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Below, Hursthouse Page Index  Charles Wilson Hursthouse
Taranaki
Herald, 17 March 1909:
At the end of
1882, the road-work in Parahaka was completed, and C W Hursthouse was
directed to accompany the Hon. the Native Minister to Kawhia and the King
Country, and was present at Mangaorongo, at the pardoning of Te Kooti
for the part he had taken in the Maori disturbance. Having visited the
north of Auckland with the Native Minister to settle a dispute regarding
the taking of a road through Maori land, he returned with him, and was
despatched early in March to explore the country between Te Awamutu and
Waitara for a railway line.
Most of the
Maoris were doubtful of the wisdom of allowing this exploration - others
were emphatically against it. The first attempt of Mr Hursthouse brought
him only some fourteen or fifteen miles on his way, from which
place, and despite his remonstrances and entreaties, he was conducted
back to his starting point at Alexandra, now Pirongia. Then, after
further negotiations with the Maoris by the Hon. Mr Bryce, another start
was made in company with Wetere Te Rerenga and other chiefs and followers
- a party of about twenty-two.
CWH proceeded
to make explorations for the North Island main trunk railway and it
was on this task in Mar 1883, that he and William Newsham were captured by Mahuki and held prisoner
for 48 hours.
(31 Mar 1883 - Trial of Assault - During this time, a very small display of temper would probably have led to disastrous results, but fortunately reaction was kept in check. The Maori ringleaders soon afterwards visited the town of Alexandra, to try the supposed miraculous effect of a power which their leader promised to make white, people fall into a trance as if dead making them powerless, and their goods would be at the mercy of the faithful. The whole of the Native visitors were arrested at Alexandra, brought before a magistrate, charged with assault, and were remanded to Auckland, where they were subsequently tried at the Supreme Court and found guilty. RAILWAY AND
ROAD EXPLORATIONS. Mr Hursthouse then returned to Alexandra, and in
company with the Hon. Mr Bryce and others, the Ministerial party
succeeded in getting through the country to New Plymouth by way of Awakino
and Mokau. In May, Mr Hursthouse returned to Mokau and began exploration
work again, to which there was no further opposition. During, this
exploration Mr Bursthouse contracted rheumatism badly, and was unable to
continue, so was sent to Kawhia to carry on some road works there, to
which the Maoris had objected. He remained there for about twelve months,
settled the business making about twenty five miles of road. He then
returned to the, railway line along the previously chosen route where the
Main, Trunk line now is. ln conjunction with Mr J. Rochfort and Mr R.
W. Hoknes, now Chief Engineer of the Dominion, he started laying out the
line for the construction of the railway between Te Awamutu and
Otorohanga- the first fifteen miles of the Main Trunk, railway.
MAIN TRUNK
LINE. On April 13, 1885, the first sod of the railway was turned by Sir
Robert Stout, in conjunction with Whahanui, Rewi Maniapoto, and a great
many other Maoris. The ceremony took place on the Maori land within the
Rohe Potae just across the Punin river from Te Akamutu. At the ceremony
the Maori asked to be allowed to do the work on a certain portion of the
line- six miles in length - which was agreed to by the
Government. A contract was let to Coates and Metcalfe for the
first fifteen miles, and Mr Hursthouse was appointed resident engineer to
superintend the construction and employ the Maoris on the piece of line
that was set apart for them to work on. The Natives did the work in
first-class style, and there was little or no trouble. He remained there
as resident engineer until the line was completed to the Mokau
railway station. Occasionally there was some trouble with the Maoris,
but owing to Mr Hursthouse's personal influence with the Natives, the
difficulties were always amicably settled.
Several
.years passed - there was a pause in railway construction after the
line reached Mokau. The Poro-o-tarao tunnel was completed under Mr
Hursthouse's supervision.
In 1891 CWH
was transferred to the Lands and Survey Department, to take charge of
road construction - he laid out many miles of road work in the King
Country and also had charge of the Rotorua road district.
CHIEF ENGINEER
OF ROADS. In 1899 Wilson Hursthouse was transferred to
Wellington to take charge of the road work under the Lands and Survey
Department. In 1901 it was found that this class of work had so much
increased and it was considered a separate department for the
execution of road works should be made and was established in April of
that year and Mr Hursthouse was appointed chief engineer in
charge. Because his services were considered so valuable in connection
with Native affairs he lost many opportunities of promotion in his
profession as a civil engineer but always responded to the call of
duty, even though it involved risk and personal danger
Mr Hursthouse
had worked for the Government—Provincial and General for forty seven and
one-third years, it is fifty-four years since he first joined the public
service but owing to short breaks in his service he will be only
entitled to count his twenty-nine years continuous service.
The
above was written March 1909: .
Evening
Post, 27 February 1911:OBITUARY. MR. C. W. HURSTHOUSE. (Abridged) Mr.
Hursthouse, ex-Chief engineer of Roads, died at his residence, Lower Hutt,
late on Saturday night, after a lengthy illness. He retired
from the Public Service on 31st March, 1909, after being connected with it
for nearly fifty years. The late Mr. Hursthouse was widely known and
universally respected and esteemed.
During his
military service he was commissioned Ensign in the Taranaki Military
Settlers in 1866, Lieutenant in the Taranaki Militia in 1869 and Captain
in 1881. He was the recipient of the New Zealand War Medal and was a
member of the Taranaki Provincial Council from 1869 to 1873. He and
was a foundation member of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.
He died at Lower Hutt on 25th February, 1911. He leaves a widow and a grown up family of four sons and three daughters. He was bur: Taita Cemetery M01.17 with Ellen. Wilson
Hursthouse - Children to 1st Wife: Ellen
Humphries:
(1) Ernest William Hursthouse; (2) Margaret Kate Hursthouse; (3) Helen Maria Hursthouse (4) Harold Franklin Hursthouse; (5) Dennis (Flinders) Wilson Hursthouse (6) Alice Mary Hursthouse (7) Ella Hursthouse Wilson Hursthouse - Daughter of 2nd Wife/partner: Mere Te Rongopamamao Aubrey
Charles Wilson Hurshouse (seated left: with his team. Evening Post 13 Jan 1925 Women in Print There are a great many pioneer residents and others in various parts of the Dominion who will hear with great regret of the death of Mrs C.W. Hursthouse, which occurred at her residence, Bellevue crescent, Lower Hutt, at the age of 77, after an illness lasting several months. Mrs Hursthouse, who was a Miss Humphries, came from London with her parents, Dr and Mrs Humphries, in the early days of New Plymouth. Later Mrs Hursthouse took up her residence in Wellington, and from there removed to the Lower Hutt, where she lived for the past fifteen years. She was a great social worker, and gave her services ungrudgingly during the Great War, and also did much to assist the Anglican Boys’ Home. She is survived by three daughters – Mrs Lattey, of Wellington; Mrs A. G. Anderson of Wanganui; Mrs R. H. Dowker, of Marlborough; and Miss Hursthouse, of Lower Hutt; and three sons – Mr E. W. Hursthouse, of Wellington; Mr H. J. Hursthouse of Blenheim; and Mr D. W. Hursthouse, of Hastings. Great sympathy will be felt for the relatives, including her sisters, the Misses Humphries, of New Plymouth.  |
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