Prepared by Robert Higham
This is an unfinished Time-Line of Karaka.
Setting out to be about the Karaka Land Company; its contribution to the
development and subdivision into dairy farms of a deserted wasteland. There is no
doubt that the Karaka Land Company was – by far -the biggest subdivider and seller
of Karaka land of those developers that undertook such risks and sheer hard work.
But in making this time-line so far, each avenue of information brings forth other
details that contribute to Karaka’s story such as history before the Karaka Land
Company, access to the area by sea / road / rail, the people who also made a
contribution to Karaka’s development, schools - because population and families
started growing, other social activities, and this Time-line has many other items
that could – and should - be included. Although some have been touched on. For
example: World Wars 1 and 2 e-ect on development with men away, Kingseat
Hospital sta- and families e-ect on school, veterinary and farm advisory services,
sport (two tennis clubs, rugby, croquet, bowls), and many other aspects.
But it’s the people of Karaka and those early farmers who not only nourished and
farmed their land to create the countryside as it is today, and who contributed to
society as well.
Many references used have had confusion or conflict with dates and/or facts. Some
that were obviously wrong (old memories play tricks at times); those have been
omitted. A few that have been conflicting have been included so the reader can
reflect and decide, and some just didn’t have dates at all! But mostly I believe the
facts are corroborated that have been laid out.
Many are the names of old-time farmers that could be included –
C Hindmarsh, C Mansell, L Henwood, B Falconer (County Coucillors)
J Fitzpatrick, G Taylor, P Torrens (carriers),
Shepherd, Heighway (groceries and general store and bus service)
Walker, Forbes, Boswell, Chapman, Sutton, Gleeson (Garage properietors
and repairers of farm machinery)
Bycroft, Farnsworth, Carpenter, Yates (seed harvesters and computerised dairy
technology), Charles, Wright, Johnston, Winstone, Ellett, Kidd, Bryant, Hayr,
Moody, Eggleton, Ross brothers (& their Papakura milk home deliveries), Irons,
Lever, Wilding, Vickers, Parkinson, Harkness, Higham, Madgwick, Hill, Higgins,
Scown, Jolly, Walters, Dreadon, Costar, Potter, Grant, Jagger, Wood, Jamieson, Guy,
Sim, McRobbie, Slack, Molden, Muir, Hoskings, Sharplin, Brunt - and there’s many
more too that all have a story of contribution to Karaka’s growth, development,
socialising, and sport.
Because this was originally to have “The Karaka Land Company” emphasis, those
entries are shown in Red.The Story of Karaka over the years
(23 Sep 2025)
Before European settlement,
a Maori Chief, Karaka TeAua had a pa on the western side of
Whatapaka Inlet and it is thought this the most likely reason that the
name “Karaka” was given to the area.
Other suggestions are that:
(a) it was the name given to the Te Karaka Maori Reserve
about five miles from the pa (north-eastern end of Urquhart Road).
(b) George Clarke a trusted missionary and signatory to the
Deed of Purchase whose name translates to “Karaka” in Maori.
(c) Or it may have been named after the Clark family who
settled along the foreshore of Waiau Pa and Karaka.1840’s
1842 Aug Land in Franklin area o+ered to the Crown by Maori (ref. Morris 1965.64)
o+ered by Chief’s Waaka Kaihau and Katipa, a long strip of land from
Manukau Harbour to Waikato River.
1843 Dec 7 Crown purchased “Pukekohe No. 1 block, Manukau District” on south
side of Manukau Harbour from nine chiefs of Ngatiteata tribe, excluding
native reserve (Karaka, or, Te Karaka Reserve). Soon after purchase, it
transpired that Ngatiteawa were not it’s principal owners, that they had a
secondary claim only. (ref. Husbands & Riddell, The Alienation of South
Auckland Lands, Wellington, Waitangi Tribunal Divn, 1993)
1844 First land survey
1844 June 7 Three lots of 1,165 acres were sold by the Crown along the Karaka
foreshore (ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1844 Sep 5 First sale of land from The Crown (ref. NZ Gazette 4 (21) 131
1844 Sept A further 2,450 acres of land sold by the Crown. Price was £1per acre,
but purchases were not paid in cash; they were for settlement of Old
Land Claims, i.e. land that had been bought elsewhere but which were
a+ected by investigations into sales pre 1840 (before the Treaty of
Waitangi was signed in 1840) (ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1844 Oct Two further land sales recorded, Lot 13 of160 acres to E.Fishwick and Lot
28 on Hingaia Creek foreshore to W.White at £1 per acre.
(ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1845 2,356 acres in several lots sold to J Wooley at £1 per acre on north side of
today’s Karaka Road in the vicinity of today’s Karaka School
1845 By this time, blocks changed hands for less than five shillings (p/acre),
excepting the better land along much of the Karaka foreshore which was
surveyed into mile square blocks held by the Glasson, Urquhart, Clark,
and Bryant families. (ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
(note – land subdivided into 1 square mile grid, then minor subdivision
into halves (or 320 acres), then into quarters (or 160 acres). The seaboard
were about 175 to 430 acres. There was much rectangular subdivision,
but no area where the square grid system dominated as much as in
Karaka)1850’s
1853 The sale and purchase of land in 1843 above had immediately been
opposed by Mohi Te Ngu and Ihaka Takaanini of Akitai (or Ngatimaoho
tribe) resulting in further payment by the Crown to that tribe.
(ref. Karaka 75th Jubilee book)
1854 to 1858 A resurvey made of the southern area of Karaka Parish. (South of
Waiuku – Dury Road)
1855 Auckland Provincial Council voted money for a Karaka/Weymouth ferry
for access to Karaka (not uplifted until 1859) (ref. Morris 1965.100)
1856 Mar 28 Charles Cameron advertised that charges for his private ferry service,
no longer gratis, now 10/- per passenger and 5/- per horse
(ref. Southern Cross 4/4/1856)
1858 John Glasson (from a large sheep station in Orange, New South Wales),
bought 900 acres of Karaka land. His homestead was named Linwood,
the materials for which were shipped by waka from Onehunga.
(ref. N Z Memories Apr/May 2011)
1859 Mr & Mrs Alexander Vesey Urquhart and brother Mr Arthur Urquhart
bought 1000 acres (firstly about 290 acres from Mr Cameron, a
Welshman, at end of today’s Urquhart Road). Unfenced, stock wandered
over thousands of acres. (ref. E.A (Gus) Urquhart, son of A V Urquhart,
speech notes early 1960’s). (More land was purchased and added soon
after).
1859 Karaka foreshore land acquired by Alexander Dalziel was on-sold after
1859 to Clark and Urquhart families (ref Te Hihi 75th Jubilee book)
1859 William Aitken started to accumulate Karaka land concentrating on the
peninsula within the Whangamaire and Oira streams in the north-east
of the Parish. Over 42 years (but mostly 1874 – 1884) he accumulated
6757 acres (2734.5 ha) (ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)1860’s
1860 1864 1869 1868 1867 Sep Aug O+icial Karaka/Weymouth ferry started operating. Prior to 1860, the
Welshman Cameron operated a private limited service.
survey of suitable railway route from Drury to Waikato River
(ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
C.J.Taylor, Chairman of Trustees of Karaka Road Board wrote that in the
whole of Karaka Parish there were only six bona fide settlers
(ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book) (landowners were mostly living
elsewhere in NZ and Australia)
Karaka Highway Board sought tenders for bridge on Waiuku Road
(presently Blackbridge & Muir Roads) nearest Drury (possibly Black
Bridge).
Karaka Highways Board was constituted and existed until 1915 when it
merged with Franklin Council (ref. Karaka School 75th Jubilee book).
(As no public building existed, meetings were held in the Farmer Hotel,
Drury).1871 Dec 5 1872 1874 1875 1875 1875 1875 1870 ‘s
The Provincial Government Karaka/Weymouth Ferry service taken over
by the Karaka Highway Board
(ref. Karaka Highway Board Minute Book 5/12/1871
Dec 17 Weymouth to Karaka bridge petition to Superintendent of Auckland
Provisional Council to connect proposed Mangere bridge with Waiuku
district via Karaka
(plans preserved in Provincial Council Archives, Auckland Public Library)
Apr 29 Land fronting Waiuku Road owned by W. Aitken o-ered for sale.
(ref. Archives NZ). William Aitken owned a large area known as Richmond
Park from Hingaia to Whangamaire inlet (Glasson’s Creek)
(ref. notes by Vern Scown)
March Auckland Provincial Council made a substantial contribution to erection
of (probably) Black Bridge
Railway line opened (ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
May 14 Road Board petitioned Auckland Provincial Council to declare the road
from Great South Rd to Waiuku a main trunk road.
Tender for erection of a bridge on Waiuku Road, accepted from George
Nelson Bryant, a carpenter who had immigrated from Australia and had
bought land (now Bryant Road). (ref. family history). An undated signed
contract specified the Bridge for the “Sth Highways Trustees” to be
finished by 31 December 1875. Now known as Black Bridge because “all
woodwork and joinings should have a good coat of tar” were specified.
(ref. Pam Moore, A Sense of History)1880’s
1880 1886 1887 By this time, Mr William Aitken had owned a large portion of Karaka land.
He named his land Richmond Park. He ploughed some 60 acres and
grew a crop of turnips and fattened cattle on them surprising locals but it
reverted to fern. (ref. Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 25 March 1913)
(note: crops were grown by settlers in these decades – oats, turnips, as
above, Aitken also grew tomatoes he shipped to Onehunga in his own
steam launch ‘Firefly’ from the end of now Dykes Road, Williams grew
danthonia for seed, Urquhart family grew apples, Glassons grew fruit
in preference to livestock initially)
An economic depression started lasting for ten years
(ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
Karaka Number 1 school was opened on the hill in Laing Road, on
Urquhart’s property. (ref Te Hihi School 75th Jubilee book)1890’s
1890 Karaka / Weymouth Ferry service redundant, due to roads being
established.
1898 A Kauri Gum Store built at the north-western approach to Black Bridge by
Mr Gillett, a prominent footballer. (ref. E.A.Urquhart)
1899 Karaka Number 1 School on Laing Road closed due to insu+icient pupils
(ref Te Hihi School 75th book)
1899 (about) A block of about 9,000 acres of Richmond Park sold by William Aitken
to Mr T.C.Williams (son of well-known Paihia missionary). Mr.J.Flanagan
was appointed Manager who improved the land and purchased one ton
of gorse seed from France for sheep feed, As the gorse seed failed to
arrive, he planted grass which grew satisfactorily.
(ref, Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 25 March 1913)
1899 Mr Hugh Irwin, who earlier worked for Mr Williams family in Hawkes Bay
erected a seven wire and batten fence dividing the south-eastern portion
of the property along the Drury-Waiuku, and then the Karaka – Pukekohe
Roads following a ridge east of todays Wesley College
(ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
1899 Feb Ploughing commenced on William’s property on the south side of Drury
– Waiuku road. Williams purchased 27 single furrow Oliver ploughs and
employed locals with their own horses.
(ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
1899 Urquhart’s sold sheep @ three shillings and fourpence each (33 cents)1900’s
1900 (about) Butter retailed for sevenpence per pound (about 6 cents per 500 grams)
Early 1900’s Richmond Park owner Mr Williams grew danthonia for seed, about
present-day William Potter Lane. (ref. E.A.Urquhart).
Danthonia, a native grass was valued in the North Island where heavier
rainfall induces constant growth, but regarded as a weed and
unpalatable in the South Island and in dry country.
(ref. Weeds of NZ Hilgendorf / Calder)
(note: Mr Williams is reputed to have spent £40,000 on development of
his Karaka holdings during his ownership)
1902 to 1925 The number of holdings in Karaka Parish went up from 45 to 195.
1902 At this time, much of land in Karaka Parish lay idle and unproductive
(ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
1902 Four properties sold at asking price of £4/10/- to £5 per acre
(ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
1902 Sep 9 Arthur Austin Haliday family moved from Mangere to a Karaka property
they purchased. (ref. Karaka School 75th Jubilee book)
1903 Creamery erected (ref Karaka School 75th Jubilee book)
According to E.A. (Gus)Urquhart memory, the Creamery was erected
near the eastern side of Black Bridge about 1899.
(An University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974) shows the name as Ambury
and English creamery. It was opened as a scheme to encourage dairy
farmers to the area for the Karaka Land Co but it closed after18 months
operation. (Note: It is understood closure was due to insu9icient grass
growth for dairying. Land use continued with cattle and sheep)
1903 Karaka Number 2 School opened. A two-roomed unit was built to
attract prospective farm purchasers on corner of BlackBridge and Karaka
Roads (SH2). (But later incorporated in a home near corner of Bycroft and
Karaka Roads). Mr. Friedlanders (Karaka Land Company) donated land
and the Education Board then built a single-room building on the corner
of Karaka and Black Bridge Roads, (later, (just after WW2), the site of the
Headmasters house).
(ref. A Sense of History Karaka School 75th Jubilee book)1903 Karaka Number 1 School on Laing Road re-opened with a part-time
teacher dividing his time between this and Karaka Number 2 School (on
Blackbridge Road) (ref Te Hihi School 75th centennial book)
1904 Helvetia Ostrich Farm Company formed. Partners were L A & N A
Nathan and John Schlaepfer; J Schlaepfer owned the land. Directors were
J Schlaepfer, W Batty, and W F Massey (NZ’s Prime Minister)
(ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
1905 223 acres between Black Bridge and Mr Walker’s farm (western cnr of
today’s Karaka and Blackbridge Roads) sold to Mr John Woodwards from
Queensland, a residence and cowshed built for him.
This house was (in about 1907) repurchased, extended into a homestead
for the Batty family (ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
1907 April 16 Karaka Land Company Ltd incorporated as a private company. The
Registered o+ice was at Ashburton, 3000 shares each of £10 shares.
Subscribers were H.Friedlander (600), R.Friedlander (500), M.Friedlander
(500), J.Batty (750), G.G.Stead (150), M.Herz (100), P.L.Hallenstein (100),
H.E.Hart (100), E.Hallenstein (100), H.Kohn (100) (ref. Ashburton
Guardian issue 7162).
1907 June About this time, Karaka Land Co acquires 8000 acre estate
(ref. “Manukau’s Journey” by B Ringer)
1907 Mr. J.Batty, a Canterbury farmer from Methven became Manager
of the Karaka Land Co. An object was to subdivide their block into 100 to
200 acre farms. Until this time, farms had sold for £9 to £16 according to
what had been done and the Company had about 7000 acres left. He top-
dressed 1200 acres with Slag and Super and carried about 7000 sheep.
He sold 3359 prime or extra-prime lambs that season averaging 19s and
4pence, and over 600 store cattle and 200 springing heifers averaging £7
each. 30 draught horses were used constantly, and an average of 14
hands employed who used a moveable camp. 280 acres were in oats,
350 acres in turnips, 60 acres in ryegrass, 29 acres in Wolths grass. A
traction engine was used, also a cha+cutter, and an oat-crushing mill.
£2,500 spent that season for manures. (ref. Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 25
March 1913)
1907 -1917 Grass grub & Army caterpillar damaged crops (no insecticides then)
(ref. E.A.Urquhart speech notes early 1960’s)1908 1908 1908 1909 Jun 6 By now, the Karaka Land Company owned 7,958 acres, much of it
previously owned by land agent William Aitken, W.C.Williams, and the
Cathedral Trust (ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
Karaka No 1 School (on Laing Road) closed
Karaka Land Co. Ltd shareholder H. Friedlander had written a lengthy
article extolling the extraordinary results of using Basic Slag and top-
dressing onto pastures
(reproduced in Ashburton Guardian June 6th, 1908)
Mr Gil Bond, a new foreman who previously worked for Mr Batty came to
join him and contributed much to the preparation story; disposing of
gorse plantation (then 12 feet tall), then a ploughing and cropping
program. By 1912 they had 280 acres in oats, 350 acres in turnips, 600
acres in rye grass, using three hundredweight of slag every second year.
(ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey) (According to this source,
Mr Gil Bond and a shepherd working for the Karaka Land Co Mr Vic
Halliday both purchased properties in 1913).1911 1910’s
By this time, Joseph Batty and his two sons had established 3000 acres
of rye grass and clover in Karaka, using Canterbury methods and
Canterbury horses. (ref, The Karaka Land Company by J G Bilkey)
1911 onwards The Lindesay family had a virtual monopoly over the carrier
business. Percy and Jim Lindesay began with horse and wagon making
two trips a day to Papakura Railway station (no Hingaia bridge then) for
coal, fertiliser, supplies. Also shingle for roads from Kidd’s pits on the
harbour’s shores, and metal from Glassons landing (beside present day
Glassons bridge, barged or by scow from Onehunga.
(ref. NZ Memories Apr/May 2011)
1911 and 1912 Arthur Yates & Company, seed merchants of Auckland purchased
1190 acres from Elizabeth Chamberlain of Drury.
In 1913 this was increased by 788 acres, and a further 476 acres by
Licence of Occupation with right of purchase, the freehold being gained
in 1917 (ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
1912 1912 March Karaka Road Board held public meeting discussing “Important Roading
Scheme through Karaka to Papakura”, bridging Hingaia and Glasson’s
creeks. (ref. Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, 8/10/12)
Survey map for Karaka Land Co Ltd subdivision of Allots.47 – 48 and 50,
a total of 1631 acres (+/-), Karaka Parish, Drury S.D., Manukau County,
(Plan 7691)
1912 March 20 Karaka Land Co subdivision advertised as 2500 acres in Auckland Star
1912 May Karaka Land Co estate at Karaka, about 3 miles from Runciman,
successfully sold by NZ Loan & Mercantile Agency Co Ltd in
conjunction with Buckland & Sons and Vaile & Sons by auction with brisk
bidding. Realised £11 to £16 per acres for the Homestead block, and
partly improved blocks realised £9 and £9/5/- per acre. (ref. Pukekohe &
Waiuku Times May 8th, 1912).
However, the N Z Farmer (January 1919 issue) which was reprinted in a
February issue of Pukekohe & Waiuku Times stated bidding was Not
brisk, private sales soon after auction cleared most.1912 Jun 29 Advertisement in Auckland Star for Auction on July 2nd at Papakura Yards
of 50 steers of Karaka Land Co. Due to selling part of their Karaka
Estate, the same paper advertises 100 dairy stock (20 Holstein/ 50
Jersey-Shorthorn/30 Shorthorn) plus 25 horses and farm implements for
auction at Karaka; conveyances would meet trains from Auckland and
Mercer at Drury.
1912 Aug Rainfall figures for August recorded by H.E.Glasson: 16 days with rain,
281 points (100 points to 1 inch), heaviest was 69 points on August 5th
.
(ref. NZ Gazette p2806)
1912 Sept Mr Ben Charles from Otago purchased 100 acres of furze and danthonia
having a carrying capacity of almost zero for £9/5/- per acre. He
ploughed 50 acres from September, grassed it early autumn, within two
months had 17 heifers and began milking in Spring. Milking Shorthorn
were preferred. Fertiliser was the secret.
(ref Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 4,7, and 14 Feb 1919)
1912 Nov 27 Wool Sales, auction held of 6120 bales in the Auckland Town Hall
Concert Chamber, from properties from Kerikeri, south to Tirau including
Gulf islands and Coromandel. Keen bidding maintained high prices.
Karaka Land Co sold 15 fine cross-bred bales @ 12.5pence. medium
cross-bred 18 @ 11.5pence, 6 @ 12.5pence (ref. Auckland Star 28 Nov
1912)
1912 – 1913 season Mr J. Batty had top-dressed 1200 acres with Slag and Super and
carried about 7000 sheep. He sold 3359 prime or extra-prime lambs that
season averaging 19s and 4pence, and over 600 store cattle and 200
springing heifers averaging £7 each. 30 draught horses were used
constantly, and an average of 14 hands employed who used a moveable
camp. 280 acres were in oats, 350 acres in turnips, 60 acres in ryegrass,
29 acres in Wolths grass. A traction engine was used, also a cha+cutter,
and an oat-crushing mill. £2,500 spent that season for manures.
(Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 25 March 1913)
1913 Land purchased by Wesley Training College Trust Board
(ref. Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1913 Apr 25 Second subdivision of Karaka Estate Advertising for auction at Chamber
of Commerce, Auckland of 20 farms from 29 to 219 acres. (ref. Advert
Karaka Museum). 19 blocks were put up, 11 sold immediately and o+ers
made for others later. (Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 29 April 1913 )1913 Apr 25 1913 July 13 1913 July 19 1913 Oct 29 1913 Nov 10 1913 Nov 30 1914 1914 Mar 9 At the same date and place as the Karaka Land Co auction, Mr Jasper
Wm Browne placed his 250 acre farm (adjoining Karaka Land Co land)
for auction (Advert Auckland Star 19 Apr 1913)
Karaka Road Board wrote to Minister of Public Works about a bridge over
Hingaia Creek. (ref. Karaka Road Board Minutes, National Archives)
Plans produced for bridges over both Hingaia and Whangamaire
(Glassons) creeks. (ref. Karaka Road Board Minutes, National Archives)
Special constables were sought and began enrolment by Prime Minister
William Ferguson Massey’s Reform Government as a result of the Wharf
strikes (or lockouts) at Auckland and Wellington. The NZ Farmers Union
was concerned to keep the wharves free and export trade moving. (NZ
Herald 1 and 3 Nov 1913)
1,902 mounted volunteers (known as Massey’s Cossacks by opponents)
came from farms in Waikato, South Auckland, and Northland, of which
one was from Karaka. (The Camp Gazette 23 January 1914)
As a result of conversation with Mr Crowe (Auckland Education Board) a
letter sent from Mr A C Lipscomb (farm manager of Arthur Yates & Co Ltd)
to AEB suggesting site for Te Hihi School (todays present site)
(ref Te Hihi School centenary book)
Mr A C Lipscomb wrote on behalf of Arthur Yates & Co Ltd to Auckland
Education Board o+ering to erect a school building and grass the site of
Te Hihi School for rental of £10 per annum.
(ref Te Hihi School centenary book)
Mr & Mrs J Grant came to Karaka, their ungrassed farm could not
support a cow for months. (Her father, a road contractor made Beach
Road with a team of horses
(ref. Mrs J Grant, Franklin County News Sept 1, 1976)
Te Hihi School opened with 12 pupils enrolled with Miss M. Malloy sole
teacher. It was the third school opened in Karaka. The original one-room
Te Hihi building was used for storage in later years and was restored for
its 2014 centennial. Te Hihi school was first administered by the Karaka
school committee (ie the Karaka Number 1 school on Laing Road).
(ref Te Hihi School centennial book)1914 Mar 16 1914 April 1916 July 6 1916 1916 1919 – 1922 tenders received for bridges over Hingaia and Whangamaire (Glassons)
Creeks. (ref. Karaka Road Board Minutes, National Archives)
Advertising for the balance of land of Karaka Estate for auction. NZ
Loan Mercantile Agency and Messrs Alfred Buckland & Sons advertised
50 farms from 30 to 200 acres for auction on 24th April 1914, and another
advertisement showing 2,500 acres of their estate subdivided into 100 to
200 acres. The bulk of the land o+ered was bounded by the Whangamaire
Creek / Manukau harbour / Whangapouiri creek including present day
Linwood Rd (from a proposed Hingaia bridge site), Karaka North Rd,
Dykes Rd, Walters Rd, Blackbridge Rd, Muir Rd (north side), but also eight
other lots to the south-west.
Notice in NZ Gazette of intention to transfer allotments from Karaka
Land Co to: B. Charles, E B Taylor, J S Henderson, Reid, J. Beatty,
Wallace, W. Beatty, J Wood, J Glasgow, N Tutt, M J Wallace, N A Costar,
Ambury Ltd, J S Montgomery, F M Rennie, A V Halliday, G J Bond,
J S Fitch, F Grant, M A Costar, J Muir, F Wood, Kerr, G D Smith,
J Williamson, J D McNaughton, J Hardie, S Batty, P H Sutton,
E D McLennan, H W Gibbs, A Bathow, D Finlayson, G Finlayson, J Ross,
A S McNaughton, Hodgson, J McBean, T L White, R Humphries,
G W Feltham, T Irons, L S King, and C O H Moon.
(ref NZ Gazette Vol 2, 1916, p2)
Sections from 60 to 214 acres put up for sale by Helvetia Ostrich Farm
Co. (ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
Glassons Bridge on Linwood Rd, and Hingaia Bridge opened.
Constructed of reinforced concrete (a new construction method). This
was the third Glassons bridge (Whangamaire stream) crossings, the first
two being on present Muir Road, (formerly known as Drury – Waiau Pa
Road), which was a main east-west access at that time.
Land was sold by Arthur Yates & Co. It was the last of the three land
development companies to sell land thus capitalising on the other
company’s sales. (ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)1919 Jan 1919 Nov 11 An article in January number of N Z Farmer titled Clay and Clover –
Karaka’s Progress mentions ….. “not an acre of even the poorest clay
country which cannot be redeemed from a wilderness and made
productive by proper cultivation and manure” … “originally covered
with ti-tree and furze, with small clearings where fern and danthonia
struggled for mastery” ….. it also mentions careless kauri gum diggers
along the flats on the shores, causing fire after fire in the wild growth
which burnt the heart out of the soil, and that reputation of Karaka land
was “useless”. (ref reprint by Pukekohe and Waiuku Times 4/2/1919,
7/2/1919, 14/2/1919)
Peace Trees. To commemorate the end of World War 1, two oak trees
were planted by Mr. E. Yates and Mr. J. Batty at the entrance to the Karaka
Recreation Club Ground on Kidd Road.1920’s
Early 1920’s 1920 1920 1920 1921 1921 Aug 8 1922 1922 Mr T P Lindesay, the local carrier changed his horse and wagon service to
motorised transport. His wife drove the first mail van, a Ford model “T”
The service included delivery of groceries, parcels, and meat. (See 1926.)
By this date, Karaka North School, in Karaka North Road, a single-room
building was operating, built by Grant Bros. a short distance from today’s
Linwood Road on the eastern side. Dates of opening and closing are
unknown, but Karka Museum has memoirs of past pupil.
As nothing finalised by the Education Board, Te Hihi School land and
buildings which had been o+ered for them to purchase was then o+ered
as a gift by Messrs Yates which was accepted by the Board.
(ref Te Hihi School centenary book)
The New Zealand Co-op Dairy Company purchased 25 acres from Mr J.
Schlaepfer (snr) (ref Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
Laing family from Tuakau bought scrub-land to break-in for a run-o+ (later
becoming two brother’s farms) in what is now Laing Road. (ref, I.Laing)
Paerata School opened as a side-school of Pukekohe using a temporary
shed = 15 feet square, iron roof, 6ft 6ins to 7ft 6in high
(ref Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
By this time, the wholesale subdivision of Karaka Parish had taken
place, mostly between 1912 and 1922, and dominated by holdings under
150 acres (60ha), associated with land development companies – Karaka
Land Co,(by far the largest enterprise), Helvetia Ostrich Farm Co., and
Arthur Yates and Co. (ref. University Thesis by I C Bush, Oct 1974)
First Karaka Hall built on the site of the present Karaka War Memorial
Hall opened by Rt Hon W F Massey. The hall had “a handsome floor of
specially milled matai. The land was donated by one farmer, and another
the money and was built by local farmer’s voluntary labour. Until then,
use was made of a hay barn for social functions,
1922 Aug 22 Wesley Training College, Methodist Boarding School for Boys took up
residence (ref, Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1924 March 3 Paerata School permanent building opened at Tuhimata Road being a
di+erent location from the temporary school
(ref: Paerata 50th Jubilee book)1924 March 6 N.Z. Co-op Dairy Co. opened “most modern butter factory in NZ”
(ref Paerata School 50th Jubilee book)
1925 (about) 1925 1925 1925 1926 1929 Karaka Number 1 School at Laing Road, unused from 1908 was resited
on Urqhuart Road and opened as Karaka Point School. (ref Te Hihi 75th
Jubilee book)
Footings had been prepared for Karaka Number 2 School (present day
Karaka School) on its present site. (ref. memory of Mr Dick Mansell, A
Sense of History)
Mr. Mansell (snr), (Grandfather of Fraser Mansell) left Mangere and
bought in Karaka for £32/2/- per acre
(ref. C Mansell, Franklin County News Sept 1, 1976)
The number of holdings were 195 (Up from 45 in 1902)
By now Lindesay’s carrying business had a 1924 and a1926 Dennis
trucks with solid rubber tyres – one a tipper, the other had to be unloaded
by shovel. Percy built a trailer. During the lamb season, they operated 24
hours a day, -eating and sleeping whenever possible as the farmers
loaded them - and could carry 100 lambs (8 tonne)
(ref. N Z Memories Apr/May 2011)
Chevrolet trucks joined the Lindesay Carrying fleet but “didn’t last long,
broke down all the time” (ref. N Z Memories Apr/May 2011)1930’s
1931 1932 1932 1930 May 1936 1937 1938 1938 (about) 1939 Apr 29 Karaka Hall installed its first septic tank – (eight years without one)
Karaka Branch of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers was
formed and flourished for 68 years.
Lindesay Carriers acquired two Morris Commercial Leader trucks.
Tom Lindesay aged 15 left school to drive one of these.
(ref. N Z Memories Apr/May 2011)
Hingaia Bridge had subsided several inches and closed temporarily for
repairs (ref. Franklin Times 4/6/30)
John Fitzpatrick had the cream pickup run to Paerata Factory
Karaka Point School closed and pupils bussed to Papakura Central
School on Great South Road near Papakura/Karaka War Memorial.
(memories of pupil Jean Higham (now Bell)
Pukekohe Golf Club purchased 128 acres with a house at Karaka for
£4,480. The Club, established in 1912 had previously used land at Adams
Rock (now Cape Hill), A&P Showgrounds, Roulston Bros. property, and
Franklin Racing Club property (ref. Pukekohe Golf Club book)
Thompson & Hills Pea Factory was built pre-World-war 2 in Urquhart
Road, sheathed in flattened-out four-gallon jam tins. Operated from 1939
(ref. Bay of Plenty Times) until about 1955
Pukekohe Golf Club in Karaka opened by M.P. Mr. J.N.Massey (ref.
Pukekohe Golf Club book)1940’s
1942 1942 1943 1946 1948 Mar Karaka Women’s Division raised £5000 in 2 months for contribution for a
Spitfire for the RAF in aid of the War e+ort
Karaka Womens Division took over weekly occupational therapy
classes at Kingseat Hospital for 12 years
While sheep were grazed on back half of Pukekohe Golf Club to provide
an income, a front portion was leased to the War E-ort until 14th
November 1945, as the American Forces had arrived, and some used for
a 9 hole course, saving the club from financial ruin. Vegetables grown for
Pacific Fleet and troops to a dehydration factory in Pukekohe. Land girls
were drafted to work this land. (ref. Pukekohe Golf Club book)
The number of holdings is 233 (up from 195 in 1925)
Because of good wool prices, Pukekohe Golf Club purchased 650 sheep
for £1,500 and terminated the ten-year lease to Mr Urquhart
(ref. Pukekohe Golf Club book)1950’s onwards
1951 Oct 3
A proposal by the Hall committee to build a new hall be to replace the
existing Karaka Hall on the same site.
1952
Karaka Womens Division contributed financially toward Westminster
Abbey restoration
1954 June
Hingaia Bridge closed to tra+ic due to poor condition
1954 July
Work started on the new Hingaia bridge (ref. Waiuku News 30/7.54)
1954
St Margaret’s Anglican Church consecrated
(ref. Franklin County News Sept 1, 1976)
1955 Feb 9
The newspaper “The Ribbon” reports An helicopter does a first job for a
farmer to control white butterfly caterpillars and Diamond-back
moths.
1955 Feb 24
Karaka War Memorial Hall opened by Governor-General Sir
Willoughby Norrie. After 10,000 man-hours of voluntary labour it was
completed in a year. (Tenders had been unacceptable)
(ref. Franklin County News Sept 1, 1976).
20 Karaka men served in World War 1, and 10 came back.
About 40 served including 2 nursing sisters; 11 lost their lives.
1970
A notable feature of Karaka Parish is the lack of 10 acre blocks – only one
ten-acre block subdivision in the area. However, a large number of
holdings of less than 1 acre exist resulting from residential sections
subdivided from farms, particularly in the 1950’s when many farmers who
took up land in the 1920’s retired.
1970
The number of holdings over 5 acres in Karaka Parish is 224, similar to
1922 but a trend was that holdings were increasing in size.