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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Heddon Bush

Heddon Bush.

Heddon Bush is in the Otautau riding of the county of Wallace, and in the electorate of Wallace, and lies on the eastern bank of the Aparima river, opposite Wrey's Bush. The district takes its name from the large estate farmed for many years by Mr John Tennant, but now sub-divided into a number of farms, of which the greater proportion have been taken up. It consists of beautiful level country, where various small patches of native bush still remain, and there are some remarkably fine homesteads. Invercargill is thirtyfour miles distant; Drummond, six miles; Otautau, ten; and Winton thirteen. Heddon Bush district consists of a strip of country, about ten miles long by four miles wide. It has a public school, and the post office is in charge of the headmaster. There has been a postal service in the district since the seventies, and telephone connection was established in 1899. There is no church in the locality, but fortnightly services in connection with the Presbyterian body are held in the local school house. The industries of the district, apart from pasturage and agriculture, include flaxmilling. At the census of 1901, Heddon Bush district had a population of 146.

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Heddon Bush School . This school, which was opened in 1881, contains one classroom. It is attended by about thirty pupils.

Mr. George Magnus Hassing , Headmaster of the Heddon Bush School, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1837, was educated in the Royal Vajsenhus, and went to sea at the age of fifteen years. After visiting India, South and Central America, and the Californian goldfields, he sailed for China, where, as mate of a Peruvian vessel, he traded among the coastal ports for two years. This was rather an exciting period of his life, as the coast of China was at that time infested with piratical junks. Leaving China in 1856, he made a trip home, and in 1857 he paid his last visit to Copenhagen. Then followed a voyage to Bombay, where the troops had just come down from Cawnpur, after the terrible massacre during the mutiny. In February, 1859, he arrived in Lyttelton by the barque “Ambrosine,” Captain Parson, and in the following year settled at Oamaru. Mr Hassing engaged in supplying timber for the runs in the neighbourhood of Lake Wanaka, and was the first man to open up the magnificent forest on the Makaroa river, at the head of the lake. When the Dunstan “rush” took place, he was one of the earliest on the field, and afterwards established the first ferry to Albertown, which proved highly remunerative. Subsequently, he established ferries and stores at Sandy Point and Rocky Point, on the Upper Clutha. In 1864, in company with the late Mr William Docherty, he explored the headwaters of the Haast, Clark, and Landsborough rivers, and discovered a magnificent area of grass country. The intrepid explorers spent ninety days without seeing a human being except themselves. After following the West Coast “rushes,” Mr Hassing returned to Lake Wanaka, in 1868, and engaged in trade on the Lake, where he build several vessels. He sold out at Wanaka in 1874, and acquired considerable mining interests at Cardrona; but as he was swamped out by the great flood, in 1878, he changed his occupation, and obtained the appointment of headmaster of the Cardrona school. Mr Hassing, who is a frequent contributor to the Scandinavian press, is also an active member of the Order of Freemasons, and takes a deep interest in the progress and general welfare of the Heddon Bush district. He was married, in 1875, to the only daughter of the late Mr Joseph Price, of Westminster, London, and has one daughter. Mrs Hassing arrived in Wellington, in 1869, by the ship “Forfarshire.”

The Heddon Bush Flaxmill (James Thomson, proprietor), Heddon Bush. This mill was established in 1903. The building is of wood and iron, and is situated on a site of twenty acres of land, on the bank of the Aparima river. The machinery is driven by a twelve horse-power steam engine, and the output is about twenty tons of dressed flax per month. The raw material is drawn from the Drummond and Bayswater districts, and about thirty men are employed in connection with the mill.

Mr. William Henry South , Manager and Engineer of the Heddon Bush Flaxmill, was born in 1881, near Winchester, Canterbury. He was brought up to farming, and was afterwards engaged in flaxmilling at Winton. In 1902, he was employed at the Heddon Bush station, and was appointed to his present position in 1903.

Gerstenkorn, photo. Mr. W. H. South.

Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. W. H. South.

Cowie, Alexander William , Farmer, corner of Yellow Bluff and Mayfield roads, Heddon Bush. Mr Cowie is the eldest son of Mr John Cowie, of Winton. He was born at Winton, in 1873, and brought up to farming by his father. In 1896, Mr Cowie bought 220 acres of freehold, on which he has erected a homestead and outbuildings, and has spent a considerable amount of money in draining and fencing, Mr Cowie engages chiefly in sheepfarming and cropping, and has obtained as much as fifty-four bushels of wheat to the acre. He was married, in October, 1898, to a daughter of the late Mr Archibald McArthur, of Winton, and has two sons.

Clark, David , Farmer, Heddon Bush. Mr Clark is the owner of 253 acres of freehold, on which he has erected a substantial residence. The property is devoted to mixed farming, and particularly to the breeding of Clydesdale horses. Mr Clark owns the entire horse “Tam o' Shanter,” by “Sandy Erskine,” and has been very page 1001 successful as a breeder and exhibitor. He is further referred to under Otautau, as a member of the Wallace County Council.

Clark, David Fraser , Farmer, “Willowbank,” Heddon Bush. Mr Clark was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1860, and was brought to New Zealand by his parents, when three years old, by the ship “Sir George Pollock.” The family settled at Riverton, and Mr Clark was educated at Gummies Bush, where he was brought up to farming. About 1879, Mr Clark started contracting in the Nightcaps district, and continued at that occupation till 1894, when he commenced farming in the same district. In September, 1901, he sold his property at Nightcaps, and bought “Willow Bank,” which contains 200 acres of freehold. The farm was then in a neglected state, but has since been brought into a well-cultivated condition. Mr Clark has been a member of the Heddon Bush school committee since 1902, and is a member of the Heddon Bush branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. As a Freemason, he is attached to the Winton lodge. Mr Clark was married, in 1894, to a daughter of Mr William Ogilvie, of Mabel Bush, and has four sons and two daughters.

Cochrane, Andrew Cunningham , Farmer, Heddon Bush. Mr. Cochrane is the second son of Mr. Robert Cochrane, grain merchant, and was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1851. He was educated at Slateford, and worked on his grandfather's farm, and also farmed on his own account, until he left Scotland by the ship “Dunnottar Castle,” for Port Chalmers. On his arrival in New Zealand, in May, 1879, Mr. Cochrane obtained employment on the Clydevale station, Otago, and afterwards worked for Mr. William Todd, “Willow Acre,” East Taieri. Subsequently he became overseer for Mr. John Douglas, of Mount Royal, Palmerston South, and of the Waihao Downs, South Canterbury. He then became manager of the Bayswater Estate, owned by Mr. J. H. Smith, and, from 1888 to 1898, was manager of the Annandale Estate, belonging to the Otago and Southland Investment Company. Mr. Cochrane then settled upon his own farm at Heddon Bush, which he had purchased in 1893. He was married, in 1895, to Emma, daughter of the late Mr. Herbert Simpson, of Riverton.

Milford Sound (Showing Sutherland's House, On The Left Hand Side), Mitre Peak, And Pembroke. Guy, photo.

Milford Sound (Showing Sutherland's House, On The Left Hand Side), Mitre Peak, And Pembroke.
Guy, photo.

McDonald, David , Farmer, “Cardean,” Heddon Bush. “Cardean” is a property of 259 acres of freehold, 150 acres of which were acquired by the owner in 1894, and the rest in 1902. The land was originally covered with tussocks, but has since been brought into a good state of cultivation. Mr McDonald was born in 1861, at Denichan, Forfarshire, Scotland, and was educated at Kingsmuir, where he was brought up to farming. Mr McDonald came to New Zealand in 1882 by the ship “Auckland,” and was employed for fifteen months at Waimatuku Flat. He afterwards worked for two years at Glenburn, Otautau, and subsequently settled at Heddon Bush, where he acquired his present property, and erected a substantial homestead. Mr McDonald was married, in 1895, to a page 1002 daughter of Mr James Rough, of Kintore, Aberdeenshire, and has two sons and two daughters.