Further to the previous post of the Great Waikato Saurian Hunt of 1886, I found some notes from the time out of the Auckland Star.Considerable amusement was caused in Hamilton last night on the arrival of the Herald containing an account of a "saurian reptile" chasing two boys. The boys in question, who are the sons of Mr. Castleton, who keeps a dairy farm near Frankton, received a fright on Tuesday morning on the bank of a creek on the farm, but nobody supposes that the creature was anything but a lizard or a pig, though the boys described it as a crocodile. It is expected now, since this species of animal is known to live in the district, that there will be a demand for land for rice-growing and sugar-cane culture.30 October 1886
The Saurian Bosh:-- The people here (in the Waikato) are getting sick of the saurian bosh, though some few credulous people stick to theory.9 November 1886
Touching that "saurian" it is now believed to have been a "tuna tuhoro", a large eel which the natives say will come out of the water and attack men. Eel or saurian, the people here are getting "full up" of the yarn, and want a new excitement.25 November 1886
Paeroa, this day -- A rumour was current here at an early hour yesterday morning that a saurian animal was seen in the river near its confluence with the Waihoa, and quite a number of natives started off in pursuit of the taniwha, which was chased up stream to Thorpe's, where three shots were fired at him without any perceptible effect other than to increase his speed. Towards noon the excitement intensified, and at four p.m. Sheehan's bridge was lined with people, whose curiosity was gratified by a view of the head and back of the monster, which rose to the surface of the water immediately under their gaze.
All sorts of theories are advanced with regard to its identity, but from a casual glance which I got of it, I have no hesitation in pronouncing it a seal measuring about six feet in length. From here the chase was continued for a considerable distance down stream, and when last seen our saurian was making its way down to its natural habitat as quickly as possible.
“Onehunga, October 6, 1886. Rev. and dear sir, -- I can no longer bear the living death. My brain is on fire, and at times I don’t know what to do or think. If anything happens to me please break the news quietly to my children, and help them all you can; also send letter to Mrs. Gurr. I am struggling, but oh, what will the end be? I have been a faithful teacher in the Onehunga school, and may my innocence be laid bare, for the sake of my dear ones. Good-bye. – From the unfortunate John Gurr. P.S. – Look near the little bridge.”John Gurr worked as a teacher in Canterbury and Featherston before arriving in Auckland in 1885 to take up the position of headmaster at Onehunga school. His name is missed out by Janice Mogford in her book The Onehunga Heritage, where only the names of Alexander Grant (1876-1885) and R. D. Stewart (1886-1896) appear, but at the time of his death he was also President of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute. He had seven children in all, two grown to adulthood and living elsewhere in the country at the time of his death.
“The facts attendant on the suicide of the unfortunate teacher Gurr, at Onehunga, give us another warning concerning the dangers of the godless schools. Either the man was guilty of the disgraceful conduct of which he was accused, although of this there seems to be strong doubts, or else the girls who accused him showed themselves capable of foul and disgusting lying as well as of a good deal more. In either case parents should perceive how considerately the law acts in compelling them to submit their innocent children to polluting influences, whether those of an infamous teacher or those of abandoned schoolmates — the choice between the two being rather a difficult one to make.”We’ll never know for certain exactly what happened at Onehunga school or whether John Gurr had been guilty or innocent of the charges laid against him.
“… we deplore the attitude adopted by the racing clubs in refusing to acknowledge the said Jockey’s Association; especially do we condemn the Avondale Jockey Club for their despotic and inhuman treatment meted out to jockeys and apprentices on Wednesday, April 7, in refusing their request to postpone the racing owing to weather conditions and the dangerous state of the course. The hostile reception tendered the Jockeys’ Association representative calls for severe censure. Evidently the totalisator turnover is of more importance than the welfare of the riders. Trade unions are recognised throughout New Zealand, and we demand recognition for our fellow workers … and call upon organised labour throughout the Dominion to tender moral and practical support in the event of victimisation or refusal to recognise the Association.”Three days later, the Trades Council in Wellington added their support. The Jockeys Association’s alliance with the waterside workers wasn’t viewed favourably in some parts of the country, however: the Manawatu jockeys voted later that month to resign from the Association because of it, although the Association later said that this was due to threats from owners.
“ ... guilty of refusing to sign evidence given at a meeting of the stewards of the Avondale Jockey Club on April 10, of inciting riders engaged at the meeting to break their respective engagements, and of promoting concerted in that direction for the purpose of embarrassing the management of the club in the conduct of the meeting, and for refusing to attend meetings of the stewards when called upon to do so.”Hewitt was suspended for the rest of the season, along woth E. C. Rae (for actively aiding and abetting Hewitt) and J. B. Shea for breaking his engagement to ride, refusing to attend meetings with the stewards and embarrassing the club. Another jockey, L. Conquest, was to have his case heard at another meeting. Other districts were to be advised of jockeys from their areas who had also committed the above breaches. The Avondale Jockey Club, it was reported, was about to issue a full report naming those jockeys who had taken part in the strike.
“I do not think it would be much loss to the country if we did away with racing altogether. It would not trouble me in the very slightest. Perhaps as Treasurer I should not get as much revenue, but that would not worry me for I could get it some other way.”It would appear, by now, his patience will both sides of the dispute was wearing thin.
“A report, the correctness of which is vouched for by Mr. Castleton, who owns and occupies a portion of which is known as Maunders farm, near Frankton, appeared in the Herald of yesterday, to the effect that a reptile, the description of which is almost identical with that of the alligator, was seen on Tuesday morning. The story goes that Mr. Castleton's son, a boy of 14, went down to a small creek which runs through the property, and that the strange animal came up out of the water and chased him. His younger brother, aged twelve, went down to the creek to satisfy the burning curiosity engendered by his brother's recital and "enjoyed” a similar experience.”A Constable Wild went out to investigate with some settlers, but failed, at the time, to see anything at all. (Evening Post, 2 October 1886)
“Without wishing to cast suspicion on Mr. Castleton's boy's, whose tale the father implicitly believes, since he has been lying in wait to shoot the "monster," we may casually remark that not only are there no crocodiles in this colony, but there are no reptiles except the katipo and the mosquito. If the creature in question was larger than a lizard, and the lads said he was as large in girth as a calf, it will probably turn out to be one of Messrs Qualtrough and White's pigs.”Two days later, the Times was still not convinced that this was much more than a wild goose/croc chase.
“CROCODILE OR WHAT? To be sure, the idea of a crocodile making his way unobserved from warmer latitudes across the ocean and taking up his residence in the vicinity of Hamilton is very laughable. Yet Mr. Castleton's boys declare that the beast which chased them up the banks of the creek running through the farm resembled the pictures they had seen of alligators more than anything else they can think of. They scout the notion of its being a pig, scornfully demanding to know whether they, seeing members of the porcine species daily, could be deceived by a pig. What adds to the difficulty of elucidating the story is the fact that both boys are evidently telling the truth, that is to say, they believe their narrative to be correct.On 5 October, the Times reported:
“On Thursday afternoon a representative of this journal visited Mr. Castleton's place and, in the absence of their father, who was working at the other end of the farm, the two boys took him to the creek and showed him the spot where the alleged monster was seen by them. The creek is that which falls into the Waikato at No. 1 Bridge. The course of the stream is exceedingly tortuous; the amount of water is considerable, and at short intervals there are pools ranging in depth from three to nine feet. The banks are perhaps 40ft. high. Along the side of a small branch creek a path descends to the water, and the cattle are wont to cross here to the paddocks beyond. It was at or near this crossing-place that the strange beast was, as they aver, seen by Mr. Castleton's lads. Both boys are bright and intelligent, and there is nothing in their manner or appearance to justify a suspicion that they have made up a yarn. Going down to the creek they related what they consider their uncanny experience with great circumstantiality and completeness of detail. They describe the animal as having a body about two feet long, with a thick tail about the same length, short thick legs, and long pointed head and long jaws armed with terrible looking teeth. Its motion when chasing them was a sort of amble, which one of the lads, going down on all fours, simulated. It was brown in colour, with scales on its back. The creature was first seen by the elder boy, Arthur, on Monday morning, and by both at different times on Tuesday.
“In the course of a conversation with Mr. Castleton subsequently, that gentleman said he was naturally sceptical in matters of this kind and, moreover, he knew that crocodiles and reptiles were not known in New Zealand ; at the same time ho was bound to believe the boys' story, because he placed the utmost faith in their integrity. In company with his man he had carefully searched the creek, but had found nothing, nor could he discover any strange footprints. That some animal of a kind not hitherto familiar to the boys had shown itself he did not doubt, and the only conclusion he could come to was that Shakespeare was right when he made Hamlet say "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of." All this sounds oddly, but, as we have already said, it seems impossible to doubt the bona fides of the boys. That they have been deceived we are bound to believe, but what manner of animal it was that led the two boys, at separate times, to the conclusion that it was an alligator, no less, we will not attempt to conjecture. The Maoris, of course, say it is a Taniwha; if so its capture would be a stroke of luck.
“It has been suggested that it is a lizard and, if the excitement can only be kept up, some rational beings may by-and-bye arrive at the conclusion that it is a giraffe.”
“There is nothing new to report about the strange beast seen by Mr. Castleton's boys. On Sunday a large number of people visited the farm, and some beat the creek for a considerable distance, but nothing was seen.”The Auckland papers, by now, were taking the story on with gusto. The Waikato Times, on 7 October, said briefly but possibly with a deep inner sigh,
“Auckland Bell says the alligator story from Waikato grows considerably larger. The "beast" has killed a child. It will next have devoured the whole population.”The Otago Witness the following day reported that the Herald had published
“... amusing reports of an alleged monstrous reptile seen in a creek near Hamilton,” and that “on the authority of one of the masters of the Auckland Grammar School … “a creature something like a sea serpent was seen swimming up the Waikato river, lashing the water with its tail, which seemed to furnish locomotive and guiding power.”By late October, the Auckland Star published information from a correspondent “that he is informed that the Maoris brought alligators' eggs some years ago from Australia and placed them near the Waikato River, and it is believed they have been hatched out.” A resident of Onehunga also even reported seeing an animal like an alligator in the Manakau harbour. (Evening Post, 27 October 1886)
“The Hamilton correspondent of the Auckland Herald says :—"All attempts for the present to capture the saurian monster have been abandoned since Friday night when some persons sat up in the loft of the slaughterhouse, but saw or heard nothing of it. This has-been determined on in consequence of the inconsiderate conduct of a large number of people who, armed with guns, anxious to capture so valuable a prize, have been beating the cover afforded by tea-tree, furze, and flax on Mr. Castleton's land, and the thick cover along the edges of the creeks, so that the animal, whatever it is, must be so thoroughly scared that it is not likely to leave its haunts far, even at night.A week later, the creature in the minds of those still hunting for it took on another form – that of a Bengal Tiger, while the Times remained extremely doubtful.
“Food of course it must have, but as there are more than a hundred pigs roaming about the open land beyond the slaughter yard, and many of these are sows with litters, it can easily supply itself without venturing up to the slaughterhouse. Indeed, of late, a large number of young pigs have been missed, sows returning home with one or two less each time. As soon as the excitement has cooled down, the sliding doortrap will be again raised at night and the bait set.
“Public opinion is at variance whether the animal is one escaped from a travelling menagerie or an amphibious creature, but the evidence is decidedly in favour of the latter. The natives think that it will turn out to be the meme, or mimi, a creature of the lizard tribe, which is very rare, being somewhat larger than a big dog, and which runs after people, snapping at them with its mouth, but runs slowly, as was indeed the case with the Castleton's boys.”
“… as for the Royal Bengal Tiger, the leopard, or the cheetah, for it has been supposed to be all these things, if such an animal escaped from a menagerie, we feel sure the circumstance would have been made public. Setting aside the value of such an animal for exhibition purposes, it is absurd to suppose that the circus people should be so destitute of all the finer feelings of humanity as to allow so dangerous a creature to despasture itself on the youthful population of New Zealand without uttering a note of warning. It is worthy of remark that nothing was heard of the so-called tiger until his presence in the neighbourhood was suggested in the Herald.The Waikato Times went on to report:
”After what has happened, we are convinced that nothing is wanting in order that the Castleton boys may discover a sea serpent save a hint that such a monster might be taking his spring bath of fresh water in the Waikato river. Still and notwithstanding all this there are certain people who are ready to swallow anything that is marvellous. It is the duty of the Government, acting through the police, to succor all such weakminded members of the community, though to do so may involve a considerable expenditure. The Saurian business should be sifted to the very bottom, and the guilty parties when found should be made to suffer pretty smartly. We commend the subject to the earnest consideration of Inspector Kelly.”
“Little that is fresh has transpired since our last in regard to this terrific monster. Several people declare they have seen the tracks of the beast. We have been shown several very carefully prepared diagram from which it would seem that the animal might be anything from a hippopotamus to a turkey, but certainly not a tiger, and still less a crocodile. The joke, whoever is at the bottom of it, is being well kept up, and doubtless the inventive genius of the projectors is capable of further "manifestation".After all this japery, the Saurian Tales died away, only to be revived briefly, a year later, by an astounding report published in the Herald, according to the Otago Witness of 11 November 1887.
“The episode has been productive of no little amusement, not only in Hamilton, but in Auckland. Some clever individual has prepared a series of pictures illustrative of the story, which may be seen attached to the notice-board of Gwynne's Hotel. The first picture is the counterfeit presentment of a billy-goat, which is said to be 'the only saurian." Next comes an elaborate cartoon, representing a huge monkey depositing one of the Castleton boys into the jaws of an enormous crocodile (the creature is more like a shark, by the way), underneath which runs the legend, "The really sorry-un, the boy who would tell stories." The series concludes with the likeness of a donkey, who is described in the letterpress as "A constant leader of the Waikato District News (Herald's). Well stuffed."
"The notice board is adorned with other pictures relating to the same absorbing topic, and all have proved to be a great source of attraction during the last few days.”
“According to the New Zealand Herald, the mystery of the Waikato saurian monster, which developed from an animal of the alligator species to one having the head of a tiger, has been cleared up. The Castleton boys after all were not drawing much on their imagination. The following was received from Raglan by telegraph and published by the Waikato Times :— " The capture of the Hamilton saurian monster off the south head of Raglan Harbour was effected this (Friday) afternoon by a Kopua Native named Rawini, who put two bullets through its head. It measured 12ft long, with a girth of 6ft, having two large screwlike propellers in its tail. On being brought to the wharf it was found to have a head like a leopard, two rows of formidable teeth, 12 in a row. Its skin, resembling grey silver cloth, was taken off carefully with the legs and head. On opening it, two pouches were found full of birds and feathers. It has been purchased with a view of having it stuffed and exhibited."“Evidently someone,” the Otago Witness mused, “has been hoaxing the papers in Auckland. “
"DUNWOODIE Another well-known Auckland and Onehunga resident, Mr Andrew Dunwoodie, died at his residence, Queen Street, Onehunga, on the 2nd August, after a prolonged illness extending over a period of nearly two years, the immediate cause of his death being heart disease. Mr Dunwoodie had been in New Zealand for a long time. He arrived in Otago about 27 years ago, but shortly afterwards he came to Auckland, and with his brother, Mr W. Dunwoodie, started business as farming implement manufacturers, in which they were very successful, and ever since constantly resided in Onehunga, where he was greatly esteemed for his many good qualities. He was three times elected to be a member of the Borough Council. He was also a leading member of the Presbyterian Church in that district, and was superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday school. He was also a member of the Licensing Committee, and generally up to the time his health failed, he took an active part in all local affairs. Mr Dunwoodie, who died at the early age of fifty years, leaves a widow and two sons and two daughters to mourn their loss but the sons and daughters are all grown up."According to the Southern Cross of 19 February 1873, Mr. Dunwoodie, Onehunga blacksmith, took part in a successful ironsand smelting experiment, hammering a lump of the product into the shape of a cold chisel.
"An accident of a distressing nature, which resulted in the death of a young man named John Lloyd, happened at the Waitakerei Tunnel today. The unfortunate occurrence took place shortly after 8 a.m. on the railway line. The deceased has been employed as railway laborer, and was riding on some ballast wagons. At the time of the accident he was bending forward for the purpose of working the brake, when he fell off, and two of the trucks passed over him. He was immediately picked up by some of his fellow workmen, and conveyed to Newmarket, and from thence he was taken to the hospital. On his arrival at the hospital the poor fellow was attended to by the doctors, and an examination revealed the fact that he had sustained injuries of a most serious nature. His right leg was fearfully mangled below the knee ; in fact it was completely crushed. A compound fracture of the left leg was discovered, and it was fouud that the limb was also injured above the knee. It was apparent that the shock to his system had reduced him to so weak a state that he could not possibly undergo the operation of amputation of his right leg ; therefore it was bandaged up, and the flow of blood stopped. Lloyd was perfectly conscious during the whole of the time. He stated the circumstances of the accident to Dr. Philson, and also said that the occurrence was purely accidental, and that none were to blame for it. He sank rapidly, and died shortly after noon. Deceased was a young, unmarried man, aged twenty-five years. Both of his parents are residents of Onehunga, where he lived with them up till the present time."
"The Waitakere tunnel had been a major undertaking, the stiffness of the clay presented many problems as did the filling in of neighbouring swampland. Started on the Swanson side a perfectly straight shaft of 270 yards was driven through the ridge to meet up accurately with the face of the cutting on the Waitakere side. On January 28, 1881 a formal breakthrough was made amidst cheers that resounded through the tunnel before the contractors, foremen, miners, bricklayers and labourers marched to a banquet led by Mr. Collins, a blacksmith, playing patriotic airs on the flute. The men were complimented on their work and on an unblemished safety record. Unfortunately the following day a ganger was killed when he was struck by a work train."
Work is continuing in the area where (according to Ontrack's plans at the last open day) the temporary platform off Trent Street will be located while the main station is relocated and the tracks reconfigured. The photos were taken late in the day after I'd spotted activity earlier while passing in the bus.
A close-up from photo above. The area where some fresh ballast has been laid, interestingly enough, is around about where the old level crossing used to be before 1913 and the building of the Blockhouse Bay Road railway bridge. This crossing connected what is now Tait Street (then, just part of Manukau Road) with Trent Street (part of Station Road) and was highly dangerous, especially when trains then came around a bend (straightened in the 1950s) before pulling into Avondale station from Mt Albert.
This was written by the late George Baird, a very dear friend and member of the Avondale-Waterview Historical Society who died earlier this year. I still miss him and his charming, welcoming smile. His widow gave me permission today to publish the following online. Second part is here.
Any ideas what this advertisement is all about? Is E. Arnold selling (a) the pram or (b) clothing? Granted, he must have been well-known for his trade in Wellington back in 1909, but today -- I haven't a clue.
Anyone reading who would care to have a go at taking a pill called "Brown Peas"?
The Model-T Ford comes to New Zealand, and at £300 is immediately a luxury item. Especially when you were very lucky to be paid £1 per week wages.
This ad caught me by surprise. These days a "go-cart" is either a kid's box-cart used down a hill, or the motorised versions which roar around the track at the end of Rosebank Road. But, it seems, the etymology took a turn toward the field of baby-care. A bit of a check of articles from 1909 seem to indicate that what we know cas a pram and a "go-cart" were nearly synonyms, if not interchanged regularly. This snippet from the Evening Post in November 1908 illustrates this:" ... a candidate for Wellington South slipped on the pavement while he was reaching over a low go-cart to kiss a baby. He hit his nose against one of the flag-stones, and left some blood there. He is applying for permission from the City Council, to remove the blood-stained stone, and put another in its place. He intends carrying the crimson-spangled monument around the district under his arm as a token of his devotedness to the district, and will subsequently put it in a glass case by the General Post Office for all to see."
This was chosen because, like the butterfly coffee ad at the top, this one is so well-drawn it caught my eye. The apricots tumbling from the large tin look just like apricots. A lovely effort in the days before photographic advertising.
Image from NZ Observer and Free Lance, 17 January 1891, via Papers Past.“It is not of course known who Gallagher spent the large sum acquired for his Nevada mining interest, but when he made the settlement on his wife, she only received £2000, that being all that remained of it. There was a rumour that he had come into a fortune of £3000 a year, but this Mr. Craig assures is unfounded. Gallagher’s two brothers are now in California, but one of them resided for some time at Avondale, where he acquired some property, which he still owns, but about two years ago he left Auckland for California with his wife to join his unmarried brother there.”This sounds like Patrick Gallagher, the owner of Stoneleigh Estate which became, after his death in 1901 and sale to the Crown, the Methuen Hamlet. This would explain why John Bollard was the executor – in Patrick Gallagher’s absence from c.1888, Bollard may well have been his agent, leasing out the property. If Patrick Gallagher is one of the Gallagher Brothers of the Nevada “Great Bonanza” silver mine, this would also explain his grand ideas back in the early 1880s to have his Avondale farm become a brickyard. Ideas which, like those of his brother Charles, came to nought here in New Zealand.
Our representative waited upon Mr W Gittos, of the firm of Gittos and Son, the well-known tanners, who has always exhibited great interest in the introduction of the black wattle to New Zealand. Upon being informed that information was desired, he courteously offered to supply what data he could. "Did you supply the seed from which the bark now on exhibition at the Star Office was grown?" was the first question propounded.
"Yes; I handed it to one of our men who was engaged at the Avondale works, and he planted it on his land not far from the railway-station."
"What kind of land was it?"
"Oh, the usual clay bottom; not too good in quality."
"Then the black wattle would flourish all through Waikomiti?"
"Evidently it would, as the soil is somewhat alike. There's one thing about that bark that is worth taking notice of. It is not taken from the trunks of the trees, but merely from the branches. Of course when the trees are cut down better bark will be obtainable."
"Is that bark of good quality ?"
"Yes; I consider as regards the quality that for the size of the growth it is very good. It is generally the opinion in Australia that five years' growth is very good. I would make an allowance of two years for the difference in the climate, and say let the trees grow for seven years in New Zealand. It is not advisable to let them get too old, or else the bark loses some of its value by becoming as it were, exhausted. It's just the same as the difference between a young and an old man: one is much more vigorous than the other."
"What kind of soil suits best — dry or swampy?"
"Well, as it comes from Australia, I should say that the wattle requires a dry soil. I fancy that although it succeeds well on the clay, the wattle would do better on light sandy soils."
"Do the seeds germinate pretty easily?"
"In planting the wattle it is better to soak the seed for about two hours in hot water. Of course not hot enough to scald it but warm enough to soften, as the seed is very hard. The black wattle seed is black with a little white cap at one end."
"I suppose the seed can be easily obtained?"
"Oh, yes! You can get it from Australia for about 2s 6d per lb. As the seeds are small, a pound of them would cover a lot of ground. I should advise intending planters to get the seed from Adelaide, as the bark from there is the best in the colonies. Launceston, Tasmanian, and Victorian bark is all good for tanning, but we consider the Adelaide bark superior to the rest. That is why I advise getting Adelaide seed. If we get the best seed we ought then to get the best quality of bark. The seed ought to be bought for about 2s per lb in quantity."
"How would you plant wattle?"
"That all depends upon the land. If it is cleared fern land easy to plough, I should recommend planting the seed in drills 6 to 8 feet apart. It will grow without manure, and would therefore be suitable for waste lands. Of course the richer the land the better the crop and the larger the returns. It always pays, you know, to use manure. But at the present time, when there is so much said about utilising the waste lands of the colony, I should think that the wattle would be a good idea. It also does very well on land where the timber has already been cleared. I should say if the seeds were scattered amongst the ashes after the burn-off, it would be sufficient to cover them, and they would do all right. In Australia, where the wattle grows wild the soil is very light, and the trees just grow up from the seeds dropped from above. That is one point that must be remembered. Here we have the labour of clearing the land and planting the trees, while in Australia it grows wild."
"Do you think that in the case of such a difference it will pay to plant wattle?"
"Yes, I do. At present the best chopped Adelaide bark is worth £9 per ton. We like the chopped better than the ground, because we can more easily detect if it has been adulterated. Some people, you know, grind up the silver wattle bark with the black. It is not a good plan, though, for we soon detect it, and then buy no more from that place, and so they lose the trade altogether. Some time ago Mr Kelly, at Mount Eden, was cutting up his land for sale, and he felled a few black wattle trees which he had. He sent down a sample of the bark to our establishment, about 2 to 3 cwt. It was as good in quality as any bark from Auckland. Myrtle bark is also at times mixed with the wattle bark, but it's not so good, as it is only suitable for light tanning. As regards planting the wattle there is one feature in its favour. That is, there is such a largo demand for the bark that there is no fear of over-stocking the market. Why, our own works alone at Richmond, if in full work, would use about 300 tons a year. At £9 a ton that would make a nice sum. Besides this the black wattle bark is now largely used in England. The reason for this demand is that the supply of oak bark is rapidly decreasing. So that there would always be a good market for the bark. Large quantities of Australian bark are sent over every year now."
"Evidently this might develop an industry."
"I think it would do better by keeping the money in the colony and preventing us from having to import Australian bark."
"But don't you use New Zealand barks? I thought Tanekau bark was reckoned first-class for tanning?"
"We don't u»c any of the New Zealand barks now. The reason is that there is too much wood and not enough tannic acid in our native barks. Tanekau has too much turpentine in it to be of much use for tanning. Towai and black birch have been used, but they are also deficient in tannic acid. Another difficulty is that settlers do not take the trouble to supply the bark, except at times like these, when money is scarce. I have now in hand several letters from settlers asking us to buy bark."
"There seems to be very little doubt from what you say that the bark will pay to grow?"
"Well, I think that any gentleman who has capital sufficient to enable him to plant the black wattle and wait 6 or 7 years for the return will do well. To succeed properly it would be advisable to erect a mill for chopping or grinding the bark on the plantation. The mill is not very expensive, and its cost would be recouped by the cheaper transit of the produce. It would never do to merely tie the bark together in bundles, more especially if it was to be exported."
"Is it necessary to plant any shelter round the wattle plantations?"
"No. The black wattle does not require much shelter. I think that if settlers would only turn their attention to this tree they might utilise a lot of land that at present is lying idle."
Our representative having the information he desired, thanked Mr Gittos and retired.
