More Info →Ohau Post Office

Description

Hau named the rivers as he crossed. them according to the difficulties of crossing. He named the Ohau after' himself 0-hau.

In the early 1870's a small accommodation house was built on the south bank of the Ohau River about three-quarters of a mile inland from the beach.

The licensee, G. Spackman, was appointed Postmaster on September 1, 1874. He was paid $100 a year for ferrying the coach passengers and mail across the river. He would have at least handled mail for John Kebbell, and perhaps for some of the Maoris. This office was closed on February 15, 1875.

The office was opened again with Mr John Kebbell as Postmaster. He was a sheep farmer, 'owning or leasing land from the coast to about Arapaepae Rd. His house was at the end of the now Muhunoa West Rd and the office was named Ohau.

Mr Pat Easton later farmed some of the land near the cost and now some of his family farm it.

Mail by train

By 1888 Gorrie Brothers sawmill started east of the railway station and settlers were coming in. The mail was now being carried by train.

Before the mill started John Kebbell met the train, receiving the eager settlers on the station.

A little later a small building at the mill was used by John Kebbell.

On April 1, 1892 Mr Robert Whiley was appointed Postmaster. A departmental officer, Mr William St John was appointed Postmaster in an office thought to have been at the Ohau West Rd intersection. His salary included an allowance for collecting the mail at the station by foot. Ohau had been linked with the telegraph system from 1894.

Bakery

In 1893 Mr W.H. Wilson built a bakery a little north of the Muhunoa intersection on the east side of the main road. He built the Arcadia Private Hotel, with a bakery behind, in Levin about 1904.

Mrs S.A. Wilson was appointed Postmistress on November 1, 1894, at the adjacent house.

In the 1890's there was quite a bus-ness area at Ohau. The first store in 1891 was at the sawmill and run by the mill owners.

Mr Thomas Mudgeway also opened a store just east of where the Ohau Hall was later built.

In 1893 the Walkley Brothers operated the store at the mill, shifting in 1897 to the site of the present store which is not the original building. It was destroyed by fire.

About 1894 Mr Joseph Bettelani opened a general store on the Main Road North of the intersection (which side is unknown) operating it until 1904 when Mr Irvine operated it for some years until Mr A. KcLeavey took it over.

In 1900 Mr Bassett and an unknown partner had a store on the Main road, south of the bridge.

Boot repairer

In 1893 Mr Fred Pink hada boot repair business at his residence just east of the subway on the north side. The house which was burnt down a few years ago was still owned by members of the Pink family. Fred Pink moved to Levin later as a boot repairer and re-tailer where the north end of Woolworths Variety is now.

In the early nineties the Whiley brothers ran a butchery business probably east of where the Ohau Hall is now and later again Messrs Whiley and Cameron ran a butchery in the same area.

Blacksmith

A blacksmith and farrier was very necessary to a community then. Mr Crompton had such a business at the sawmill. In 1893 he built a smithy on the edge of the MIuhunoa East Rd with permission of the Roads Board. Mr Giles later took it over and in 1904 rebuilt it on the main road south of the bakery on the east side. Mr Ramsbot tom was a later proprietor until 1912 . when Mr S. Musso conducted the business.

Later a fish shop operated there.

The building s tood until about 1968 in disrepair. I remember it as an old red building with the word "iwanta" painted across it. I think it was connected with an early road guide.

Toffee famous

The Ohau Hall was first erected in 1900 by voluntary labour. It was destroyed by fire in 1942 and the present hall was erected in 1944.

The bakery house was used as the Post Office until 1925. After Mrs Wil-son, Mrs M.J. Bettelani was Postmistress from November 22, 1902.

She made.toffee and either sold it or gave it away, as her Post Office toffee was said to be famous.

Mrs C. Milne became Postmistress on March 1, 1913. The office became permanent on March 1, 1914. Mrs Milne became an officer of the Department.

Miss M.R. Campion was appointed on March 16, 1918, followed by Mrs J. Moffat on March 19, 1919, Mr R. Olson on March 15, 1920 and Mr F.E. Watson on March 14 1925.

The present Ohau Post Office was built and opened on June 27, 1925 With Mr Waters as Postmaster.

The original office had full facilities from about 1894.

Mrs A.C.R. Walker was postmistress from February 20, 1942, followed by Mr L.J. O'Connor on November 1945. Mr K.N. McCormack on July 29, 1946, Mr H.A. Fenn on May 1, 1947, Miss N.G. Murdock on December 25, 1953. The present Postmistress, Mrs L.S. Rod, was appointed on January 13, 1964.

The office has full facilities and business is increasing yearly. There is a part time assistant.

Thanks again to Mr Delaney for help it research. Also thanks to Mrs Elsie Ryder and Mrs Barrie for assistance in research.

A voluntary contribution from:
Francis Corrison Swanwick
Horowhenua Historical Society

Identification

Date

February 23, 1983