Dannevirke marks 150 years of settlement

Pat Mills speaking at the Dannevirke Settler's Cemetery on the early settlers. Photo / Leanne Warr

The hardship and the sacrifices made by those who settled in and helped establish Dannevirke were reflected on as the town marked its 150th anniversary.

Anniversary celebrations opened on Sunday with a church service, then a guided walk through the Dannevirke Settler's Cemetery and concluded with a high tea in the town hall.

Author Rob McDonald, who wrote Dannevirke: The Early Years, published in 2002, spoke of the hardships the settlers endured at the high tea at the weekend.

Author Rob McDonald wrote a book on Dannevirke's early years. Photo / Leanne Warr

It first started as a series of journeys, he said.

From Scandinavia, it was a sea voyage of 20,000km, which took three months.

Arriving in Napier, it was then a 120km walk and wagon ride from Napier to Norsewood.

A select group of 21 families then made the journey south to what would become Dannevirke.

"There were more children than adults," McDonald said.

Seventy per cent of those children were aged 6 or younger.

While some people believed the settlers in 1872 were brought over to cut down the forest, McDonald said it was to build a road.

A lot of the men were not road labourers, having worked in other professions before they came to New Zealand.

Their incentive to come to Dannevirke was the promise of 40 acres of land, but it wasn't free.

McDonald said they had to pay for their passage from Scandinavia, and then for their blocks, by working six days a week.

Meanwhile, their wives were left on the blocks to dig the gardens, plant crops and raise the children.

An inspector of schools in those days, who often passed by the area, felt the women deserved recognition.

Reflecting on the 150 years, McDonald said it also struck him as an opportune time to create some sort of memorial to those women.

Kieran McAnulty spoke of the uniqueness of Dannevirke's history. Photo / Leanne Warr

Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty spoke briefly of his pride in his family connection to the Tararua District.

He said he was often asked the story of the Viking signs in Dannevirke.

"It's not a story that can be told anywhere else in the country. I think that's pretty special."

He also spoke of the need to celebrate such milestones.

"If we don't celebrate such things our history can be overlooked and if our history's overlooked it can be forgotten."

Honorary Consul General for the Royal Danish Consulate Karen Pullar talked of the connection between New Zealand and Scandinavia. Photo / Leanne Warr

Consul General for the Royal Danish Consulate Karen Pullar spoke of the close relationship between New Zealand and the countries in Scandinavia.

She said all had similar, small populations as well as shared values.

"While our countries are very small, we both have very strong standings and respect in the international community."

She added that the shared values and similarities had been instrumental in strengthening the bonds of friendship between the countries.

Pullar was also present at the guided walk through the Settler's Cemetery, where some of the stories of those early settlers were told.

At least 50 people took part in the special walk.

Pat Mills, who was part of the original group that set up the Friends of the Settler's Cemetery, spoke of the reasons the settlers came.

"They came to Dannevirke because they were invited by the Prime Minister Julius Vogel," she said.

There had been famine in Scandinavia as well as an increasing population and difficult economic times.

The Scandinavians had also lost a war with Germany in 1864 which added to the problems.

Mills said the group of 21 families stopped on the banks of the Mangatera Stream on October 16, 1872, where it was still just dense bush.

"You would not have seen the sky for the trees."

Sharyn Burling told some of the history of the cemetery. Photo / Leanne Warr

Coordinator Sharyn Burling spoke of the establishment of the cemetery.

She said in those early days of developing the town, a place to bury their dead "was farthest from their minds".

Early records were sparse and there were problems for those trying to create and manage the cemetery.

With the town initially under the control of Hawke's Bay, in 1876, it was managed from Waipawa.

"... who had little concern for their country towns."

A town board was set up by 1885, with 60 ratepayers.

Then in 1891, a cemetery was officially surveyed into rows and plots, although there were already a number of bodies interred.

More than 1000 plots were surveyed but only 820 were recorded as having been used, Burling said.

The first burial recorded was in 1883 and the last was in 1996, although the cemetery was officially closed in 1914 and only those who had a close connection could be buried there after that time.