' by Charles Bannister.) Who are the pioneers ami where did they live.' I have been asked that question many limes. I think those brave and energetic men and women who came to this district before the middle sixties are entitled to be regarded as pioneers. The following list might be useful when the authorities are getting ready for that, great gala ,d'av, March 14. 1940. and if'they are preparing for a hui nui (big gathering) it would be as well to start compiling a list at once.

The families of the pioneers ranged from 10 to 21. which was the record and a number of their descendants followed the lead of their parents. , knew every one of those pioneers, meeting them when they came to our place for their letters and that good old paper “New Zealand Mail," and to do their shopping. I have seen 40 horses tied to the paling fence. Starting at the Waipoua River, I will take the townspeople first: D. McKenzie, H. Bannister. W. lorns. J. lorns. A. W. Cave. G. Shute. W. Noble, W. Baker, G. Armitage. J. Tuck. W. Perry. H. Chewe, J. Cole. W. Cole. J. Wrigley. P. Firth, G. Morris. E. Feist. W. Greathead. A. W. Renall, Ned Jones. R. Woodham. Chisholm, M. Dixon, T. H. Hill. H. Munro. In Renall Street. Mrs Winteringham; down Church Street, J. Goodchild. Rev. Ronaldson, H. Griffin. F. Gray, Mrs. Hacker; in Hall Stret. Abbott, Sergt. Donnelly, H. Bentley; at Matahiwi, Major Coutts. J. G. Rockel. W. Boatfield; in Banister Street. R. Donald. Miss Jeans, G. Woodroofe; Worksop Farm, C. Dixon; ;Memoria. Park. R. McKenzie; Johnstone Street. H. Jones, J. Masters. R. Johnstone. E. Johnston. R. Donald. J. Donald. J. Marris, A. Johnstone; on the Upper Plain, C. Bennington, T. W. Tankersley, G. Chamberlain, Rev. Ross; at Brentwood, J. Smith, M. McKenzie. B. Hunt, Taverner, L. Evans, Sullivan, Theobald, Dagg, Prentice, Crayne, T. Compton, Walton, AV. Day. W. Bennett, E. E. Chamberlain. W. Chamberlain, R. Kibblewhite, T. Chamberlain, senr.; on the Opaki Road to the left going up, W. Adams. J. Matthews, J. Harding, J. Jones, R. R. Welch, J. Campbell, H. Campbell, Moles, and coming back, A. McLeod. R. Campbell, J. Welch. Dorset, H. Welch and J. V. Smith. On the north side of the Ruamahanga River were: A. Bruce, Harvey. Stewart, D. McLachlan. John McLachlan, Blatchford, F. Chapman: at Te Ore Ore, Collins, J. Lane, R. Jenkins, H. Percy, T. C. D’Arcy, McGregor Bros., D. McKenzie ,H. James, J. Bennett. Simpson; Lower Manaia. R. Cockburn, G. McKay, J. Colway, A. Cockburn, A. Mutrie, A. Mutrie, Senr.; Manaia, W. H. Donald, T. Heath, J. Casey; at Te Whiti, J. McKenzie. Pike, J. Robieson; on the south side of the Waingawa, A. Yule, B. P. Perry. C. W. and T. Wilton, Richardson, Bunny, Gawlor, Ridgway; to the north-east, Miller Bros.; at Bideford; Luxford. Mace and Varnham, at Brammerton; C. A. Vallance and the Drummond family at Kahumingi; IV. D. Watson. Nicol and Smith at Abbotsford; Chalmers, Ferynhurst; and Betham Bros., Brancepeth. The Whareama pioneers had their own port on the Whareama River, where there is a reserve of seven acres. There used to be a jetty and a shed there. They were burnt some years ago. What a pity that the reserve is not claimed by the Whareama residents and beautified as a camping ground. There is a road surveyed to it. The pioneers who used the port were H. Buxton, J. Morrison. James Morrison and Dimock. Jas. Nicol and Hume. T. Telford, D. Cameron and I. Cripps, of "Seven Oaks,” who came there in 1857 and whose family still owns the property. Merediths lived at Orui first and then shifted to Riversdale. On the north side of the Whareama River was J. C. Andrew, at lea. Mr Gutherie was the original pioneer at Castlepoint. With him were Dr. Smith (later at Gieytown), J- Groves and I believe, Masterton's old man. Harry Clake, used to be there, to. At Whakataki were the McCutchens. Picketts and H. Dunn. Near Tinui were the Maunsells, Langdons, A. Nicholls, C. Peach, Stilborns. Camerons, J. Cross and Wingate, the latter at Manawa. At Moroa, afterwards called Alfredton. were Grant, J. Cross, S. Alpass. P. Brannigan. W. Venus. E. Smith. A. Napier; at Tiraumea, Saunders. Burling. Butters and at Wairere. Rutherford and Gibson. A little further on Arnot had his abode. The most remote of the lot was C. Liverton, of Pakowai.

MASTERTON'S ORIGINAL NAME. Masterton's original Maori name was Whaka-ori-ori, which means singing a lullaby and rocking a baby to sleep in one’s arms. I was told by an cld Maori wahine. that there were so many tuis and bellbirds singing together at the edge of the bush that their melodious song lulled the children to sleep (nga tamrikiki te moe), hence the name Whaka-ori-oi i. Once Masterton was a kumara plantation'. That is to say. the lighter parts. I remember seeing the remains of kumara pits between Dixon Street anc Hessey Street. The Maoris used to camp around the fringe of the bush.