The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]
Hamua
Hamua.
Hamua. is the first calling-place for the coaches between Eketahuna and Woodville. It is about seven miles from the former town. There is a fairly commodious hotel, a store, and a blacksmith's shop. In the daytime the public school affords almost the only sign of life; but when the curtain of night is drawn over the settlement, the neighbourhood of the hotel often presents a busy scene. The Maoris from a contiguous pah are frequently assembled there in strong force, and the bushmen and sawmill hands find congenial excitement and companionship.
A good deal of the land around Hamua is Maori property let to the white population on long leases. The population of the neighbourhood may be imagined from the fact that about eighty scholars attend the public school.
Until quite recently Hamua was known as Hawera, but the name was wisely changed to avoid confusion with the well-known town of that name in the Taranaki province.
Mr. John. Brown Hopkirk, Headmaster of the Hamua Public School, is a son of Mr. Alexander Hopkirk, of Gleuburn, Ashurst, and was born at Markinch, Fife, Scotland, in 1867. He was educated in Wellington at the Mount Cook School under Mr. Hardy, and holds the certificate D2. After a term as pupil teacher at Mount Cook Boys' School, Mr. Hopkirk was appointed first assistant at Featherston. His next move was to Pirinoa, where he had charge from 1891 till the opening of the Hamua School some two years later. Mr. Hopkirk's hobby is photography, and he has produced some very excellent pictures, several of them being reproduced in this volume. In December, 1893, Mr. Hopkirk was married to Miss Pilcher, daughter of Mr. H. J. Pilcher, of Wellington, and their family consists of two sons.
Mr. A. Yule.
Yule, Donald Cooper, Farmer, Strathaen, Hamua. Mr. Yule occupies 1100 acres on lease from the Maoris. About three-fourths of the estate is already cleared, sown with English grasses and well stocked with sheep and dairy cows. The grounds around the homestead include both orchard and flower and other gardens, and the house is a pretty villa of six rooms. The proprietor was born in Featherston in 1868, and is the second son of Mr. Robert, and the grandson of Mr. Alfred Yule, who came to this Colony in 1840, and whose picture appears herein. Educated in Featherston, Mr. Yule learned farming with his father. In 1893 he married Miss Catherine Willis, daughter of Mr. William Willis, recently of Featherston, but now settled at Scarborough, near Pahiatua. Their family consists of two girls.
Mr. D. C. Yule.