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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Koiterangi

Koiterangi.

Koiterangi is a farming settlement situated about fifteen miles from Hokitika, on the south-western bank of the Koiterangi river, and is in the Kanieri riding of the county of Westland, and in the electorate and provincial district of Westland. Its population at the census of 1901 was eighty-five. The district began to be occupied as a farming settlement about the year 1880, and a a large extent of the country has recently (1905) been thrown open for selection, including ordinary Crown lands, private lands, a municipal reserve of 2,000 acres, and other areas resumed under the Land for Settlement Act. The district has a creamery owned by the Kokatahi Dairy Factory Company, a small lime-burning plant, and a sawmill. There is also a local public school, which is attended by about thirty pupils. Religious services page 531 are held monthly in the school by clergymen of the Anglican church. The business of the postal department is conducted at the residence of Mr. Dimmick. There is a considerable amount of good timber in the district, and there are good gravelled roads. In the year 1903 a fine bridge was erected over the Koiterangi river to connect the settlement with Kokatahi and Hokitika.

Dimmick, J. M., Butter and Cheese Manufacturer, also Postmaster for the district, Koiterangi. Mr. Dimmick is a native of New Zealand, and was born at Nelson in 1859. His parents were amongst the early settlers, and arrived in Nelson in the “Indus,” one of the first ships, and afterwards settled at Richmond, where Mr. Dimmick still owns a valuable farm of 100 acres. Mr. Dimmick settled at Koiterangi about fifteen years ago, and engaged in dairying pursuits; he has produced some of the finest butter in the colony, and has at present 190 acres of land under grass, of which 100 acres are freehold. Mr. Dimmick married Miss Cropp, and has a family of four children.
Mackley, Ralph, Farmer, Windsor Farm, Koiterangi. Mr. Mackley's farm of 138 acres is just across the Koiteangi river, towards the Hokitika river, and was formerly part of the Midland Railway Company's lands. Dairying and sheepfarming are carried on by Mr. Mackley, who was born in the year 1874, on the Waipuna station, the property of his father. He was educated at Noble's, and brought up to farm and station life. In 1898 Mr. Mackley owned, in partnership with a brother, a farm in the Gisborne district, which he held
Ring, photo. Mr. R. Mackley.

Ring, photo. Mr. R. Mackley.

for one year and six months. He subsequently returned to the West Coast, and engaged in general work for some time. In 1903, Mr. Mackley took up Windsor Farm, on which he has effected considerable improvements.

McArthur, Archibald, Farmer, Koiterangi. Mr. McArthur was one of the earliest settlers at Koiterangi, and holds a fine farm of 300 acres. Dairying is carried on, and milk is supplied to the local creamery. Mr. McArthur has also a lime-burning plant, and is a building contractor, and in 1905 built a new school at Kokatahi. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in the year 1848, and learned the trade of a joiner. In 1870 Mr. McArthur came to New Zealand, and worked at his trade for ten years at Tapanui, where he had a water wheel, and a good plant for morticing and other work. He subsequently decided to try his fortune on the West Coast, and in the early eighties took up a farm of 140 acres at Koiteangi, under the homestead system, and he afterwards increased his area to 300 acres. Mr. McArthur is a director of the Kokatahi Dairy Factory, of which he was one of the original provisional directors, a director of the Kokatahi Saleyards Company, and chairman of the Koiterangi school committee, with which he has been connected since its inception. He was one of the original members of the Westland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and is a member of the committee. Mr. McArthur is married, and has five daughters.

Smith, James, Farmer and Sawmiller, Koiterangi. Mr. Smith's homestead farm is known as “Camelback,” owing to the fact of its lying under the large hill of that name, and is in the centre of the Koiterangi district, adjacent to the local school, creamery, and post office. It is 200 acres in extent, and is devoted to dairying. Mr. Smith owns another farm of about 450 acres in the Hokitika Gorge, where grazing is carried on. He has also a small sawmill, driven by a waterwheel of nine horsepower, and a considerable amount of black and white pine is cut for local consumption. Mr. Smith was born in Warwickshire, England, in the year 1857, and at about sixteen years of age came to New Zealand by the ship “Lutterworth,” and landed at Port Moeraki. He worked in various parts of Otago, and was engaged for some time at sawmilling work in the Tapanui and Catlins districts. About 1879 Mr. Smith removed to the West Coast, and took up land in the Koiterangi district, where he has since resided. He has always taken a keen interest in the general progress of his district; he has been for a long time a member of the local school committee, and has been chairman on several occasions. Mr. Smith is married, and has eight children.

Staines, John, Farmer, Koiterangi. Mr. Staines owns a farm of 400 acres at Koiterangi, seven or eight miles from Kanieri. About three hundred acres have been cleared and sown in English grasses, and cattle are fattened on the farm for the local markets.