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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Longburn

page 1121

Longburn.

Longburn, the northern terminus of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway line, is also connected with the Government line from Foxton. It has one church, an hotel, excellently conducted by Mr. Alick Campion, a bakery, two stores, a boot shop and a smithy. All the surrounding country is composed of rich fertile lands, on which agricultural and pastoral pursuits are followed successfully by the settlers. Eight, miles northwards, and in the thick of the dairy farms, is the Kairanga Creamery, a branch of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Union, which was inaugurated on the 10th of November, 1893. The roads are good, but the land, being low-lying, is liable to floods, and sometimes the whole country for miles is under water from the neighbouring Manawatu River, which flows down the valley. But notwithstanding this drawback, sheep-farming appears to be a prosperous undertaking hereabouts, and some of the heaviest wool-clips of the Manawatu County have been sent away from this part. Some years
Longburn Junction.

Longburn Junction.

page 1122 ago a private company started freezing works close by the township of Longburn, but owing to insufficient support, the works, after getting into a fair way, collapsed, and the company has since gone into liquidation.

Mails close daily at Wellington at 6 a.m., and 12.45 p.m. arriving at Longburn at 11.15 a.m., and 7.20 p.m. Mails close daily at Longburn at 6.30 a.m., and 4.15 p.m., arriving in Wellington at 1 and 10.5 p.m.

The Longburn Railway Station, which is under the control of the New Zealand Government, is situated at the junction of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company's line and the Foxton-New Plymouth Section of New Zealand Government Railways. Trains to and from Wellington arrive and depart twice daily. One train arrives and departs daily, connecting with Foxton, and on Thursdays and Saturdays an extra train is run both ways. The Longburn Station is a busy scene particularly on Tuesdays and Fridays, when the through trains run and a great deal of transhipping takes place during the wool season. During the season 1895 some 60,000 sheep were trucked to Wellington, chiefly for the Gear Meat Company at Petone, and the greater portion of these were transhipped at this station.

Mr. Henry Johnston Jones, the Station-master at Longburn, was born in Bristol and landed in Australia in 1878. He subsequently came to this Colony, joining the Railway Department at Wanganui. In 1881 he was transferred to Palmerston North, remaining for nearly five years, when he received his present appointment.

Mr. James Foster, Leading Engine Driver on the Wellington-Manawatu Company's line, stationed at Longburn, hails from Jarrow-on-Tyne, where he was born in 1857. Brought up to engine work from the age of sixteen, he became a driver shortly before leaving England in 1880. After various experiences in Victoria and New South Wales, he settled in New Zealand in 1885, and has been employed mostly on the company's line up to the time of writing. After the opening of the railway he was for some years a fireman, receiving promotion as driver in 1887, and as leading driver four years later. Mr. Foster was married in 1890 to a daughter of Mr. F. Nelson, of Christchurch, accountant, and has a son and three daughters.

Mr. James Fryer, Engine Driver, between Wellington and Longburn, on the Wellington-Mamawatu Railway Company's line, is a native of Kent, England, where he was born in 1813. After having considerable experience in connection with cleaning, firing, and driving traction engines, he came to Wellington by ship “Waikato” in 1874. Mr. Fryer spent three years in Taranaki, where he was working stone-crushing machinery, and in 1877, six months after the commencement of the train service from the Empire City, he became a driver on one of the steam motors. When these were dispensed with in 1881, Mr. Fryer joined the Government Railway Service as fireman, and two years later he was employed by the contractor on an engine engaged in filling in the site of the present railway station. On completion of this work Mr. Fryer joined the Wellington-Manawatu Company as fireman, being promoted in 1887 to the position of driver. In 1872 Mr. Fryer was married to a daughter of Mr. W. Wise, of Kent, and has three sons and two daughters.

Mr. James Taylor, Engine Driver, between Longburn and Otaki on the Wellington-Manawatu Company's line, was born in Dunedin in 1865. After a short experience as cleaner on the Government railways in Otago, he entered the present company in 1886 in the same capacity. Two years subsequently he became fireman, being promoted to the position of driver in 1892.

Mr. W. Trueman, Engine Driver, between Wellington and Longburn on the Wellington-Manawatu Railway, hails from Wiltshire, England, where he was born in 1854. Brought up to engine work in the Old Land, he was employed on the Taffvale Railway in South Wales, for four years, rising to the position of fireman. The ship “Rakaia” brought Mr. Trueman to Wellington in 1879, and soon afterwards he joined the Government Railway Service. After a short time as platelayer he was transferred to the Locomotive Department as cleaner, and subsequently became fireman. In 1885 Mr. Trueman joined the Wellington-Manawatu Company as driver, which position he has filled up to the time of writing, with the exception of a short period in 1895, when he resigned, rejoining the Company before the end of the same year. On his resignation he was the recipient of a framed testimonial and several valuable presents from his fellow employees. Mr Trueman holds the Humane Society's Medal for gallantly saving the life of a child at Silverstream a few years ago, for which heroic-action he was warmly commended by the local press. The train was moving at about ten miles an hour, and the child would certainly have been killed had not Mr. Trueman jumped off his engine and rushed to the rescue of the little one. Mr. Trueman was married in 1878 to a daughter of Mr. J. Edwards, of Somersetshire, England.

The Karere Public School —a two-roomed building, which is lofty and well ventilated, and is capable of accommodating 150 children—is situated in the Longburn district. The headmaster has an assistant and a pupil-teacher, the classes page 1123 being taught the usual standards. There are 104 scholars on the school roll.

Mr. Frederick Stephen McEnnes Hankin, the Headmaster of the Karere Public School, was born in Hartford, England, and was educated at Deal College. Mr. Hankin, who holds a D certificate, is an undergraduate of the New Zealand University. He arrived in the Colony in 1881, and has since been teaching at Auckland and Wanganui (Momohaki) prior to becoming headmaster of the Karere School.

The Jackeytown (Tiakitahuna) Public School, which was erected about 1882, is a one-story wooden building, having accommodation for about forty children. The school, which is lofty and well ventilated, is situated in an acre paddock, on which has been erected shelter sheds. There are thirty-one children on the roll.

Mr. John Ralph Nairn, the Headmaster of the Jackeytown Public School, was born at Mount Stewart, Awahuri, where he was educated. Passing the Certificate Teachers' examination in 1895 under the Wanganni Education Board, he obtained an E certificate, which was increased in January, 1896, to a partial D.

Junction Hotel (Alexander Campion, proprietor), Longburn. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. The Junction Hotel is well known as a comfortable and well-conducted hostelry. It was one of two hotels that were established in 1892, and soon afterwards it was taken over by Mr. Campion. Mr. T. Frazer was the contractor for the building, which is two stories in height, of wood and iron. There are nineteen fine rooms, including dining, sitting, and commercial rooms. The bedrooms on the first floor are well furnished, light, and airy. The hotel, which is not far from the post-office and railway station, is most pleasantly situated, and has every convenience for tourists, travellers, and visitors. An efficient staff of servants is employed to attend to the requirements of the public. Mr. Campion was born in the Rangitikei district, his parents being among the settlers who arrived in 1842. From his earliest days he has known the district, and remembers Palmerston North before a single house was erected. He was in Longburn many years ago, and as one of the founders of the township, assisted in its rise, progress and development. Mr. Campion has been in business for about a dozen years or so altogether, and is well and favourably known throughout the district.

Longburn Hotel (Karen Mullens, proprietor), Longburn.

Parkes, William, and Son (William Parkes), General Blacksmiths, Longburn. Mr. Parkes was born in Nelson, his parents having arrived in the Colony in the year 1840. He was apprenticed to the trade with Mr. Watson, of Renwicktown, Marlborough, and completed his term with Messrs. Gorrie and Son, of Nelson. Mr. Parkes has had large experience at his trade in various parts of the Colony. He was employed sue cessively by Mr. Hamilton, of Wanganui, by Mr. McLeod, of Waverley, and by Mr. Bennett; of Sandon, as blacksmith. After wards he was for three years foreman smith with Mr. W. T. Wood, of Palmerston North, and resigned his position to take over the business in Longburn in 1894. Mr. Parkes has made a special study of horse-shoeing, more particularly in light work for racehorses. He is well known throughout the district as an expert farrier, having been successful as a prize winner at competitions in Wangnni in 1881 and 1882, when he took first prizes. In 1883 be took first and second prizes, and in 1887 at the Jubilee Exhibition be again carried off the first prize.

Longburn Freezing Works (The National Mortgage and Agency Company, Limited, of New Zealand, proprietors), Longburn. These works, which started operations in November, 1889, were erected by the Longburn Freezing Company, Limited. The land comprises twenty-six acres of freehold, and is situated alongside the Wellington-Manawatu Company's line, from which the necessary sidings connect with the works. The buldings are substantially constructed, the engine and boiler rooms being of brick, and the other extensive structures of wood, the roofs being of corrugated iron. The chimney stack, 84 feet from the base, is well built in brick. There are two fine Lancashire boilers, each 30 feet x 8 feet built by Messrs. Cable and Co., of Wellington, and one of Haslam's duplex refrigerating machines capable of producing 120,000 cubic feet of cold air per hour. The entire works are lighted by electricity generated by one of the Gulcher Company's dynamos, which is driven by an horizontal steam engine. A powerful light of 300 candle capacity has been fixed outside the building so as to provide for loading the frozen carcases into the insulated meat vans, of which there are seven, having accommodation for 300 sheep each. The four freezing chambers have space for 650 freezers each, while the cool chambers, which also number four, have room for 18,000 carcases. In the sheep-slaughtering department there is space for fifteen butchers and also necessary pens, the beef-killing being large enough to treat thirty-four bullocks daily. The whole of this fine establishment has solid concrete floors, well drained and supplied with plenty of fine artesian water. The plant includes boiling-down, which has three large digestors, fell-mongering, capable of a very considerable output, and manure departments. The expenditure on these works totalled £36,000, and they are capable of an enormous turnover in each department. Centrally situated in a district which carries immense numbers of sheep and cattle, the Longburn Freezing Works are capable of supplying frozen mutton for many thousands of the population of the Old Land.

Longburn Freezing Works.

Longburn Freezing Works.

Mr. John Anderson, Manager of the Longburn Freezing Works, is a New Zealander by birth. He is a son of Mr. John Anderson, sheepfarmer, Temuka, Canterbury. Born in Milford, near Timaru, in 1865, and educated at Winchester, he was brought up to a country life on his father's farm. In 1890 he entered the South Canterbury Company's Freezing Works in Timaru, and became manager of the Gisborne works on the 1st of January, 1895. He was appointed to the position he now holds in 1896. Mr. Anderson was married in 1886 to a daughter of Mr. James Dryburgh, of Edinburgh, one of the superintendents of the North British Rail way, and has two sons and a daughter.

Mr. Charles Bailey, Chief Engineer of the Longburn Freezing Works, is a native of London, where he was born in 1855. Brought up as an engineer in Falmouth, he afterwards had three years at sea as a marine engineer. Settling in New Zealand in 1879, he followed his calling for some years, two of which he spent at Makotuku, Hawkes Bay, were he had a fitting-shop. Mr. Bailey page 1124 was appointed second engineer to assist in the erection of the works, and in 1893 he was promoted to the position of chief engineer with full charge of the plant. He was married in 1888 to a daughter of Mr. J. B. Moles, of South Canterbury, farmer, and has four daughters.

Croucher, Henry, Baker, Longburn.

Collis, Charles, J. P., Butcher, Longburn.

Tapper, Geo. A. and Sons, Wholesale, Retail, and General Merchants, Longburn.

McBeath, G. and Co. (Hugh Rose McBean), General Storekeepers, Main Road, Longburn. P.O. Box 77. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Estab. 1891.

Row, John, Sheepfarmer, Longburn Farm, Longburn. Born in Norfolk, England, Mr. Row followed the sea till 1857, when he arrived in Wellington, per ship “Rose of Sharon.” For the first seventeen years of his colonial life he was in the Rangitikei district, where he worked for Major Marshall for six years during the native troubles. For three years, while resident in this district, Mr. Row was a member of the local Road Board. Removing to Foxton, and subsequently to Palmerston North, he lived for about twelve months in each place, and filled the office of member of the Manawatu Road Board for a time. Mr. Row finally settled in Longburn, and purchased 240 acres, of which he presented eighty acres to his son, Mr. W. J. Row, retaining 160 acres. Mr. Row has a good flock of sheep, chiefly of the Romney Marsh variety. He has met with success as a colonist. not by good luck, but as the result of industry and perseverance. His family numbers nine, viz., six sons and three daughters.

Mr. J. Row

Mr. J. Row

page 1125

Kairanga.

Kairanga Public School, which was opened in 1888, has sixty children on the roll, with an average attendance of fifty. The headmaster is Mr. D. Martin, who is assisted by Miss Reval. A playground of two acres is attached to the school.

The Kairanga Creamery, which is superintended by the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, was established in 1893, and handles over 1000 gallons of milk daily. Mr. William Toomath is manager.

Matheson, Roderick, Farmer, Kairanga. Born in the Isle of Sky, Scotland, in 1830, and educated at the parish school, Mr. Matheson followed farming pursuits in his early days, and in 1852 sailed from Liverpool to Geelong in the ship “Flora.” He proceeded at once to the Victorian Goldfields, where he remained for nine years, and in 1861 crossed the Tasman Sea to join the Otago diggers. Abandoning the diggings he acquired land in the Lake district, but when the rabbits invaded Otago, he sold out and in 1881 removed to the Manawatu district and acquired his present property. A portion of the land has been stumped and cropped with good results. Mr. Matheson has always taken an active part in public affairs, and has rendered the district good service as member of the Road and Drainage Boards, and as chairman of the school committee. In 1867 he married Miss Macdonald, daughter of Mr. Ronald Macdonald, and has seven sons and two daughters.

Photo by Attwood and Co. Mr. Roderick Matheson, Kairanga.

Photo by Attwood and Co.
Mr. Roderick Matheson, Kairanga
.

Toomath, Edward, Settler (father of Mr. William Toomath, manager of the Kairanga Creamery). Mr. Toomath, who may be regarded as the father of education in New Zealand, was born in 1817. Educated at the Battersea Training Institute, he spent a few years as a soldier, and after teaching for some time in London and Northampton, he was selected by the Society for the promotion of Christian knowledge as the first certificated teacher for New Zealand. Landing in Wellington in 1850 he severed his connection with the Society after two years, and opened private schools in Wellington and Greytown. He was the promoter of the present system of free education, although other hands did the work, and was the first inspector of schools. The Thorndon Normal School (since abolished) was promoted by him, and he was, until the time of his death, a member of the Wellington Education Board. In politics he was a Liberal and sat for some time in one of the early Parliaments. He interested himself in stock-raising, and introduced long-woolled sheep to the Colony, grazing them on the section now occupied by the Wellington Club. A successful speculator, he took an active part in establishing the Wellington tramways and other ventures. Mr. Toomath was twice married. His first wife died of cholera within twenty-four hours of marriage. His second wife, who survives him, was Eliza Jane Battersby, a passenger by the ship “Cornwall,” in 1850. By her he had four sons and four daughters, of whom three sons and two daughters survive. He died in 1885. His third son, Mr. William Toomath, was born at Greytown in 1865. Having passed the sixth standard at a very early age, he completed his education at the Wellington College, where he gained a scholarship. For some years he successfully followed the life of a teacher, but owing to ill-health he was compelled to seek other work. After farming for a time he sold out, and is now manager of a creamery under the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union, at Kairanga.

The late Mr. E. Toomath.

The late Mr. E. Toomath.

page 1126

Walker, James, Farmer, “Jimmy's Farm,” No. 1 Line, Kairanga, near Longburn. Born in St. Andrew's, Scotland, in 1838, Mr. Walker came to the Colony as a lad, in the “Arab Bristol,” with his father, the late Mr. James Walker, who was a partner in the firm of Walker and Meech, shipwrights, at Pipitea Point, Wellington. The subject of this sketch was brought up to farming pursuits. Mr. Walker has been prominent in aquatic circles as captain of the “Dolly Varden” in Wellington, winning the inrigger fours for three years, and the champion fours at Wellington and Nelson. On retiring he was presented by his club with a handsome tea and coffee service. For the greater part of the period from 1847 to 1890, Mr. Walker lived at Paremata, Plimmerton and Taupo, where he is well known and respected. He still holds a run of 2550 acres in the district, which is leased to his nephews, the Messrs. Sinclair Bros. Mr. Walker's homestead consists of 600 acres of the best pastoral land in the Longburn district, which he uses exclusively for fattening stock. Mr. Walker's mother, who is still hale and hearty, resides at Pahautanui, and has attained the advanced age of ninety-nine.

Mr. Jas. Walker

Mr. Jas. Walker