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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Dargaville

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Dargaville.

Dargaville, named after its founder, the late Mr. J. M. Dargaville, is a pretty and prosperous township on the Wairoa, about 104 miles from Auckland. It is the terminus of the Helensville steamers, the upper reaches of the river being plied by smaller boats. It is also the central station of the Kaihu Valley railway, and owing to its unique position, almost in the centre of the county, and its being the converging centre for the main roads, it must soon become a town of considerable importance. Dargaville possesses a county wharf and a railway wharf, a post and telegraph office, a branch of the National Bank, an Anglican Church, a public school, Magistrate's Court, police station, railway station, a Masonic and two other halls, a library, two commodious hotels, besides boarding-houses, numerous stores, and other adjuncts characteristic of a rising township. Travellers remaining overnight in Dargaville may resume their journey, either by train up the valley, or by steamer up the river as far as Tangiteroria, and will pass, en route, several prosperous homesteads and two sawmills.

Dargaville Post And Telegraph Office. A new post and telegraph office is (March, 1901) to be erected at once, close to the Dargaville wharf. Telephone communication is established between Dargaville and Kaihu, and also between Dargaville and Tangiteroria. The money order and savings bank transactions at the office are very considerable, which is accounted for to some extent by the great number of Austrians employed in gum digging.

Mr. Joseph Hay, Postmaster, Telegraphist, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and Customs Officer, at Dargaville, was born at Bendigo, Victoria, in 1862, and educated at the Lawrence High School, Otago. He joined the Telegraph Department as a cadet, was afterwards stationed as an operator at Dunedin, Blenheim, and Napier, and was appointed to his present position in 1898. Mr. Hay is also secretary of Lodge St. George, E. C., and chairman of the Dargaville school committee.

Mr. Abraham Absolum, formerly Postmaster, Telegraphist, and Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages at Dargaville, was born in Otahuhu in 1857, and educated at a private school. He joined the telegraph department as a cadet, was appointed to the Washdyke station, transferred to Timaru, and after acting as postmaster, etc., at various small townships, was made relieving-officer. Later he served as mail agent on the San Francisco line, then was on the West Coast for about eight years, and finally in 1891 was appointed to Dargaville, whence he was afterwards transferred to Kaikoura. Mr. Absolom is married and has three sons and three daughters.

Dargaville Public School was opened in 1877 with about forty scholars. It is one of the largest schools north of Auckland. Since it was established a number of additions have been made to the school. The staff consists of the headmaster, two female assistants and two pupil-teachers.

Mr. Frank Percy Burton, B.A., Headmaster, was born at Papatoitoi in 1865, and educated in the Wellesley Street school and Auckland Grammar School and took his B.A. degree at the University College. He was appointed to his present position in 1893.

St. George Lodge, No. 1801, E.C., Dargaville, was inaugurated on the 19th of June, 1878. The hall where it meets at the present time was consecrated in February, 1890. The lodge is now a flourishing institution and has a membership of fifty-seven; it meets on or before the full moon on a Wednesday in each month.

Mr. Norman Alexander McLeod, Master of the Lodge St. George, No. 1801 E.C., Dargaville, was born in Waipu in 1868, and educated there. He studied for the law and in 1889 was admitted to the Supreme Court. He started practice at Dargaville in 1890 and in 1892 was appointed solicitor to Hobson County. In March, 1900, he was elected a member of the Auckland Education Board, and of the Bay of Islands Licensing Committee. Mr. McLeod holds rank as the district grand superintendent of works in the Auckland District Grand Lodge. He is the eldest son of the late Mr. Murdoch McLeod, formerly chairman of sessions of the peace and member of the Provincial Council in the early days. His grandfather, the Rev. Norman McLeod, was one of the early settlers and induced nearly a thousand people to emigrate to the Colony. Mr. McLeod is married to a daughter of Mr. W. H. Ennis Pinching, and has three sons and two daughters.

National Bank Of New Zealand, Dargaville. The Dargaville branch of this bank was established in 1895, since which time the business has increased fully fifty per cent.

Mr. Herbert Gould, Resident Manager, is the son of Canon Gould and was born at Otahuhu in 1863. He was educated at the Parnell Grammar School, joined the bank service in 1880, and in 1894 was transferred to Dargaville.

Brown, William John, Contractor, Dargaville. Mr. Brown was born at Onehunga in 1861, and since the time he was a young man has been employed at bush work. In 1875, he started in business with his brother, under the style of Brown Bros. and Co. The firm put through some big contracts for the Kauri Timber Company and Dr. Campbell. On the death of his brother, Mr. Brown gave up the business, and took a farm of 400 acres up the river, where he spent three years, and then joined Messrs Finlay on Brcs. in carrying on bush contracts. He is a member of Lodge St. George 1801 E.C., and is well known as an oarsman and runner, having won a number of whaleboat races in his younger days. He is married to a daughter of the late Captain Stanvenny, of Tokatea.

page 624
Mr. W. J. Brown.See page 623.

Mr. W. J. Brown.
See page 623.

Spiers, William Archibald, Builder and Contractor, Dargaville. Mr. Spiers was born in Perthshire in 1848, and educated at Home. He served his time with his father, who was well known in the building trade in Perthshire. In 1872, he came to Sydney by the ship “Holmesdale” and after remaining in New South Wales for a short time went to Fiji, where his brother had been murdered some time previously, and took an active part in quelling the native disturbances. He remained in Fiji for about two years, during which time he built the first bank in Levuka for the Fiji Banking Company, afterwards taken over by the Bank of New Zealand. In 1874, Mr. Spiers came to New Zealand, went to Kaipara, then travelled south to Dunedin, where he remained in business as a builder for two years, after which he returned north and settled in Dargaville. Most of the township was built by him, many of the buildings being a credit to his workmanship. Mr. Spiers is chairman of the Hobson County Council; he was chairman of the Dargaville School Committee for six years, is a member of the licensing bench, has acted as chairman and treasurer of the racing club, and is treasurer of St. George's Foresters' Court. Mr. Spiers is a splendid performer of Scotch dances for which he has been presented with a number of medals, one being by the Prince of Wales at the Crystal Palace. He has also danced before Lord Glasgow in New Zealand. Mr. Spiers is married and has three children.

Matthews, Frederick William. Mill Owner and Timber Merchant, Tatarariki, near Dargaville. Mr. Matthews was born in Hong Kong, in 1845, was a son of the late Mr. E. J. Matthews, formerly of the Royal Engineers Department, and came to Auckland with his parents in 1848. His father superintended the erection of the Albert Barracks and wall, the present Government House, and many other prominent buildings. He also superintended the formation of the pension settlements at Panmure, Howick, and Onehunga, and also the main sewer in Queen Street. Mr. Frederick W. Matthews was educated at the Auckland Academy under Mr. J. Gorrie. In 1858 he entered the service of Mr. W. Morrin, with whom he remained for ten years. He then accepted an engagement with Messrs. Brown, Campbell and Co., and in 1878 was given charge of their Kopuru sawmills and business in Northern Wairoa, retaining the position until 1888; on leaving he received a presentation from the employees of the firm. His next position was as manager of Messrs. Brown, Campbell and Co.'s Mangawhare business, where he remained until 1893, when he left them to take over his present business, which had been established in 1891. Mr. Matthews was chairman of the Hobson County Council for seven years, during which time he interested himself strongly in favour of the movement for separate counties for Otamatea and Hobson. During his term of office the roads between Dargaville and Tatarariki and other main roads were made. He has been a local preacher in the Wesleyan Church since 1878 and from 1878 until 1888 was superintendent of the Sunday School and organist for the Anglican and Wesleyan choirs. Mr. Matthews was the first to bore artesian wells in the district and obtain a good supply of water. There are three bores on his property, with a flow of 3000 gallons per day. His example has been followed by other settlers. Mr. Matthews is married to a daughter of Mr. Alexander Black, builder, of Auckland, and has two daughters and five sons.

Mitchelson, E., and Co., General Merchants, Mill-owners, and Timber Merchants, Dargaville. This old established Auckland firm, which has a number of branches, bushes, and mills throughout North Wairoa, has its central depôt at Dargaville. The Hon. E. Mitchelson, the senior partner, is referred to elsewhere in this volume, and in the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia, page 625 as a former member of the House of Representatives and Minister for Public Works.

Mr. Robert George Bramley, Bush Manager for Messrs. E. Mitchelson and Co., was born in Cumberland, England, in 1856, and came to New Zealand with his parents per ship “Tornado” in 1859. The family removed to Whangaroa, where Mr. Bramley resided for many years. Probably few men have had such experience of the kauri timber industry as Mr. Bramley, who has been a successful bush contractor, and in 1889 was appointed by the Kauri Timber Company, bush inspector for the whole of its bush work in the Auckland province. He retired from the company's service through illness in 1897, and after a short residence in the city of Auckland entered the employment of the Hon. E. Mitchelson as bush manager. Mr. Bramley was twice elected a member of the Whangaroa County Council, sat on the district licensing committee for two terms, and is a Mason of many years' standing.

Trounson, James, Timber Merchant, Dargaville, Mr. Trounson was born in Cornwall in 1839 and educated at Home. He came to New Zealand in 1862 in the ship “Hanover” in company with the Albertland settlers, and went to Paparoa, where he purchased 2400 acres of bush land, which he cleared. He afterwards purchased some 3400 acres of bush land up the Kaihu Valley. Mr. Trounson was a member of the Hobson County Council for three years, and was also a member of the licensing committee. He was one of the earliest settlers at Paparoa, and always took a great interest in local affairs. In 1890, he offered himself as a candidate for Parliament, but was defeated by nine votes. He stood again unsuccessfully in 1893, being defeated by a narrow majority.