Working on the Land
On starting to work up the land they had found, just out of sight in the ground, numerous great kauri logs that had to be removed before it was possible to plough and plant the paddocks. This was a very hard job for men and horses, and usually needed the help of gelignite as well. It was very necessary to get it in just the right place; not only for their safety, but also that it would do what they hoped and shift the log so they could get it out of the ground. Gradually over many, many years, not only those kauri logs but another layer of trees that was below them and came to the surface, had to be removed before the farm was able to be worked without fear of striking an obstacle that could jar or halt the work, or indeed break the implement being used.
Daddy’s parents had given them a range to bring with them so Mother never had to use a camp oven, and with plenty of wood available and menfolk willing to cart and saw and chop, cooking wasn’t the problem many women faced, and that stove served until long after electricity was available. In those days a copper was thought to be a necessary amenity - clothes had to be boiled, didn’t they? Soap had to be made and it was also used for preserving fruit. Ten jars were prepared at once, and placed on a board in the copper, the centre jar with a string around it so it could be lifted out to see if it was ready. When they were cooked (whatever they were), the jars were lifted out one at a time, extra boiling syrup added if necessary, and the lids tightened, the jar turned upside down to seal, and oh, the disappointment if, after all that they did, it not go airtight. When dome seals came on the market they did make that part easier.
Before electricity came, Mother had a washing machine. A handle was turned, and a gear reached down to the clothes; an improvement from having to lift boiling clothes out of the copper, but they still had to be transferred to the tub. The electric ones, when they arrived, spun the water out of the clothes, but the same water was used for several loads of washing. I know I often did five machine fulls in the one lot of water - necessary when water was in short supply, but what happened to the boiling? Nowadays the wash is often done in cold water!
In the 1860s the only way to cross from Hamilton East to West was a small dug out known as the Colonel’s Canoe, until someone joined two canoes together with planks and set up a wheel and pulley on wire slung between the two banks to propel it across the river. In 1879 the first bridge was opened, constructed of kauri and it took a year to build. In 1907, a flood weakened its structure and as well the motorcar added a problem that had not been bargained on. A steel, 104-metre single span bridge replaced it in 1910. Interestingly, this was constructed in England and shipped to Hamilton to be assembled on site. In the meantime, the railway bridge had been designed and constructed by New Zealand engineers and workers, and the train first crossed in 1884. Beside the railway was a walkway too, until in 1964 a lowlevel bridge was built to carry the rail traffic underground through the central city, and the old railway viaduct was converted to road use.
When the Fairfield Bridge was built many claimed that it was so far out of town it would never be used, but for the ‘cockies’ of Gordonton, Rototuna, Horsham Downs, Puketaha and further afield who wanted to collect the supplies from ‘The Farmers’ it meant a reduction of seven miles. Alexa and I went to the opening in 1937 on our horses and very proud we were to proceed across before the cars. The Whitiora Bridge was opened in 1973 and the Pukete one in 1996.
I was born in 1917. My parents were young and not long married and lived in a small shack. I don’t remember it, but photos show a tin chimney, which Mother found very noisy and disturbing at night, especially when the wind blew. At that time they kept ducks and it wasn’t long before I was crawling out to help feed them. How I loved the little fluffy ducklings, but I guess little fingers were not always gentle and it seems they didn’t survive if turned on their backs. Daddy’s dog, Scout soon became a great playmate but he was very scared of thunder and when it was about he would rush inside and hide under the bed.
I remember the day I was born - well I don’t of course. But I’ve been thinking about it lately, was Mother prepared? Was I early? Or late? Did she go into the ‘home’ days before or did Daddy have to get up on a dark, or even stormy night and find and harness the horse in the gig for the hour-long trip to the ‘home’? And even how did she manage to get into it?
With the prospect of another little one, Daddy set to work to build his dream house, onto and around the rooms they lived in, but the chimney was replaced with a brick one. Edith was born in 1919 and soon learnt to sleep through sawing and hammering as if they weren’t happening. When she started to crawl, she was greatly fascinated by nails, hammers or any tools that Daddy left within reach.
To enable Daddy to get on with the job more quickly they decided that Mother would take her two little girls to her Mothers at Waima (out of Pahiatua). That year had turned very hot and dry and at that time much of the centre of the island was ablaze. When the train reached the Mangaweka viaduct the passengers were told they would have to walk across in case the fire had weakened the structure. Imagine poor Mother with two little ones faced with that! My legs were not long enough to step from one sleeper to the next. Fortunately a kind gentleman hoisted me on his shoulders and Mother was able to manage the baby herself. When we arrived at Grandmas I joyfully told her the flames were very near. Years after, when we travelled that way by car, there were still lots of blackened stumps to remind us of the destruction fires could cause. At that time trains were driven by steam which required coal to be shovelled into a furnace and of course created sparks which often escaped and caused much havoc in grass, forest and peat areas. So it was a great relief to those living near a railway line when in 1935 trains were converted to run on a diesel-powered engine that produced electricity to drive the trains - and no sparks! Those not using overhead connections today still produce their own electricity.
I always wanted to ‘help’ whatever project was going and when the lawn was being made I rode on the handle between the men pulling the roller. That lawn made a good croquet lawn and was much appreciated by the ladies who came to play. What I remember most was the sugar lumps Mother put out for afternoon tea. Mother had planted some daffodils and they were nearly ready to flower. She was waiting eagerly for them to do so when I came in one day saying “pretty, pretty” with all the buds pulled off in my hand. I don’t remember what she said, or did, but knowing her she was more likely to cry than smack. I know that many years later a pink oxalis that appeared in the garden and had increased, I carefully planted round all the beds.