Ormondville Rail Preservation Group Inc.
A History of Ormondville - as it was in October 1888
Parts 1 & 2 of a series of four articles, entitled 'Ormondville' by "Our Own Reporter"
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Bush Advocate 25 October 1888 (Part 1) Note: Additional notes are in [ ]'s
It is always an interesting task to me to trace the advance of a town or settlement, step by step, from its first formation, and to notice the change that a few short years have made in the character of its buildings and the number of its inhabitants. But when the settlement has been made, or the town built, in what may be termed the heart of a dense bush, where every foot of clean ground has been wrested by long and patient toil from the surrounding wilds, this is more especially the case, and one can be pardoned for feeling a glow of honest pride in the hardy settlers who have accomplished so much in a short time as has been the case at Ormondville. I will commence my remarks by a short account of how Ormondville was first settled, touching as briefly as possible on the changes through which it has passed, trusting to the kindness of your readers for pardon should my poor attempts not do justice to such an interesting subject as this would be if properly treated.
Early in 1876, Mr J. Sowry undertook the formation of the Woodville Special Settlement, and a number of men sent in their names to him for the purpose of joining the proposed association. So many names were received that the land available was not enough for all the would-be settlers, and many had to be omitted from the list. Mr Sowry advised some of these to form another association on similar lines to the Woodville one. In consequence of this a correspondence was opened with Mr J.D. Ormond, who was then M.H.R. for Waipawa, and also, I think, General Government Agent as well as Superintendent of this province.
About this time there was a discharged soldier from the 58th regiment who wanted his claim and was in correspondence with Mr Ormond on the subject, and he, the applicant, was advised to become a promoter of a new association. The Tua Tua block was open for sale, and Mr Ormond was asked to have this block withdrawn from the market and it was done just as buyers were found, two sections having been bought before this was done, and they were the property of a Mr Firth, who ultimately built a sawmill on his property. [Note: This was the Papatu Sawmill.]
Mr McKnight (the discharged soldier) thus found himself at the head of the Association, and in a position for which neither his natural talents nor his former education fitted him, and he lost no time in transferring the honour and responsibility to the shoulders of a Mr Levy, who became the first managing secretary and remained in office for a few years. The Tua Tua block was acquired and the members of the Association met and drew lots for their land in June 1876, when a managing committee was appointed, with Mr Levy as chief. Rules were drawn up and approved of, and all that was wanted was a name that could be more easily understood that the old Maori name. The members of the Association (called the Waipukurau Small Farm Association) felt grateful to Mr Ormond for so promptly getting the land withdrawn from sale and so giving them the chance they wished for, of forming an association to buy up the block, and decided to call the settlement Ormondville, and that is now the name by which the place is known, the old name being known to a few only.
As there is a legend connected with the old Maori name, and as I do not intend to again refer to it, I will give the legend before dismissing the name from this letter. It appears that during the trouble between Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Raukawa (or about that time), an aged chief passed through where the settlement now is, and on getting to the top of a rather steep rise he called a halt and sank down by the root of a tree which gave a friendly shade.
The old gent felt about used up, for though he was not heavily burdened with clothing (being wrapped up in his dignity and not much else), he bore a weight of responsibility which, added to his many years, and a digestive system weakened somewhat by assimilation some very tough Ngati Raukawa that had fallen in his way, tended to make him long for some rest, and he accordingly squatted down and pressed his aching back against the trunk of the tree. Now the Maori of today would most likely ejaculate "By Golly! My back," but this gent of the olden time was unacquainted with slang English, and he grudged out his satisfaction in something like the following words" "Eh! te tua tua a taku tuara!" (Oh the ridge of my back) and from that day Te Tua Tua became the name of the place. The old name may have no beauties to the average Englishman, but if the founders of the settlement wanted a new name it is strange that they could not have found an English name instead of tacking on the "ville" and making the name wholly French.
But to proceed. Having got possession of their holdings, the next thing to do was go and look at them, and by means of survey lines some were found and some of the seekers lost for a time at least. The land wanted clearing and many were anxious to learn if the old song was true, and if there was "no place like home." Well, they had enough and to spare of the pleasures enjoyed by Bush farmers and many of them sold out and left the place in disgust long before roads could be got to their sections. By degrees the land was cleared and a road made between Norsewood and Ormondville, but at first it could only be used in very dry weather, and after getting to the end of the road it was a case of flounder about until they reached their homes. The money raised as rates by the Road Board was spent in making some of the roads, but might just as well have been thrown away. One good road there was, the County having metalled the Norsewood road.
A small room in which few would care to live now was turned into a school and a lady teacher appointed. As the population increased one wing of the present school was built. Then a master was appointed and another wing added, and so on until the school attained its present proportions, and instead of a mistress being in sole charge there is now a highly certificated master, assisted by a mistress and a pupil teacher, and if all the children in the district attended as they should do, another pupil teacher would be required.
In the early days the mail was carried from Norsewood on horseback, but the railway became completed to the settlement [1880], and of course this brought a change for the better. The church services were held in the school for a while, but at length the Methodist congregation resolved to have a church and canvassed the district support, receiving grants of timber from most of the sawmillers and a day's from the employees at one mill. A number of willing hands attended at this mill to give aid, keep up steam, etc., and the biggest day's work ever turned out at that mill (Mr Gundrie's) was the result. The new church was opened on November 9th, 1881, free of debt, by the Rev. W.J. Worboys, assisted by several other clergymen. In due course an Anglican Church [the Church of the Epiphany] followed, and St. Bridget's R.C. Church was also opened by the Rev. J. Ahern. The ring of the bells can be heard on the Sabbath, and though the Methodist clergyman does not now reside in Ormondville, the Rev. A.S. Webb, of the Anglican Church, is a resident here, and his sermons, pointing as they do, rather to a loving and merciful God than to an avenging deity, are listened to with interest.
Roads are getting made to all parts of the settlement, and though some have yet to wait for the good time to come when they can reach their homes even in winter without having to wade through mud, the Road Boards are profiting from past experiences, and are doing good work.
Good houses are to be seen everywhere, while the business places have kept pace with the times. Land was bought at Makotuku in 1884, and though many thought the buyers had paid too dear for their land it seems that they knew what they were doing, and as many of the sections have been subdivided and each small lot built upon, there are now a great number of houses there, and all seem to be fairly prosperous.
Ormondville and Makotuku are now one, being joined in a town district, but some conflicting interests cause some slight differences between the two ends. It is to be hoped that in time the two ends of this town will be more closely united and prosperous. The business houses are so many and so well worthy of notice that it will be impossible to do them justice in this letter, but in a future issue I will make an attempt to describe them. At present I will content myself by saying that there are six stores, three hotels, one brewery, two butcheries, joiners and cabinetmaker's shops, shoemakers, a baker, in fact quite enough to supply a larger settlement than this. There are also blacksmiths and a chemist's store, while dresses are made and music is taught in the town.
Bush Advocate 30 October 1888 (Part 2) Note: Additional notes are in [ ]'s
As soon as the members of the Association began to reside at Ormondville the want of a store was felt, and after a few weeks, during which goods were packed in from the store at Norsewood, a branch store was established here. As time went on this store was found to be too small, and a larger building was erected where Mr Groom's store now stands, the present premises, in fact, being an enlargement of the old building. That structure was 20 x 20 feet, with rooms at the back, but after Mr Groom had been in possession a time he found the premises too small, and built additions, enlarging the main room or shop to 32 x 20 feet, and building a showroom 22 x 16 feet on one side. One side of the main room is used as a drapery and millinery department, and is in [the] charge of Mrs Groom.
Mr Groom attends to the other side, where local produce, such as butter and eggs, is bought and sold, and, where every description of goods to be found at a general store are obtainable. At the farthest end from the entrance is the boot department, but other goods are stored there, this place being used as a means of relieving the general department. From here, a turn to the right takes the visitor into the showroom, where - though not partitioned off from the main building - he is out of sight. There are other rooms at the back where ladies can retire for the purpose of fitting etc. Another store was started a few months later than this store, but somehow or other it did not seem to pay and had to be closed.
In 1878 Mr J.J. Browne resolved to try his luck, and established a store near the school on the Ormondville-Norsewood road (known as the Danish line). Like the founder of the first store (Mr Levy) began with a small building but soon found it necessary to enlarge, and has a roomy store now on the site of the original building. His first building was erected on a site leased from Mr Beck, but as the business expanded he purchased a site nearer to Ormondville, and close to the school buildings, and built his present store there, the main room being 47 x 38 feet, and well proportioned, with office and rooms at the back, and a large room upstairs used for crockeryware. In time even these buildings did not satisfy the proprietor, and another room was built on the side of the first store, something like a lean-to, having an entrance onto the other part of the building.
On entering from the front, a long counter is on the right, behind which is a varied stock of general merchandise. Mr Browne keeps a stock of useful articles that answer all requirements of the district. Turning to the left, the visitor faces the entrance into the newer room where heavy goods such as flour, sugar etc., are stored. Mr Browne lives a life of single blessedness; and somehow a sort of free and easy air is about the place that is not often met with, while at the same time the methodical habits of a man who has passed the greater part of his life in storekeeping enable him to find any article required in an instant, whether packed away behind the counter, hanging from the racks overhead, or stacked along the wall.
In 1883 Mr W. Westlake came to the conclusion that there existed an opening for another store at Ormondville, and began in a very modest way, leasing a house never intended for the transaction of business. After a few months had passed Mr Westlake thought his prospects warranted a new store, and had his present premises erected, giving it the name of "The Working Man's Store."
This building is 73 x 34 feet, and the "shop" portion is in the shape of an L, with office, showrooms, etc., at the back. On the right as one enters is the general department, where is stored the usual variety of goods to be found in all country stores, as well as articles not always to be met with in such places. On the left is the drapery department, where more goods than would be deemed possible in such space are packed on the shelves. To the left, and near the entrance, is the millinery department, where hats, both trimmed and untrimmed, as well as scarves, ties and a host of other lines are on view. Down the centre of the shop runs a kind of large clothes horse on which boots of almost every description await purchasers. Tools, such as planes, axes, etc., are ranged along under this rack, and at the far end a counter runs across, where lamps, glass and chinaware are displayed. Mr Westlake complains that the shop is too small for his requirements, and intends bringing into use the rooms in which his family at present reside as soon as his new residence is completed.
During the time that the work on the permanent way and bridges was being carried out, a number of workmen were employed about Makotuku, and consequently a branch of the Norsewood store was opened there, but competition is said to be the life of trade, and Mr D. Smith, who had been for some time in business as storekeeper and butcher at Kopua, took up his abode at this now flourishing place. He also built a very comfortable hotel there [the Makotuku Hotel], of which more mention will be made later on.
The first attempt in the direction of a permanent store seems to be that of Mr A.C. Webber who, in 1884, had the large store, at present in use by Mr Andrews, built. This building contains two store rooms, besides an upstairs showroom, office, and rooms in which Mr Andrews and his family reside. The sale room is 30 x 30 feet with high walls. The right side from the entrance is used for drapery, of which a very good stock is kept on hand. On the left is the general merchandise department which is also well stocked, while a variety of useful articles are "on show" down the centre of the room. Here, as at other places visited, a trade is done in local produce, and the side room is used as a receiving store. This room is 23 x 15 [feet], and at the time of my visit a goodly stock of potatoes, flour, sugar, etc., occupied the room.
Before proceeding to describe the other business places I may as well say a little about the name of the place, for if in this instance the question should be asked, "what's in a name." I would be inclined to answer that there is a great deal in a name when the account of how the name originated opens up a page in the history of the former owners of the land.
There once lived a Maori who, either because he first opened his eyes (and mouth, of course) in a camping place where the Kotukutuku, or fuchsia, abounded, or through that shrub having been in some way connected with, or mixed up in some circumstance of importance that occurred about that time, received the name of Kotukutuku. He must have been a man of some note or he would not have been remembered after his death, and his name is pretty well known to the present generation. This man met his death in a rather peculiar way at the place which afterwards bore his name. Of course I do not vouch for the truth of the account, but there may be some truth in it, which I will leave your readers to sift out to their satisfaction as I do to mine.
Kotukutuku, according to Maori uses, would be a rather awkward name to bear, as the berries are eaten and relished by all who have tasted them, and no man could say that he had eaten, or was going to eat Kotukutuku, or that the berries were good to eat in his presence, or near the man who bore the name without giving mortal offence to him, and he would be bound to revenge the insult by killing the man (if he was not of a higher rank than himself) who had spoken about eating the berry. It is therefore very likely that during his lifetime his name was shortened to Kotuku, which would be equal to white crane, but after his death he was called his full name, and the creek where he died was called Ma Kotukutuku by some and (perhaps owing to its extreme length) Makotuku by others; all, however, agree that fuchsia creek is the meaning of the name, and also on the fact of the man dying there.
Now, as to the cause of his death. It appears that while camped at the creek a cloud of mosquitoes came out and attacked him, stinging, biting, and suffocating him. He could not open his mouth but it became filled with the insects, his nose was rendered unfit to breathe through, and his eyes were so full that he could not see. In this state he struggled to find a way of escape, but being unable to see or hear, and not able to draw a breath without actually breathing mosquitoes, he soon fell down and died. This is all quite possible, though it does not seem very probable, and I have heard of similar things occurring in other countries, but on questioning my informants they removed all my doubts by explaining that the mosquitoes had been sent by an atua or spirit.
As there is so much yet to be told, I will bring this letter to a close, and wait for another issue before continuing my description.
