eventually joined the Lands and Survey Department helping to draw maps of the topography of the area.
Westland Land Board reports, all of which were published in local papers, contain references to disputes over both land and timber in the Gillespie’s and Waiho Survey Districts. The Sullivans and Henry Williams arrived after the Ryans and were now competing for land, both to buy and lease. There were complaints to the Board on both sides of taking trees for fencing on land which didn’t belong to them. When both wanted the same land with a decision being made by ballot, obviously the loser would not have been happy. It seems, therefore, that land acquisition, rather than gold mining was more likely to have been the source of ongoing disputes at Gillespie’s as the years passed. Like all small isolated communities it doubtless had its share of malcontents, particularly when fuelled by jealousy or alcohol.
It was usual in these years for one household in a community to act as a Post Office. In later years the Williams household at Weheka would perform this role usually announced in the Grey River Argus ex the latest Government Gazette. Later again Mick Sullivan’s house became the Post Office.
As I commented in Westland Heritage, “along with the Irish stubbornness, cantankerousness, drunkenness, bigotry and fiery tempers which could result in fists flying before the mind was put in gear, went also tenacity in the face of hardship, generosity of spirit, perseverance, great faith that the Lord was on their side, and a determination that their offspring would have a better life than they had known.”
Douglas’s parting shot on Gillespie’s Beach indicated that its glory had departed and those remaining are a “few old fogies who consider they might as well die there as anywhere else.” I am reminded that Keith McLauchlan of Auckland wrote to me over a decade ago telling of his experiences as a Truman’s traveller down
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