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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Alfredton

Alfredton.

Alfredton Hotel (John S. George, proprietor), Alfredton. This hostelry, which was established in 1887, is built of wood and iron, and contains eighteen rooms, eleven of which are bedrooms. There are three sitting-rooms, and the dining-room, which is well furnished, is capable of seating twenty persons. The hotel is twelve miles from Eketahuna, which is the nearest railway station, and from which a coach runs daily carrying mails and passengers. The post and telegraph office at the junction of the Tiraumea
Mr. And Mrs. J. S. George.

Mr. And Mrs. J. S. George.

and Tinui roads is only about two minutes' walk from the house, which is patronised by settlers, commercial travellers, and tourists, on account of whom special provision has been made.
page 1519

Boustead, John, Sheepfarmer, “Pah Flat,” Alfredton. Mr. Boustead was born in 1850 at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, where he was also educated. He was brought up to farming pursuits, and left Home for Wellington in 1878 per ship “Pleione,” spending the first ten years of colonial life in the Wairarapa. The farm of 800 acres which he now occupies was acquired in 1888, when it was mostly in a state of nature; now it supports about 2000 Romney sheep and a good herd of shorthorn cattle. Mr. Boustead takes an interest in the welfare of the district as a member of the Alfredton Domain Board. In 1884 he was married to a daughter of the late Mr. Samuel Oates, referred to on page 893 of this volume in the notice of Mr. Joseph Oates, and has one daughter.

Mr. And Mrs. J. Boustead.

Mr. And Mrs. J. Boustead.

Burling, Arthur, Sheepfarmer, “Waterfalls,” Alfredton. Born in London in 1883, Mr. Burling accompanied his parents to Wellington by the ship “London,” arriving on the 22nd of March, 1840. After three years near Wadestown, the family located on the site of Featherston, being the first white settlers in those parts. With some other relations, Mr. Burling was camped on the top of the Rimutaka Range at the time of the great earthquake, which damaged
Mr. A. Burling.

Mr. A. Burling.

the road so much that they had to leave their bullock team and walk into Wellington. In 1861 Mr. Burling began sheepfarming, which occupation he has followed up to the time of writing, with the exception of some years during which he was engaged in contracting at Greytown. He purchased the property he now farms—2500 acres — in 1892. Mr. Burling was married in 1861 to Miss Gooding, and has six sons and six daughters, and nineteen grandchildren.

Clulow, John, Farmer, “Rangedale,” Pori, Alfredton. Mr. Clulow was born in 1854 at “Park House Farm,” Leek, Staffordshire, where he was educated, and worked on his father's farm. Coming to the Colony in 1887 in the s.s. “Ruapehu,” he was for over two years on his brother's farm, near Eketahuna. He took up his present holding in 1890, being the first settler on Mt. Merchant, and had to cut his own track to his land. Mr. Clulow, in conjunction with his brother, took up 600 acres of bush-land, a large portion of which is improved and sown with the finest grasses, and now carries a flock of Lincoln-Romney sheep and some shorthorn cattle.

Gillespie, William, Settler, “Waihoki,” Alfredton. Born in 1869 in Wellington, where he was educated, Mr. Gillespie has had a good deal of experience of country life, and has travelled through most of the Auckland Provincial District. He was in the neighbourhood of Mt. Tarawera on the 10th of June, 1886, and will never forget the eruption of that night. In 1892 Mr. Gillespie took up his holding of 334 acres in the Waihoki Valley, then all in dense bush. A great portion of this property is now in good grass.

Morris and Ford, Farmers, Mt. Marchant, Pori, Alfredton. This property, which is 773 acres in extent, was purchased in 1891 by the present holders, who have 400 acres grassed and fenced, with a carrying capacity of over two sheep to the acre, in addition to a large number of shorthorn cattle. Mr. Morris was born in 1870 in Shropshire, England, and was educated in Heraford, coming to New Zealand via Melbourne in 1889. Mr. Ford was born in Hereford, where he was educated, and came to the Colony in 1887 in the s.s. “Ruapehu.”

Murray, Alexander, Sheepfarmer, “Momona,” Alfredton. A native of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, where he was born in 1856, Mr. Murray was brought up to pastoral pursuits. Arriving in South Australia in 1875 per ship “Glamorganshire,” he commenced his colonial life with his uncles, the celebrated breeders of the
Mr. A. Murray And Family.

Mr. A. Murray And Family.

Murray type of merino sheep—the Hon. A. B. Murray and Mr. John Murray—with whom he remained eight years. Crossing the Tasman Sea in 1883, Mr. Murray commenced business as a wool buyer, and for some years afterwards he was manager of station properties. In 1892 he purchased 692 acres, which was all dense bush, and of which 530 acres is now highly improved, and carries a good flock of Cotswold sheep. In public life Mr. Murray has taken an active part, as a member of the county council, the Akitio Road Board, the Castlepoint Licensing Committee, the North Wairarapa Rabbit Board, and the Whakataki School Committee. In 1886 Mr. Murray was married to Miss Harvey, of Masterton, and has a son and two daughters.
page 1520

Nelson, F. P., “Ruatea,” Pori, Alfredton. Born in 1867 in Suffolk, where he was educated Mr. Nelson followed farming pursuits from his early years, and came to Lyttelton in 1886 in the ship Stapinui.” After about three years in Australia, he returned to New Zealand, and took up his holding of 1750 acres in 1891. The holding wasdense bush at that time, but now, with the exception of 250 acres, it is highly improved, and carries three sheep to the acre, besides some cattle. Mr. Nelson has served the public as member of the Alfredton Road and Domain boards, and as vice-president of the local athletic sports club.

Saunders, W. J., Sheepfarmer, “Kaitawa,” Alfredton. The estate known as “Kaitawa” consists of 2500 acres, and, with the exception of timber reserves for shelter and other purposes, is covered with a thick sward of nutritious verdure, on which, a large flock of sheep and a splendid herd of shorthorn cattle thrive. For thirty years Mr. Saunders has paid special attention to the breeding and rearing of his stock, hence it is not surprising that they are of exceptional quality. Born in 1842 in Wellington, where his parents had arrived in the ship “London” during the same year, Mr. Saunders was educated in the Colony, being brought up to a country life. After sundry experiences on the West Coast goldfields, be took up the first 100 acres of his grand property, the comfortable homestead of which overlooks the Tiraumea River and Valley Road. For many years he was a member of the Alfredton Road Boar, and had a seat on the Licensing Bench; in the early days he served in the Cavalry Volunteers, and also in the Militia. In 1886 Mr Saunders was married to a daughter of Mr. R. Bould, of Wellington, and has two sons and six daughters.
Smith, John, Sheepfarmer, “Forest Flat,” Alfredton. One of the earliest settlers in the Tiraumea Valley, the subject of this sketch was born in 1844 in Wellington, where he was educated, his parents having arrived in the ship “Lady Nugent.” All stores and produce had to be conveyed to and from Castlepoint by packhorses or bullock teams for many years after Mr. Smith settled in the district, and the first wool shipped cost twenty-five shillings per bale for haulage to the port. “Forest Flat” is a farm of 500 acres, which
Mr. J. Smith.

Mr. J. Smith.

carries over three sheep to the acre, besides cattle and horses. Mr. Smith is an enthusiastic horse-breeder, and has frequently taken first prizes. His sheep are Romney Lincolns, the cattle being shorthorns. In public matters, Mr. Smith acted as a member of the Alfredton Road Board for many years, and when the Maori troubles existed he served in the Volunteer Cavalry and in the Militia. In 1875 he was married to Miss McDonald, and has a son and a daughter.
page 1521

Warren, Holmes, Sheepfarmer, Tiraumea, Alfredton. Mr. Warren was born in 1863 at St. Kilda, Victoria, and was educated at Christchurch Grammar School and College, passing some years on stations belonging to his grandfather, the Hon. M. Holmes, with whom he gained valuable knowledge of the various breeds of sheep. In 1884 he purchased his property of 10,300 acres, which carries a large flock of sheep of the Cheviot, Romney, and Lincoln strains, which have been judiciously crossed. Mr. Warren has also a herd of 370 grand shorthorn cattle. For several years he has been a member of the Castlepoint Road Board, and also of the Alfredton Road Board, which he used his influence to have merged in the Wairarapa North County Council. Mr. Warren was married in 1890 to Miss Bidwill, and has a son and a daughter.

Mr. H. Warren.

Mr. H. Warren.