100 years ago — from our archives
Wounded well looked after
THAT New Zealand can rest assured of the best of treatment of our boys in the Homeland is aptly shown by the following extracts from the letter of a wounded Hokianga boy. He says: ‘‘A fellow cannot help but get well here — in fact, my leg is healing too quickly for my liking, and I suppose they will be shipping me across to a convalescent home at Hornchurch or Oaklands. We get the very best of everything here. The sisters cannot do enough for us. Just fancy sleeping in sheets and pyjamas, and living on fish, chops, steak, eggs, stout, etc., after the way we have been ‘existing’ in France for the last few months. I am not in a hurry to get back again now that I am here. Visiting parties from London and elsewhere come three times a week and give us concerts — very decent, too. Everyday we have plenty of lady visitors, who bring us books, sweets, fruit, and all sorts of luxuries. There is no mistake, New Zealand’s sick and wounded are well cared for while in hospital; and I consider a fellow who can get a wound like mine and get across here with it is very, very fortunate. It is one of the joys and pleasures of soldiering.’’
Old settler’s death
Mr Cochrane Weir, of ‘‘Greenbank’’, Pukehiki, but better known of ‘‘Glenweir’’, Sandymount, Otago Peninsula, has passed away at the age of 76. Mr Weir was born at Leith, Scotland, and at the age of six arrived with his parents in 1848. He first worked with his father, Mr Daniel Weir of Anderson Bay, but later proceeded to the diggings at Lake Wakatipu and Dunstan, where he met with considerable success till the Shotover flood carried away his savings. Mr Weir, who still owned some horses, went overland to the West Coast diggings. He joined a partner and started storekeeping and packing. After the lapse of two years and ahalf, Mr Weir returned to Dunedin, and in 1867 started farming at Sandymount. His first purchase was 80 acres covered with dense bush, which he cleared and cultivated. Later he purchased the two adjoining farms, now forming the wellknown ‘‘Glenweir’’ property, where he reared his favourite Ayrshires, of which he was a competent judge. In 1908 he retired to ‘‘Greenbank’’, leaving three of his sons to manage. Mr Weir was a successful exhibitor at the agricultural shows, where it was no uncommon sight to see father and sons competing in the same ring. Mr Weir was a loyal member of the Presbyterian Church, holding the office of deacon for 45 years. He was twice married, his first wife, Miss
Alison Achibald, leaving a family of four, and the second wife, Miss Alison M’Kay, leaving a family of 12, four of whom enlisted. One has paid the supreme sacrifice, and another
lost his left hand.
Baby recovering
The sixdaysold female infant found at the Henderson railway station in a dressbasket is reported to have recovered and to be progressing well. Detective Sweeney, who is investigating the matter, has ascertained that the little foundling journeyed in its basket to Henderson by the train which arrived there at 5.15 p.m. from Auckland. The basket was found on a seat by the porter after all the passengers had gone. The extraordinary feature of the case is that, after the basket had been placed in the luggage room, no sound from the baby inside was heard all the time the staff was on duty the remainder of that evening. It was not until about 10.30 a.m. next day that the child’s faint cries at last attracted the clerk, who had gone to the station office to overtake some arrears of work. — ODT, 30.6.1917. An exceptional catch at Pounawea: A 41lb (19kg) groper caught on a light cod line by an Invercargill visitor. — Otago Witness, 27.6.1917.