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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Shannon

page 1116

Shannon.

Sixty-Nine miles of railway line bring the traveller from Wellington to Shannon, another intermediate station on the Manawatu Company's line. The settlement is progressive, although it has much to check its growth. The land is not so good as that around Longburn, although stock-raising appears to be fairly successful, and the products of wool, butter, and fruit are well spoken of. Its people are thrifty and hospitable, and boast of a town hall, a church, a State school, a creamery, two hotels, and other institutions, amongst which is the Manawatu Farmer, a tri-weekly newspaper. Good roads connect Shannon with Levin to the south-west, and Palmerston North in the opposite direction.

Mails for Shannon close daily at Wellington at 6 a.m. and 12.45 p.m., arriving at Shannon at 10.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. The return mail closes daily at Shannon at 7.15 a.m. and 5.10 p.m., arriving at Wellington at 1 and 10.5 p.m.

Shannon.

Shannon.

page 1117

The Shannon Railway Station is situated sixty-nine miles from Wellington, and nineteen miles from Palmerston North. The building, which includes stationmaster's office, ladies' waiting-room, and ticket lobby, is built of wood, and has a large concrete and gravelled passenger platform.

Mr. Charles Henry Hills, the Stationmaster of the Shannon Railway Station, was born in 1854 in London, where he was educated. After five years at sea, he came to New Zealand, and followed various pursuits till 1884, when he joined the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company at Wellington, and acted as stationmaster respectively at Johnsonville, Paremata, and Paikakariki, taking charge of Shannon Station in 1893.

The Shannon Public School was established in July, 1889, about which time the township of Shannon rose into importance. The school is a wooden building consisting of two rooms and a porch. There are 103 children in attendance. The headmaster is assisted by a certificated mistress and a pupil teacher. The course of instruction includes standards I. to VII. The premises are well situated on a slight elevation, and have a large playground, including two shelter sheds and horizontal and parallel bars. The school reserve, which is five acres in extent, is planted with macrocarpa. In connection with the school is a paddock of an acre and a half, where children (many of them come from a distance) can turn their horses during school hours.

Mr. William Voysey, the Headmaster of the Shannon Public School, is a native of Ballarat, Victoria. Coming to New Zealand when quite young, he was educated at Kanieri and Kumara on the West Coast. In 1880 he was appointed pupil-teacher at the Kumara Public School, and he passed with credit all the annual examinations for promotion. After five years Mr. Voysey took charge of the school at Gillespies, and twelve months later he was removed to a large school at Donoghues. Owing to a change in the Westland Education Board's regulations in 1889, Mr. Voysey resigned his position, and was appointed teacher of the Shannon Public School under the Education Board of Wellington. He takes great interest in the young charges committed to his care, and is deservedly popular.

To Ao Marama Lodge, No. 52, Independent Order of Oddfellows, A.C. Officers (1896): Messrs. W. Sherman (N.G.), W. C. Nation (V.G.), H. Pollard (permanent secretary), T. Lind (hon. treasurer). This Lodge meets every second Wednesday in their own hall, which is capable of holding 100 people comfortably. The building contains an Oddfellows' library, which has a well, assorted stock of books and periodicals, and is well patronised.

The Shannon Racing Club was formed in 1896, the officers being:—Messrs. F. W. Venn (president), D. Fraser, A. McDonald, and G. N. Wood (vice-presidents), J. Wallace (treasurer), and M. Moynihan (secretary). There are sixty-five members already. The property on which the racecourse is situated is leased from Mr. G. N. Wood. At the first meeting, which took place on the 10th of April, 1896, £40 was paid away in prize-money, £23 odd being netted by nominations and acceptances.

The Shannon Town Hall (Henry Fitchett, proprietor). The hall, which was built in 1895, is of wood, with an iron roof. There is a dancing space of sixty tent by thirty feet, a stage twenty feet by thirty feet, and two dressing rooms ten feet by twelve feet. The front portion of the hall consists of two offices. The building is a substantial one built of rimu, with sixteen feet studs. It has an imposing appearance, and is quite a landmark in the township.

The Shannon Public Library is well supported and appreciated by the inhabitants. The annual meeting is held on the 1st of October. Mr. C. M. Richards is the librarian.

The Manawatu Farmer (proprietors, William Charles Nation and Charles Cecil Nation, trading as Nation and Son), Ballance Street, Shannon. This journal was established by the present proprietors in 1893, shortly before the general election took place. The parer—a two page “news” of twenty-eight columns, issued tri-weekly—has a wide circulation from Paraparaumu to Palmerston North. A branch office has been established at Levin, the headquarters of the travelling reporter. Politically the paper supports the Seddon Government. As a journal, it is devoted to the interests of commerce, industry, and agriculture, and contains a variety of interesting matter. The leaders are neat and smartly written, chiefly from the pen of Mr. W. C. Nation, the paper being also recognised as a first-class advertising medium throughout the district, in which it is well patronised. Messrs. Nation and Son also print the Foxton Telegraph for the proprietors of that journal, which is run much on the same line as the Manawatu Farmer.

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Mr. William Charles Nation, the senior partner in the firm of Nation and Son, who was born at Sydney, New South Wales, in 1840, is the son of Mr. William Nation, who founded the Nelson Colonist in 1857. Prior to this he was printer of The Sydney Press, Dr. Lang's paper, and others well known throughout Australia. The subject of this sketch began his career in his father's office as a runner. In 1857 he came to New Zealand, and spent seven years on the Nelson Colonist, then he was employed on the Christchurch Press for eleven years. When the New Zealand Times became the property of Mr. Chantrey Harris, Mr. Nation accepted a position in that office, where his energy and perseverance soon gained him promotion, he being placed in charge of the jobbing, machinery, and news departments. In 1880 he took over the Wairarapa Standard from Mr. Richard Wakelin, which he carried on for thirteen years, during which the Standard came greatly into prominence. After selling to Mr. Roydhouse in 1893, Mr. Nation came to the West Coast of the North Island, settling at Shannon and establishing the Manawatu Farmer. The institution of Arbor Day in New Zealand is credited to Mr. Nation, who published an able leader in the Wairarapa Standard of the 16th of April. 1890, and convened a meeting to consider the advisability of planting the streets around Greytown with trees. A letter from the Mayor, thanking Mr. Nation for having set the project on foot, and for having taken such a practical interest in the movement, was shown to the writer. The streets of Shannon are now being lined with trees owing principally to Mr. Nation's enthusiam in this direction.

Shannon Ratepayers' Association. This Association, which embraces the principal ratepayers of the district, holds meetings on the first Saturday in each month to discuss matters affecting the district. Mr. A. Cassie is secretary and treasurer.

Lind, Thomas, Coachbuilder, Wheelwright, and Farrier, Shannon. Mr. Lind was born in 1851 in Denmark, where he was educated. He was apprenticed to his trade, and served under several masters before coming to New Zealand. Arriving in Napier in 1873, per ship “Fritz Ruyter,” he worked at his trade as a journeyman for three years under Mr. Charles McKirdie. In 1876 he came to Foxton and entered into business as coachbuilder and wheelwright, continuing for fifteen years, when he removed to Shannon owing to the falling off in the flax industry. The premises occupied by Mr. Lind are freehold, and consist of a one-story building of wood and iron, having a frontage of forty feet, the total floor space being about 2000 square feet. Mr. Lind, who is well known as a first-class farrier, is liberally patronized by the townsfolk of Shannon and the settlers of the surrounding districts. He has adopted as his motto, “good workmanship, prompt attention, and moderate prices.”

Albion Hotel (August Hoffman, proprietor), Shannon. The “Albion” was the first hotel erected in the young and rising town of Shannon. It was built in the year 1889, and acquired by the present popular proprietor some years later. The Albion Hotel is a tine two-story building of wood and iron, containing fourteen rooms in all. A large and convenient commercial-room, well found in every respect, is set aside for the use of travellers. The dining-room, situated on the ground floor, is well lighted and attractively furnished. Besides parlours and bar there are nine good bedrooms in the house.

Club Hotel (Michael Moyniban, proprietor), Shannon. Established by Mr. G. O'Loughlin in 1888.

Shannon Creamery, which belongs to the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, was established in 1894. The building has been conveniently planned, and is built of wood, affording ample floorage space for the work of separating the cream from the large quantities of new milk delivered daily by the farmers of the surrounding districts. There are two separators—Alpha de Laval—capable of turning out 400 gallons per hour, which are doing excellent work; they are worked by a steam-engine, built by Messrs. Luke and Sons, Limited, of Wellington, of four-horsepower nominal, which works up to six-horse-power.

Mr. Ronald Matheson, Manager of the Shannon Creamery, was born at Queenstown, Otago, where his parents, who came from Glasgow in 1862, per ship “Arima,” had settled. Educated in the public schools of the Colony, Mr. Matheson was brought up to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, in connection with which he spent a considerable portion of his earlier years. Subsequently he gained considerable insight into the woollen trade, learning most of the processes of manufacture and becoming generally acquainted with the various machines employed in cleaning, spinning, weaving, and finishing. Mr. Matheson has found his knowledge of machinery very useful since his appointment in 1894 to the position he now holds.

Gordon, Thomas, Chemist, Shannon.

Powell, J. H. and Co., Drapers and General Merchants, Shannon. The duties of postmaster are conducted at the store by Mr. Powell.

Broderson, Henry, Boardinghousekeeper, Shannon.

Tilly, Daniel, Boot and Shoemaker, Shannon. Established 1895.

Turley, Wallace William, Engineer and Blacksmith, Vance Street, Shannon. Established 1892.

Carter Bros. (Charles F. and Samuel W. Carter), Butchers and Graziers, Ballance Street, Shannon. Established 1894.

Fuller and Co. (Wm. A. Fuller and Dugald Campbell), Butchers, Shannon.

O'Connor, J. M., General Storekeeper, Ironmonger and Bootmaker, Shannon. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Established 1893.

Venn, Frederick William, Farmer, Summer Hill, Makerua, near Shannon. Born in the early forties in a rural district of England, Mr. Venn worked as a factory lad until fourteen years of age, when he obtained employment in a woodworking establishment, After serving his term at this business, he signed articles on the ship “Maori,” bound for Auckland. For ten years altogether he was at sea, and in 1874, having in the meantime married, he determined to settle down in New Zealand, which be considered unequalled. He spent two years in Wellington, leaving to start a wood-working establishment at Palmerston North, which at that time, 1876, was almost a wilderness. As the place was settled and the town grew, Mr. Venn's business thrived, and his wares became well-known along the Coast. In 1890 he relinquished business and took up the land now known as Summer Fill. Whilst in Palmerston North Mr. Venn sat as a borough councillor, and is now (1896) serving a third term on the Horowhenua County Council. In 1892 he revisited the Old Country, after an absence of nearly twenty-five years.

page 1119

Welford, John Nicholas, Farmer, Kingston Road, Shannon. Born in Marlborough, Mr. Welford was educated at Wellington College. After three years station life with his uncle, Mr. Alex. McBeth, of Marton, where he gained a good deal of experience, chiefly among sheep, Mr. Welford took up 640 acres in the Waituna district as a sheep run. Seven years later he sold out and removed to Shannon, purchasing 246 acres, which he now holds. At the time of the writer's visit Mr. Welford had only just taken possession, having some 500 sheep—chiefly Lincoln breeding ewes—on the property. The homestead, which was being enlarged and improved, and is surrounded by ornamental trees, is about four miles distant from Shannon. The subject of this sketch, who is a true lover of sport, and a prominent member of the Rangitikei Hunt Club, came to the front as a pedestrian some years ago, when he won the Feilding 100 yards flat race from scratch.

Wood, George Newman, Sheep-Farmer and Grazier, Otauru Station, Shannon. Mr. Wood, who ranks as one of the old settlers-of the Manawatu district, was born about four miles from Stowhouse, in Buckinghamshire, England He came out to New Zealand, per ship “Surge,” in 1834, with his parents, when very young, and received his education entirely in the Colony. At the time when the Venerable Archdeacon (afterwards Bishop) Hadfield was in charge of the Church of England Mission School, in Otaki, Mr. Wood was one of his scholars. He owes much to the care and attention-that was bestowed by the good Bishop and his coadjutors in those early days in imparting useful knowledge. After an educational course of five years at this establishment, Mr. Wood was appointed to the charge of the Mission Station farm. In performing his duties in this position, he displayed such diligence and assiduity that he retained the appointment for a period of five years. It was while occupying this position that Mr. Wood gained the knowledge of cattle and sheep which has been of such service to him. After leaving the Mission Station at Otaki, the subject of this notice settled at Moutoa River, Foxton, and took a farm of 400 acres, which he worked successfully during many years. In 1882 he removed from Moutoa to Shannon, and purchased the fine land which now constitutes the Otauru station. The area of the farm on which Mr. Wood resides is 900 acres, which, when selected, was all virgin forest. The task of reducing this bush land to a smiling homestead was no easy one; plenty of hard labour was called for, in addition to large experience. Mr. Wood bent all his energies to the task, and has been enabled personally to clear a considerable portion of the 800 acres, which has been brought into cultivation during his occupancy of the land. Otauru station is now in a high state of cultivation, and like a good deal of the land lying between Otaki and Longburn is excellent alike for agricultural and pastoral purposes. Mr. Wood has been a breeder of Lincoln sheep for the past seven years. Among his flock are some really excellent sheep, which are a credit to their enterprising owner, as well as to the district in which they have been reared. Of cattle, Mr. Wood has a flock numbering 200, which includes forty pure bred Shorthorns for stud purposes. He has also a few good horses in addition to those kept for use on the station. Mr. Wood, whose portrait is given herein, has proved himself a successful colonist. He was the first to take up land and settle in the district, and may fairly be regarded as the founder of the town of Shannon.