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Some
indications of what a settlers lot was really like:
ˇ
Asked whether life was enjoyed in the early days, Mr McEwan stated that
it undoubtedly was. "There were no local bodies to bother you, no
rates, no labour laws, very little politics and no government
inspectors."
ˇ
Water, a chore to collect, was used economically. A basin of water would
first wash the dairy utensils whilst fresh, then bath the baby. Next it
was used to wash the clothes, the dishes and finally the cleaning of
floors etc before being given to the pigs.
ˇ
There were rough slab huts, roofs of Raupo thatching, calico windows and clay
floors and chimneys. Open fireplaces tried to burn often damp logs with
heavy iron pots, kettles and camp ovens needed to be constantly watched
over. Wooden boxes made tables and chairs, feather beds were usually
brought from 'home' and put together with bedsteads of saplings.
Otherwise mattresses were made with ferns and raupo. Pillows were made
from feathers of local birdlife, the birds ending up on the menu.
ˇ
"I am going to open a Coffee House, and sell ready made tea and coffee;
There is no-one in the colony that does it, and I think it will pay very
well." (from a letter written by a settlers wife)
ˇ
Men were addressed by their surnames, women were sometimes addressed by
their Christian names or sometimes by the more formal 'Miss or Mrs'. The
cook was always referred to as 'Mrs' whether married or not, a sign of
elevated status in the household.
ˇ
There were no matches. If fire, lamp or candle were to be lighted, a
tinderbox of burnt linen rag, was used. The rag was kept in a tin box
with a small piece of steel and flint. A spark was struck on to the
tinder rag and when alight, a small sliver of wood (match) that had been
dipped in sulphur was applied to it. You needed a 'good' tinder to be
successful.
ˇ
There were new pleasures too for the professional men. Each on his 20
acres was hard at it. "Faustian coats and thick shoes are very
fashionable and you would laugh to see officers, doctors and dandies,
digging, thatching and chopping with great frenzy..........economy is
the order of the day and I carpenterise, carry logs and go to council
without detriment to my gentility." (The writer was apparently a
batchelor)
ˇ
"I am in a chronic state of hunger; it is the fault of the fine air and
the outdoor life; and then how one sleeps at night! I don't believe you
really know in England what it is to be sleepy as we feel sleepy here,
and it is delightful to wake up in the morning with a sort of joyous
light-heartedness which only young children have."
ˇ
"My mother talks about not being able to bear my being a slave
(Servant?), but I feel myself less a slave now that I see I can do
everything for myself than I ever did before."
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(Of Manawatu settlers) "There were just 2 seasons, the mud season & the
mosquito season." The latter was said to be the worst. They were
terrible, even the animals suffered from "the contented little cusses
that sing while they toil"
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