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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

[General]

page 1272

Bulls Town Board, of which Dr. Bennett is chairman, and Messrs. D. Coughlin, R. Brynnt, E. H. Levett (treasurer), F. J. Mansell, W. Green, and A. H. Sutcliffe are members, has its offices in High Street. Mr. T. King acts in the capacity of clerk to the Board. The Board was established in the year 1873, and the total rateable annual value of properties in the town amounts to £3695, the annual income being about £423. The Board subsidises the Clifton Public Library and Reading Room.

Dr. Thomas Bennett, J.P., Chairman of the Bulls Town Board, settled in New Zealand in 1884, and was soon afterwards appointed a Justice of the Peace. He has been a member of the Town Board of Bulls since 1890, and chairman for the greater part of the time.

Mr. Thomas King, who succeeded to the secretaryship of the Town Board on the decease of Mr. C. W. Maclean, is a native of Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 1876 per ship “Candidate” to Port Chalmers. He was brought up to the Civil Service in England, but resigned after six years owing to ill-health. Having recovered strength, Mr. King was for some years storekeeping in Palmerston North. He settled in Bulls about 1886, and held an appointment as accountant for Messrs. Gorton and Son from that year until receiving the appointment he now holds. Mr. King has been a member of the town board for seven years, for six of which he was treasurer. He is one of the oldest masons in the Colony, and acts as secretary of the local lodge, of which he is also a “past master.” Mr. King is also interested in sporting and athletic pastimes. He is the paased clerk of scales, a position which he has held for many years without any disputes having occurred. Both the Rangitikei and Sandon clubs retain his services in this respect.

Mr. Edward Harry Levett, who has been a member of the Bulls Town Board since 1892, when he also became treasurer, a position which he fills at the time of writing (1897), is a native of Staffordshire, England, and was brought up to military life. Leaving the army he came to New Zealand in 1881 per ship “Waitangi,” and settled in the Rangitikei District. For ten years he was farming in the locality. Mr. Levett is a member of the Anglican Church, and fills the office of clergyman's churchwarden in the local vestry. As a member of the Masonic Order he ranks as a “master mason.” In mercantile life Mr. Levett is clerk to Messrs. Gorton and Son.

Mr. Edward Bull, who was for some years a member of the Bulls Town Board, was born in 1817 in London, where he was educated. He came to New Zealand about 1876, and joined his brother in Bulls, where he managed for a number of years the store established by Mr. James Bull. On severing his connection with this firm he established himself as a brewer close to the town, and rapidly acquired a most successful business, which he carried on for ten years. Mr. Bull died in 1890, and left a son and two daughters. His widow, who is a daughter of Mr. G. Worsfold, of Chelsea, has since carried on the business in her late husband's name. As a member of the Town Board in Bulls he was well known as an energetic worker, and had the best interests of the place at heart.

The late Mr. E. Bull.

The late Mr. E. Bull.

Mr. James O'Halloran, who was for some years a member of the Bulls Town Board, was a native of Ireland, where he was brought up to farming. Arriving in New Zealand by ship “Opawa” in 1878, for some time he followed the calling of a shepherd. From 1889 to 1892 he resided in Waverley, and in the latter year he went to Bulls and took over the Rangitikei Hotel. This he successfully conducted for some years, and at the time of his death (towards the end of 1896), was the popular proprietor of the Criterion Hotel. Besides fulfilling his duties as a member of the Town Board, Mr. O'Halloran found time for recreation, and was a member of the local racing club and the Oddfellows' Lodge.

Constable J. Gleeson, Officer in charge of Police, Bailiff of S. M. Court, Inspector of Factories, and Registrar of [unclear: Dogs], Bridge Street, Bulls. Mr. Gleeson is a native of Ireland, arriving via Australia in 1874. For some time he was contracting in Auckland, and formed a good part of Queen Street in 1875. He joined the force in 1877 under the Provincial Council, but retired after twelve months service, rejoining again in Wellington in 1879. He was in charge of the native hostelry in Molesworth Street, and subsequently for ten years had charge of the Wellington Botanical Gardens. He was also in charge of the Clyde Quay station, Wellington, and afterwards was on the West Coast for some time. Constable Gleeson was appointed to his present position on June 21st, 1893.

The Bulls Public School is situated on a sunny spot in close proximity to the centre of the town. There are 134 scholars on the roll, made up of an equal number of boys and girls, and the daily attendance averages about 110. The total capacity of the school is for 200 children. The teaching staff is composed of a head-master, Mr. Arthur Gifford, an assistant teacher, and a pupil teacher, the two last mentioned being ladies.

page 1273
High Street, Bulls.

High Street, Bulls.

Mr. Arthur Gifford, M.A., Headmaster of the Bulls Public School, is a native of London, and received his early education at Somersetshire College, Bath. He came to the Colony in 1877 per ship “Lady Ruthven,” and studied at the New Zealand University, taking his M.A. degree in 1886. The same year Mr. Gifford took his A2 certificate under the Board of Education. He was for some time a tutor in the Auckland Training College. In 1888 Mr. Gifford was first assistant master at the Napier Boys' High School. He is also a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, having passed the prescribed examination, securing enrolment in 1889. Mr. Gifford was assistant master at the Boys' High School at Wanganui, from 1890 to 1892. He was appointed to the Bulls public school in 1893. Mr. Gifford is a member of the local chess club, and has displayed considerable ability as a player.

St. Andrew's Anglican Church is situated in Turakina Road, Bulls. It was erected about the year 1882, and has seating accommodation for 120 worshippers. There is a Sunday school in connection with it, numbering no less than 120 children on its roll. A convenient and nicely-finished parsonage has been built for the use of the resident clergyman, who also conducts services at Sandon, Greatford, Campbelltown, Parawauni, Heaton Park Station, and Carnarvon. About 300 adherents of the church are scattered throughout this wide district.

Rev. John Delacourt Russell, Vicar of St. Andrew's, Bulls, is a native of Hendon, Middlesex. He was educated at select schools in Harrow and Watford, and, before leaving for New Zealand in 1889, passed the Oxford local examination, taking honours in mathematics. Arriving by the s.s. “Tongariro,” he studied for the ministry in the Colony, heading the first-class list in grands I., II., and III. of the Board of Colony theological Studies, and so winning the exhibition in the two latter grades. He is now studying for the fourth and final grade. Mr. Russell was ordained to deacon's orders in December, 1891, at Napier Cathedral. He had charge of St Stephen's Church, Opotiki, for two years and five months. This church is known as that of the Rev. Mr. Volkner, who was murdered by the Maoris. Mr. Russell was ordained to priest's orders in January, 1893, at St. Faith's Church. Rotorua. The reverend gentleman was appointed to the charge of Bulis district in November, 1893. He is zealous in the performance of his duties, and is deservedly respected by all clases of the public.

The Presbyterian Church, of which an illustration appears herein, is situated in Daniel Street, Bulls. It was erected in 1875, and prior to that time services had been conducted in the Town Hall. A very comfortable manse was built two years before the erection of the church. Both manse and church, however, have been considerably enlarged since then, and in 1886 the shurch was made to accommodate 250 worshippers though it is quite capable of holding 300 on an emergency. The buildings are of wood, and are both free of debt. The minister, the Rev. J. Doull, has under his care a small church at Parawanui, and another at Carnarvon, each of which is capable of accommodating a congregation of eighty adults. In connection with the church, Bulls possesses a Sunday school with a roll number of fifty-nine children, and an average attendance of about forty. The number of adherents of the Presbyterian Church throughout the district is about 250.

page 1274
The Presbyterian Church, Bulls.

The Presbyterian Church, Bulls.

Rev. James Doull, Minister of Presbyterian Church, was born in Ceylon, and brought up in Scotland. He was educated at the Edinburgh University, and was ordained in the year 1865. Mr. Doull is a life member of the Edinburgh University Council, and as such he has a vote for the election of a member to the British House of Commons. Mr. Doull was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in the Shetland Isles for seven years. He came to New Zealand in 1873 per ship “Brechin Castle,” and was at once appointed to Bulls. Mr. Doull has ministered to the people of the district for over twenty years with great ability. He has seen the progress of settlement from the first, the population having multiplied four times over during his ministry. In addition to the duties devolving upon the reverend gentleman he holds the important position of clerk to the Wanganui Presbytery, which has jurisdiction from Foxton to New Plymonth.

The Rangitikei Masonic Lodge, No. 38, was established in 1880, and has a hall of its own in Bulls. Mr. D. H. Guthrie is W. M., and Mr. Thos. King is hon secretary. The meetings are held on the Wednesday previous to the full moon in each month.

Lodge Rangitikei, No. 14, I.O.O.F. (Bulls), holds its annual meeting in December. The officers (1896) were:—D.D.G.M., Mr. J. E. Walker; secretary, Mr. Wm. Snell.

The Rangitikei Jockey Club is one of the oldest in the Colony, having been formed about 1866. Its first president was the late Major Marshall. The appointments of the Club are in every way admirable, and the stakes given away for the two days' meeting on the 1st and 2nd of January in each year run into close on £1000. This Club was the first, outside of hack clubs, to recognise the ability of Mr. J. Henry as a handicapper. The following are the officers for 1897:—Colonel Gorton (president), Messrs. J. Stevens, M.H.R. (judge) and J. G. Wilson (vice-presidents), T. King (secretary), J. McDonald (clerk of the course), D. Campion (clerk of the scales), J. Henry (handicapper), and F. J. Mansell (hon. treasurer).

Ward, Louis Ernest, Music Teacher Bulls. Mr. Ward is well known throughout the Rangitikei as a most painstaking and successful artist in voice production and tuition on the violin, and has a large number of pupils in Marton, Hunterville, Sandon, Turakina, and Bulls. He also holds the position of music teacher at the Classical College at Turakina, and is choirmaster of St. Andrew's Church, Bulls. Mr. Ward was born in Wellington in 1866, and was educated at the Christchurch High School. On leaving school he studied music assiduously, and soon qualifying as a teacher, followed his profession in Christchurch, Ashburton, Wellington, Palmerston, and Marton. Louis Ernest Ward Finally he settled in Bulls, from which centre he travels to his large circle of pupils in all parts of the district. He has ever been closely connected with musical matters in any place he has resided in, and has belonged to various musical societies, orchestras, and harmonic societies. In singing, Mr. Ward has also been to the fore; and has taken a leading tenor part in many of the great musical festivals. His annual concerts, held in Bulls, are looked upon as great musical treats; he is assisted by a large orchestra, including his leading pupils. When in Wellington, Mr. Ward was an enthusiast in volunteer matters, and was a member of page 1275 the D Battery of artillery in that city. He is married to a daughter of Mr. R. Kilgour, of Bulls and has one son.

Bennett, Thomas, L.R.C.S.I., L.M., Physician and Surgeon, High Street, Bulls. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Dr. Bennett, who has had nearly forty years' experience as a medical man, is an Irishman by birth. Educated at Dublin, where he studied medicine at Trinity College, he gained his diplomas in 1857. Dr. Bennett had twenty-five years' experience in the army, and was through the New Zealand and second Afghan wars, besides spending four years in India. Dr. Bennett is further referred to in these pages as chairman of the Bulls Town Board.

Bank of New South Wales, Bulls. This branch was opened in 1874, in a small building on the site of premises now occupied by Mr. Stevenson. A year afterwards the present bank was erected in the main street of the township. The building consists of banking chamber and manager's room, attached to which is the manager's residence, containing six rooms.

Mr. Edwin Herbert, Manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Bulls, has occupied his present position since 1895. He was born in London in 1855, and received his education in the Old Country. His first experience in life was as commercial reporter for various newspapers in England. In 1876 he came out to New Zealand and in the following year entered the service of the Bank in Dunedin. The next eleven years were spent in various towns throughout Otago as bill-clerk, teller, etc. Then he spent a year in Christchurch as accountant, and was afterwards appointed manager of the Temuka branch, in which position he remained five years. Twelve months ago he was promoted to Bulls as manager. Mr. Herbert has entered enthusiastically into the life of the district, and is an active member of the chess, the golf, the tennis, and the jockey club, a member of the committiee of the horticultural society, and also a member of the school committee. Mr. Herbert is married to a daughter of Mr. Johnson, of Dunedin, and has two sons.