Mountain Rimu Timber Company

Date: Between 1915 and 1926

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

By: Burton Brothers (Dunedin, N.Z.); Sherriff, D J, active 1901-1931

Reference: PA1-q-102

Description: Album of photographs chiefly taken by Albert Percy Godber, relating to his family, his work and his interests. Family photographs include portraits of his wife (Laura) and two children (William and Phyllis), and scenes of their home in Whiteman's Valley Road, Silverstream; views of the Hutt Valley including large numbers of cars travelling to Trentham Racecourse, and the Hutt River. Another group of images relate to a holiday at the Mendip Hills Homestead in Canterbury, with scenes of farm life, including haymaking, merino sheep, and farm buildings. During their stay in the South Island Godber also took photographs of Dunedin (including the Ross Reservoir, Otago Boys' High School, Seacliff Mental Hospital, the 1926 Dunedin Exhibition, and the Hillside Railway Workshops); Invercargill (including the Invercargill Railway Workshops); Stewart Island, Moeraki, Tuatapere, Waiau River, Oamaru and Port Chalmers. Various railway stations in Canterbury and Otago, the Burnside Iron Mills, and the Rosslyn Mills. Godber was a volunteer fireman with the Petone Fire Brigade with the album including views of the building, groups of firemen, fire engines and other fire fighting equipment, and a building in Petone damaged by fire. In his work with New Zealand Railways, mainly at the Petone Railway Workshops, he took interior photographs of various buildings, including the Machine Shop and finishing benches, the engine room, lathes, boilers, and fitting shops. He also took photographs of many of the steam engines that were built and worked on at the workshops. One scene shows a group of men watching a fight. Many images show his interest in logging railways, particularly in the Piha, Karekare, Anawhata area. Scenes of logging camps, various methods of transporting logs including bullock teams, logging trains, and dams created and then tripped to send logs down by river, and timber mills. Other topics covered in Godber's photographs are scenes at Maori marae and meeting houses, with some of the people identified; Maori carving and rafter designs; beekeeping, and gold mining. Other Titles - Title printed on spine - Godber album 109 Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with brown buckram cover; 38.0 x 26.5 cm (257 p.)

Date: 23 Nov 1982

From: Interviews about Rotorua by Don Stafford

By: Turner, Charles Frederick, 1892-

Reference: OHInt-0470/20

Description: Fred Turner came to Te Pu near Rotorua in 1903 when his father took up land, having previously farmed near Christchurch and Bluff. Describes `bush sickness', a cobalt deficiency in the soil, which damaged the animals. Mentions he was living at Pongakawa breaking in land for his father Charley. Talks about his seven brothers and sisters. Describes leaving school before the age of twelve and cooking for a gang of roadmen working in the area in 1904. Describes walking off the Te Pu property in 1931 having been sued for uncontrollable ragwort. Discusses how it was not explained that the land was on a fifty two year lease and he could have bought it back. Describes how most farmers at Te Pu were given land as part of the World War I rehabilitation scheme. Notes that this was land that farmers had previously walked off. Describes unsuccessful attempts to get compensation from the Government for the land. Talks about land at Hamurana and settlers Jack Catley, Harry Ward and the Dittmers. Talks about marrying Miss Dittmer. Talks about breaking in land for Major Herald in Paradise Valley and then buying and farming land in the Valley. Discusses land at Kaharoa. Mentions that people from Te Pu attended school at Kaharoa. Recalls attending tangi at Awahou village. Comments that many Maori were on the gumfields during this period. Talks about Fred Leonard. Describes working for Walter Steele in the bush at Mamaku in 1908 and working for the Mountain Rimu Timber Company. Recalls a fairly large community at Mamaku and describes living conditions at the camp. Describes going to the pictures in Rotorua at Kings Theatre, which was owned by Duncan Steele. Describes being the first farmer in the area to make ensilage and have his herd tested. Comments on successful potato growing. Talks about farm animals, milking cows, separating milk from cream and the dairy factory at Ngongotaha. Talks about Charlie and Bill Karl. Describes difficulties getting water on his property and digging a well to the depth of one hundred and seventy five feet. Discusses a financial scheme local farmers paid into to see them through hard times and describes how the money for the scheme was taken by Walter Nash. Comments on having to give up on farming because of his legs and gangrene. Mentions Dick Garlick driving coaches. Describes working on the road gang near Pongakawa. Interviewer(s) - Don Stafford Quantity: 4 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2869.

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-0699-1/2-G

Description: Logs at the Mountain Rimu Timber Company in Mamaku. Photographed by Albert Percy Godber circa 1916. Original print in album Pa1-q-102, page 46. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-1206-1/2-F

Description: Price 16-wheeler steam locomotive, run by the Mountain Rimu Timber Company, Mamaku. Photograph taken by Albert Percy Godber, circa 1916. An original print from this negative is at Pa1-q-102 (Godber Album Vol 109, p 45). Dated from images either side of this in the Godber Album. Inscriptions: Album page - Views at State Mill. Mamaku (Mountain Rimu Coy.). J.A. Rhodes, mgr. Locomotive built by A & G Price Ltd., Thames, built specifically as a bush tramway steam locomotive. Came under the Railways Department when the Stores Branch took over the Mountain Rimu Timber Company's mill and tramway at Mamaku. In 1928 this locomotive was sold to the Marton Sash and Door Company at Waione. See \"Cavalcade of New Zealand locomotives\" by A N Palmer & W W Stewart. An original print of this view is in Godber Album Vol 109, p 45 (PA1-q-102) Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative 17.25 x 11.75 cm

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-1205-1/2-G

Description: View of the Mountain Rimu Timber Co. mill, with a house on a rise behind the mill. Photographed by Albert Percy Godber circa 1916. Original print in album Pa1-q-102, page 46. Date from other images in this album. Inscriptions: Album page - Views at state mill. Mamaku. (Mountain Rimu Coy.) Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-0701-1/2-G

Description: View of railway track through native bush on the Mountain Rimu Timber Co. property, at Mamaku. Taken by Albert Percy Godber circa 1916. Original print in album Pa1-q-102, page 44. Date from other images in this album. Inscriptions: Album page - Views on Mountain Rimu Coy's property. Mamaku. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-1122-1/2-G

Description: Price 16-wheeler steam locomotive (B-B-B-B type), hauling a load of logs for the Mountain Rimu Timber Company, Mamaku. Photograph taken by Albert Percy Godber, circa 1916. See similar image at APG-0697-1/2, which has an original print at Pa1-q-102 (Godber Album Vol 109, p 46). Dated from images either side of this in the Godber Album. Locomotive built by A & G Price Ltd., Thames in 1916, built specifically as a bush tramway steam locomotive. Came under the Railways Department when the Stores Branch took over the Mountain Rimu Timber Company's mill and tramway at Mamaku. In 1928 this locomotive was sold to the Marton Sash and Door Company at Waione. See "Cavalcade of New Zealand locomotives" by A N Palmer & W W Stewart. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-0700-1/2-G

Description: View of timber milling town at Mamaku, looking towards the mill of the Mountain Rimu Timber Co. Taken by Albert Percy Godber circa 1916. Original print in album Pa1-q-102, page 46. Date from other images in this album. Inscriptions: Album page - Views at state mill. Mamaku. (Mountain Rimu Coy.) Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: Circa 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-0704-1/2-G

Description: Three timber workers standing on a log amongst native bush on the Mountain Rimu Timber Co. property, at Mamaku. Taken by Albert Percy Godber circa 1916. Original print in album Pa1-q-102, page 44. Date from other images in this album. Inscriptions: Album page - Views on Mountain Rimu Coy's property. Mamaku. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches

Date: 1916

From: Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives

Reference: APG-0697-1/2-G

Description: Price 16-wheeler steam locomotive, run by the Mountain Rimu Timber Company, Mamaku. Photograph taken by Albert Percy Godber, circa 1916. An original print from this negative is at Pa1-q-102 (Godber Album Vol 109, p 46). Dated from images either side of this in the Godber Album. This image is reproduced in "Cavalcade of New Zealand locomotives" by A N Palmer & W W Stewart, page 163. Inscriptions: Album page - Loco by A & G Price. 16 wheeler. Locomotive built by A & G Price Ltd., Thames, built specifically as a bush tramway steam locomotive. Came under the Railways Department when the Stores Branch took over the Mountain Rimu Timber Company's mill and tramway at Mamaku. In 1928 this locomotive was sold to the Marton Sash and Door Company at Waione. See "Cavalcade of New Zealand locomotives" by A N Palmer & W W Stewart. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Dry plate glass negative 6.5 x 4.75 inches