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Memories of Early Hoe-o-Tainui By H M ClothierMr W Tudhope, solicitor from
Hamilton, acted for the Hoe-o-Tainui Syndicate and the F.A.C. had the
selling of the property. I think Ed Harrison purchased his farm at the
end of 1913. His brother,
Wip, worked in the Addington railway workshops and joined Ed in
partnership. Their first whare was erected a few chains up the Mangawhara
Road on the right hand side. I
remember my first visit to Hoe-o-Tainui.
I came by coach to Tahuna where I purchased provisions from the
store and commenced walking to Hoe-o-Tainui in the late afternoon.
Heavy rain and darkness surrounded me on arriving at Waiti Road
corner. Going up the
cutting by Ed’s farm was a sea of mud on the track.
On the rise, I noticed a light shining in the distance, no bridge
over the Mangawhara then. I
cooed and Ed came to the bank of the flooded stream. With a lantern, he
directed me to a certain willow serving as a bridge that I crossed.
I was drenched from the rain and the mud. Ed and Wip supplied me with dry clothes.
The “Dover” stove and string supplied the heat and line to
dry my clothes. Both of these great men were good natures, Ed was noted for the lending of implements, drill, roller etc; when he needed them for his own use he had to track them down again.
Hay Carting
My wife and I came to
Hoe-o-Tainui in Aril 1918. My
father and uncle had purchased the property early in 1914.
They employed a contractor, Mr Lewis, who broke it in. Our first thought was education for our daughter and the
children of the district. I
met the secretary of the Auckland Education Board, Mr Dunlop, at Tahuna
from the coach. I brought
him in the gig to the spot of the present school. With
me was Ed Harrison who chose the spot on his farm.
In conversation with Mr Dunlop, he remarked, “Do you think this
area warrants a school?” My
answer was that this ti tree and swamp would be growing grass in a few
years, it wouldn’t remain like this.
Being the first Chairman of the School Committee, I was asked to
board the first teacher – Miss Parker who stayed 1-½ years at
Hoe-o-Tainui. The writer recalls that a ti tree surveyor’s track had been cut leading to Te Hoe and one up Mangawhara. Little did I foresee that one day tar sealed roads, with a passing bus service would take their place. Right Smoko
immy Miller and Tamiti were two fine Maori men, a fine example of their race. They were two good living men who were respected by the settlers. A humorous incident I recall at hay making on Charles Stewart’s farm where a settler’s gang of 8 or 9 men was working. Jimmy McVeigh was talking of his prowess as a runner and Alister McHardy laughed and challenged him to a 100n yard sprint, and jokingly he offered 10 yards start in a 100 for two pounds. The challenge was accepted and on a Saturday afternoon both donned togs. On your marks, bang! Jimmy McVeigh, being rather stout, ran like a duck and never finished the race. As a matter of interest, the names of the members of the Paranui Drainage Board of those days were Messrs L R Reid, F N Twining, W Eddowes, Moncton, P Western and H M Clothier. |
