Women Pioneers

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 57, 26 July 1940, Page 8

Women Pioneers

OMEN with babies and young children. also \ took this trail over the mountains, long before the conveyance by vehicle was possible. When Mr. and Mrs. R. Iorns and their young family left Wellington in February, 1855, to cross the Rimutakas to Masterton along the newly cut bullock track, their belongings were placed in a bullock cart in which the children rode; and the adults in turns. They led a young heifer in milk with a pack on her back, and she furnished a dairy all complete for the children on the journey. The Hutt River had to be crossed

on a punt. The cart and baggage were put aboard, but the bullock refused to embark. So he, with the heifer for company, was made to swim the river.

The travellers were favoured by the weather and made good progress, for the second night saw ‘them as far as Mangaroa, There two pack bullocks awaited them. In the morning these were loaded, the quieter carrying the two boys — on one side William Iorns, aged five years, and on the other Joseph Iorns, aged 314 years. The smaller boy (who

died in Masterton in December, 1938, at the age of 87) was weighted to equalise the load. Both boys sat in cases lined with pillows. Mary Ann Iorns (afterwards Mrs. A. W. Cavel), though only seven or eight years old, walked the whole distance over the Rimutakas as far as the Waiohine River. The youngest child, Sarah (now Mrs. Cox of New Plymouth) was an infant of only nine months. Her mother carried her piccanniny fashion, on her back in a shawl. In addition, Mrs. Iorns went first leading the heifer. Behind her came her husband with the two loaded bullocks, one fastened to the other with a long leading rope. (" Pioneering the WairarapaEpic Journeys"-Talk prepared by Mrs. N. A, Barrer, 2YA, July 7.)