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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Mauriceville

page 990

Mauriceville.

Mauriceville, a Scandinavian settlement eighty-three miles north-east of Wellington, on the railway line, is in Wairarapa North County, and the electoral district of Masterton. The settlement consists of Mauriceville East, on the railway line, and Manriceville West, two-and-a-half miles from it. Dairy farming and lime burning are the principal industries of the place. The lime kilns supply lime to all parts of the North Island. The market towns of the settlement are Eketahuna and Masterton. The local governing body is the North Wairarapa County Council. The settlement, though in the heart of dense bush, has good roads. Education is represented by two schools, and there is a Lutheran Church in Mauriceville West. Cottiss's Hall is the principal hall, though many meetings are held in the schools and the Settlers' Club. The settlement declared for Prohibition several years ago, and consequently there are no licensed hotels, but ample accommodation is provided at Cottiss's Temperance Hotel and at several restaurants. The settlers are a hard-working and prosperous class, and spend their evenings mostly in debating clubs and social gatherings. There is no lock-up or policeman in the district.

Mauriceville West Post and Telegraph Office is situated about two-and-a-half miles from Mauriceville Railway Station. The building is of wood, and was opened as a post-office in 1880. It is connected by telephone with Eketahuna and Masterton. Money order and savings bank business is transacted. Mails close for the north and south at 11 a.m., and arrive at 3 p m. daily.

Mauriceville East Post-office, at Mr. Gundersen's store, is a branch office from Mauriceville West. It is open only while Mr. Gundersen is at the store for a few hours daily. Mails close for the north at 11.45 a.m., arriving from the south at 12.14 p.m., and from the north at 3 p.m. daily.

Mr. Gunder Gundersen, J.P., Postmaster, Mauriceville, was born in Denmark in 1835, and came to New Zealand in 1873. He possesses a farm of forty-six acres and a general store at Mauriceville. He is chairman of nearly all the local public bodies, and holds offices in the remainder. He is married and has eight children and twenty-three grandchildren.

Mauriceville Railway Station is on the Wellington-Eketahuna Railway line, and is eighty-three miles north-east of Wellington. The building is of wood, and has three rooms: the stationmaster's office, general waiting-room, and ladies' waiting-room. There is also a goods-shed, and the water-tanks are supplied from a spring on the hill above. Four trains pass the station daily. There is a public telephone office at the station, and the stationmaster is local registrar of births, deaths, and marriages.

page 991

Mr. James Thomas Quin, Stationmaster, Mauriceville, was born in Wellington in 1866, his father being a well-known builder there. He was educated in a private school, and joined the Railway Department in 1882, when he was given the charge of Pipitea, Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga stations. For six years subsequently he was booking clerk in the Wellington Railway Station. From there he was sent to take charge of Ngahauranga station, where he remained three years until getting his present appointment in 1893. In that year Mr. Quin married Miss Tyer, daughter of Mr. Alfred Tyer, tanner, of Ngahauranga. When this lady was fifteen years of age, she gained considerable distinction for an excellent exhibit in the Home Industry section at the Wellington Exhibition of the time, taking first prizes in every class, and winning the medal offered. They have two children. (Since the above was in type Mr. Quin has been transferred to the stationmastership at Greytown North, Mr. R. H. Simons, Goods Clerk at Oamaru, taking his place at Mauriceville).

Mr. J. T. Quin (now stationmaster at Greytown).

Mr. J. T. Quin (now stationmaster at Greytown).

Hastwell and Mauriceville Brass Band was formed in 1894. There are ten members, and the band plays at local gatherings when required. The bandmaster is Mr. John Fraser, Mauriceville.

Mauriceville Cemetery Trust controls the local cemetery, which is situated near the Mauriceville West public school. The members of the Trust are Messrs. G. Gundersen (chairman), F. Yagerhorn and J. Yespersen. The cemetery is ten acres in extent.

Mauriceville West Public School is situated about two-and-a-half miles from Mauriceville Railway Station. It was established in 1873. The building will accommodate 150 children. There are sixty children on the roll, and the average attendance is forty-five. The grounds around the school are four acres in extent. The school has a good library of 350 volumes, and has the advantage of a magic lantern and slides for teaching geography and history. The old school at the rear of the present building is to be used for technical instruction. The strong feature of the school is the excellence of its singing. The headmaster Mr. Charles R. Joplin, is assisted by Miss Franklin.

Mauriceville East Public School was opened in 1892. The school, a wooden building of one room, is about a quarter-of-a-mile from the Mauriceville Railway Station. The school grounds are two acres in extent, and there is a commodious play shed and porches, which are occasionally used for class-rooms. The school is well appointed in every way, and has a library of 300 volumes. The technical instruction given is a feature of the school work. The headmaster is assisted by Miss McKenzie.

Mr. John Kay, Headmaster of the Mauriceville East Public School, was born in Burnley, England, in 1854, and educated first at the local grammar school with Dr. Butler, and then at the national school. He began teaching in a school near Burnley, where, after serving as a pupil teaching he was appointed assistant master. Coming to New Zealand in 1878 he hold appointments in various schools under the Wellington Education Board, and came from Carterton to his present position. Mr. Kay takes a keen interest in technical education, and occasionally delivers lectures on that subject. He holds a captain's commission on the retired list of New Zealand Volunteers, and is a Past Master in the Masonic order. He is married and has four children.

Mauriceville Lutheran Church is a handsome wooden building standing on an eminence in Mauriceville West. Accommodation is provided for about 200 worshippers. Services are held weekly. The Rev. Mads Christensen is the minister in charge.

Kopuaranga Foresters' Lodge, Mauriceville, has a membership of about thirty, and meets fortnightly on Saturdays in the Mauriceville West schoolroom. The officers for 1896 are: Messrs. J. Lawson (chief ranger), Last Matson (secretary), and Geo. Q. Tillotson (treasurer).

Mauriceville Athletic Club holds an annual gathering on the Sports Ground. Mauriceville, when a capital programme is submitted. The principal event is the Mauriceville Handicap, of three distances. There are thirty-two members in the Club, and the annual subscription is 5s. The Club's officers for 1895–96 are: President, Mr. Gunder Gunderson; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. F. Heckler and C. H. Smith; secretary, Mr. George Franklin; treasurer, Mr. GunderGunderson; judges, Messrs. J. Gleeson, C. Brooks, C. H. Smith, P. Gleeson, H. C. Petersen, Fritz Kummer, R. Carroll, J. Cottiss, G. Gundersen; handicappers, Messrs. R. Carroll. P. and J. Gleeson; starter, Mr. R. Brooks; auditors, Messrs. Quin and Kennedy.

Mauriceville Settlers' Club is a unique institution. It is established for debating and social purposes, and possesses a fine building in which meetings are held weekly on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. There are sixty members. The entrance fee is 5s., and the subscription 2s. 6d. quarterly. The Club's officers for 1896 are: Messrs. Jno. Youngson (president), G. Gundersen and T. Hellis (vice-presidents), and Jno. Kay (secretary).

Mauriceville Dairy Factory, Mauriceville West, was established in 1891, and is open in the summer and autumn months. It is the property of the Mauriceville Dairy Company, and is let to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, Wellington. The building, a substantial wooden structure, contains five rooms as follows: the receiving room, 12ft. by 14ft.; the separator room, 10ft. by 20ft., in which there are two separators of Danish make with a capacity of 500 gals, an hour; the butter room, 12ft. by 30ft., which is provided with a revolving box churn of three hundredweight capacity, made in Wellington, and the latest appliances for butter-working; the store-room, 12ft. by 12ft, and the engine-room, 15ft. by 30ft., in which there is an eight-horse-power engine. The factory, when working, turns out four hundredweight of butter daily, and the output for the season is about twenty-five tons. The milk is paid for by test. Part of the butter is sold in Wellington and some is exported.

Mr. Christian Schon, Manager, Mauriceville Dairy Factory, was born in Elsinore, Denmark, in 1865. and educated there. After leaving school he worked for several years at farm and dairy work, and was chosen to assist at the Remcolde Co-operative Dairy Factory under the management of Mr. P. Jensen, formerly Danish Government Dairy expert. He worked in Sweden for six months, and then came to New Zealand in 1891. Landing at Wellington, he went to Palmerston North, and worked at page 992 general farm work there for a time. He was then selected for his present position. He is married and has one child.

Brenchley, Thomas F., Challenge Lime Kiln, Mauriceville East. Established 1887. Wellington agent, W. Chute. This lime kiln, which is situated close to the railway station, has an output of fifty tons monthly. There is a field of limestone ten chains long by three chains wide, and about 200 feet deep. Mr. Brenchley employs four men. Crushed burnt lime for agricultural purposes and Brenchley's Patent Insecticide are manufactured at the works. Mr. Brenchley is an old man-of-war's man, and holds the South African war medal.

Mr. T. F. Brenchley's Lime Kiln.

Mr. T. F. Brenchley's Lime Kiln.

Gunderson, Gunder, General Storekeeper, Mauriceville. This business has been conducted by Mr. Gunderson since 1880, in which year it was established by him. A good stock is kept, and in addition to his general business, Mr. Gunderson conducts the post-office and telephone bureau.

Cameron, Robert, Sheepfarmer, “Snowden,” Mauriceville. One of the owners of the “Snowden” estate of 1800 acres at Mauriceville, Mr. Cameron has a flock of 4000 Lincoln sheep and about 200 head of cattle. The property, which has been in the occupation of Messrs. Cameron Bros, for eight years, is in fine order and has ample buildings. Mr. Robert Cameron was born at Pahana in 1856, and was educated in the Colony. After gaining experience of farm life, he spent several years as a station manager before acquiring his interest in Mauriceville. In all local affairs Mr. Cameron takes a keen interest, being a member of the Wairarapa Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and a member and director of the Caledonian Society. Mr. Cameron married the daughter of Mrs. Clark, of Auckland, and has one daughter.

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Kummer, Frederick William Henry, “Kopuaroa,” Mauriceville. One of the best athletes in the North Island in football, cricket, wrestling, stone putting, hammer throwing, and tossing the caber, Mr. Kummer has a good record. A man of powerful physique, he is well known in football circles as centre forward of the Masterton team, which twice won the senior championship, and also well known in the Red Star Football Club. In wrestling, he beat the celebrated professional wrestler, Mr. W. Uru, the South Island champion. As a rifle shot Mr. Kummer has won many valuable trophies, and in 1894 he was a member of the Wellington district representatives, who won the Interprovincial Challenge Shield. In local politics he was treasurer and secretary to the Mauriceville East School Committee for five years, and has been a member of the Mauriceville Road Board for some time. Mr. Kummer's property at Kopuarao, 600 acres in extent, contains a seam of coal about three feet wide, which is likely to prove payable when more thoroughly prospected. Born in Prussia, in 1866, Mr. Kummer came to New Zealand with his parents in the following year. Educated at Wanganui and at Fernridge School, near Masterton, he chose a country life. Mr. Kummer is an almost total abstainer, believing this course necessary to keep his body in good trim for his numerous and remarkable feats of strength. He is very fond of chess and music, and is a leading member of the Mauriceville and Hastwell Brass band.

Photo by D. Wilton. Mr. F. W. H. Kummer.

Photo by D. Wilton.
Mr. F. W. H. Kummer.

Youngson, John, Sheep and Cattle Farmer, “The Bend,” Mauriceville East. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1838, and educated at the Aberdeen, College and Grammar School, Mr. Youngson entered a lawyer's office in Edinburgh. In 1869 he came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Otago.” After experience in goldmining,
Mr. Youngson and Family.

Mr. Youngson and Family.

sawmilling and contracting, he became a teacher, serving twelve years altogether at Milton, Otago, and Brooklands, Canterbury. In 1885 Mr. Youngson came up to the Forty-Mile Bush, where he had taken up 270 acres. Having started an orchard, Mr. Youngson was the first to grow strawberries in the locality, in which he met with great success. He also entered into the dairy industry. His flock now numbers thirty head of cattle and about 600 sheep. The slab whare originally erected on the property has been displaced by a handsome wooden residence, one of the best homesteads in the district. Mr. Youngson, who is the president of the Mauriceville Settlers' Club, was for some time chairman of the Mangamahoe School Committee. Mr. Youngson is married and has seven children.

Jensen, Nicolai, Coachbuilder and General Blacksmith, Mauriceville East.

Jorgensen, Jens, Tailor, Mauriceville East.

Jensen, Mathes, Accommodation House, Mauriceville West. Estab. 1880

Temperance Hotel (James Cottiss, proprietor), Mauriceville East.

Henderson, Alex., Blacksmith, Mauriceville East.

Rasmussen, Neils, Blacksmith and Wheelwright, Mauriceville West. Bankers, Bank of Australasia.

Aulin, Henri, General Storekeeper. Branch store, Mauriceville West. Established 1872.

Chisholm, Walter, J. P., General Storekeeper, Mauriceville West. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Established 1890.

Brooks Bros. (Charles Brooks and Richard Brooks), Limeburners, Mauriceville. Established June, 1895.