Asthma cigarettes

Having received a letter some time ago from an aging relative in which she described grandmother Julia Ann Draffin nee Costello sitting at her bedroom window smoking her asthma cigarettes in the early 1930's, I've always been intrigued about these items.

Julia Ann was born in 1866 in Coromandel to Margaret Costello and an unknown father. She grew up at Tapu with her mother who married John McAllister at Thames in 1870. Julia Ann married John Charles Draffin at St Benedicts in Auckland in 1890 and raised a brood of children. They lived at Edwin St, Mt Eden and Charles was foreman on the Nihotupu Dam construction and Western Springs park.

The Costello's were from Tipperary Ireland and lived in the hills behind Coromandel with local Maori from about 1847.

Ruth Park in her autobiography ' A Fence Around the Cuckoo' was writing about the effects of the 'Great Depression', very sober reading. She mentioned that people were too poor to see a doctor and mostly relied on patent medicine. One of these was 'asthma cigarettes' which were plain marijuana. So thanks Ruth for answering one of those little questions in life. I can just picture this little Irish-Maori woman enjoying herself sneaking these puffs away from prying eyes (or so she thought!).

Who was she?

In the middle of 1874, James Jrn Mackie appealed to the Coromandel-Waikato Maori to open the Piako lands to the pakeha for prospecting. Mr Mackie arranged the meetings, sponsored by Ngatipaoa, the biggest of which was at Whakatiwai. A great Rangatira of that tribe had gone to personally deliver invitations in a great red war canoe to tribes of Coromandel, Te Aroha, Paeroa and Waikato.
The meeting opened on the August 14th and was attended by many Europeans from Thames and Auckland.
The chief speakers were Wirimu Kingi, Ngakapa Te Karauna, Tuku Rera, Mataia, Hata Paka, Hopepa, Kapane, Hopiana and a Pakeha woman that came from the Coromandel area living with Maoris and tattoed as the Maori females were of that day.
The result was that the government purchased the land for £2000 in addition to a large sum in the shape of raihana or orders (in the shape of clothing etc).
Source; The history and legends of the Western Coast of the Hauraki Gulf. Paperspast.

Kauri and WW2

At the beginning of WW11, New Zealand coastal defense was found to be quite poor. On 17 December 1941 the War Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Supply Council that twelve Fairmile motorboats should be built, and the orders were distributed among four Auckland firms. The estimated cost of each vessel was £35,000, making a total of £420,000 for the twelve. There was the difficulty in getting supplies of first-class kauri timber, which was used for the frames and deck planking, The first boat was commissioned on the 21st of October 1942. But by this time it was fairly evident that these expensive craft were not needed in the anti-submarine organisation in New Zealand waters. They were formed into the 80th and 81st Motor Launch Flotillas and early in 1944 went to the Solomon Islands.

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c14.html

A wooden boat building boom. So where did this Kauri come from? An older resident of Coromandel told me the story of contractors combing the Coromandel bush around this time for Kauri logs which before then had not been considered economical to remove. These included logs which had jumped the booms and headed into inaccessable places. The contractors, some of them local were culling the last of the Kauri from the land. A petition and phone call by locals was sent to parliament to preserve the special kauri on the Coroglen Rd and this was permitted by the Supply Council.

Sometime in the 70-80's the old contractors were interviewed on Auckland's radio about these times. I'd like to know who they were.

Hori Ngakapa Te Whenainga, 11th March 1901

Amongst the native witnesses in attendance at the Supreme Court in connection with the Miranda murder trial at Auckland was an old Maori chief named Hori Ngakapa Te Whenainga, a deeply tattooed warrior, who saw .service in the Waikato campaign, and who is the last surviving chief of rank in the Ngatiwhanaunga tribe, of Coromandel and the Miranda. Hori is a venerable and interesting link with the early history of this city. He, when a young man of 20 or so, was one of the braves , of the Ngatipaoa and other tribes who made the memorable invasion of Auckland in their canoes in 1853, in consequence of the arrest of one of their chiefs, and he took part in the war-like demonstration on the beach at Waipapa, now known as Mechanics Bay. In 1863 he joined in the Waikato war, and led an attack with a number of his tribe on a force of soldiers at "Martin's Clearing," on the road near Drury, where, a sharp fight took place. Ho also fought at Rangiriri, and with many others, men and women, escaped from the pah by swimming across a creek on the fall of that stronghold. Hori's grandfather, was the celebrated old centenarian chief Te Taniwha ("Old Hook Nose"), who was a friend of Sir George Grey in the early days, and who, as a boy, saw Captain Cook's ship sail up the Hauraki Gulf.

CONVENT SCHOOL, COROMANDEL.

(Coromandel Star)
31st of December 1897
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES,
The distribution of prizes prior to Xmas vacation of above, with concert and exhibition of work, was held in St. George's Hall, on Thursday, December 9th.

The concert programme was as follows :-
Grand March by Maud Maguire, Queenie Martin (pianos); Willie Darby, Mrs Smythe (violins); Norah Carroll (harmonium).
The Minstrel Boy by Kathleen Parker, Florence Martin, Cyril Maguire (pianos); Willie Darby, Willie Sykes (violins); Alice Parker (harmonium).
The Chop Waltz by Mary and Nellie Jarvis, Maggie O'Brien, Alice Parker.
Musical Drill Violin solo, 'La Serenata,' Willie Darby.
Action Recitation - Boys.
The Osborne Quadrilles - Annie Manning, Maggie Younge, Norah Carroll, Minnie Colthurst, Lena Daly.
Fan Drill Violin solo, My lodging is on the cold ground,' Mrs Smythe.
Overture Fra Diavalo, Maud Maguire, Pearl King, Queenie Martin, Lena Daly, Norah Carroll, Kathleen Parker.
Drummer Boys in character.
The Liquid Gem by Rita Law, Mary Lillis, Freda Fremlin, Edith Morris, Ruth Dillinore, Lizzie Leach.
Cantata Red Riding Hood Red Riding Hood, Winnie McGettigan ; 'Mother,' Lena Daly; 'Rose,' Katie Murton 'Buttercup,' Mary Lillis ; 'Bluebell' Jessie Daly ; 'Robin,' Willie Darby; ' Woodman,' Willie Sykes' 'Wolf,' Willie Hinchco.
Chorus of children, Pianiste, Maud Maguire; violinist, Willie Darby.
Pianoforte Solo The Irresistible Galop, Maud Maguire.
Good-Bye lnfants..
Valedictory, Jessie Notiman.
FANCY EXHIBITION. The work exhibited was very attractive and tastefully presented. Following is the list :
Miss Lizzie Field, panel, bracket, chair rest, cushion.
Miss Egan, panel, bracket.
Miss King, panel, three cushions.
Miss Colebrook, cushion, bracket.
Miss Randle, two cushions, bracket.
Miss Field, one panel, bracket.
Miss Kate Carroll, panel, bracket, N.D. satchet.
Miss Nora Carroll, cushion, two half satchels.
Miss Lynch, two brackets.
Miss Maguire, mantle, drape, panel.
Miss Maguire, two cushions, panel, bracket.
Miss Maggie Field, tray cloth, chair rest.
Miss Martin, bracket, cushion, tray cloth.
Miss P. King cushion.
NEEDLEWORK EXHIBITORS. Misses M. Field, Lena Daly, K. Carroll, M. Sullivan, A. Manning, L. Leach, J. Nottman, R. King, M. Garvan, R. Blackwell, B. Reddy, B Dunster, K. Parker, A. Parker, M. Jarvis.
The distribution of prizes followed the concert.
Standard V. Lena Daly, Winnie McGettigan, Arnold Gledhill.
Standard IV. Norah Carroll, Maria Sullivan.
Standard 111. Jessie Nottman, Julia Sullivan, Willie Hinoho.
Standard II. Katie Field, Ruby King, Elsie Dunster, Mary Lillis, Kathleen Parker, Jessie Daly, Dan McGettigan. Leslie Gledhill, Bernard McGuiness.
Standard I. Freda Fremlin, Nellie Gilroy, Bridget Reddy, Ruth Delamore, Millie Garvan, Thomas Lillis, Harry Mulqueeney James Morris, James Connolly.
SPECIAL PRIZES.
Maggie Field, good attendance.
Annie Manning, good conduct.
Lizzie Leach, needlework.
Joseph Kneebone, drawing.
Willie Sykes, Catechism.
Willie Darby, music.
Kathleen Parker, music.
Willie Reddy, good conduct.
Mary Jarvis, neatness.
Nellie Jarvis, recitation.
The concert was well attended by parents and representative citizens, and the various items rendered by the pleasing and happy youngsters was quite a treat, the action songs being splendid, and admirably illustrative of what training can accomplish. The Sisters are to be complimented on the very abundant evidences of the success of their efforts, and in the various exhibits, also, was a fine display of dexterity in fancy and ornamental work. The distribution of prizes took place at the conclusion, the Rev. Father Egan performed this duty. The books were very lavish, having been obtained at considerable cost, the price of admission going to this purpose, and being generously supplemented by private donations. A quantity of toys delighted the hearts of the younger folk.

Stephen Adolphus Swaysland

Stephen Adolphus Swaysland, listed as a patient in the Thames Hospital between 1884 and 1888, was also a gardener at the hospital. Born in Brighton England, July 17 1825, Stephen was the son of Thomas Augustus, (the Collector of Town Rate for the Brighton Council) and Mary Ann Swaysland, nee Garbett.

Stephen came from an educated family. One of his sisters, Maria Addison Swaysland, married the Hon Robert Rainey Best, son of Lord Wynford the 2nd. Stephen had a military career before coming to NZ in 1856. He joined the British 12th Lancers in 1843 and transferred to the 10th Regiment of the Royal Hussars in 1846 and then served in India until 1851. In 1850 while in India, he married Ann Daldy, the widow of a soldier. He was discharged from the military in 1851. No record has been found of him between 1851 to 1858. When Ann Daldy (Swaysland) remarried in Australia in 1862, she stated on her marriage certificate that her husband, Stephen Adolphus Swaysland, had died in 1856. Stephen was very much alive and went on to marry Margaret Ann Bennett in Wellington NZ in1858 - making him a bigamist. Stephen and Margaret had 10 children; only 4 lived to adulthood. In 1869 Margaret died in Taita, near Wellington. Stephen left the 4 boys with farmers in the Hutt Valley, saying he was going South to look for work. He never returned. At 48 he married a 17 year old Ann Elizabeth Kennington in Christchurch NZ. They had two daughters. His third wife Ann Elizabeth Kennington, left him for a man called James Cunningham Johnson who was more her age and had been a neighbour.

Being a British soldier, Stephen received two grants of land under the Waste Lands Act 1858. One in Manawatu 1872, and the other in Makara Wellington 1883.

Stephen died in Thames penniless and alone in an Old Men’s home in Mary St Thames. A newspaper Te Aroha News of 15 December 1888 reported; “Found dead, Thames last night, Stephen Swazsland, and inmate of the Old Men’s Home was found dead in the garden of the home this morning; he had been suffering from heart disease. Stephen Adolphus Swaysland was buried in an unmarked grave on 15 December 1888, in Thames, New Zealand. Also buried in the same grave is Thomas Hall, no relation to Stephen.

For all his checkered past, Stephen Adolphus Swaysland was a kind man as report by a witness in an 1859 Coroners report regarding Stephen and Margaret’s first born, a still born baby. There had apparently been an altercation between Stephen and Margaret’s parents and the witness reported to the Coroner what Margaret had told her:

“She told me that her parents would like her to go home but her husband was too good an husband to her that she did not want to leave him.”

I have written a family history about Stephen Adolphus Swaysland, If you are interested in further information, I may be contacted by emailing: jekelly@xtra.co.nz Please put Swaysland in the subject:

Serious fire at Coromandel, 24th Dec 1895

The following information is from 'Papers Past'. I've always wondered which fire destroyed the records of Coromandel. Maybe it wasn't this fire but it seemed very shocking anyway.

A fire broke out last night in Coromandel, in Steher’s Hotel, which swept the street up and down from Handley’s residence to Furey’s, thirteen places in all being burnt down, Mrs Fernandez, Stecher’s Hotel and hall (partly built), Mrs Loves Jones & Co, Purcells (owned by Dawson), Rugg Handley’s houses, Nesbitt and Strong (saddlers). Two men were badly injured through jumping out of a house. One man (name unknown) was burnt to death and two others are missing. Many of the occupants of the places destroyed lost everything.

One of the men burnt to death at the fire at Steher’s Hotel, Coromandel, is said to be a traveler named Campbell from Kuaotunu, but nothing is certain. Over thirteen places were destroyed. The estimated loss is £6000. The only insurance that has transpired is the Star and Garter Hotel (Steher’s), £300 in the South British, Mrs Edwards’ store and stock £700 in the New Zealand, Mrs Love’s drapery £175 in the Standard, Nesbitt, tobacconist £100 in the New Zealand. Two men were injured at the fire, one in jumping out ot Steher’s Hotel. They were sent to the hospital. The fire was arrested by pulling Bridson’s premises down into the street. There is no fire brigade or water supply.

The fire broke out at 3am in Steher’s Hotel, Rings Rd. At 10am the skeleton of a man was found in the ruins of the hotel. It could be Mr Campbell or Mr Harrison from Auckland.

The inquest of another body who was burnt to death, resulted in an open verdict. The victim is believed to have been a man named Mackell, of Auckland, who had gone to Coromandel to try and get work in a store.