Kauri Bush Days

The method used on this block was to cut the timber off the slopes and ridges then skid them down into the gullies. The gullies were skidded with peeled logs about four abreast, which were greased to help the timber along to the dam in the Mangatangi River. When the dam was ready to trip, people came from miles around to watch. It was such a spectacular sight to see the logs go end over end as they left the dam and down to the booms on Vining Bros property (now Emerald Downs). Here the logs were steam winched about ten chains to a loading bank and then by Traction Engine to Kaiaua.

After six years a tramline was put in and a locomotive pulled about six trucks to the beach at Kaiaua, making three trips a day. About l9l5 this bush was cut out and this was just about the end of the kauri era in Mangatangi.

Bled gum was still being done. One climbed a Kauri tree with spike boots and a rope and made a small scarf in the bark of the tree and inserted a catcher or small piece of galvanised iron. Over a time the tree would bleed into the catcher to be harvested at a later date. The bled gum fetched a good price providing a livelihood for many in those days.

After the exposed gum disappeared the gum spear was used for probing the ground and feeling for gum lumps and then digging it out with their spade. Probing in the swamp required a longer spear. This was a poorer grade of gum but by the turn of the century gum became important for the new floor covering – linoleum – linseed oil, gum and ground cork, varnishes and Wax matches.

Another Kauri shop was situated on the hills near the Finlay farm at Miranda. Anyone could sell their gum for 2/6d to 3/- a pound. It was a profitable sideline.

Mac Ramanui, as a small boy, remembers days spent collecting gum and selling it at the shop. A big lump of kauri gum turned up at Gulland’s Quarry which was in the hands of Mr. Earle Waller. Mr. Ross Hamilton picked up a piece from the swamp at the Mangatangi end of Monument Rd when he came to the area share milking in l980’s. There were still many more pieces of gum picked up over the years as paddocks and low lying areas were worked up.