
Mrs. Nelly Saddler |
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South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project
Timaru Herald Tuesday 4 July 1899
Mackenzie County Council Monthly meeting
Mrs Cotterell reported the Ashwick Flat races were in good order, and P. Mcvory
that three Springs-Fairlie races were running satisfactorily, except the part
stopped for repairs. The engineer stated that the upper race was choked in one
place now with silt, though scour of the new ground. The caretaker was not
expected to clear the race of such obstructions. Mr McLeod said the water was
running , but outside the race. Mr G.J. Hamilton wrote that the Ashwick race was
overflowing into the school plantation and injuring the trees. - Engineer to
write to the caretaker. Rabbits were showing in the Tekapo and Ashwick
plantations. - Them engineer had arranged for rabbitting them. " That the Tree
Springs-Fairlie water-race charges for the year ending 31st March 1900, be a
rate of ¾ penny in the £, subject to minimum amounts as prescribed by the by-law
No. 7."
Timaru Herald, 26 June 1895, Page 3
MELVILLE DOWNS WATER RACE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD. Sir,— In reply to " Water Rat's " letter in
your issue of the 12th, trying to throw cold water on my statements, which were
facts, "Water Rat " only makes my case stronger by saying that Ashwick Flat land
"drinks water as a Scotchman would mountain dew" — a compliment to Scotchmen
certainly. He states that our race is 18 inches or 2 feet wide. He does not
mention the depth, viz., 9 inches. "Water Rat" expects this size of race to
supply all requirements on the Flat, as well as another large estate. He says
the water races on the Canterbury plains are from 15 feet to 20 feet wide. It
does not matter to me if the Suez Canal running through the plains. Those races
water miles and miles of country, whereas ours were constructed to water only a
fair sized paddock. Now, Sir, I will analyse " Water Rat's" statements. He
speaks of the half raised floor and water running to waste. I may state that,
six weeks ago the settlers wanted more water, the said door being up as high as
it could go, and twelve days ago " Water Rat" could have swum under the door
without scratching his back. About the Ashwick Flat roads, I will refer him to
the Fairlie storekeepers. He states that Sherwood Downs estate has no roads,
whereas there is a metalled road running from one end of the estate to the
other. The owner can please himself whether he grows his grain close to the road
on the top of Fox's Peak. In Sherwood Downs was in "Water Rat's " county,
perhaps he would be as liberal with roads as with water-races. He says that
several farmers complained to the Council about the water making a swamp of
their land, there being only one farmer whom the water was ever likely to
trouble. I understand that the Crown Lands Ranger suggested that Melville Downs
should pay their fair share of the first cost of the headworks. What a nice
throw in, to pay only on maintenance! Now, Sir, I will bid "Water Rat" goodbye,
as I see by the Council's last report that we have got him m a trap. I am, etc.,
Ashwick Flat Settler. June 20th.
Timaru Herald, 4 July 1895, Page 3
MELVILLE DOWNS WATER RACES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD Sir,— Neither "Ashwick Flat Settler" nor "C.B.J."
denies that the former's allegation that the settlers were sacrificing, roads to
obtain water, was anything more than a fabrication intended to gain sympathy for
a class that is never happy unless it has a grievance. Sherwood Downs certainly
has one good metaled road running along the lower boundary, but to reach this
estate it first threads its way through the Ashwick Flat sections as a string
passes through a bead necklace. From the letter of the "A. F. Settler" the
public would conjecture that the grievance of the settlers was that the surplus
water was being diverted to Melville Downs, which liquid they wished to use in
some way for their own purposes. But " C.B.J." comes forward to point out that
the real matter at issue is whether or not the settlers have the right to have
the "thirds" expended for their benefit. The capitalised thirds were spent
solely on the Ashwick races more than a year ago, so that it is difficult to get
an abiding conception of the settlers' wrongs. In a moment of justifiable
irritation the chairman may have said that "the Council could spend the thirds
at the other end of the county if they wished ;" but this is open to grave
doubt. The diversion of the waste water does not make harder the terms on which
the sections are held ; rather the reverse, for they are assisted to maintain
the races. " C.B.J." admits that the irrigation privileges desired were not more
than the irrigation of gardens, which, with the houses, are mostly situated on a
"rise." Why, sir, one settler, whose initials I believe, were " C.B.J.," was
trying to coax water up hill ! But the obstinate stuff will not run above its
level though one is ever so polite to it. Though according to your correspondent
the peronns most interested are not allowed to interfere in any way, he admits
that they "looked, naturally, on the water as their property and used it as
such." Yet there was waste, painful to see in a dry season, at the tail of each
of the sub-races, not to speak of the intake gates. The correspondent with whom
I first crossed koradis, "A.F. Settler," says that their races were constructed
to water only a fair-sized paddock. They were not constructed to water a paddock
at all, but to water stock. Moreover, they were made under an Act that forbade
irrigation. I did not state that Sherwood Downs has no roads, nor could I,
twelve days before your correspondents letter was written, have swum under the
intake door without diving and leaving a string of air bubbles, for the river
was then a trifle fresh and the roads heavy. The settlers seem delighted at the
breach of faith on the part of the Treasury. The Sherwood Downs goldmine is not
to be compared in richness with the outcrop of human nature on Ashwick Flat.
Finally, " A.F. Settler," to his disappointment; will find on investigation that
the trap wherein I am supposed to be languishing is empty, for an animal that
can burrow under the finest superstructure will not be detained by a cage with
so many holes in it. ........... I am, etc., • Water Rat. Fairlie, July 1st.
Otago Witness, 23
October 1890, Page 35
Dear Dot,— Our examination is over, and I passed, as did also my brother and
sisters. I am in the Fourth Standard now. My brother had two guinea pigs, but
one died, and he gave the other away. I am learning to ride, and like it very
much. This is a very pretty place. There are a lot of trees about the house, and
the hill at the back is planted with trees, and they are very big now, Out in
the paddocks there are large plantations. I have got a starling's nest on the
verandah, and the bird is sitting, and there will soon be young ones. I am going
to take them and put them in a cage.— Yours truly, Betsy Macintyre (aged 10
years). Ashwick Station, October 15.
Otago Witness, 22 June 1893, Page 45
Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you a little about a pleasant trip I had with my
mother and my brother and sister to Aswick station. We left Shag Point at 8
o'clock in the morning passing through Oamaru and Timaru by the main line, then
taking the train up the Albury branch line. We arrived at 8 o'clock at night at
Fairlie, and were met by our friends and driven to Aswich station, which is a
very beautiful place. I visited some old schoolmates of mine, whose parents
reside in a house at the station. The residence of Mr Seddon is surrounded by a
lovely garden, very pretty plantations of ornamental and forest trees ; so also
is the house in which my friends are living. I saw a fine little Shetland pony
which could curry Mr Seddon's two little children at once. I saw plenty of
paradise ducks, blue ducks, hares, pigeons, and woodhens. I was out for a day's
hunting, and saw some wild pigs. So, dear Dot, I think that Aswick station is
the prettiest place I ever saw, and I enjoyed myself very much during our stay.
— Yours truly, March Johnsen (ago 12 years). Shag Point, June 11.