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A TRIM LITTLE TOWN THE STORY OF SHANNON

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 147, 23 June 1915, Page 12

A TRIM LITTLE TOWN THE STORY OF SHANNON - ON THE EDGE OF THE SWAMP - PRESENT-DAY PROGRESS

'" In the early forties, when a few of the more venturesome Settlers left Wellington to penetrate into the interior wilds, Some made their abode at Foxton, and others moved farther up the Manawatu River to the vicinity of Shannon, where they established a small community. A little while after came two missionaries, one of whom was the Rev. James Duncan, and the first missionary station in the district was at Te Maire, near the present township of Shannon. Here for a time was a thriving Maori settlement. Not far down the river was the settlement of Paiaka. A crude barter was carried on with the traders and whalers in pigs, flax, potatoes, and wheat. The land was highly productive, and yielded rich harvests. Much of the wheat, which was grown by the Maoris, was ground at the Kebbell’s mill. The Maoris proved industrious husbandmen in those days; the soil in its virgin state required very little tillage, and often was prepared for the seed wheat by the rude method of turning it over with the native greenstone Adze.

Flax-dressing, however, was the staple industry. It was carried on almost entirely ,by the Maoris, but so industriously, if laboriously, that large quantities were able to be exported to Australia; and the finer quality was extensively employed in the manufacture of rope and twine.

At Moutoa, weavers set up an establishment and worked up the raw material. In those days a pig or a blanket was the equivalent, says Buick, for half a ton of flax, until the Native was taught by the missionaries the value of figures and calculations. Those were the days when Dr. Featherston declared in the House of Representatives that Manawatu "was the only stay of Wellington;" But he was speaking of the 3 future.

AN OLD SETTLER.
There is now living at Shannon Mr. Joshua Wood, who was born in the year 1842, and whose memory carries him back to the days of his settlement near Shannon in 1855. His home is on the banks of the Otauru Stream, which runs a hundred yards to the north of Shannon. He remembers five flourmills which once operated in the district. One was at Porotawaha, two at Otaki, one at Wainui, and one at Shannon, and all were driven by waterwheels. The Maori inhabiting those parts was of a very fine type, says Mr. Wood. Their canoes plied up the Manawatu River for considerable distances, and white traders also used this method of keeping in touch with the numerous pas along the banks in the interior. The river was virtually the only highway connecting the district with Foxton and the outer world.

But Shannon did not really become established as a township until the arrival of the Manawatu railway in the latter eighties. Heavy forests covered the slopes from the Tararuas to the broad belt of uninhabitable swamps, and, though one or two sawmills were operating, and increasing in number as time went on, and the demand in Wellington for timber became greater, still there was no great effort at clearing the bush for extensive settlement. There also was no highway overland to Wellington.

WHEN THE RAILWAY CAME.
But when the railway came the locality grew into a township, and became one of the connecting places with Moutoa and Foxton. Then sawmilling boomed; the township grew, and later, when flax went up in price again on the Home market, this industry, with the fine areas of flax in the vicinity, grew into importance.

The first evidences of dairying showed themselves about 1890, and in 1894 a creamery was established by the New Zealand Dairy Farmers' Union, and another at Tokomaru, the cream being shipped to the company's factory at Wellington. Schools were established at both centres in 1893.

About this time the Manawatu Farmer, a small paper, made its first appearance at Shannon, being published by Mr W. C. Nation, and it figured largely in the General Election of 1894. Later the paper became merged in the Levin Chronicle, when Levin spurted ahead of the more northern centre. The Shannon Racing Club, which had a fairly successful career, held its first meeting in 1896.

LATER PROGRESS.
Fifteen years ago, said Mr. W. H. Gunning, principal storekeeper of Shannon and Tokomaru, and an influential resident, when talking recently to a Post reporter, the swamps which now supply the mills round about Shannon were all practically under water during the greater portion of the year. All the land virtually between the railway and the Manawatu River, from Shannon up to Linton, was swamp, as it mostly is to-day. The Manawatu Railway Company, which owned the land, could not find buyers for it, except small portions on the outskirts of the swamp which could easily be drained, until Dr. Chapple and Mr. Plimmer acquired the whole block on the western side of the railway. A few drains were put in, and soon the beneficial result was noticeable in the rapid and more luxurious growth, in parts where the drains operated, of the flax leaf. The swamp, however, was considered in parts to be below the level of the Manawatu River, but the owners secured the services of Mr. Breikell (who afterwards dealt with the Piako), and the task of extensively draining the swamp , was put in hand. Several hundred men were engaged, and main drains were opened up, and were run down to the river. While thoroughly exploring the swamp, Mr. Breikell discovered a large block of land, of at least 1000 acres, in the centre, rising several feet above the surrounding level, which, although not of outstanding quality, was good agricultural land.

The clearing of the swamp gave flax millers a better chance of cutting the flax, and the industry went ahead and largely replaced the sawmills which had at first supported the district. Then Messrs. M'Nab and Kirkcaldie purchased interests in the swamp, and improvements continued. A good many of the outlying sections were sold for farms. Messrs. Seifert Bros. had also bought about 4000 acres for the supply of their flaxmills. But the higher land surrounding Shannon and Tokomaru, said Mr. Gunning, and much of the swamp land, if cleared was of such excellent quality that even if the bottom fell out of the flax industry dairying would support the district and hold its future assured. There is land in the swamp that would not sell for £50 an acre. Certainly, floods at times inundated large areas, but they were becoming fewer and fewer, and, besides, experiments with stop banks along the Manawatu River were proving successful.

THE DISTRICT'S MAINSTAY.
"At present," said Mr. Gunning, "the flax industry is the mainstay of this place, with its rapidly increased population. The farmer does not circulate his money among the business places to the extent of the mill employee. Most of the trade we do nowadays is a cash one, and that is what contributes more than anything else to the prosperity and progress of a district. I have had experience of both classes of trade."

The carrying capacity of the land around Shannon and Tokomaru is above the average. Settlement has been pushed into the mountains, but there the quality of the grazing is not so good. A bridletrack runs through the ranges to Eketahuna, which emerges on the other side of the hills at the Sterling settlement, about eighteen miles from Shannon There is a fair amount of settlement along the line.

According to Shannon settlers, one bar to the progress of Shannon is the high rates of freight. There are some lines of goods which can be brought via steamer to Foxton, and thence carted across to Shannon, cheaper than they are carried by rail from Wellington. In this way the port of Foxton, poor and uncertain as it is, contributes not a little to the cheaper living in the contiguous district. "Freight on the railway on sugar,” said Mr Gunning, "and on kerosene, for instance, is 39s 11d, and on sugar 35s per ton. I was at a disadvantage with the Foxton storekeepers if I paid this rate, so I determined to avail myself of the Foxton port. I made representations to the Manawatu Railway Company, and they lowered the freights to 25s a ton to compete with Foxton on the items named. That was ten years ago. But when the Government took over the railway they went back to the old rate, and we have to pay that now, or ship via Foxton. We adopt the latter course, and most of the supplies of the articles named for the whole of the Manawatu come via Foxton, because the Government will not carry them at a reasonable rate, even though the freight trains often run half empty. It is a pretty heavy tax upon the necessaries of life in a small rising community like this to have the rates of carriage so high. Centres like Palmerston do not pay so much because they have terminal rates."

For some tune Mr. Gunning had his goods brought by boat to Shannon. His was one of the few experiments in the utilisation of the Manawatu River as a trade highway. But he found that the river altered its course a good deal, and was treacherous, and the distance from Foxton — twenty miles— was rather a handicap, besides which the lack of wharfage facilities for landing the goods was a disadvantage if the banks were muddy. He therefore reverted to overland cartage from Foxton. In time there might be an opening for river traffic if the thing is properly undertaken, but it is problematical, with the advance that is taking place in motor transport, whether it will pay.

PRESENT DAY PROGRESS.
A great deal of building is going on in Shannon, probably more in the last twelve months than for any other period This applies also to Tokomaru, where the roads also are being greatly improved, and footpaths formed along the lines of trim little shops. To Tokomaru, it might be mentioned, come many trout fishers, for the waters of the Tokomaru are well stocked with fish.

An imposing brick building for the Bank of New Zealand has just been erected at Shannon, and the town boasts of a substantial new brick post office, two public halls, a regular picture show, and a remarkably well-stocked library. There is a progressive spirit in its citizens, who, if their population were large enough, would form themselves into a borough. But they have scarcely yet reached the 1000 mark, unless they include too unwieldy an area; but they are hoping they soon will. The Horowhenua County Council administers their public affairs at present. They decline to form themselves into a town board, preferring to bide a wee, and assume the greater dignity when they are able. Then they will institute a water and a drainage scheme, bringing their supplies from the adjacent hills. In their minds, also, the citizens carry the possibilities of the utilisation in the future of a fine body of water with a tremendous fall only a few miles away in the ranges. An expert opinion has declared that there is sufficient power cheaply available here to supply the wants of the whole of the surrounding district, and in a centre of so much mechanical industry this is a possibility not to be lightly put on one side.

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Date

June 23, 1915